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Italy & Greece
 

Italy & Greece

11 days |  15 days with Santorini & Athens extension
11 days |  15 days with Santorini & Athens extension
Group size1538 travelers
Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars

372
Physical activity
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Small boat among rocks in Capri Italy
Glasses of prosecco with views of Italian streets
two italian men riding on moped in front of the vatican in vatican city
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Feel the magic of Italy and Greece with a Mediterranean odyssey through Roman relics and sun-drenched vistas

There’s something comforting about arriving in Italy: Azure waves lapping at picturesque seaside towns, piazzas teeming with locals sipping aperitivi, and monuments that have witnessed thousands of years of history all come together to create a sense of timelessness. Linger over a limoncello and savor Italy’s lush Sorrento Peninsula and Isle of Capri before continuing to the ruins of Pompeii and the Eternal City—Rome. Your journey then winds through Greece, where temples and colossal amphitheaters still stand amidst modern metropolises. Extend your trip to Santorini and revel in the sun-splashed island’s iconic whitewashed buildings and pristine beaches.

Special departures of this itinerary

New Year's Eve

Your tour package includes

  • 9 nights in handpicked hotels
  • 9 breakfasts
  • 4 dinners with beer or wine
  • 6 sightseeing tours
  • Expert Tour Director & local guides
Read more

Included highlights

  • Capri
  • Pompeii ruins
  • Colosseum
  • Roman Forum
  • Epidaurus & Mycenae
Read more
Start planning today

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Day-by-day itinerary

Print itinerary
Overnight Flight1 night
Day 1: Travel day

Board your overnight flight to Naples today.

Sorrento Peninsula2 nights
Day 2: Arrival in Naples & transfer to Sorrento Peninsula
Included meal: Welcome dinner

Welcome to Italy! Travel to your hotel on the Sorrento Peninsula, which opens to the Bay of Naples and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Our recommendation for freshening up? Order an espresso con panna, served with a heaping dollop of fresh whipped cream. And take your time—Italians don’t usually take their coffee to go, so sidle up to the coffee bar and savor yours slowly.

Then, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers at tonight’s welcome dinner, served with beer or wine.

Day 3: Sightseeing tour of Capri
Included meal: Breakfast

Join your local guide and sail across the Bay of Naples to the famed Isle of Capri. Known around the world as a playground for chic jet-setters, Capri’s dramatic coastline is dotted with colorful cliffside hotels and lavish villas. You’ll traverse crystalline waters by boat and spend time on the island before returning to the Sorrento Peninsula.

  • Boat around the island and bask in the romance of Capri’s caves and grottoes (weather-dependent). You can admire the famed Blue Grotto and Faraglioni rocks as they jut out of the water.
  • Stroll through the winding alleys of the village of Capri, lush with Mediterranean flora—palm trees, umbrella pines, and bright pink-and-purple bougainvillea.
  • Take a funicular ride to Capri’s upper town and watch the island’s vistas unfurl below you.
  • Explore the Gardens of Augustus—a botanical garden with an intimate setting, intoxicating blooms, and a dreamy view of the water.

End the day by adding an excursion to an agriturismo—or farm stay—where you’ll indulge in a four-course, farm-to-table meal, as well as a tour of its fertile grounds. Prefer to spend the time exploring on your own? Enjoy your free evening in the Sorrento region by tracking down the best limoncello.

Rustic Italy: Farmhouse Dinner & Wine Tasting

From $125 per person

Rome3 nights
Day 4: Rome via Pompeii
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

En route to Rome, stop at Pompeii for a guided walking tour of the city’s ruins, frozen in time since the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The former port town lay buried under ash for 1,500 years before being rediscovered, and ongoing excavation continues to uncover remnants of everyday life before disaster struck.

  • Discover how Roman citizens lived 2,000 years ago as you stroll through remarkably preserved temples, public baths, and amphitheaters.
  • View the excavated ruins of Roman theaters, villas, temples, and baths.

Then, continue to Rome and sit down for dinner, served with beer or wine.

Day 5: Sightseeing tour of Rome
Included meal: Breakfast

Follow in the footsteps of the ancient Romans on a guided tour of the Eternal City.

  • Immerse yourself in the grandeur of Imperial Rome, where history unfolds around every corner.
  • Experience the awe-inspiring Colosseum, a monumental amphitheater that reverberates with the roar of ancient spectacles. Walk in the footsteps of gladiators and feel the weight of history pressing down from all directions.
  • Traverse the evocative ruins of the Forum, once the pulsating heart of Roman life. Listen for bygone echoes of parades and gripping trials as you explore the remnants of this marketplace of yore.
  • Imagine the deafening roar of the crowds at Circus Maximus, where Romans raced chariots and gladiators faced off against each other.
  • Pass the collapsed ruins of the once-sumptuous Baths of Caracalla, an integral part of Roman social life.

This evening, choose to get your hands dirty—with flour, that is—by adding an excursion to a pasta-making class. You’ll learn traditional techniques for preparing and rolling out fresh pasta before digging into the dishes you prepared.

Need a moment of respite? Use your free time this afternoon and evening to visit Aventine Hill, home to the peaceful Orange Garden (Giardino degli Aranci) and a view of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Pasta-Making Class & Dinner

From $119 per person

Day 6: Free day in Rome
Included meal: Breakfast

It’s your final full day in Rome. Whether you want to take it easy over a morning cappuccino or admire the exquisite art and architecture of the Galleria Borghese, use your free day at your leisure. You can descend into the eerie underground chambers of the Capuchin Crypt—also known as the Bone Chapel, the way it’s adorned with skeletal remains in a unique display of artistic macabre—or add an excursion to the sacred walls of Vatican City, where the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, and countless masterpieces await.

Please note: On some departures, the optional Iconic Sights: Vatican City excursion may be moved to day 5.

Iconic Sights: Vatican City

From $125 per person

Nafplio2 nights
Day 7: Flight to Athens & Nafplio via Corinth Canal
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Fly to Athens, Greece. Then, stop at the Corinth Canal as you travel to Nafplio. This narrow waterway connects the Gulf of Corinth to the Saronic Gulf and was an important navigational route upon its opening in 1893. While it’s too narrow for today’s modern vessels, its steep limestone walls provide a scenic contrast to the aquamarine waters.

Romantic and slightly out of the way, Nafplio is a thriving seaside town with a rich history that exhibits Roman, Venetian, and Ottoman influences. After settling into your hotel in Nafplio, join your fellow travelers this evening for an included dinner, served with beer or wine.

Day 8: Sightseeing tour of Nafplio, Epidaurus & Mycenae
Included meal: Breakfast

Join your Tour Director on a walk through Nafplio’s charming Old Town: Take in Syntagma Square (alive with locals enjoying a coffee or a nightcap), quaint restaurants, and historical buildings around every turn. For a keepsake to take home, look for shops selling worry beads. Used for relaxation or stress relief across Greece, the city has a storied tradition of producing them.

Visit Greece’s archaeological wonderland of Epidaurus, famous for its amphitheater. Remarkably well preserved, it was constructed toward the latter part of the fourth century B.C. as a site for religious ceremonies. In the theater’s current incarnation, visitors can enjoy performances of Greek dramas, set against a backdrop of the surrounding valley and mountains.

Your guided tour continues in the UNESCO-listed archaeological site of Mycenae. No visit to the eastern Peloponnese would be complete without a visit to the cradle of Mycenaean civilization, which peaked between 1400–1200 B.C. As you walk through the hillside citadel, you’ll come across the remains of homes, storefronts, ancient tombs, and Agamemnon’s Palace.

Athens2 nights
Day 9: Transfer to Athens
Included meal: Breakfast

Nothing can prepare you for the sheer sense of awe you’ll feel when you come face-to-face with Athens, where ancient architecture and artifacts coexist with modern life.

Spend a free afternoon to relax and settle in, or opt into the excursion to Cape Sounion this afternoon, where the remains of the Temple of Poseidon—god of the sea—offer the perfect vantage point to take in panoramic views of the Aegean and its island chains.

Cape Sounion

From $75 per person

Day 10: Sightseeing tour of Athens
Included meals: Breakfast, Farewell dinner

Meet up with your dedicated local guide, who will introduce you to the highlights of this bustling capital.

  • Pass by the Olympic Stadium, whose curved roof was designed by noted architect Santiago Calatrava.
  • Continue to Syntagma Square, home to the neoclassical Greek Parliament building, and admire the plaza’s imposing marble steps, fountain, and lush shade trees.
  • Reflect on the Arch of Hadrian, built to honor the Roman emperor, and imagine how its Pentelic marble stones were carted more than 11 miles from Mount Pentelikon in 131 A.D.
  • View the remains of the sixth-century Temple of Zeus and gaze up at its 16 ornate Corinthian columns.
  • Drive through Plaka. Situated at the foot of the Acropolis, this district is one of the oldest parts of Athens and is known as “the neighborhood of the gods” due to the dozens of monuments strewn throughout.
  • Set off on a walking tour around the ancient Acropolis—site of the Parthenon, Temple of Athena Nike, and Erechtheion. You may have seen these enduring icons of antiquity in books and film, but now you’re stepping through the work of craftsmen who quarried and honed these marble blocks thousands of years ago.

Spend a free afternoon in Athens to explore on your own. Head back to the Plaka district, or wander through Anafiotika on the northeast slope of the Acropolis. The neighborhood dates to the 19th century and is chock-full of charming whitewashed cottages and vibrantly hued doors, the likes of which you might have seen—or will see soon—on Greece’s Cycladic islands.

Tonight, celebrate your trip with your group over a farewell dinner, served with your choice of beer or wine.

Flight Home
Day 11: Departure
Included meal: Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)

Transfer to the airport for your flight home. Or, extend your stay to visit inimitable Santorini, where you’ll dive into white-and-cobalt-tinged postcard views of the iconic island. Walk through picturesque fishing villages, enjoy a cruise or local wine tasting (or both), and get your fill of just-caught seafood.

Extension to Santorini & Athens
Experience island time the Greek way. Extend your trip to Santorini—a volcanic outcrop that beckons with cobalt-domed churches, set against a canvas of Aegean blue and dramatic terrain. Its symphony of history, natural beauty, and the locals’ zest for life is utterly intoxicating. (And that’s before you’ve seen the island’s fiery sunsets.) End your trip with a flight back to Athens’s myth-filled streets.
Santorini3 nights
Day 11: Ferry to Santorini
Included meal: Breakfast

You’ve seen the photos—now get ready to star in them yourself. Board a ferry to Santorini today. Watch for the steep cliffs that plunge into the Aegean and the island’s famed caldera (the large depression formed by a volcanic eruption), dotted with whitewashed buildings.

Day 12: Sightseeing tour of Santorini
Included meal: Breakfast

Your guided tour of Santorini will take you from black sand beaches to jagged cliff-lined shores and back—a stark contrast to the island’s beloved whitewashed buildings and sprays of fuchsia bougainvillea vines.

  • Visit the archaeological excavations at Akrotiri, a settlement buried in volcanic ash, where richly pigmented Bronze Age frescoes and other Minoan artifacts survived a devastating volcanic eruption in the 16th century B.C.
  • Ride to the top of Mount Profitis Ilias for a panorama of Santorini, neighboring island chains, and blue waters kissing the horizon.
  • Stop in small, picturesque Pyrgos, where you’ll weave through the steep streets of this slightly off-the-beaten-path village.

Spend a free afternoon poking around shops and sampling local wine, or opt to join what’s sure to be an unforgettable excursion—a steal-your-breath-away catamaran cruise with views to match.

Santorini Caldera Cruise & Dinner

From $149 per person

Day 13: Free day in Santorini
Included meal: Breakfast

Santorini’s nutrient-rich soil lends itself perfectly to growing wine grapes. Get to know the island’s unique vineyards during an excursion to a local winery, complete with a tasting and accompanying lunch.

Prefer to spend the day on your own? You can sample some traditional dishes—like moussaka (a hearty eggplant dish) or tomato fritters—then explore the unique black-pebbled shores and clear waters of Kamari Beach. End the day with a sunset stop at the lighthouse found on the southern tip of the island.

Please note: For an additional cost, you can book a visit to the village of Oia through your Tour Director. The visit will either take place on the evening of day 11 or 13, depending on the ferry schedule.

Greek Wine Tasting & Lunch

From $89 per person

Athens1 night
Day 14: Flight to Athens
Included meal: Breakfast

Spend a final morning on Santorini before flying back to Athens.  

This evening, enjoy a farewell drink as you celebrate your trip with your fellow group members. 

Flight Home
Day 15: Departure
Included meal: Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)

Transfer to the airport for your flight home. And remember—it’s not arrivederci or adio, it’s see you later.

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Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars

Overall rating 4.6 out of 5

Based on 372 authentic traveler reviews
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    5 out of 5 stars

    Loved this tour!
    9/8/23 by 3rd-time traveler Linda

    Pompeii & Athens were on my bucket list and this tour did not disappoint. Our guide, Tini, was excellent. She was so aware of the needs & wishes of our group as well as sharing her own knowledge. Our stop in Napfolio gave a delightful balance to the busyness of the cities. Highly recommend this tour...

    Read more +

    5 out of 5 stars

    Italy and Greece
    9/8/23 by 1st-time traveler David

    The Italia and Greece tour was all I expected it to be and more. The food in Italia and Greece were good, the accommodations were on point and our tour guide was very friendly, energetic, and entertaining. The ruins were epic to see in person and I would definitely visit countries again.

    3 out of 5 stars

    Italy&Greece
    10/19/23 by 1st-time traveler Thuy

    When I got my flight information posted on the ef application. I was supposed to flight with United Airlines, and my flight is supposed to be departed at 2pm. But when I got to the airport to check in, they told me I am not flying with United Airlines, but Delta instead. And my departure was at 6p...

    Read more +
    EF Go Ahead Tours replied on 11/15/23

    Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We si...

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    Hotels, flights & FAQ

    Here's the nitty-gritty—where you’ll stay, how you’ll get there, and what to know about your destination before you go.

    Hotels

    We handpick every hotel to strike the balance of comfort, location, and local charm. Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date, but these are frequently used hotels for this tour and we're confident you'll be satisfied.
    Grand Hotel Cesare Augusto
    Grand Hotel Cesare Augusto

    This cozy hotel is located in the city center. Guests enjoy an outdoor pool, bar, and free Wi-Fi. Nearby, you’ll find Piazza Tasso, Marameo Beach, and...

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    H10 Roma Città
    H10 Roma Città

    This contemporary hotel is located in Rome's Marconi district. Guests enjoy the rooftop pool, beautiful views of the city, and fitness room. Nearby yo...

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    Amalia Hotel Nafplio
    Amalia Hotel Nafplio

    This modern hotel is located in the town entrance of Nafplion. Guests enjoy free Wi-Fi, balconies, and air conditioning. Nearby, you’ll find Árgos, Ti...

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    Wyndham Grand Athens
    Wyndham Grand Athens

    This elegant hotel is located in the Metaxourgeio neighborhood of Athens. Guests enjoy panoramic views of the Acropolis, a fitness center, and a rooft...

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    Kalisti Hotel & Suites
    Kalisti Hotel & Suites

    This beautiful hotel is located in the heart of Fira, the capital of Santorini. Guests enjoy a pool, outdoor bar, and stylish accommodations. Nearby, ...

    Read more +

    Flights

    Round-trip flights are one more thing we handle to make your journey as smooth as possible. Our team of travel experts will find the best flight itinerary for you at a competitive rate, thanks to our partnerships with top airlines.
    Add our airfare package and you'll get:
    • Round-trip flight for your tour
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    • A great price locked in today
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    • Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
    • Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes
    • Find out more about flights

    FAQ

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