COX & KINGS

The Heart of Ancient Greece

Prices checked 26 October 2026 · Cox & Kings · Supplier snapshot; confirmation required.

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Considered the birthplace of Western civilisation, Greece’s influence still resonates today in the fields of architecture, science, engineering and philosophy. Incorporating the classical sites of Olympia, Delphi, Mycenae and Epidaurus, this tour also visits the extraordinary rock formations of the Meteora region and the man-made marvels of the Corinth Canal.

Plan this tour with Kat & Simon Morgan — Personal Travel Consultants at Hays Travel. Call 0800 0662 694 for help comparing dates, departure points and room options.

Tour highlights

See the birthplace of democracy, exploring Athens’ most famous monuments
Visit Monemvasia, one of the oldest, continually inhabited fortified towns in Europe
See the spectacular cliff-top monasteries of Meteora
Experience the flavours of northern Greece at a truffle-hunting demonstration with trained dogs, followed by a tasting

Further highlights

Tour gallery

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Your itinerary

In supplier order. Some entries may cover multiple days; optional experiences are described by the supplier.

Sample itinerary. Choose a departure for its exact itinerary and hotel plan.

Day 1 — Arrive Athens

Fly from London to Athens with Aegean Airlines. Transfer your hotel and join your tour party for a welcome dinner.

Meals: dinner

Day 1.1 — Transfer: Athens to Nafplio

Day 2 — Athens - Corinth - Nafplion

Morning tour of Athens, including Syntagma Square, Hadrian’s Arch, the Temple of Zeus and the Panathenaic Stadium. Finish at the Acropolis to view the Parthenon and visit the museum. Leave Athens and visit the Corinth Canal. Continue to Nafplion, with a stop at a local winery for a tasting. Stay at the Amalia Hotel Nafplio (or similar) for 2 nights.

Meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 3 — Nafplion - Mycenae - Epidaurus

Drive to Mycenae, the seat of mythic King Agamemnon who led the Greek armies against Troy. Visit the Lion’s Gate, the Cyclopean Walls and the Royal Tombs. Depart for Nafplion, a picturesque town nestling at the foot of a cliff. Continue to Epidaurus to visit the fourth-century theatre. Return to Nafplion.

Meals: breakfast

Day 3.1 — Transfer: Nafplio to Monemvasia

Day 4 — Nafplion - Monemvasia

En route to Monemvasia, visit the Museum of the Olive to learn about the history, culture and cultivation of the olive in Greece; and Sparta, land of legendary King Leonidas and his army. Arrive in Monemvasia for a walking tour of its narrow lanes, visiting the castle, perimeter walls, old mansions and churches. Later, enjoy some time at leisure before dinner within this medieval fortified town.

Meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 4.1 — Transfer: Monemvasia to Kalamata

Day 5 — Mystras - Kalamata

This morning, travel to Mystras and visit the remains of the castle and old town.

Meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 5.1 — Transfer: Kalamata to Olympia

Day 6 — Kalamata - Olympia

Depart for Olympia, a crucial religious site in ancient Greece. Visit an olive oil farm en route, and stay in Olympia overnight.

Meals: breakfast

Day 6.1 — Transfer: Olympia to Delphi

Day 7 — Olympia - Delphi

Visit the archaeological sites of Olympia, including the Sanctuary of Olympian Zeus. Continue to Arachova, near Delphi.

Meals: breakfast

Day 8 — Delphi

Take a full day to enjoy the archaeological site and museum at Delphi, famous throughout the classical world for its oracles. Visit the Athenian Treasury, the Temple of Apollo and the museum containing masterpieces of ancient Greek sculpture.

Meals: breakfast

Day 8.1 — Transfer: Delphi to Kalambaka

Day 9 — Kalambaka

Travel to Kalambaka and visit the Natural History Museum of Meteora and Mushroom Museum. Take part in a truffle hunting demonstration, with dogs, followed by a light snack of mushroom and truffle pasta.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 10 — Kalambaka

Enjoy a full day’s visit to the remarkable Meteora Eastern Orthodox monasteries, built high on rocky outcrops in the mountainous reaches of Thessaly.

Meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 10.1 — Transfer: Kalambaka to Athens

Day 11 — Athens

Depart Kalambaka and transfer to Athens. On this long, scenic route back to the Greek capital, you can admire the Plain of Thessaly, with its bucolic panoramas, and the Vale of Tempe, as well as a deep gorge formed by the Pineios River. Later, enjoy an afternoon at leisure to relax or explore Athens independently. Check in to your hotel, then join the rest of your tour party for a farewell drink.

Meals: breakfast

Day 12 — Fly to London

Transfer to Athens airport and fly to London or begin your tour extension.

Meals: breakfast

Your accommodation

Planned hotels or ships as published by Cox & Kings. Alternatives of a similar standard may be used. Hotel options are grouped as supplied and are not necessarily all included in one departure.

Amalia Hotel Athens

The Amalia Hotel Athens has an enviable location in the heart of Athens. It is set just off Syntagma Square, 10 minutes' walk to the Plaka quarter, which has many restaurants, shops and bars, as well as the Unesco world heritage site of the Acropolis and its museum. The hotel is part of the Amalia hotel chain.

Amalia Hotel Nafplio

Located 1km from the historical city centre, the Amalia Hotel Nafplion is a neoclassical-style hotel, set in picturesque gardens. The property features an outdoor swimming pool, which is open from May until September, as well as a bar/lounge and a restaurant serving an array of local cuisine. All rooms offer views across either the gardens, the sea or the Palamidi Fortress and include air conditioning.

Kinsterna Hotel

The Hotel Kinsterna is housed in a historic Byzantine manor, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, and offering views of the Aegean. Furnished to a high contemporary standard, a number of facilities are available on site including a restaurant, bar and lounge, swimming pool, library and a spa with a traditional Ottoman hammam.

Pharae Palace Hotel

Pharae Palace is a 4-star hotel located on Kalamata’s beachfront, close to the city’s shopping areas and port. The hotel features elegantly designed public spaces and offers rooms with sea or mountain views, furnished balconies, and room service. Facilities include a café bar, a restaurant serving Mediterranean and local cuisine, and a breakfast area overlooking the Messinian Bay.

Hotel Europa Olympia

Built on top of the Drouvas Hill in Ancient Olympia, the 4-star Best Western Hotel Europa has a great location for exploring the sights of Olympia. The 80 rooms each have air-conditioning, a minibar, a television and a safe. The hotel also has a restaurant, bar and outdoor swimming pool.

Domotel Anemolia Mountain Resort

Amalia Hotel Kalambaka

Part of the Amalia hotel chain, the hotel has 173 guestrooms and has an ideal location in which to explore the nearby monasteries. Housed in a neoclassical building set in 6 hectares of gardens with the centre point a large outdoor swimming pool, the Amalia Hotel was built from traditional materials to match its surroundings. Guests may dine at either the cafe, the Theopetra restaurant, which offers Greek and Mediterranean cuisine and is the hotel's main restaurant, or at the more intimate Polythea restaurant.

What’s included

Hotel porterage
Welcome dinner & farewell drink
Guided sightseeing & entrance fees
11 breakfasts, 1 lunch & 6 dinners
Experienced local tour manager
Transfers in air-conditioned vehicles
Flexible extensions, room & flight upgrades available
Direct international flights with Aegean Air or easyJet
4- & 5-star accommodation
Small group size - average 12 people (max 18)

Dates & prices

Indicative supplier snapshot. Confirm price, room basis and availability before booking. Monthly estimates deduct a £250 deposit per person for Europe or £395 elsewhere, then divide by whole monthly payments ending no later than 42 days before departure. Rounded to the nearest pound; final payment adjusted.

London and Manchester departures available. Published tour fares are indicative and not airport-specific; confirm your selected airport and quote with Kat & Simon.

42 published departure and room-basis records. Standard prices are per person sharing; solo fares are labelled separately. Sold-out records are shown for reference.

Departure	Departure point	Duration	Room basis	Price per person	Status
7 May 2027	London	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £3,745~~ £3,645 Save £100 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
7 May 2027	Manchester	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £3,745~~ £3,645 Save £100 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
21 May 2027	London	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £3,795~~ £3,695 Save £100 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
21 May 2027	Manchester	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £3,795~~ £3,695 Save £100 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
11 June 2027	London	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £3,745~~ £3,645 Save £100 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
11 June 2027	Manchester	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £3,745~~ £3,645 Save £100 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
3 September 2027	London	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £3,895~~ £3,795 Save £100 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
3 September 2027	London	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £5,040~~ £4,890 Save £150 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
3 September 2027	Manchester	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £3,895~~ £3,795 Save £100 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
3 September 2027	Manchester	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £5,040~~ £4,890 Save £150 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
17 September 2027	London	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £3,895~~ £3,795 Save £100 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
17 September 2027	London	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £5,040~~ £4,890 Save £150 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
17 September 2027	Manchester	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £3,895~~ £3,795 Save £100 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
17 September 2027	Manchester	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £5,040~~ £4,890 Save £150 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
1 October 2027	London	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £3,845~~ £3,745 Save £100 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
1 October 2027	London	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £4,990~~ £4,865 Save £125 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
1 October 2027	Manchester	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £3,845~~ £3,745 Save £100 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
1 October 2027	Manchester	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £4,990~~ £4,865 Save £125 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
5 May 2028	London	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £4,245~~ £4,120 Save £125 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
5 May 2028	London	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £5,540~~ £5,390 Save £150 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
5 May 2028	Manchester	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £4,245~~ £4,120 Save £125 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
5 May 2028	Manchester	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £5,540~~ £5,390 Save £150 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
19 May 2028	London	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £4,595~~ £4,470 Save £125 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
19 May 2028	London	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £5,890~~ £5,715 Save £175 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
19 May 2028	Manchester	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £4,595~~ £4,470 Save £125 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
19 May 2028	Manchester	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £5,890~~ £5,715 Save £175 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
9 June 2028	London	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £4,245~~ £4,120 Save £125 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
9 June 2028	London	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £5,540~~ £5,390 Save £150 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
9 June 2028	Manchester	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £4,245~~ £4,120 Save £125 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
9 June 2028	Manchester	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £5,540~~ £5,390 Save £150 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
1 September 2028	London	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £4,245~~ £4,120 Save £125 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
1 September 2028	London	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £5,540~~ £5,390 Save £150 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
1 September 2028	Manchester	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £4,245~~ £4,120 Save £125 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
1 September 2028	Manchester	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £5,540~~ £5,390 Save £150 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
15 September 2028	London	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £4,245~~ £4,120 Save £125 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
15 September 2028	London	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £5,540~~ £5,390 Save £150 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
15 September 2028	Manchester	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £4,245~~ £4,120 Save £125 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
15 September 2028	Manchester	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £5,540~~ £5,390 Save £150 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
29 September 2028	London	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £4,195~~ £4,070 Save £125 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
29 September 2028	London	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £5,490~~ £5,340 Save £150 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
29 September 2028	Manchester	12 days	Two sharing	~~Supplier price £4,195~~ £4,070 Save £125 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability
29 September 2028	Manchester	12 days	Solo	~~Supplier price £5,490~~ £5,340 Save £150 pp · Book by 29 November 2026	Snapshot — confirm availability

Supplier source ↗

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Booking this tour with Kat & Simon

How do I book?

Call 0800 0662 694 with your preferred dates, departure point and party details. We’ll confirm the current fare and availability before booking. This page does not reserve a place.

Can I spread the cost?

The date selector shows monthly estimates where eligible. Deposit and balance dates are shown alongside each option; ask us to confirm the payment arrangement for your booking.

Will my itinerary vary?

Check the itinerary for your selected departure. Hotels, order of visits and included experiences can vary; optional activities may cost extra.

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