One Week in the Greek Islands
Trip Code: ZMYG
Why we love it
Explore the idyllic beaches, volcanos, swimming coves and bays that make up the Greek Islands. Lounge on soft sands or lava pebbles, surrounded by towering cliffs, and soak up the European sun., Hike the rim of the caldera in Santorini and soak up breathtaking views of cliff faces, mountains, small villages and the Aegan Sea., Rub shoulders with the locals in the village of Lefkes – surrounded by olive groves and distinctive Cycladic architecture – with an included meal of Greek favourites like moussaka and dolmas., Take a short hike to Odysseas Elytis Theatre for an epic sunset over Ios, then hit the thriving nightlife and make new friends at local beach clubs that come alive when the sun goes down., Fill your heart (and your camera roll) with gorgeous sunsets (and sunrises if you’re keen), expansive island views and iconic Greek architecture on a trip that lets you find the spots to hang out, take photos and meet new friends.
Is this trip right for me?
As this trip only has limited time in Athens, we highly recommend staying a few extra days before your tour to enjoy all this amazing destination has to offer.
The main means of transportation on this trip is by public ferry. These ferries are large, and transport hundreds of people, along with cars and trucks. There are no reserved seats and passengers are free to walk around the ferry freely. Luggage is stored in a designated area on the car deck and is not accessible while the ferry is moving.
Summer temperatures in Greece can reach up to 40°C, which can be uncomfortable for those not used to the heat. Please consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability for that season.
Some of the Greek Islands are hilly and mountainous, which means steps are an inherent feature of the landscape. You will need to be able to lift your luggage and carry it up and down stairs and inclines. We recommend packing as lightly as possible for this reason. For more information, check out the "Packing" section of the Essential Trip Information.
Important information
1. A single supplement is not available on this trip.
What to bring/pack
PACKING
On this trip you must pack as lightly as possible because you will be expected to carry your own bag and although you won't be required to walk long distances with your luggage (max 30 minutes), we strongly recommend keeping the weight under 15kg / 33lb. Most travellers carry their luggage in a backpack, although an overnight bag with a shoulder strap would suffice if you travel lightly. Smaller bags or backpacks with wheels are convenient although we recommend your bag has carry straps to accommodate the cobbled streets, uneven surfaces, stairs and steps you are likely to encounter while carrying your luggage. You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water and a camera etc for day trips. You can find Intrepid's Ultimate Packing List on our website. It should be used as a guide only and isn't intended to be a complete packing list., https://www.intrepidtravel.com/packing-list, TRAVELLING ON LOCAL TRANSPORT
It's important that your bags can be locked, as on local transport it may be necessary that your luggage gets stowed separately (and unattended). The smaller your bag the better for you and other passengers. To ensure maximum comfort, try to pack small and light., WATER BOTTLE
Please bring your own water bottle to refill along the way. Although it can be difficult to avoid bottled water when travelling, please use the water dispensers which are provided on some of our vehicles and at some of our accommodation. Your group leader or local representative will advise whether tap water is safe to drink in your destination, and if it is, you can simply refill it with tap water. When unable to avoid bottled water, it is better to buy the largest available and distribute it into your smaller bottle for the day. If you are walking or trekking as part of your trip you will need to carry at least 2L of water with you.
Physical rating
This trip can be enjoyed by just about anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. Some trips may have individual inclusions that may be of a higher physical rating compared to the overall rating of the trip. Please read the day-to-day itinerary carefully to find out more details on each day's activities, and whether they are suitable for you. Activities can be opted out of if you don't want to participate.
Joining your group
Selina Theatrou Athens, Plateia Theatrou 18, Athina 105 52, Athens, 10552, GREECE, Phone: +30 2160010890
Selina Theatrou Athens is situated in the historic district of Monastiraki in Theater Square. It is ideally located for sightseeing at just 15 minute walk from Syntagma Square and 500 metres from Monastiraki metro station. The property has dorms and private rooms with shared and ensuite bathrooms, free toiletries, linen, towels, air conditioning and free Wi-Fi. There is a shared kitchen, wellness area, restaurant and a roof top terrace as well as different on site activities such as yoga lessons, cinema nights and happy hour.
Alternate Joining Point
Joining instructions
Metered taxis are readily available at Athens Airport (airport code ATH). Alternatively, you can take metro line 3 to Monastiraki Metro Station. From Piraeus port you can take metro line 1 to Monastiraki. From there it is 7 minute walk to the hotel. Please note that we have had reports of travellers being pickpocketed on public transport in Athens. Please be careful with valuables whilst travelling on the metro or the bus.
Pre booked arrival transfer from Athens Airport (ATH): If you have pre booked an arrival transfer, your transfer driver will be waiting in the arrivals hall holding a board with the Intrepid Logo or your name. In case of flight cancellations, changes, if you experience severe delays at immigration, baggage collection or customs, or if you are not able to find the driver, please contact the transfer operator directly: +30 6979117622.
Finishing your trip
Pelican Hotel, Fira, Santorini, 84700, GREECE
Hotel Pelican is located in the central square of Fira, 8 km away from Santorini’s International airport and 12 km away from the main port Athinios. The hotel features free Wi-Fi, daily maid service, excursions desk, car/scooter/ATV rental, private bathroom, air-conditioning, hairdryer, TV, electric kettle, mini fridge.
Alternate Finish Point
If you are making your own way to Santorini Airport (airport code JTR) or back to the port, you can take the local bus from the bus terminal which is 5 minutes from your hotel. Alternatively, the hotel will be able to organise a taxi transfer for you. The price will be 10-15 Euro per person.
If you have pre booked a departure transfer to Santorini Airport (JTR) you will be collected at the hotel reception 2 hours before your flight departure time. In case of flight cancellations, changes or if you are not able to find the driver, please contact the transfer operator directly: +30 6979117622.
Meals & dietary information
Breakfasts included: 6
Lunches included:
Dinners included: 1
While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Your group leader will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There's no obligation to do this though.
VEGETARIANS
Vegetarians might find the menu selection in Europe less varied than they would see at home. Vegetarianism is not as common in this region and generally the choices are basic, involving vegetables, soups, salads, bread, cheese, fruit, yoghurt, eggs etc. Vegans and those on gluten-free diets may find this region very challenging and may need to supplement meals with their own supplies from supermarkets and markets. Wherever possible we will cater for dietary needs for any included meals, but there may be times when those with special requirements may need to provide their own.
BREAKFASTS
There are some continental breakfasts included on this trip which may simply include bread/toast or pastries, butter, jam, coffee/tea/juice (or similar).
Climate & seasonal information
HOT WEATHER
Summer temperatures can reach up to 40 degrees Celsius, which can be uncomfortable for those not used to the heat. Please consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.
In case of emergency
While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.
We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.
You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.
For general contact details please use the following page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us
If you have booked an arrival transfer, and you experience severe delays at immigration, baggage collection or customs, or if you are not able to find to the driver, please contact the transfer operator directly on the number listed in the joining point instructions in the section above.
In the case of a genuine crisis or emergency, Intrepid's Europe Operations Team can be reached on the number listed below:
Intrepid's Local Operator: +49 8024 4679 540
Accommodations
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.
We've sourced our accommodation very carefully and picked the best possible hotels in line with the Intrepid 18-35 style of travel. Our first accommodation choice is always as close to the main attraction of the destination as possible, however, sometimes we are not in the right centre of action, which means you may need to hop on a public transport to get to the city centre. Please note that service and accommodation in Europe may be different to the standards you are used to. Your accommodation will not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don't provide kettles or fridges and in particular destinations, rooms may be rather small.
OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.
ROOMING ALLOCATION
Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multi-share basis. We pair up solo travellers with other travellers of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own.
SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT
Please note that on our 18-35 trips in Europe we do not provide a single room supplement option.
CHECK-IN TIME
Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.
PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.
Transportation
TRANSPORT IN EUROPE
Half the fun of travel is the travelling itself, that's why we like to travel the local way – whether that means mingling with commuters on a local train, watching the scenery roll by from the window of a long distance bus, arriving on a high speed train in the city centre of your next destination, or navigating each city's public transport system. In Europe, you are guaranteed to travel by genuine local public transport wherever possible, which puts you right in the centre of the action.
GREEK FERRIES
The main means of transportation in the Greek Islands is by public ferry. These ferries are large car ferries that transport hundreds of people, along with cars and trucks. There are no reserved seats and passengers are free to walk around the ferry freely. Luggage is stored in a designated area on the car deck and is not accessible while the ferry is moving.
STRIKES
Ferry strikes, bad weather and the general unpredictable nature of Greek public transport means you need to be prepared for possible delays and itinerary changes.