Greece Walking Tour
An Island Hopping Vacation from Athens to Amorgos, Naxos, and Santorini
Authentic experiences. Bucket list destinations.
Dates:
April 30 – May 12, 2024
September 24 – October 6, 2024
Duration: 13 days / 12 nights
Start: Athens, Greece
End: Santorini, Greece
Locations: Athens, Amorgos, Naxos, Santorini
Cost: from $3795 based on double occupancy
Single Supplement: $645 ($795 Sep-Oct 2024)
Max Group Size: 14
Land only, solo traveler roomshares available. All prices in US dollars. Program subject to change.
Explore the Greek Islands!
Our Blue Walk Greece walking tour is a perfect blend of the famous, and the undiscovered. We invite you to join us for our first night in Athens with its vibrant city and ancient history. Then unwind for six nights in Amorgos, a remote and little-known gem of an island. Next, get your feet in the sand or wander quiet country lanes with two nights to explore Naxos. Walk its charming old town, inland villages, and sprawling, white-sand beaches. Finally, conclude your vacation on dazzling Santorini with its cliff-topped villages above the Aegean, copious shopping, and iconic views.
What to Expect
Greece Walking Tour
Athens (1 night)
The Blue Walk Greece walking tour vacation begins in Athens with a walk through the famous Plaka and Monastiraki areas. As evening falls we will watch the Acropolis light up from a nearby rooftop bar and enjoy a welcome beverage. Next day, there is free time to visit the Acropolis (with an the option to have a local guide) and explore this historic, exciting city. In the afternoon we transfer to Port of Piraeus for our ferry to the Island of Amorgos.
Amorgos (6 nights)
Upon arrival in Amorgos, we’re transferred to our family-operatored beach front hotel for 6 days of seaside relaxation. Your room, only steps from the Aegean Sea, awaits. Amorgos is a little-developed island with ancient towns spilling down the mountside and an 11th century monastery offering a special destination. Our resort amenities include an outdoor pool, a casual restaurant overlooking the sea, free snorkel gear, and beach towels and lounges.
Our simple morning walks and daily touring of Amorgos highlights include the villages of Chora, Lagada, Tholaria and Aegiali. Afternoons are free to wander the towns, swim or lay out at the beach. At the resort relax with a cool drink on the beach or meet up with others on the hotel terrace. For those who like to hike, Amorgos is the hiking island of Greece. It is criss-crossed with marked trails. We can provide maps for self-guided hikes, or you can hire the hotel’s local hiking guide to escort you. (You can view a virtural tour of Amorgos that we created for Travel+Leisure here.)
Naxos (2 nights)
After Amorgos, we catch a ferry to Naxos for two nights at our hotel by the beach. There we’ll enjoy a morning coastal walks and visit ancient Apollo’s Gate. Afterward, you have time to wander the old town and harbor filled with shops and restaurants. Naxos is the greenest island in the Cyclades with impressively high mountains and fertile valleys. Here there are beaches that are among the most beautiful in Greece.
The next day we visit the charming inland village of Chalki. Formerly the capital of the island, it hosts wonderful artisan shops and a kitron distillery (if you’d like to try the local spirit). From Chalki join our countryside walk along cobbled lanes and stacked-stone walls, through ancient olive orchards and verdant open fields.
Santorini (3 nights)
If your vision of Greece includes whitewashed buildings adorned with graceful blue domes, nestled atop sheer cliffs, and overlooking the bluest blue of the Aegean – you have dreamed of Santorini. Famous for remarkable views, sunsets over its flooded caldera, and world class restaurants and galleries, Santorini has a unique and stunning beauty.
On our Greece walking tour we will explore the cities of Fira, Firostefani, and Imerovigli, and for the ambitious, we’ll traverse the island’s caldera ridge to the charming village of Oia. On another day we’ll tour the fascinating Minoan site of Akrotiri, an ancient city frozen in time by one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history. It is one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece. Then, see the island from a new point of view from our private catamaran. The optional cruise through the caldera by sea a vacation highlight for many guests.
Finally, it will be time to say goodbye. We will gather for our farewell dinner in a trattoria that has been handed down through generations of family. As we recall the best moments of our two-week Greece walking tour we will toast to safe travels and adventures to come. The final day is departures.
Our Greece walking tour ends in Santorini. Onward travel is not included.
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Greece Walking Tour
Inclusions
Greece Walking Tour
- Friendly and fun, fourteen (14) guest maximum, small-group tours
- Itineraries exclusive to The Blue Walk Greece walking tours
- Carefully selected hotels
- All ferries between the islands
- Transfers to and from all ferries
- Hearty buffet breakfasts daily
- Welcome and farewell dinners
- Optional guided morning walks
- Fully escorted and hosted throughout
- All hotel taxes and service fees included
- Suitable for all fitness levels – morning guided walks are included, but optional
- Onward travel not included
Athens Inclusions (1 night):
- One night at our wonderful 4-star hotel in Syntagma Square, in the heart of the city
- Orientation walk through Athens’ famous Plaka and Monastiraki areas
- Morning guided walk by the Acropolis
- Optional guided tour of the Acropolis
- Visit the Changing of the Guards
Greece walking tour
Amorgos Inclusions (6 nights):
- 6 nights our beach front hotel just steps from the sand
- Incredibly peaceful, relaxing island
- Welcome dinner
- Family-owned hotel restaurant featuring organic produce from their gardens
- Visit an essential oil distillery where all herbs are harvested on the island
- Full program of beautiful island touring including transportation
- Morning seaside guided walks
- Optional hiking on Amorgos’ extensive network of marked hiking trails
- Visit to the cliff-side monastery
- Arrival and departure transfers
Greece walking tour
Naxos Inclusions (2 nights):
- Visit to Apollo’s Gate
- Optional visit to the kitron distillery in Chalki
- Optional guided walk in Chalki
- Outdoor pool, and hotel is right by a beautiful beach.
- Morning guided coastal walks
Greece walking tour
Santorini Inclusions (3 nights)
- Three nights at our favorite beach side hotel in Santorini
- Orientation and daily walks to discover the island’s hidden gems and spectacular views
- A reception lunch of Greek specialties
- Bus trip to Akrotiri
- Optional guided tour of Akrotiri
- Optional walk to Oia
- Farewell dinner at family run trattoria
- Optional caldera sailing tour
Greece walking tour
Itinerary
Greece Walking Tour
Program subject to change. Daily schedule may differ.
Day 1
Gather at our hotel for a meet and greet. After we will set out for an orientation walk of the Plaka neighborhood and a viewing of Athens’ famous changing of the guard. Greece walking tour, greece walking vacation
Day 2 Greece walking tour
Our morning walk takes us to the foot of the Acropolis. Opt for the private guided tour or choose follow your own path of discovery. After time to capture memories of this dynamic city, we board our ferry to the island of Amorgos.
Day 3
A day to relax and fully enjoy our beautiful resort and spa. After a leisurely morning with a tour of the grounds, we will take a stroll along the beach and into the harbor village of Aegiali. The day ends with a welcome feast of traditional Greek specialties.
Day 4 Greece walking tour
We climb the steps to a 12th century monastery built into a cliff high above the sea. The views are literally breathtaking! Afterward we will explore the winding allies, colorful doorways, and traditional cafes in the island capital of Chora.
Day 5
The village of Tholaria offers beautiful views to Aegiali Bay. We will walk through the terraced farmland to a small chapel perched above the sea. An optional cooking class shares the tastes and traditions of the Greek kitchen handed down through generations.
Day 6
In the village of Langada we will visit a herbal distillery that produces essential oils made only from plants found on the island. Afterward, the walk back to our resort follows the ancient path that once was the island’s main thoroughfare. Greece walking tour
Day 7 Greece walking tour
An easy morning stroll along the sea offers scenic views – and lots of goats! On our way back to the hotel we may take a break at one of our favorite spots to capture the many shades of blue found all around. Greece walking tour
Day 8
A morning ferry brings us to the island of Naxos. After checking into our hotel an orientation walk will introduce the nearby beaches and historic old town. Then the day is free to explore, shop, or just relax on the sand.
Day 9
At the verdant green center of the island, the village of Halki is charming all on it’s own. Our walk through the surrounding countryside wanders through ancient olive groves and sleepy villages.
Day 10 Greece walking tour
A fast ferry brings us to the iconic island of Santorini. After checking into our hotel we will walk the the clifftop village of Fira. Then you will have free time to wander on your own. In the evening, watching the sun set over the caldera is a view not to be missed. Greece walking tour, greece walking vacation
Day 11
Our morning walk in the village of Oia is filled with spectacular views over blue domes and the sea beyond. On the return to Fira we will meander between whitewashed villages perched high on the caldera’s edge. The day ends with an optional private sunset cruise, a guest favorite and highlight of the trip.
Day 12
A private tour of the ancient ruins of Akrotiri reveal the sophisticated culture that existed before it’s volcanic destruction. At the end of the day we will meet for a farewell dinner after a convivial aperitivo and sketchbook travel journal share. Departures are the next day after breakfast.
Day 13 Greece walking tour
After a delicious breakfast we bid farewell to the magical islands and new artist friends until the next sketchbook travel journal vacation.
Leave the cruise ships behind. Island hop through the Aegean!
Greece walking tour, Greece walking vacation
Where in the World?
Greece Walking Tour
Our Greece walking vacation begins in Athens and spends most of our time island hopping through the Cyclades. The Cyclades is a group of Greek islands, southeast of the mainland in the Aegean Sea. A perfect place for a walking vacation, the islands are known for their beaches, ancient sites, rugged landscapes and traditional blue-and-white stucco towns overlooking the sea.
For our Greece walking vacations and art workshops the most convenient airport to fly into is Athens International Airport (ATH). For departure, you may leave Santorini by flight or ferry. The ferries from Santorini serve many surrounding islands as well as Athens. Almost all flights from Santorini Airport (JTR) will stop in Athens. Most guests find it most convenient to fly from Santorini to Athens rather than taking the ferry.
Important Notes
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Deposits
Your place on a tour is secured once we have received and confirmed your deposit payment. Before the final payment date, a non-refundable deposit of $500 for walking vacations and $750 for art vacation workshops is required. After the final payment date, the entire tour amount must be received to hold a space on a program.
You may cancel for any reason up to 90 days prior to departure and your non-refundable deposit may be forwarded to a future tour. Any balance on your account will be returned. For complete details please see our Terms and Conditions.
Solo travelers and single supplements
For our guests who are traveling solo... We offer a single supplement for an additional fee if you wish to guarantee a private room.
If you do not request a private room, you will share a twin room with another trip participant of the same sex (Roomshare). When you sign up, if no Roomshare is available, a 50% single supplement will be included on your invoice and is due at final payment. However, if a roommate is found before your trip departs, you will be matched and the single supplement will be removed or refunded.
A single supplement guarantees a private room. Whenever possible singles will be placed in the same room type as our double or twin rooms.
Twin / Double Rooms
Please be aware twin beds in Europe may have very little or no space between beds. Also, for double beds, instead of a king or queen mattress, double beds are often two adjoining twin mattresses secured together and made with double bedding.
Fitness
Walking is a part of this program. It is both a means of visiting locations and a way to immerse yourself in a place. Our scheduled walks are usually 1-2 hours long at a casual pace. We provide a general description of our walks here. It is your responsibility to know your own physical and medical condition with respect to the advisability of participating in a chosen trip. We suggest you prepare by doing at least 1 hour of walking several times per week, and a longer walk at least once per week. Ideally, include walks with elevation change and stairs. (There are always stairs.)
As with any exercise program, we recommend you consult with your physician prior to your arrival regarding the suitability of a walking tour.
Some of our guests find trekking poles helpful on steep or uneven terrain. In Europe they are quite common. Before using them on a vacation, please practice at home. We strongly advise you get comfortable using trekking poles on familiar paths first.
For additional information on these topics and more, please see our FAQ page.
Choose Your Walking or Art Vacation
Walking Tours
Are you looking for a leisurely European walking vacation or a travel journal-based art vacation? To book, select your program type or destination below. We will take you there!
To learn more about The Blue Walk difference please read our About The Blue Walk page.
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