#15 best destination in the world

Acropolis

• Citadel built on a hill chosen for purposes of defense
• #16 of the top 25 landmarks in the world
• Was the center of large cities of classical antiquity such as ancient and modern Rome
• UNESCO World Heritage Site

Acropolis Museum

• Archaeological museum focused on the findings of the Acropolis of Athens
• Dedicated to house every artifact rediscovered on the rock and surrounding slopes of the Acropolis
• The museum is built over the ruins of part of Roman and early Byzantine Athens
• #6 of the top 25 museums in the world

Kerameikos

• #2 of the oldest cemeteries in the world
• Was the potters’ quarter of the city, from which the English word “ceramic” is derived, and was also the site of an important cemetery and numerous funerary sculptures erected along the road out of the city
• The oldest burials happened around 3000 BC

Parthenon

• Former temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, the patron of the people of Athens
• Completed in 432 BC when the Athenian Empire was at its peak of power
• Symbol of Ancient Greece and Athenian democracy and western civilization
• One of the oldest buildings in the world

Treasury of Atreus

• Large tomb constructed in 1250 BC
• One of the oldest buildings in the world
• Known for its scale and unusual shape
• 1 of 9 graves like it around the citadel of Mycenae

Olympia

• Sanctuary of ancient Greece know for having been the site of the Olympic Games in classical times
• The Olympic games were held every 4 years from the 8th BC to the 4th century AD
• UNESCO World Heritage Site

Navagio

• Exposed cove, sometimes referred to as “Smugglers Cove”
• In 1980, a freightliner, the MV Panagiotis, ran aground in the waters around Zakynthos Island on Navagio Beach during stormy weather and bad visibility
• The ship was abandoned and still rests buried in the limestone gravel of the beach that now bears the nickname Shipwreck

Sami

• Cave and lake revealed in 1962 to contain Minoan depictions of the nymph Melissanthi and the god Pan
• Created many years ago when a huge underground cavern collapsed
• Opened to the public in 1963
• Contains many stalagmites and stalactites

Corfu

• Ancient city which was one of the three great naval powers of fifth century BC Greece
• Medieval castles punctuate strategic locations across the city are a legacy of struggles in the Middle Ages against invasions by pirates and the Ottomans
• From 1386 to 1797, Corfu was ruled by Venetian nobility, which is why it showcases multi-storied buildings on narrow lanes
• The city was subjected to four notable sieges in 1537, 1571, 1573 and 1716, in which the strength of the city defenses asserted itself time after time, mainly because of the effectiveness of the powerful Venetian fortifications
• The only part of Greece never conquered by the Ottomans
• UNESCO World Heritage Site

Paleokastritsa Monastery

• Byzantine Monastery that dates back to 1228, however, the cells of the monks, and the yard date from the 18th century
• Has a small ecclesiastical museum with rare Byzantine icons, holy books, and other relics
• Inside the monastery, there is a working traditional olive oil press
• The road to the monastery passes through a forest of olive trees and cypress trees

Meteora

• Rock formation hosting one of the largest Eastern Orthodox monasteries in the world
• Built on giant natural pillars and rounded boulders
• UNESCO World Heritage Site

Delphi

• Famous ancient sanctuary that seated the oracle consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world
• Considered in ancient Greece to be the center of the world
• UNESCO World Heritage Site

Tourlitis Lighthouse

• First built in 1897 just off shore from a castle in Andros
• The stone column on which it was built had been shaped by millennia of natural erosion into the perfect pedestal for a coastal beacon
• The original lighthouse was destroyed during World War II
• The lighthouse was eventually rebuilt in the early 1990s by an oil tycoon who dedicated the structure to his daughter
• The replica became Greece’s first automated lighthouse, eliminating the need for an onsite keeper to operate the light

Kleftiko Beach

• #10 of the top 25 beaches in the world
• Beach only accessible by boat, known for its cliffs, coves, and caves

Fira to Oia Trail

• Hike on the island of Santorini through villages of Fira, Firostefani and Imerovigli, going high above a caldera
• Offers views on the volcano, the sea and the caldera
• The hike takes 2 and a half hours approximately

Knossos

• The largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and has been called Europe’s oldest city
• Settled as early as the Neolithic period, the name Knossos survives from ancient Greek references to the major city of Crete
• The palace of Knossos eventually became the ceremonial and political centre of the Minoan civilization and culture
• In its peak, the palace and surrounding city boasted a population of 100,000 people shortly after 1,700 BC
• The palace was abandoned at some unknown time at the end of the Late Bronze Age, 1,380–1,100 BC
• One of the oldest buildings in the world

Imbros Gorge

• 6.8 mile long canyon located near Hora Sfakion on the island of Crete
• Local legend tells that two brothers were banished from Imbros, Turkey and lived in the Imbros village, Crete
• The Imbros Gorge mule trail was the only connection between Chania and Hora Sfakion, before the road was built, and remains of this trail can be still seen

Balos Beach

• #21 of the top 25 beaches in the world
• Turquoise water and white sand draw visitors to this famed lagoon accessible by boat or hike

Elafonissi Beach

• #24 of the top 25 beaches in the world

Tsambika Beach

• Popular beach with restaurants and activity centers found between rocky headlands

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Costs

Number of Days: 29 days

Best Time To Fly: mid-April to mid-June, Sept to mid-Oct

Airline tickets: $1,591

Seattle -> Athens (round trip) = $1,329
Athens -> Plaka (round trip) = $146
Athens -> Santorini (one way) = $43
Santorini -> Heraklion (one way) = $133
Heraklion -> Rhodes (one way) = $82
Rhodes -> Athens (one way) = $92

Ferry/cruise tickets: $388

Athens -> Andros (round trip) = $67
Zakinthos -> Navagio Beach (round trip) = $64
Adamas Port -> Kleftiko Beach (round trip) = $136

Food: $36/day x 34 days = $1,224

Rental Car: $27/day x 16 days = $432

Gas: $133

Entertainment: $135

Airbnb: $123 x 28 days = $3,444

TOTAL: $7,581