Island Hopping

Athens – Milos – Ios

Duration: 10 days         

Departures: Daily

1^st Day: Arrival at Athens International airport and transfer to your central located hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax or to discover the beauties of the historic city of Athens.

2^nd Day: Breakfast at your hotel and about 08.30 in the morning departure for the Athens Sightseeing tour. We’ll see the Parliament, the tomb of unknown soldier at Syntagma square, the Panathinaikon stadium where the first Olympic games took place in 1896, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Catholic Cathedral, the University of Athens, the Academy of Athens, the National Library and the Acropolis of Athens, where we’ll visit the Propylae, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and the Parthenon. By the end of the tour transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free. You can discover the traditional neighbourhood  of Plaka with the old houses, the souvenir shops and the Greek restaurants with the delicious Greek dishes.

3^rd Day: Early in the morning, transfer to Piraeus port to catch the boat to Milos island. Arrival at Milos and transfer to your hotel. Free time for swimming at one of the amazing beaches of  Milos.

4^th Day:After breakfast at your hotel, we suggest you the Half day guided Archaeological and Cultural tour of Milos. During this tour you’ll visit the ancient theatre of Milos, the area where was discovered the statue Venus of Milos which is now at the Louvre museum in Paris, the remarkable prechristianic Catacombs of Milos, the scenic fisherman village Klima, the capital of Milos Plaka with the archaeological museum, many churches, the old narrow streets with the whitewashed houses and the little shops, the scenic fisherman village Mandrakia with the colourful door caves called Syrmata and the Sarakiniko, the famous beach with the white volcanic rocks sculpted by the time. The rest of the day free for swimming at the beach.

5^th Day: Breakfast at your hotel. We propose you the Half day morning cruise to Kalogries, Kleftiko and Gerakas or the Day tour with a traditional motor boat around Milos with stop at Kimolos island. The rest of the day is free for swimming and relax in one of the 80 beautiful beaches of the island.

6^th Day: Breakfast at your hotel and transfer to the port to catch the boat to Ios island. Arrival and transfer to your hotel. Ios is one of the most beautiful islands of the Cyclades. According to the ancient tradition it was the homeland of Homer’s mother and the resting place of the great epic poet. Swimming at one of the fantastic beaches of the island like Yialos beach or Koumbara beach.

7^th Day: Breakfast at your hotel. We suggest you to investigate the capital of Ios, Chora, which is built on the slope of a hill. On the top of the hill there are the ruins of a medieval castle. Chora is a traditional village, a fine example of Cycladic architecture with white little houses, picturesque alleys, 12 windmills, white churches with light blue domes. On the highest spot of Chora there is the church of Panagia Gremiotissa, the most important of the 365 churches of the island. The rest of the day is free for swimming at the long sandy beach of Mylopotas with many local taverns and beach bars along the coast.  

8^th Day: After breakfast at your hotel, we suggest you to visit Skarkos, the early Bronze Age (2800 B.C.) settlement, found in Ios. It was built in a circular shape on a high altitude, providing to its residents very good view of the port and the sea. The settlement of Skarkos has very well organized street planning with squares and two storey buildings, stone paved floors and defensive walls. Several findings of the excavations like pottery, kitchen utensils, metal and stone tools are hosted in the Archaeological museum of Chora.

Also, we suggest you to visit the tomb of Homer in Plakoto of Ios. Homer died between 1100 and 900 B.C. He was among the greatest poets of ancient Greece and wrote the epics Iliad and Odyssey. His tomb was discovered by Pasch Von Krienen during the Russian Naval Brigade, who declared that one of the tombs found here, had an inscription that identified it as Homer’s grave. Besides, there were coins and texts by ancient historian Stravon, Pausanias and Herodotus to prove that Homer was buried here. Today, you can swim at the world famous Manganari beach. At the night time you can visit Chora, with its vivid nightlife, since Ios is well known as the best party island of Greece.   

9^th Day: Breakfast at your hotel, and transfer to the port to catch the boat to Piraeus. Arrival and transfer to your central hotel in Athens. Free time to visit the old town of Athens at Thisseion, where the ancient Doric temple of Hephaestus ( 446-442 B.C.), the stoa Attalou museum at ancient Agora, the Monastiraki square with the Flea Market, the Horologion of Andronikos Kyrrhestes which is the first meteorological station of the ancient times, the Roman Agora, the famous Plaka area at the northern slopes of Acropolis with the small shops of souvenirs where you can enjoy your dinner at a traditional Greek tavern.

10^th Day: After breakfast at your hotel, transfer to Athens International airport to catch your flight.

The above package includes :

•     Transfer from Athens airport to hotel in Athens.
•     3 overnights in Athens at good 3* central hotel with breakfast.
•     Athens half day organized sightseeing tour with English speaking guide.
•     Transfer from hotel in Athens to Piraeus port.
•     Boat ticket from Piraeus to Milos ( economy fare ).
•     Transfer from Milos port to hotel in Milos.
•     3 overnights in Milos at very good 2* central hotel with breakfast.
•     Transfer from hotel in Milos to Milos port.
•     Boat ticket from Milos to Ios ( economy fare ).
•     Transfer from Ios port to hotel in Ios.
•     3 overnights in Ios at good 3* central hotel with breakfast.
•     Transfer from Ios hotel to the port.
•     Boat ticket from Ios to Piraeus ( economy fare ).
•     Transfer from Piraeus port to hotel in Athens.
•     Transfer from hotel in Athens to Athens airport.

Notes :

•     The local residence tax, 1,5 € per room, per night is not included and must be paid directly from the clients to the hotels.
•     The child price is valid for children under 10 years old, sharing a room with 2 adults.
•     The optional tours are not included :

1.     Half day Archaeological and Cultural tour of Milos: 80 €.
2.     Day tour around Milos and visit to Kimolos with traditional boat :50 €.

•     The above rates are valid upon availability.