Island Hop Through History: Unique Greek Island Hopping Itinerary

If you're considering a trip to Greece, look no further than Zicasso. Our travel expert planned an unforgettable journey for our family; Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini, and every detail was executed with care, expertise, and passion. 

From the moment we arrived in Athens, we were immersed in the country’s warm hospitality. Our agent made sure we had the perfect balance of sightseeing and relaxation. The historical sites in Athens, like the Acropolis and the ancient Agora, were must-sees.

Mykonos is vibrant yet relaxed. The beaches were beautiful. Every meal on this trip was a highlight. Fresh seafood, local cheeses, olive oil, and delicious pastries—each bite told a story of Greece’s deep culinary heritage.

In Santorini, we were captivated by the island’s charm—whitewashed buildings, breathtaking sunsets, and the deep blue Aegean Sea. We visited traditional villages, giving us a glimpse into the rich cultural traditions that are still very much alive.

Throughout the trip, what stood out most—beyond the stunning landscapes and ancient history—was the friendliness of the Greek people. Their warmth and pride in their culture made every moment feel welcoming and genuine.

Our agent didn’t just plan a vacation—he created an experience rooted in history, tradition, and hospitality. I can’t recommend him and Zicasso highly enough.

Our travel specialist was an exceptional travel planner. I have planned many trips and my experience with her was at the top. I actually investigated working with Zicasso because I was interested in leveraging the planning of my trip as a cultural exchange with someone in-country who could provide their personal perspectives and insider tips. She delivered!

Our travel specialist had dinner with us the first night and gave us all sorts of insights on Athens and her recommendations. She also gave us her cell number and was available 24/7 for any needs we had throughout the trip. I have never had service like this. She was truly incredible and helped us navigate last-minute changes or additions flawlessly and with no stress.

She found small, family-owned hotels with lots of character for us to stay in. She organized a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Santorini to participate in all of the many festivities surrounding Greek Orthodox Easter; so many traditions and so very different than our American Easter. It was authentic, joyful, and an incredible cultural exchange in that we were welcomed wholeheartedly by the people of Santorini.

The guides she provided were locals who had deep knowledge and high academic credentials, so traveling with them was like going back to school and learning in the most amazing fully immersive manner.

Our guide in Santorini mentioned we must not miss Akrotiri on Santorini, so we made time to fit in this unexpected tour; turns out it blew our mind: an ancient Minoan city... and some say it may have been the lost city of Atlantis. The story of the town and its demise is stunning. Then, a visit to Knossos in Heraklion, Crete, with our PhD guide, a cultural anthropologist and archaeologist. She was able to share the historical perspective on the Minoan Palace of Knossos, but also the contemporary study of the subject and how the work of "pre-history" civilizations is done with limited Minoan language and documentation.

Our travel specialist planned a flawless trip of a lifetime for us, but we also made a friend in Athens. We are so very grateful.

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!

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.

Zicasso’s travel company was awesome. Our agent did a great job planning our trip experiences. The execution of all the private drivers and excursions was perfect. The trip planner tool was great to use, as we referenced it every day. The hotels, in-region airlines, and ferry reservations and tickets were all perfectly planned and delivered. Our many scheduled drivers were all on time and courteous. Our drivers were great drivers and scholars. They provided awesome restaurant and pub recommendations. 

We absolutely loved Santorini and the two excursions on that island. Both definitely exceeded our expectations. Our only excursion not rated five stars was the Jeep tour on Mykonos. Four of us were crammed into a closed, small Jeep and driven around the island with only a few stops. We were not taken to a top spot we heard about, which was the windmills and little Venice.  We rate that excursion zero stars for those reasons. 

All four trip participants agreed this was one of their best-ever vacations. We highly recommend this travel company for a great Greek vacation!