Best of Rome, Athens & Santorini Tour

Trevi Fountain on a sunny day in Rome, Italy

What to expect on this itinerary

You will get lost in time and beauty during your 9-day best of Greece culture tour. The scintillating past will reveal superb art and ancient feats of architecture. Your custom-tailored tour will immerse you in luxury while bringing the foundations of Western Civilization to life from the antiquity of Athens to the opulent scenery of Santorini while also including the remarkable ruins of Rome, Italy.

Countries Visited

Greece, Italy

Places Visited

Rome, Athens, Delphi, Santorini

Suggested Duration

9 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Rome – Open City

Much of history has subtly settled within the world's rolling countryside and numerous cityscapes. Today you will board a flight that begins your luxury vacation to Italy. Rome has not allowed her history to fade and instead displays it proudly, simultaneously preserving and presenting antiquity alongside modernity. As you fly over the Atlantic, the ardor of Rome is likely to capture your imagination; whether you fancy gladiators or gelato, the Vatican or Valentino, Rome surely has it all. Worry not, for you will soon arrive a city that has embraced its past while pioneering cultural modernity. Rome houses the ruins of one of the most powerful empires in history, which once reached from the eastern gates of Turkey to the northern highlands of England. The sheer gravity of Rome makes romantics of us all.

Arrive at the airport and be met by a private transfer who will have you at your hotel in the blink of an eye. The remainder of the day is at your leisure to explore the city that was born of mythology, where Romulus and Remus, newly escaped from Troy, founded what would become the capital of one of the greatest empires of Western Civilization. The city is spread out but easy to maneuver, which simplifies the exploration of Rome's past and present attractions. One unique aspect of Rome is the way wonders combine with the wayside. The history of Rome has become so ingrained in the everyday lives of Romans that many of Rome's great classical structures remain relatively accessible to this day.

The Pantheon is a 2,000-year-old Roman temple built in dedication to the classical gods and subsequently consecrated as a church in the 7th century. The entire structure is magnificent, and the Pantheon is noted to have inspired artists and architects such as Brunelleschi. It is one of the great landmarks of Rome, yet it remains convenient for even the busiest of tourists. Standing beneath the shaped and tiled structure, surrounded by polished marble and antique décor, you can stare into the light that shines through the open dome and know that your time in classical Europe has only begun and that it is already amazing.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Breakfast
Day 2

Rome – As the Romans Do

Day 3

Rome – Ancient Passions

Day 4

Athens – Empire to City-State

Day 5

Athens – Where Games Began

Day 6

Athens – Futures Foretold

Day 7

Santorini – Along Elegant Cliffs

Day 8

Santorini – City Lost Beneath Ash

Day 9

Athens – Return from Antiquity

Trip Highlights

  • Journey through the historic city of Rome and enjoy its profuse ancient and classic artifacts
  • Visit the sensational Sistine Chapel, known as one of Michelangelo’s masterpieces
  • See the inspiring ruins of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum
  • Witness the daily life of Romans by venturing through the thriving streets of the city and strolling by the Trevi Fountain
  • Experience the antiquity of Athens at the Acropolis
  • Venture to the amazing ruins of Delphi
  • Wander through the lost city of Akrotiri, believed to be the mythical Atlantis
  • Luxuriate along the scenic cliffs of Santorini

Detailed Description

The grandeur of the past is on full display before you on this 9-day tour of Rome, Athens, and Santorini. Experience the variety of life on these peninsulas as you traverse the vibrant cityscapes and take in the islands in their natural splendor. Take in the cultural monuments that have left the modern world marveling. Travel from the Colosseum to the Vatican, walk along the towering Acropolis of Greece where the Parthenon resides, and investigate beneath the fallen ash of ancient Santorini. These wonders of ancient Western Civilization are waiting to be explored, experienced, and discovered by you.

Your journey through classical Europe begins in Rome. A sprawling cityscape has emerged from Rome's illustrious history, and it is full of both the majestic ruins of antiquity and the finest modern luxuries Europe has to offer. After you settle into your luxurious accommodations, you will have the day to visit the spectacular open sites of Rome. The following day will immerse you in the city's roots as you venture on a half-day guided tour of the Vatican, exploring the enclave's museums and basilica. Conclude the day by taking in the imposing ruins of the Colosseum and the adjacent Roman Forum. Whether you choose to visit the famed fountains of Piazza Navona, appreciate the majestic Trevi Fountain, or enjoy a relaxed stroll through the Borghese, Rome is an open city, on display and filled with wonderment.

Your tour through antiquity continues as you make your way to Athens, Greece. Like Rome, Athens is a city filled with history on display. A half-day Greece tour will have you standing atop the Acropolis and appreciating the splendor of the Parthenon and the surrounding temples. A day trip to Delphi brings you close to the mythological Oracle, who made kings and conquered empires with the force of her predictions. Find yourself on Santorini, the famous island wrapping around the opulent caldera, where the luxuries of modernity are close to the hidden ruins of Akrotiri. Akrotiri was overtaken by volcanic ash during the time of Plato and is rumored to be the Lost City of Atlantis. From stone to cliffs, water to ruins, your time within the historic cities of ancient Western Civilization will be nothing less than phenomenal.

Starting Price

$3,900 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 679 reviews

Greece Family Trip Review: Chania, Crete, Santorini, Athens, Delphi, Kissamos, Food Tour, Cooking Class, Catamaran Cruise, 12 Days

Our trip to Greece was exceptional, thanks to the careful planning by our travel company! They had every detail planned out and made sure we were well taken care of.

I traveled with my husband (50s) and my parents (80s). We had a general idea of some places we wanted to see and told the travel planner our interests. She ran with it and planned us the perfect trip for the pace we wanted and the types of experiences we were looking for. She suggested places that weren't even on our radar and they fit perfectly with our interests.

Our trip was 12 days, broken up into four nights in Chania, Crete, three nights in Santorini, and four nights in Athens. This was the right amount of time in each place (though my husband said he could spend a week in Santorini just to relax).

The travel planner met us at the airport and gave us a burner phone for our use during the trip, as well as a packet with tickets and boarding passes that we would need. The phone was very helpful because it had an app with our itinerary for each day, as well as contact numbers for her, drivers, tour guides, etc. This was great because we had what we needed at our fingertips and didn't have to pay for an international plan on our cell phones.

Each location we went to offered very different experiences.

Chania, Crete, was fantastic and my personal favorite spot. Our travel planner recommended it and I'm so glad she did. It was rich with history and culture, without feeling like a tourist trap.

Santorini: When we first arrived, it was a bit of a jolt because all the buildings are white and boxy (only the churches have blue roofs), and I was missing the color and vibrance of Chania. We went into Fira while we waited for our rooms to be ready and it was a total tourist trap, with people swarming around and souvenir shops and fast food restaurants. I was wondering if it was a mistake to come to this island. However, once we were settled into our hotel and saw the spectacular views and experienced the calmness, I understood why people come here. The nature and beauty won me over (and I just avoided the cities).

Athens was amazing because of the history and hospitality of the people. Everyone was so welcoming and kind. The ruins do not disappoint and we marveled at how they were just everywhere in Old Town.

Delphi: We took a day trip from Athens to Delphi and toured the ruins and museum, and had a wonderful lunch overlooking the mountains and valleys.

We went on several incredible tours during our trip. Two food tours (Chania and Athens), three archaeology/ruin-focused tours (Santorini, Athens, and Delphi), one tour of the mountains in Chania, and one sunset catamaran boat ride in Santorini. Every one of them was unique and interesting.

Our travel planner arranged several lunches and dinners for us. Each place was outstanding and the views were spectacular. We would just tell them we were with the travel company and they gave us the best seats in the restaurants and outstanding service.

We could not have asked for a more perfectly planned out trip!

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Greece Tour Review: Athens, Santorini, Crete, Delphi, Hiking, History, Culture

The itinerary is not the best for the price we paid and for a family with two children. We thought we could come back to Greece, but after this trip, we might not come back or even use Zicasso again. Here are the reasons: 1. The hotels are subpar for the price we paid for this tour. Our hotel in Athens felt like a 2-star. Our hotel in Santorini has a great view, but it's just a view, no pool, etc. nearby. Our hotel in Crete is not near a beach, a 20-minute walk. 2. Too much time was wasted on travel from one location to the next (Santorini to Crete and Crete to Athens). 3. Four nights in Santorini with two children is overkill since there is not much to do other than take photos, hike, and that's basically it. 4. Some of the tours are okay but nothing special, i.e., the hiking tour in Crete where they call the "little forest" is merely just for the name. It has nothing to do with the tour guides. All tour guides are great. However, we feel the tour company is crafting ordinary tours, labels it special, and calls it private. 5. In Delphi, we could have had more time to look around after the two hours. If any of the tours were great, it was the tours we had in Athens and Delphi. If we had known this type of tour we received, we could have done an all-inclusive resort in Greece and done our own without having to go through Zicasso and the tour company.

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Greece Tour Review: Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, Chania, Acropolis, Delos, Rhenia, Knossos Palace, Wine Tasting, Sunset Cruise, Food Tour, Olive Oil Tour, 2 Weeks

This was one of the best-organized trips my wife and I have taken in Europe. Zicasso had put us in touch with Zicasso's travel specialist. She called us to ask about the dates, interests, islands we wanted to see, sights, etc. She formulated a travel plan including hotels, transfers, and tours (including food tours). We discussed the plan, chose hotels based on our budget, and finalized a tour plan with her.

Right from the moment we arrived at Athens airport, everything was taken care of for us. We had a limo waiting, even though it took time to go through the EU's new immigration system. Our hotel in Athens was right next to the city center, with a beautiful Acropolis view from our balcony. The room was comfortable and spacious, and ready when we arrived at 2 pm. Our travel specialist even suggested a restaurant to celebrate our anniversary and made reservations for us, as we were unable to do it online.

The next day, we had a tour of the Acropolis conducted by a professional tour guide. It was a good two-hour walking tour and we enjoyed it very much. The tour guide was very knowledgeable, took time to explain the history, which we are interested in, and also took some amazing pictures for us. We had free time to go to the city center to shop and try out some of the Greek taverns.

From Athens, we went to Mykonos by ferry. Ferry tickets were sent on a WhatsApp group chat created by her. Our limo came at the designated time and our ferry trip was easy and very enjoyable. On arrival, our limo was waiting to take us to our hotel in Mykonos, located on top of the hill, with a balcony overlooking the central area and a scenic sea view. It was easy to go down and see the shops, windmills, Little Venice, and explore the city center that day. Nighttime was party night, with almost everything open late.

The next day, we had a private Jeep tour of the island. We went to different parts of the island to explore. Our driver and tour guide were very thorough and patient, and it was a very enjoyable tour.

The following day, we were taken by a tour bus to the port, where we went on a private tour of the Delos and Rhenia islands. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and pointed out the sights of an ancient civilization. Lunch on the boat was basic, but on the whole, it was a very informative tour.

We then left for Santorini by ferry. Again, ferry tickets arrived a day before on WhatsApp. We requested an upgrade from basic tickets to Club Class/Platinum Class for the rest of the tour, which was immediately arranged and payment was accepted by credit card. In Santorini, we stayed at our hotel, which had a beautiful view from the balcony and the breakfast was superb, made to order, with the rooftop restaurant having spectacular views of the caldera. It was just awesome! In the afternoon, a tour guide took us in a van and showed us the sights, including the Three Bells of Fira. We did not have to wait anywhere, as the guide knew exactly how and where to go to see the sights and take photos. We learned a bit of history of the island.

The next day, we had two wine-tasting tours, first to a premium vineyard and then to the oldest winery in Santorini. Our tour guide and van arrived on time everywhere for a well-conducted and planned private tour.

On the third day, we went on a semi-private sunset cruise to the volcano, hot springs, and beaches. It was a well-conducted tour with a BBQ on the boat! The crew even accommodated my shellfish allergy by cooking the chicken before cooking the seafood on the BBQ. The food was good and, more importantly, the crew was friendly and very caring. The crew members took some beautiful pictures of us against the spectacular Santorini sunset.

We left for Crete the following morning by ferry. Everywhere, we had private transfers waiting to take us and we did not wait anywhere to be transferred. In Heraklion, we were staying at our hotel in the city center and therefore had access to some very nice traditional Greek restaurants where the locals went for dinner. The following day, we had a private tour of Knossos Palace with a very friendly and knowledgeable tour guide. On our return, our limo was waiting for us to take us to Chania in Crete.

Our journey to Chania took us two hours and was very informative and enjoyable, as our driver pointed out a number of sights on the way. Our check-in at our hotel in Chania was quick and efficient. The hotel even sent us a bellboy to the drop-off point (cars are not allowed inside) to help with our luggage. The hotel room was spacious and had a balcony overlooking the waterfront, the lighthouse, and all the restaurants in the area. The next day, we were taken on a private olive oil tour and, in the evening, a food tour with a tour guide who spoke seven languages and knew the city inside and out!

The following day, a private limo and a private boat took us to Glyka Nera, Loutro, and Marmara. We were able to swim and see some of the beautiful azure-blue water and sights, again in the company of the same tour guide from the previous night. Lunch in Marmara was exceptional. At no time during this tour were we rushed and everything moved at a very easy pace. We checked out from the hotel the following morning for a flight to Athens. The hotel manager helped us with our luggage to the pickup point. Boarding passes were sent on WhatsApp and our check-in and travel were smooth. Everything went like clockwork. Our limo was waiting on arrival and we were taken back to our hotel in Athens, where we stayed the night before our travel home the following day.

At all the sites we visited, our travel specialist even suggested some restaurants to try. These were special in their own ways and not touristy. This tour was very detailed, meticulously planned, and executed by her and the team, who kept in touch with us every day throughout the tour to make sure we had a great time. Thank you for making this a memorable, special, and personalized tour.

This was our 35th-anniversary celebration trip and, thanks to Zicasso's travel specialist and the team, it was a memorable trip for us.

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Greece Vacation Review: Athens, Naxos, Santorini, Acropolis, Wine Tasting, 11-Day Trip

Excellent! Everything was meticulously planned. All of our tours were very interesting and the drivers were courteous. We went to Athens, Naxos, and Santorini during our 11-day trip. Overall, I think our favorite place was Naxos, with Athens and the Acropolis being second, although the weather that morning was not the best. But our guide was excellent and kept us engaged while fighting rain and wind. As I mentioned, all the drivers and guides were excellent and I would highly recommend this trip. Santorini was beautiful too and the wine tour was extremely interesting. We highly recommend Zicasso.

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Greece Vacation Review: Naxos, Athens, Cuisine, Walking Tour, 10 Nights

Zicasso's travel company made our bucket-list trip to Greece come to life! They organised all our tours and transportation, worked with us to provide activities that were in line with our interests, and even gave detailed information on suggested itineraries for our free days.

Some highlights included the walking tour(s) of Athens, our trip to see Santorini, and the best steak I have ever had at a beach hotel in Naxos! Our only suggestion is that we went on a day tour to Delos which was self-guided. There is so much history there though that a guided tour would have been helpful. I would definitely recommend booking your tour with them!

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Greece Tour Review: Athens, Peloponnese, Santorini, Messinia, Voidokilia, Pylos, Methoni, Monemvasia, Nafplio, Mystras Castle, Polylimnio Waterfalls, Elafonisos, Olive Oil Tasting, Hiking, 10 Nights

We had a wonderful and memorable trip to Greece, thanks to the Zicasso travel specialist’s excellent planning. In addition to exploring Athens, she designed a seamless road trip across the Peloponnese Peninsula that took us to beautiful beaches and ancient castles in Messinia, Voidokilia, Pylos, Methoni, Monemvasia, and Nafplio. She also provided clear directions and recommended great stops to break up our drives, including Mystras Castle and the beautiful Polylimnio Waterfalls.

Our hotel accommodations were excellent throughout the trip and we really enjoyed our stay in beautiful Santorini. We also appreciated her restaurant recommendations, which saved us from having to search for places to eat and always led us to great food. She stayed in touch via WhatsApp the entire time, checking in on us and answering our questions whenever they came up. There is so much to see in Greece that we’ll definitely need to go back for another visit.

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

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