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Because of her studies of Greek mythology/history in the 4th grade, Greece holds a very special place in Zen’s world of favorite places. The Pantheon, in the ancient district of Plaka, is the most interesting museum of Cycladic Art and is one of many excursions on our agenda which also includes: Marathon, Delphi, Corinth, and Mycenaean. (We enthusiastically recommend reading Donald Kagan’s History of the Peloponnesian War– a great preview of your Greek travels.) A fun supplement to Athens/Peloponnese and its nearby environments is a private yacht cruise through the pristine waters of the Cyclades– picturesque Santorini, Delos, Mykonos, and Crete, all within reach!
Each private luxury tour is custom to the wishes of each client. This itinerary is a sample. Partnering with our long-established relationship with United Airlines, our sister company, TRAVNET, may provide competitive Polaris/Business Class international airfare, along with mileage points conversion.
Fly to Athens
Through our sister company, premium air provider TRAVNET, we may assist with your international airfare, as well as with mileage points conversion.
Meals: —
Accommodations: —
Arrive Athens
Upon arrival in Athens, you will be privately transferred to Hotel Grand Bretagne.
Meals: —
Accommodations: Hotel Grande Bretagne
Athens Full Day Private Tour
Begin your day touring the UNESCO world heritage site synonymous with Athens, The Acropolis, dedicated to Athena. Pay a special visit to the Acropolis Museum to learn about this ancient site. Hike to the top of Lycabettus for an unparalleled view before embarking on a walking tour of the trendy Kolonaki district. End with a visit to the remarkable Parthenon.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Hotel Grande Bretagne
Delphi Full Day Excursion
An early departure to Delphi ensures avoidance of midday tourist crowds. The religious center and sanctuary of Apollo, Delphi’s human-made environment of monuments, temples, and terraces give a picture of the legacy of ancient Greece. With your private guide, you will fully explore all of the monuments this UNESCO World Heritage Site has to offer.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Hotel Grande Bretagne
Drive Athens/Mycenae/Peloponnese
You will first find yourself at the archeological sites of Mycenae and Tiryns, representing the two greatest cities of the Mycenaean civilization from 15th – 12th centuries B.C. We will plan a fun, delicious Greek picnic lunch for you as you embellish the beautiful local scenery. Your day will end at the Amanzoe, a Lynch family favorite and well-known by many of our clients and friends.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Amanzoe
Hydra Full Day Excursion
A day trip to Hydra will be arranged, we feel the most picturesque Saronic Gulf Island.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Amanzoe
Peloponnese Leisure Day
Enjoy the amenities of the Amanzoe on your day of leisure!
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Amanzoe
Drive Peloponnese/Athens + Fly Athens/Santorini
Upon arrival in Santorini, you will privately be transferred to the Mystique Hotel Santorini.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Mystique Santorini or Grace Santorini
Santorini Private Tour
If up for it, we highly recommend an excursion to Santorini’s ancient archaeological site of Akrotiri. Referred by many as the “Minoan Pompeii, Akrotiri was buried by a devastating Theran volcanic eruption in approx. 1627 B.C. While in Santorini, you may also enjoy some various sailing options.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Mystique Santorini or Grace Santorini
Santorini Hiking
Following breakfast at your hotel, you will be privately transferred to the starting point of your anticipated 4 hour morning Caldera hike. We will engage a local specialist hiking guide to accompany you along the path that leads from Fira to Oia via Firostefani and Imerovigli
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Mystique Santorini or Grace Santorini
Speedboat Santorini/Crete
Following breakfast at your hotel, you will be met your guide and taken to the gateway point for your private speedboat to the island of Crete.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas
Palace of Knossos Excursion
Today you will visit Knossos, the ancient Minoan palace and surrounding city of the island of Crete, sung of by Homer in his Odyssey: “Among their cities is the great city of Cnosus, where Minos reigned when nine years old, he that held converse with great Zeus.” Once the center of Minoan Crete, you will get a glimpse of a once sophisticated society during the Bronze Age.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas
Elounda
Enjoy your day of relaxation at Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas
Fly Crete/Athens/Home
Although we are not big fans of 200+ room hotels, we certainly make an exception for the 5 Star 320-room Hotel Grande Bretagne. With no real peer in Athens, this completely restored luxury property is ideally located in Constitution Square, only a 20-minute walk to the Acropolis. Some of our favorite features here are the rooftop restaurant (striking views of the Acropolis + the best breakfast in Athens!), the full-service spa, heated indoor/outdoor pools (a must for family travel!) and the hotel’s personal, high-touch attention to detail. Many of the suites have private balconies, with all the rooms including original local artwork and antiques. The GB is truly the crown jewel of luxury hotels in Athens.
Hotel Grande Bretagne
Although we are not big fans of 200+ room hotels, we certainly make an exception for the 5 Star 320-room Hotel Grande Bretagne. With no real peer in Athens, this completely restored luxury property is ideally located in Constitution Square, only a 20-minute walk to the Acropolis. Some of our favorite features here are the rooftop restaurant (striking views of the Acropolis + the best breakfast in Athens!), the full-service spa, heated indoor/outdoor pools (a must for family travel!) and the hotel’s personal, high-touch attention to detail. Many of the suites have private balconies, with all the rooms including original local artwork and antiques. The GB is truly the crown jewel of luxury hotels in Athens.
Set on an olive-tree covered hilltop complex of 38 pavilions, Amanzoe is Aman’s only Greece property and we feel worth the trek from Athens. Then minutes from the quaint yachting village of Porto Heli, the three families we sent here in 204 were enthusiastic in their praise of this high-touch idyllic place. Similar to other Aman resorts, the service here is singular and personal, with striking clean architecture, as the Amanzoe is designed to complement the Peloponnese local culture and setting. Each suite contains soaring windows, bedrooms that open onto patios and plunge pools and ultra-modern bathrooms (think huge showers!) Another added treat at the Amanzoe is its private, full-service Beach Club (10 min away by shuttle), including a restaurant/bar and two impressive freshwater pools overlooking the Mediterranean. Great food, spa, and a fitness center.
AMANZOE
Set on an olive-tree covered hilltop complex of 38 pavilions, Amanzoe is AMAN’s only Greece property and we feel worth the trek from Athens. Then minutes from the quaint yachting village of Porto Heli, the three families we sent here in 204 were enthusiastic in their praise of this high-touch idyllic place. Similar to other Aman resorts, the service here is singular and personal, with striking clean architecture, as the Amanzoe is designed to complement the Peloponnese local culture and setting. Each suite contains soaring windows, bedrooms that open onto patios and plunge pools and ultra-modern bathrooms (think huge showers!) Another added treat at the Amanzoe is its private, full-service Beach Club (10 min away by shuttle), including a restaurant/bar and two impressive freshwater pools overlooking the Mediterranean. Great food, spa, and a fitness center.
The 5-Star 35 suite/villa Mystique is perhaps our favorite luxury property in Santorini, our favorite island of the Cyclades. Luckily, based on your late-May stay here, you should miss the huge influx of tourists visiting the island Jun-Aug. The Mystique’s vertically-accented design ensures amazing views of the blue waters of the Aegean Sea from all suites’ private balconies (great views even from the bathrooms!). The hotel’s white-washed walls and floors blend nicely with the color/tones of the many picturesque villages of Santorini. Ringed by 1,000 ft. cliffs, it is certainly not hyperbole to say that the unobstructed views from all public areas of the Mystique are jaw-dropping (!) Due to the vertical design alongside the cliffs, the hotel’s cobblestone walkways, include many challenging stairs; attention to your feet and careful walking is respectfully recommended. Other big pluses here: great dining (though expensive), nice Asian spa, curvaceous infinity edged pool, and a 150-year-old wine cave. You should enjoy the quaint village of Oia, which is a short walk from the hotel, as well as the nearby Baxedes Beach (note: no sandy white beaches here, only volcanic black/red sand).
Mystique Hotel Santorini
The 5-Star 35 suite/villa Mystique is perhaps our favorite luxury property in Santorini, our favorite island of the Cyclades. Luckily, based on your late-May stay here, you should miss the huge influx of tourists visiting the island Jun-Aug. The Mystique’s vertically-accented design ensures amazing views of the blue waters of the Aegean Sea from all suites’ private balconies (great views even from the bathrooms!). The hotel’s white-washed walls and floors blend nicely with the color/tones of the many picturesque villages of Santorini. Ringed by 1,000 ft. cliffs, it is certainly not hyperbole to say that the unobstructed views from all public areas of the Mystique are jaw-dropping (!) Due to the vertical design alongside the cliffs, the hotel’s cobblestone walkways, include many challenging stairs; attention to your feet and careful walking is respectfully recommended. Other big pluses here: great dining (though expensive), nice Asian spa, curvaceous infinity edged pool, and a 150-year-old wine cave. You should enjoy the quaint village of Oia, which is a short walk from the hotel, as well as the nearby Baxedes Beach (note: no sandy white beaches here, only volcanic black/red sand).
The 21-room 5-Star Grace Santorini offers a more modern/minimalistic contemporary aesthetic. Based on the past few years clients’ feedback, we feel the luxury Mystique and Grace Hotels to be the highest quality properties in Santorini. Rest assured the 2-bedroom villa here is truly spectacular; total 400 sq. m. (4,305 sq. ft.!) with its own private spa treatment room with steam bath and Jacuzzi. The villa’s double-level seating area and sundecks overlook your heated pool and outdoor fireplace. The hotel’s amenities include a striking infinity pool, a small gym and spa, and a noteworthy Greek restaurant (seafood specialty). The 2-bedroom villa even has an open-planned kitchen (fully equipped and pre-stocked), with a private chef available upon request.
Grace Santorini
The 21-room 5-Star Grace Santorini offers a more modern/minimalistic contemporary aesthetic. Based on the past few years clients’ feedback, we feel the luxury Mystique and Grace Hotels to be the highest quality properties in Santorini. Rest assured the 2-bedroom villa here is truly spectacular; total 400 sq. m. (4,305 sq. ft.!) with its own private spa treatment room with steam bath and Jacuzzi. The villa’s double-level seating area and sundecks overlook your heated pool and outdoor fireplace. The hotel’s amenities include a striking infinity pool, a small gym and spa, and a noteworthy Greek restaurant (seafood specialty). The 2-bedroom villa even has an open-planned kitchen (fully equipped and pre-stocked), with a private chef available upon request.
With a picturesque setting on Crete’s Mirabello Bay, the 244-room luxury Elounda Beach Hotel is considered by most locals as the highest quality resort hotel in Crete. All rooms/suites/villas with furnished terraces are situated directly on the water’s edge. Although the luxury sea view rooms (redundant!) are stylishly designed, one stays here for the overall relaxing setting, including a very nice outdoor saltwater pool, golf course, nice garden/walking paths, and secluded white sandy beaches (finally!). The Elounda’s holistic Espace Vitalite Chenot spa is quite noteworthy with plentiful and varied spa treatments. The hotel includes a total seven restaurants, including an extensive wine selection. Two couples that we booked here last Sept. enjoyed (and were quite amused) by the “Bar on the Sea” (The Veghera Bar). Please note dining costs here are certainly not inexpensive.
Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas
With a picturesque setting on Crete’s Mirabello Bay, the 244-room luxury Elounda Beach Hotel is considered by most locals as the highest quality resort hotel in Crete. All rooms/suites/villas with furnished terraces are situated directly on the water’s edge. Although the luxury sea view rooms (redundant!) are stylishly designed, one stays here for the overall relaxing setting, including a very nice outdoor saltwater pool, golf course, nice garden/walking paths, and secluded white sandy beaches (finally!). The Elounda’s holistic Espace Vitalite Chenot spa is quite noteworthy with plentiful and varied spa treatments. The hotel includes a total seven restaurants, including an extensive wine selection. Two couples that we booked here last Sept. enjoyed (and were quite amused) by the “Bar on the Sea” (The Veghera Bar). Please note dining costs here are certainly not inexpensive.
Population |
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11.4 Million |
Language |
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Greek |
Currency |
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Euro |
Temperature |
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Highs: Mid 90’s |
Lows: Low 40’s |
Area |
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377.864 SQ KM |
145.894 SQ MILES |
Capital |
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Athens |