Mild Winter Days Athens to Crete

Itinerary at a glance:

Day 1 – Day 5: Athens
Day 6 – Day 10: Nafplio
Day 11 – Day 15: Chania
Day 16 – Day 19: Rethymno
Day 20 – Day 21: Athens

Mild Winter Days Athens to Crete Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1: Athens

Welcome to Greece. Upon arrival at Athens International Airport, your driver will meet you and transfer you comfortably to your hotel. After check-in, take some time to settle in. If you feel like stretching your legs, step out for a first walk through the historic neighbourhoods around the Acropolis and let Athens begin to unfold around you. Overnight in Athens.

Day 2: Athens

After breakfast, enjoy the included Athens city sightseeing tour by shared coach with an English-speaking licensed guide. Visit the Acropolis and Acropolis Museum, and see some of the capital’s best-known landmarks, including the Parthenon, Panathenaic Stadium and Parliament.

Later, the afternoon is yours. Wander through Plaka, pause at a café or simply enjoy the atmosphere of central Athens at a gentler winter pace. Overnight in Athens. (B)

Day 3: Athens

Today is yours to experience Athens as you wish. You might spend a few hours in one of the city’s museums or join a food tour to explore local flavours. For something quieter, visit the National Garden. Alternatively, head towards Lycabettus Hill and take in the city from above.

There is no need to fill every hour. Part of the pleasure of a longer winter stay is having time to follow whatever catches your interest.

Overnight in Athens. (B)

Day 4: Athens – Delphi – Athens

After breakfast, set out on the included full-day tour to Delphi by shared coach with an English-speaking licensed guide. As you travel through the mainland landscape, your guide will introduce the history and mythology of one of the most important sacred places of the ancient Greek world.

At Delphi, explore the archaeological site, including the Temple of Apollo and the ancient theatre. Along the way, discover why the sanctuary became associated with the famous Oracle and the ancient idea of Delphi as the centre of the world.

Afterward, enjoy a traditional Greek lunch at a local taverna before returning to Athens in the afternoon. Overnight in Athens. (B, L)

Day 5: Athens – Cape Sounion – Athens

Spend the morning discovering another side of Athens at your own pace. Wander through Anafiotika beneath the Acropolis, where whitewashed houses and narrow lanes bring a touch of the Cyclades into the heart of the city. Continue into Plaka and, if you wish, towards Ermou Street for shops and local boutiques. Along the way, pause for a traditional Greek coffee served from a briki, perhaps with a small loukoumi on the side.

In the early afternoon, join the included Cape Sounion tour by shared coach with an English-speaking licensed guide. The route follows the Athens Riviera before reaching the Temple of Poseidon, dramatically positioned above the sea. Overnight in Athens. (B)

Day 6: Athens – Mycenae – Epidaurus – Nafplio

After breakfast, leave Athens by private transfer for Nafplio. On the way, stop to visit the archaeological site of Mycenae and the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus. If you would like a more personal interpretation of either site, a private guide can be arranged on request.

Later, continue to Nafplio and check in at your hotel (history of Nafplio ↗). Once settled, step into the old town and begin discovering one of Greece’s most atmospheric seaside towns at your own pace. Nafplio served as the capital of the Greek state from 1827 to 1834, and traces of its long history remain woven through its squares, fortifications and elegant streets. Overnight in Nafplio. (B)

Day 7: Nafplio

Today is yours to enjoy Nafplio slowly. Walk along the Arvanitia Promenade beneath the fortress walls, visit Palamidi Fortress or spend time at the Archaeological Museum. You may prefer simply to wander through the old town, where neoclassical façades, small squares and sea views make unhurried exploration part of the experience. Overnight in Nafplio. (B)

Day 8: Nafplio

Bourtzi, the small fortress in Nafplio’s harbour, is one of the town’s most recognisable sights. If you wish, take the short boat ride from the waterfront and visit the fortress, then return to the old town at your own pace.

Later, consider visiting the Komboloi Museum, devoted to the history, materials and cultural meaning of Greek worry beads. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy Nafplio at leisure. Overnight in Nafplio. (B)

Day 9: Nafplio

Enjoy another unhurried day in Nafplio. Wander through the old town, discover local eateries and perhaps stop for ice cream as you explore the pedestrian streets. As evening approaches, choose a welcoming bar or café and watch the town settle into its evening rhythm. Overnight in Nafplio. (B)

Day 10: Nafplio

Your final day in Nafplio is a chance to return to anything you may have missed or simply enjoy the town without a plan. If wine interests you, you may also choose a wine-tasting experience in nearby Nemea, one of Greece’s best-known wine regions. Overnight in Nafplio. (B)

Day 11: Nafplio – Athens Airport – Chania

This morning, transfer privately from Nafplio to Athens International Airport for your flight to Chania, on the island of Crete. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel.

Five nights in Chania give you something especially valuable: time. There is no need to rush through the city. Begin with a first walk, find a favourite corner and start imagining how you would like to spend the days ahead. Overnight in Chania. (B)

Day 12: Chania

Begin discovering Chania with a walk through the Venetian Old Harbour and its waterfront, with the lighthouse marking the entrance from the sea. From there, lose yourself for a while in the lanes of the Old Town. Different periods of the city’s history meet around small squares, old buildings and local shops.

Later, settle into a taverna and discover some of the flavours of Cretan cuisine at your own pace. Overnight in Chania. (B)

Day 13: Chania

After breakfast, continue exploring Chania’s Old Town at leisure. If you are in the mood for history, visit the Archaeological Museum of Chania and the Maritime Museum of Crete. Together, they add different perspectives to the story of the city and the island.

Afterward, leave some time simply to wander. Winter rewards the traveller who is not in a hurry. Overnight in Chania. (B)

Day 14: Chania

Today you may wish to look beyond Chania. Rent a car or arrange a private transfer and explore the countryside, perhaps visiting the Monastery of Agia Triada or the archaeological site of Aptera.

Alternatively, stay closer to town and enjoy another free day in Chania. The choice is yours. Overnight in Chania. (B)

Day 15: Chania

If the Botanical Park & Gardens of Crete is open during your travel dates, you may choose to spend part of the day there. Walk among fruit trees, herbs and other plants at the foothills of the White Mountains. The park is approximately 30 minutes from Chania by road and operates seasonally, so opening should be checked in advance.

Otherwise, keep the day free for Chania and follow whatever you have not yet had time to enjoy. Overnight in Chania. (B)

Day 16: Chania – Rethymno

This morning, leave Chania by private transfer for Rethymno, the final Cretan stop of your journey. After checking in at your hotel, the rest of the day is free.

Begin with a walk through the old town and let Rethymno introduce itself slowly, through its narrow streets, Venetian and Ottoman traces, cafés and glimpses of the sea. Overnight in Rethymno. (B)

Day 17: Rethymno

Good morning, Rethymno. Spend the day exploring the old town, its Venetian architecture, local shops and waterfront. Wander towards the Old Venetian Harbour, pause for coffee or lunch, and enjoy the easy rhythm of a Cretan town outside the height of summer. Overnight in Rethymno. (B)

Day 18: Rethymno

Today, step into another chapter of Rethymno’s history with an optional visit to the Fortezza, the great Venetian fortress overlooking the town and sea. Take your time exploring the walls and viewpoints before returning to the old town.

The rest of the day is free to enjoy Rethymno as you wish. Overnight in Rethymno. (B)

Day 19: Rethymno

Use your final full day in Crete to return to anything you may have missed. You might visit the Archaeological Museum of Rethymno or travel beyond the town to the Museum of Ancient Eleutherna ↗. If you also wish to explore the archaeological site, check its seasonal opening conditions for your travel dates.

However you spend the day, allow a little time simply to enjoy your last Cretan afternoon without rushing it. Overnight in Rethymno. (B)

Day 20: Rethymno – Athens

Today, say goodbye to Crete and transfer to the Chania  airport for your return flight to Athens. On arrival, your driver will meet you and take you to your hotel.

For your final evening, perhaps choose a restaurant near the Acropolis. Raise a glass to the places, stories and quiet winter moments collected over the past three weeks. Overnight in Athens. (B)

Day 21: Athens

After breakfast, transfer to Athens International Airport for your departure flight. Your 21-day winter journey through Athens, Nafplio and Crete comes to an end.

We hope Greece has given you reasons to return and discover another corner of the country in a different season. 
End of services. (B)

Have a pleasant and safe journey home.

N.B. B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner