Original
Explorer
Greece & Turkey Adventure: Athens to Istanbul
9 days
Start
Athens, Greece
Finish
Istanbul, Turkey
Trip Code
ZMSU
Min Age
15
Trip Size
1 - 12
Physical Rating
Meals
8 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
Transport
Train, Public bus, Private vehicle, Taxi
Accommodation
Hotel (8 nights)
From £1,865(9 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
Wander the city of Thessaloniki, loved for its food, entertainment and culture, before an evening’s meze-style dinner.
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.
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.
Learn about the art of silk weaving in Soufli – a town the UNWTO selected as one of the best tourism villages in the world.
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?
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.
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.
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.
There are some long travel days where we depart early in the morning to ensure we optimise our time at our next destination.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Inclusions
Meals
8 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
Transport
Train, Public bus, Private vehicle, Taxi
Accommodation
Hotel (8 nights)
Included activities
Athens - leader led orientation walk
Thessaloniki - Meze dinner
Thessaloniki - Orientation Walk
Vergina - Royal Tombs of Phillip visit
Xanthi - Olympiada beach swimming (seasonal)
Xanthi - Orientation Walk
Xanthi - Pachni village visit and local coffee and pies tasting
Vistonida Lake - Nikolaos church visit
Soufli - village visit
Edirne - town walking tour
Istanbul - city guided tour
Optional activities
Naousa - wine tasting - EUR10
Evros National Park - boat trip - Free
Edirne - Hospital Museum visit - Free
Soufli - Silk Museum visit - Free
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Important notes
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.
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.
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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