Original
Explorer
Greece & Turkey Adventure: Athens to Istanbul
location_on 9 days
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Start
Athens, Greece
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Finish
Istanbul, Turkey
tour
Trip Code
ZMSU
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Min Age
15
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Trip Size
1 - 12
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Physical Rating
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Meals
8 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
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Transport
Train, Public bus, Private vehicle, Taxi
bed
Accommodation
Hotel (8 nights)
From £1,865(9 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
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Wander the city of Thessaloniki, loved for its food, entertainment and culture, before an evening’s meze-style dinner.
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Explore the city of Xanthi and the mountainous Pomachochoria area of Greece, where you’ll be treated to home-cooked treats made by local women.
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Visit Vistonida lake, known for its blue lagoon and the floating Monastery of Agios Nikolaos, where you can enjoy a boat outing on the Evros River.
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Learn about the art of silk weaving in Soufli – a town the UNWTO selected as one of the best tourism villages in the world.
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Discover Turkey's history, flavours and communities on a locally guided tour through Edirne and through Istanbul’s Old City and its grand buildings.
Is this trip right for you?
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Summer temperatures can be extreme (over 40°C) in many of the regions visited on this trip. This warm climate can be uncomfortable for some, especially as many of the transport options and accommodations we use will not have air conditioning. It’s important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability for that season.
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Hotels in Europe often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together. Please also note that in some cases, bathroom facilities will be shared rather than en-suite and many accommodations in this part of the world do not have air-conditioning.
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On this trip, it’s strongly advised that you pack as lightly as possible, as you will be expected to carry your own bag. Although you won't be required to walk long distances with your luggage (max 30 minutes), we strongly recommend keeping the weight under 15 kg (33 lb). Most travellers carry their luggage in a backpack. Smaller bags or backpacks with wheels are convenient. However, we recommend that your bag has carry straps to accommodate the cobbled streets and steps you will likely encounter while carrying your luggage. You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water, a camera and other essentials for daytrips.
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There are some long travel days where we depart early in the morning to ensure we optimise our time at our next destination.
verified
Summer temperatures can be extreme (over 40°C) in many of the regions visited on this trip. This warm climate can be uncomfortable for some, especially as many of the transport options and accommodations we use will not have air conditioning. It’s important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability for that season.
verified
Hotels in Europe often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together. Please also note that in some cases, bathroom facilities will be shared rather than en-suite and many accommodations in this part of the world do not have air-conditioning.
verified
On this trip, it’s strongly advised that you pack as lightly as possible, as you will be expected to carry your own bag. Although you won't be required to walk long distances with your luggage (max 30 minutes), we strongly recommend keeping the weight under 15 kg (33 lb). Most travellers carry their luggage in a backpack. Smaller bags or backpacks with wheels are convenient. However, we recommend that your bag has carry straps to accommodate the cobbled streets and steps you will likely encounter while carrying your luggage. You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water, a camera and other essentials for daytrips.
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There are some long travel days where we depart early in the morning to ensure we optimise our time at our next destination.
Itinerary
Follow the Greek coast from the Aegean Sea to Turkey
Journey from one ancient city to another on this nine-day overland trip across Greece to Istanbul. Discover the age-old temples of Athens, the Royal Tomb of Phillip, the Hospital Complex of Edirne and the culinary city of Thessaloniki. Along the way, make a stop at the floating monastery of Vistonida Lake, learn about silk in the shops of Soufli and meet women from the Pomak minority group, all before crossing the border to Turkey. With so much history and culture to explore, and local leaders from both nations guiding the way, you’ll get to know these two worlds in no time.
- DAY 1Day 1 • Athens
- DAY 2Day 2 • Thessaloniki
- DAY 3Day 3 • Thessaloniki
- DAY 4Day 4 • Xanthi
- DAY 5Day 5 • Xanthi
- DAY 6Day 6 • Alexandroupolis
- DAY 7Day 7 • Edirne
- DAY 8Day 8 • Istanbul
- DAY 9Day 9 • Istanbul
Inclusions
restaurant_menu Meals
8 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
airport_shuttle Transport
Train, Public bus, Private vehicle, Taxi
bed Accommodation
Hotel (8 nights)
festival Included activities
circleAthens - leader led orientation walk
circleThessaloniki - Meze dinner
circleThessaloniki - Orientation Walk
circleVergina - Royal Tombs of Phillip visit
circleXanthi - Olympiada beach swimming (seasonal)
circleXanthi - Orientation Walk
circleXanthi - Pachni village visit and local coffee and pies tasting
circleVistonida Lake - Nikolaos church visit
circleSoufli - village visit
circleEdirne - town walking tour
circleIstanbul - city guided tour
museum Optional activities
circleNaousa - wine tasting - EUR10
circleEvros National Park - boat trip - Free
circleEdirne - Hospital Museum visit - Free
circleSoufli - Silk Museum visit - Free
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
Monday Apr 20, 2026
Tuesday Apr 28, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,865
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Monday May 11, 2026
Tuesday May 19, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,936
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Monday Jun 01, 2026
Tuesday Jun 09, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,936
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Monday Jun 22, 2026
Tuesday Jun 30, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,936
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Monday Jul 13, 2026
Tuesday Jul 21, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,865
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Monday Aug 03, 2026
Tuesday Aug 11, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,865
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Monday Aug 31, 2026
Tuesday Sep 08, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,865
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Monday Sep 07, 2026
Tuesday Sep 15, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,936
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Monday Sep 21, 2026
Tuesday Sep 29, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,936
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Monday Oct 12, 2026
Tuesday Oct 20, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,936
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Monday Oct 26, 2026
Tuesday Nov 03, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,865
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Monday Mar 29, 2027
Tuesday Apr 06, 2027
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,958
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Monday Apr 19, 2027
Tuesday Apr 27, 2027
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,958
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Monday May 10, 2027
Tuesday May 18, 2027
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£2,035
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Monday May 31, 2027
Tuesday Jun 08, 2027
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£2,035
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Important notes
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1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please note that due to the small properties we use in Europe there is only a limited amount of single supplements available per trip departure. If you would like to book a single supplement and enquire about availability, please speak to your booking agent for further information.
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2. Your leader will change when you arrive in Edirne. After an introduction, your European leader will return to Greece, while your Turkish leader will take care of you on the Turkish part of the trip.
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3. Please provide your full name and passport details at the time of booking so that we can secure train tickets for you.
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