GREEK ISLANDS TOUR
CYCLADES ISLAND HOPPING

• 9 days/8 nights in double room in 3* Hotels, B/B basis
• English speaking expert tour leader.
• Trekking activities mentioned in the program.
• Meal Plan (breakfast at hotels, picnic or light lunch in tavern, 1 welcome dinner)
• All transfers by buses and/or taxis depending on group size
• Professional guide and entrance fees at Acropolis and New Acropolis Museum
• Visit to Delos island in organized tour
• All boat tickets to the islands (our priority is to book high speed ferries but as ferry schedules vary according to weather conditions this may alter)
• All transfers from the port to the hotels on the islands.
• All transfers from the hotels to the ports on the islands

• Transfers to Athens Airport on day 9
• Personal expenses
• Drinks, beverages
• Dinners (except on Day 1)
• Optional gratuities to leader, guides and local staff.
• Travel Insurance
• Anything not mentioned above

• This itinerary is subject to change at the discretion of the tour leader, according to local and weather conditions as well as boat itineraries for 2015
• The above mentioned hotels are our first choice - in case of limited availability we provide hotels of similar category and style.
• Our priority is to book high speed ferries but as ferry schedules vary according to weather conditions this may alter

LOCATIONS
Area
The Cyclades is a group of varying sizes islands scattered over the deep blue waters of the Aegean Sea. Some of them are well known both to the public at large and the international jet set, while others remain little known and scarcely figure on the tourist scene. Taken as a whole, they make an ideal holiday destination for visitors of the most varied tastes.
This was the birthplace of one of the Mediterranean's most important civilizations, one that took its name from the islands: the Cycladic civilization (3000-1000 BC).

Mykonos (85 sq. km.) is world-famous. It is no coincidence that this, the most cosmopolitan of all Greek islands, attracts so many visitors from all over the globe, including large numbers of artists and intellectuals. Here, the steep mountains to be encountered in most of the Cyclades give way to low, rocky hills, which combine with superb beaches to make up the landscape of the island.

Naxos (448 sq. km.), the largest and most fertile of the Cycladic Islands, lies almost at the center of the Aegean. Meadows running down to vast beaches, cliffs sinking suddenly into the sea, rocky mountains, side-by-side with fertile valleys, abundant springs and streams these are just some of the features of a natural environment marked for its variety.
Rich archaeological finds at Neolithic (3000-2000 BC) and Geometric (850-700 BC) sites demonstrate very early human occupation of Naxos. Perhaps the first travelers to call in here were Theseus and Ariadne, escaping from the Labyrinth of Crete; Theseus abandoned his rescuer here, whereupon the God Dionysus is supposed to have replaced him in her affections.

During the Cycladic era, at the end of the second millennium BC, the island's marble was highly prized for sculpture (although not to the extent of that of neighbor Paros) and was often exported as far field as present-day Turkey. The two "Kouroi", idealized figures of youths aspiring to the gods, which are found hewn from the living rock, were left unfinished on the island due to faults in the stone.

Santorini (96 sq. km.), one of the best-known of the Cyclades, differs from the other islands in the group thanks to its geological morphology, the result of action by a volcano now dormant Her first name was Strogili (round) because of its shape. During 2000 B.C. a remarkable civilization was developed when the eruption of the volcano submerged the central part of the island and created a huge underwater crater 83 sq. km. in extent, called Caldera  (there are only 32 Calderas in the world, the one of Santorini and of China is not inhabited.

The Cycladic Islands enjoy a Mediterranean climate, with an average temperature for the year of 20-22 C. The winters are mild and the summers - by Greek standards- cool, thanks to the beneficial effects of the seasonal winds known as the "meltemia".

Cycladic islands in summer with the naked rocks, the see plants and the total lack of vegetation combined with the deep blue of the Aegean Sea and the typical architectural style of the all-white houses, hide skillfully the wonderful secret of Greek nature: one of the richest floras in Europe and a large number of rare endemic plants, that will be found on the edge of rocks, on the most steep places surviving for centuries, unique, separated, isolated. Campanula laciniata, Muscari cycladicum, Campanula santorii, Centaurea oliveriana, the rare Fibigia lunaroides are only a few ofendemic plants that can be found on Cycladic Islands.
Cyclades flora is not only rich in endemic plants but also in aromatic species. It is very easy for someone to find them, since these perfumes together with the blue and white are purely Greece.
It's the perfume of thyme, sage, mint, summer savory, lavender, rosemary; it's the perfume of Greece.

Please try to travel as light as possible. Although you do not need to carry your entire luggage while walking, you will still need to carry it over short distances. Also remember you unpack and repack on most nights. You can leave the luggage that you don't need on the trek, at the hotel in Athens or in our offices.

• Large rucksack or hold all to contain all your luggage; waterproof liner recommended
• Good waterproof top (Gore-Tex recommended or similar) with hood.
• Thick socks for walking
• Spare shoes for the evenings (optional)
• Sturdy, worn in boots. We recommend hard soles for Greece's rocky terrain; leather or fabric uppers are suitable. Many walkers find a walking stick extremely useful
• Photographers: bring your cameras.
• Shorts and long trousers for walking, preferably quick-drying material (cotton or polycotton not denim)
• Wash bag and simple first aid kit (plasters or blister kit, aspirin or similar, antiseptic); lip salve, tweezers and cotton wool can be useful.
• Daypack (small rucksack, 20-40 liters) to carry picnic lunch, water bottle, cold/wet weather gear, camera, etc; straps should be strong, not too narrow and preferably padded. In wet weather, belongings should be packed in waterproof plastic bags inside the pack
• Warm clothes for the evening including spare trousers and top (fleece jackets/pullovers are warm yet light);
• Sweatshirts or T-shirts for walking, at least one with collar and long sleeves (against sun-burn)
• Water bottle or plastic bottle (at least 1 liter)
• Bring washing powder or liquid if you plan to wash clothes en route
• Sunglasses, swimsuit, small towel, sun hat or cap, sun block

We spend all nights in comfortable selective hotels (3 star level) in triple room with private bathroom and A/C.

Transport
We travel from Athens to the islands and between the islands by high-speed boats, on the islands we travel by taxis or private and local buses (depending on the size of the group). The return journey from Santorini to Athens will be by boat. Each passenger is responsible for their possessions and to carry it on and off the boats. The trip starts and ends in Athens.
From your hotel you can either take a taxi to the airport (approx. 45€) or the metro (approx. 8€) or the bus (approx. 5)

Leadership and group size
Your tour leader will be with you throughout the week to guide you along the route, help organize and interpret in the villages and assist the group in any other way possible. Our leaders are fluent in English and Greek and often-another language, and have walked and often lived in the area before. They will try and give you a real insight into the local way of life. Although not specialists, they are interested in the area's flora and fauna and usually carry field guides. They always have maps.

Breakfasts, lunches, 1 dinner, accommodation and transport (as per itinerary) are included in the tour cost; personal expenses and drinks are excluded. You will not be charged for any hidden extras. We suggest that you bring a minimum of €250-€300 with you to pay for dinners, any drinks or snacks and any souvenirs or unexpected items.

Client Details Required: On all of our programs we like to know all important health issues concerning our clients. Therefore, upon making your reservation kindly inform us of the guest's age and approximate level of fitness and health issues relating to guest as well as any dietary requirements (such as vegetarian meals).