Off-Peak Greece: Athens, Delphi & Nafplio
8 days | 11 days with Crete & Athens extension |
- Group size
- 15–38 travelers
- Activity level
The best of a country, at the best time to see it? That’s off-peak life in Greece.
The Acropolis of Athens, Delphi’s Temple of Apollo, and the ruins of Mycenae all draw visitors from far and wide—and rightfully so. But Greece’s local-filled tavernas, spacious squares, and quiet seaside towns sing more sweetly with fewer crowds around. That’s where this tour comes in: a weeklong, off-peak jaunt, from Athens to Nafplio and back, that showcases a country in its everyday state. Add the extension to Crete and you’ll round it out with an idyllic island getaway, made even more enjoyable by the temperate weather.
Your tour package includes
- 6 nights in handpicked hotels
- 6 breakfasts
- 2 dinners with beer or wine
- 3 sightseeing tours
- Expert Tour Director & local guides
- Private deluxe motor coach
Included highlights
- Acropolis in Athens
- Acropolis Museum
- Delphi’s Temple of Apollo
- Old Town of Nafplio
- Archaeological site of Mycenae
- Corinth Canal photo stop
Itinerary

Overnight Flight1 night
Day 1: Travel day
Board your overnight flight to Athens today.
Athens2 nights
Day 2: Arrival in Athens
Included meal: Welcome dinner
Welcome to Greece! Transfer to your hotel, then get to know your Tour Director and fellow travelers at tonight’s welcome dinner, served with beer or wine.
Day 3: Sightseeing tour of the Acropolis & the Acropolis Museum
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. Meet up with a dedicated local guide who’ll introduce you to the highlights of this bustling capital. With lower temperatures and smaller crowds to contend with, you can fully focus on taking them in.
- Drive through village-like Plaka, a district largely unbothered by time and modernity. Dubbed “the neighborhood of the gods” for its wealth of monuments, it’s the perfect prelude to its famous neighbor, the Acropolis of Athens.
- Set off on a walking tour around the Acropolis—a millennia-old, UNESCO-listed citadel and the enduring image of Greece. First properly developed by the renowned politician Pericles, it now contains the ruins of the Parthenon, Temple of Athena Nike, Erechtheion, and dozens of other archaeological sites.
- Step inside the Acropolis Museum, a 150,000-square-foot space dedicated to exhibiting every artifact recovered from the Acropolis and its foothills. First opened in 2009, it chronicles the history of Greece, from the Bronze Age to Byzantine times, through over 4,250 different items.
After your walking tour, return to the outdoor cafes and red-tiled roofs of Plaka for a free afternoon. Prefer to taste your way through Athens? Add our optional excursion to your itinerary, work up your appetite, and remember to say “kali orexi”—the Greek equivalent of “bon appetit.”
Delphi Region1 night
Day 4: Transfer to the Delphi region & sightseeing tour
Included meal: Breakfast
Head for the crowdless slopes of Mount Parnassus to visit the Archaeological Site of Delphi. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this spiritual focal point was believed by the ancient Greeks to be the omphalos—the navel of the Earth, marked by Zeus with an egg-shaped stone. Today, you’ll practically have it to yourself as you embark on a guided tour.
- Stop at the Temple of Apollo, where, according to legend, the god Apollo once spoke in prophecy to mortals through the voice of an oracle—the high priestess, or Pythia.
- Take time to explore the ancient treasures of the Delphi Museum. Its greatest prize: the Charioteer of Delphi, a life-sized bronze statue unearthed almost entirely intact.
Spend a free evening relaxing in the Delphi region or add our optional outing to Arachova, a picturesque mountain village blanketed with terraced homes and Byzantine churches.
Nafplio2 nights
Day 5: Transfer to Nafplio & sightseeing tour
Included meal: Breakfast
From Delphi, loop around the Gulf of Corinth and onto the Peloponnese, cutting across its storied terrain to the romantic seaside town of Nafplio. Once you arrive, stretch your legs and get your bearings during a Tour Director-led sightseeing tour.
- Learn about Nafplio’s history as you walk through the Old Town, including how it became the first capital of independent Greece in 1829.
- Pass through the quaint confines of Syntagma Square and spot the Vouleftiko, a former Ottoman mosque that housed the first Greek parliament for a few months during the mid-1820s.
Day 6: Free day in Nafplio
Included meal: Breakfast
Craving to see more of the Peloponnese? Book today’s optional outing, and you’ll find yourself in the modern-day town of Sparti, where reminders of the city-state’s valiant past and the influence of the Byzantine Empire stand proudly on every corner.
If you choose to stay in Nafplio, roam its bustling, taverna-lined squares before making your way to the Palamidi—an imposing Venetian fortress perched atop a hill over 700 feet above the city.
Athens1 night
Day 7: Athens via Mycenae
Included meals: Breakfast, Farewell dinner
As you return to Athens, pause at Mycenae—a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was once one of the most important urban centers of Bronze Age Greece.
- Explore Mycenae’s citadel, including its main entrance, the Lion Gate. Erected sometime near 1250 B.C. and distinguished by twin lionesses over its threshold, it’s the largest surviving prehistoric sculpture in the Aegean.
- Visit another archaeological site of epic provenance: the Treasury of Atreus. Also known as the Tomb of Agamemnon, this beehive-shaped burial ground (or “tholos” in Greek) dates back more than three millennia and is inextricably linked to the mythical Trojan War through the legendary king for which it’s named.
- Visit the royal cemetery known as Grave Circle A, which supposedly holds the remains of Agamemnon and his followers—and where treasures like the golden Mask of Agamemnon were unearthed.
Then, continue across the Peloponnese, stopping just before the mainland to admire the Corinth Canal—a lockless, four-mile-long cut that links the Aegean and Ionian Seas. While it’s too narrow for many modern vessels, its steep limestone walls provide a scenic contrast to the aquamarine waters below.
Pull into Athens this evening, then celebrate your trip at a farewell dinner, served with beer or wine.
Flight Home1 night
Day 8: Departure
Included meal: Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)
Transfer to the airport and board a flight—either for home or for Chania, Crete. Ottoman, Venetian, Byzantine, and other influences abound in this lovely port city. How many can you spot?
Crete & Athens extension
Greece lays claim to thousands of islands, scattered across the azure waters of its surrounding seas—but while Mykonos, Santorini, and others hibernate in the offseason, Crete hums along, the pace of everyday life giving it perennial energy. Can’t leave Greece without some island time? Touch down on this excursion to spend a few days in Chania—Crete’s former capital—drinking your fill of sea views, cross-cultural landmarks, and the local wine.
Chania2 nights
Day 8: Flight to Chania
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Fly to Chania, a coastal city on Crete’s northwestern shore that has passed between Greek, Venetian, and Ottoman hands through the centuries. After settling into your hotel, join your group in the evening for an included dinner, served with your choice of beer or wine.
Day 9: Sightseeing tour of Chania
Included meal: Breakfast
This morning, join a local guide on a walking tour of Chania’s Old Town, a historic quarter especially tinged by its Venetian heritage. Besides your groupmates, the only people you’re likely to see milling about are townsfolk going about their days—and smaller crowds make for greater memories.
- Step inside Trimartiri, a Greek Orthodox cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Icons painted by Cretan artists and gilded by local silversmiths decorate the interior, a serene and reverent space.
- Walk along the Old Venetian Port of Chania, a harbor that’s served the city since the mid-1300s. Catch a glimpse of its famous Egyptian lighthouse, and pass by the Yiali Tzami—a former Ottoman mosque, instantly recognizable by its main dome, that nowadays houses art exhibitions.
Wrap up the morning’s tour, then plan the rest of your day. If you added our optional excursion to your itinerary, you’ll set out into the countryside for an olive oil tasting, wine sampling, and lunch. If not, hang back in Chania and explore on your own. (Don’t forget to ask your Tour Director for recommendations!)
Athens1 night
Day 10: Flight to Athens
Included meal: Breakfast
Fly back to Athens today. After transferring to your hotel, gather with your group members and toast to your trip with a farewell drink.
Flight Home
Day 11: Departure
Included meal: Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)
Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Reviews
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 and you’ll get:
- Round-trip flight for your tour
- Airport transfers at your destination
- A great price locked in today
- 24/7 support from our dedicated service team
- Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
- Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes
FAQ
- In order to enter Greece, U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
- We recommend having at least one blank passport page for entry stamps.
- Beginning in 2026, U.S. and Canadian passport holders must register for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to enter many European countries.
- Passport holders from over 60 visa-exempt countries (including the U.S. and Canada) will need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to visit 30 European countries. That means that even if you’ve previously traveled to any of these European countries without a visa, starting in 2026, you’ll need to get ETIAS authorization to visit them again. If you’re traveling to multiple countries with this requirement, you only need to complete the form once. All Go Ahead travelers are responsible for obtaining their own ETIAS travel authorization before departure. For more details, please visit our Help Center.
- If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must contact each country’s consulate for your specific entry requirements.
- Round-trip flights booked through Go Ahead Tours arrive in and depart from Athens.
- Transfers to and from the airport at the beginning and end of the tour are included for travelers who purchased their flights through Go Ahead Tours. Travelers who booked their own flights are responsible for securing their own airport transfers.
- When you arrive in Athens, a Go Ahead representative will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall with a Go Ahead sign or a sign with your name(s). If you don’t see a representative immediately, please be patient and stay in the arrivals area. They may be assisting another traveler who has also just arrived and will be back shortly.
Physical Activity Level
This is a moderate physical activity-level tour. You can expect to be on the move on a regular basis throughout the course of the tour.
Tour Pacing
This is a brisk-paced tour. The pace of a tour itinerary considers how often you’ll switch hotels, the amount of planned daily activities, and how you’ll get from place to place. You can expect:
- Two 1-night stays
- Most days full of included activities (more if you add excursions)
- All transportation by motor coach
- Daily bus time varies and can be lengthy
Walking, Terrain & Physical Requirements
- Travelers should be prepared to walk 2-3 miles per day—this includes city streets, cobblestones, stairs, and hills.
- Stone and marble walkways may be slippery even when dry.
- Access to the Acropolis requires travelers to navigate a steep hill including uneven stairs with no railing.
- Travelers should be healthy enough to participate in all included walks without assistance.
- Please Note: Adding optional excursions may increase the total amount of walking on tour.
Climate Considerations
- In the summer months (June-September), travelers can expect heatwaves with temperatures consistently above 90F.
Physical Activity & Tour Pace Questions
- Go Ahead Tours and the Tour Director who accompanies your group are unable to provide special mobility or luggage handling assistance to travelers on tour. The responsibility of the Tour Director is to ensure the group enjoys a smooth and informative journey, and they can’t be relied on to provide individualized assistance to any one traveler.
- This tour moves at a reasonable pace to avoid missing scheduled stops. The rest of the group cannot miss any scheduled activities because of the needs of an individual.
- Due to the pace and physical activity level of this tour, mobility aids such as wheelchairs or walkers will be difficult to use and are not recommended. Please notify Go Ahead Tours before your departure if you plan to bring these on tour with you.
- If you have mobility concerns or tour pacing questions, please visit our Help Center or send a message to our Customer Experience Team.
- Most transportation on this tour is by private motor coach. Private motor coaches have steps required to board and often do not provide access to ramps or lifts.
- The tour extension includes a round-trip flight from Athens to Chania.
- All other included transportation on this tour is by private motor coach.
- Please note that our travelers are limited to one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person due to storage limitations on motor coaches.
- Some airlines may impose additional charges if you choose to check baggage or exceed baggage size and weight restrictions. Be advised that you are responsible for any baggage fees incurred on all flights.
- Contact your airline(s) for the luggage restrictions for your itinerary. Please note that the flights included on the tour extension may have tighter size and weight limits than your round-trip airfare to and from tour.
- Make sure you label your baggage and keep valuables, medication, and documents in your carry-on bag.
- Travelers must be able to manage their luggage throughout tour; porters aren’t guaranteed at hotels or airports.
- We recommend packing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that can be easily layered to accommodate varying temperatures, as well as a light jacket or rainwear.
- A sturdy pair of walking shoes or sneakers is recommended for sightseeing.
- You may want to pack dressier attire if you plan to visit a high-end restaurant or attend a special performance.
- It’s preferable not to visit churches or other religious sites with bare legs or shoulders. Entrance may be denied on this basis.
- We recommend packing a universal adapter, as well as a voltage converter if you plan on using a hairdryer or other device without a built-in converter.
- In case of emergencies, we also recommend packing your medical insurance card in your carry-on.
- Go Ahead handpicks every hotel you’ll stay at, striking a balance between comfort, location, and local charm.
- Specific properties will vary based on your departure date, but are typically three-to-four-star hotels; always include private bathrooms; and usually have in-room safes for valuables. Additionally, your hotels will have Wi-Fi, but access may be limited to common areas. There may also not be elevators.
- Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that your accommodations will have laundry services or facilities. We recommend checking directly with your hotels once they’ve been confirmed, about 30 days prior to departure.
- Some hotels on this tour are situated on narrow streets; as such, our buses can’t drop you off right out front. In these instances, you’ll have to walk your luggage to the property, no more than a few blocks.
- Please be advised that the strength of the air conditioning in European hotels/buildings is often not as strong or as cool as what you might be used to in the U.S. or Canada.
- Greece operates on the European standard 220-240 volts and use Types C, E, or F plugs with two small, round pins.
- Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date.
- Excursions are available for purchase prior to departure, and most excursions will be available for purchase while you are on tour directly through your mobile app for an additional $10 USD.
- We recommend purchasing excursions at least 3 days prior to your tour departure. Please note some excursions have advance booking deadlines. Check your tour itinerary for more information to ensure you don’t miss the deadline to add them.
- Optional excursions may be canceled on tour due to reasons like low enrollment, weather or unexpected closures. If an excursion you signed up for is canceled by Go Ahead Tours, you will be refunded the full cost of the excursion. Please note it may take up to 60 days for your refund to be processed.
- Your Tour Director may offer their own optional excursions which can only be purchased on tour via cash (in local currency).
- At least 60 days prior to departure, check with your doctor or healthcare provider for the latest updates and entry requirements, or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website at cdc.gov.
- If you have dietary restrictions and/or food allergies, please notify Go Ahead Tours at least 30 days prior to your departure by logging in to your account and updating your traveler info. To update this information closer to your departure date, please contact our Customer Experience Team.
- If you have medication that you take daily, be sure you have enough for each day of the tour as well as any possible delays encountered.
- Most of our itineraries include headsets used during certain sightseeing tours so travelers can hear their guides or Tour Director. If you use an assisted listening device, such as a hearing aid or cochlear implant, please visit our Help Center for more information or contact our customer experience team. Please note that at this time not all our destinations offer headsets due to supplier limitations.
- Please note that codeine (commonly found in headache medications) is banned in Greece, and you may face prosecution if you bring it into the country.
- Take proper care with sun exposure, as the sun can be especially strong in some of the regions on this tour.
- The water is safe to drink throughout your tour unless posted otherwise.
- This tour includes two dinners: They may be set menus, buffets, or family-style meals, depending on the location. Dinners also include one glass of beer, wine, or a soft drink, as well as water.
- Breakfast each morning is also included at the hotel and is typically buffet style with hot and cold options.
- Greece’s warm climate ensures a constant supply of fresh, high-quality fruits and vegetables. Salads served with aromatic olive oil, feta cheese, and oregano are plentiful. Simple grilled fish and meat are integral to Greek cuisine, as are squid and octopus. Don’t miss the spinach and cheese pies, called spanakopita.
- At the conclusion of your tour, it is customary to offer your Tour Director and driver a gratuity in local currency. Please keep current exchange rates in mind.
- We recommend tipping the equivalent of $10USD to $12USD per person per day for your Tour Director and the equivalent of $4USD per person per day for your driver.
- If applicable, we also recommend the equivalent of $2USD per local guide.
- Tips can only be paid in cash.
- If you are traveling to multiple countries with different currencies and the same Tour Director, ask them what currency they prefer for their tip.
- The cost of porterage is included in your tour price, and it is not necessary to tip baggage handlers.
- You will use the euro on tour.
- Better rates of exchange are usually available overseas, although it’s worth ordering some currency from your local bank to use when you first arrive.
- We strongly advise that you take debit and credit cards, which can be used to withdraw cash at local banks as needed.
- You can use most cards at ATMs on the international networks Cirrus and Plus, but make sure to check with your home bank about withdrawal fees.
- International banks and businesses primarily accept debit and credit cards that work with the EMV chip system. If you don’t already have at least one card with a chip in it, we strongly recommend requesting one from your bank prior to your tour.
- Plan ahead and bring cash to tip your Tour Director, local guides, and bus drivers. We also recommend keeping coins in the local currency on hand, as some public bathrooms may charge a fee for use.
- To help you feel prepared before traveling on tour, we strongly recommend downloading the EF Go Ahead Tours mobile app. It’s free and provides information about important deadlines and entry requirements, as well as your detailed itinerary, packing tips, and more. You can also connect with fellow travelers through the app’s chat feature.
- Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, though some charges may apply.
- There is no Wi-Fi on any of the motor coaches.
- Please contact your mobile service provider for information on roaming charges.
- Your Tour Director will be leading your group throughout your journey. You will have the same Tour Director throughout your tour.
- The role of the Tour Director is not only to provide information and context on the destinations you visit, but also to confirm services, coordinate inclusions, prepare each days’ activities and support travelers while on tour. As such, they must focus on the success of the group, and cannot provide individualized assistance to any one traveler.
- One of the benefits of traveling with EF Go Ahead Tours is our on tour emergency support team.
- Our extensive network of offices around the world, and our integration of ISO 31000: Risk Management Guidelines, help our dedicated 24/7 Emergency Service teams anticipate and address on-tour challenges in a flexible and iterative way.
- This team supports travelers and Tour Directors using a combination of extensive training, simulations, incident response planning, and decades of experience to help manage emergencies if they arise, ranging from personal health concerns or injuries to major world events.
- As needed, On Tour Support can facilitate additional support for travelers on tour, arrange assistance from outside specialists, and liaise with local and international authorities to help solve on-the-ground issues. In addition, the team is dedicated to supporting and facilitating communication between travelers and families in the event of an emergency while on the road or at home.
- Greece is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and 7 hours ahead of Eastern Time (ET).
- When it’s noon in New York, it’s 7pm in Greece.
- When you travel with Go Ahead Tours, you’ll make a positive impact on the places you visit and the people and animals you meet along the way. That’s because our three core Responsible Travel commitments—protecting the environment, supporting local communities, and promoting animal welfare—are at the heart of every tour we offer.
- Travel, when done responsibly, can have an enormous socioeconomic impact on communities. To maximize your impact, eat at locally owned restaurants and shop at small businesses. Ask your Tour Director to point out restaurants they recommend.
- Prepare for your trip: Be aware of monetary norms such as tipping and negotiating in a market; learn about the destination’s forms of etiquette; and take some time to learn a few words in the local language.
- When interacting with locals, make sure to ask people for permission before you take their picture, and approach cultural differences with empathy and an open mind.
- Go Ahead Tours encourages travelers to limit their waste while on the road, especially single-use plastics. You can cut back on generating plastic waste by packing your own toiletries, using electronic documents, and bringing a reusable water bottle and shopping bag. If you need to use plastics or paper, please recycle.















































































