This 9-day tour of Greece will guide you through some of the most famous and fascinating islands in the Mediterranean. Begin your journey in Athens and discover the heady mix of ancient history and contemporary attractions. Bask in the beauty of the world-famous Acropolis, which is visible from nearly every part of the city! Dig deep into the layers of history through the magnificent monuments and museums or feel the creative energy of Athens with its fascinating street art. Make your way to Rhodes, a traditional yet modern destination and the sunniest place in Greece! Here you may explore the medieval Old Town and villages which have been popular since the Roman Ages. The Old Town boasts a history of 2400 years apparent through ancient statues, marble fountains, and magnificent palaces. Next, you will catch a ferry to Kos, one of the first Aegean islands to attract visitors. This is a handsome harbour community with its medieval castle boasting ancient ruins from the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine eras. Walk around the waterfront as you explore cafes and tavernas like a local before you travel to Athens where you will end your tour of the Greek Islands!
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Independent TourTypically a private tour undertaken by one or two travelers
A great trip. A lot of ground covered. Tour notes had explained clearly that early starts were common and how much travel time was involved. Our modern, generously sized, coach and regular stops made it very comfortable. Our guide, Alcan Sisli, and driver, Attila, were of the high quality I expect from Explore! trips. Alcan was passionate about his country and extremely knowledgeable about all our points of interest. He took great care to include everyones wishes and needs when making plans and quickly knew us as individuals. He was unfailingly cheerful and looked after us all very competently, even when we perhaps did our own thing! We all got our turn to sit near the front of the coach to ask all those odd questions you might hesitate to ask in the whole group, though as usual the group, 12 in all, was such an interesting mix of backgrounds and personalities that it very soon felt as if we were just one big family. I miss them all now I'm home again! The accommodation was an eclectic mix of small city rooms to surprisingly luxurious bigger ones. All clean and with amazing buffet breakfasts. Food was varied - if sometimes a little solidly based on traditional Turkish meals. Fabulous fresh fish. Interesting 'greasy spoon' cafes with amazing dishes and the chance to try great local specialities. The attractions were as described - but even more spectacular in reality. The Mosques, Cotton Castle terraces, Rock formations and cave dwellings, Greco Romano remains etc were all fantastic and the final visit to Gallipoli was powerfully atmospheric. Our only disappointment was the unusually cold and wet weather during our particular trip dates but it didn't dampen our spirits and the only thing we couldn't do was the optional balloon flight. Another year perhaps. Now just got to sort out the 100s of photos and eat the Turkish Delight.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Istanbul, Pamukkale, Selçuk, Eph
Istanbul, Pamukkale, Selçuk, Ephesus, Canakkale, Ankara, Goreme, Cappadocia, Antalya, Kas, Xanthos, Iztuzu Beach
Explore the best of Turkey and enjoy the Mediterranean on this private 8-day guided tour. See the best of Istanbul, the fairy chimneys at Cappadocia, the open-air museum at Göreme, and the incredible city of Antalya.
This incredible tour package takes you through Istanbul for a full two days, Cappadocia for two full days, Antalya for two full days, and Pamukkale for one full day! This is the perfect trip for those who want to explore Turkey at a leisurely pace, and it includes a full free day in Antalya for your explorations.
The package includes accommodation, flights, expert guides to each destination, meals, transport, and more. As this is a private tour, it is possible to customize it to your requirements.
Discover the legendary beauty and fascinating mythology of Greece throughout the mainland and the precious islands of Mykonos and Santorini for 4 days each.
Explore the 'cradle of Western civilization' on the 15-day Best of Greece to uncover all the incredible highlights on a comfortable and well-paced cultural adventure. Witness the changing landscapes and the seamless blend of ancient and cosmopolitan from Athens to Corinth, Meteora, and Olympia.
I loved the experience with the tour that Destination Services created according to my needs and the time I had available. The organization was impeccable, the guides were wonderful and I loved especially in the case of Ronda that despite having people who spoke Spanish, English, and French, the guide was fluent in all these languages. Visiting these white towns full of history and incredible landscapes was the best decision I could have made.
This magical Alnwick Castle tour takes you from Edinburgh to the Anglo-Scottish border to learn about the bloody battles that raged. We’ll visit the picture-perfect seaside village of Bamburgh where you can head to the beach for some shenanigans and get the chance to visit mighty Bamburgh Castle which dates back to the 5th century. But more importantly, we’re going to Hogwarts! Harry Potter fans rejoice - we’re off to the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Along with a rich history and magnificent splendour, Alnwick Castle also starred in Downton Abbey.
We had a spectacular trip. We did a self-guided trip in Piemonte and Tuscany/Umbria. The hotels were much nicer than we expected. Very comfortable and the owners/proprietors were so helpful. The transfer of luggage each day was seamless!
The routes were generally well marked and the app was very good. We didn't need anything more than the app. Only got lost twice which I'd say is pretty good. The routes were a bit more challenging than we expected. We choose two hikes which were marked as 'Introductory - Moderate' which were tougher than we expected. So just pay attention to this. At home, we would consider ourselves quite capable of moderate+ trails, but the classification in Italy is a bit more demanding.
Glad we wore hiking pants as we went through a lot of grasses so never had a concern about tics. Also were very happy we had hiking sticks with us. Invaluable on many of the trails.
I would definitely recommend them to anyone considering a hiking trip. And absolutely no problem doing the self-guided version.
Thank you!!
Griffy and Marg
Explore the beautifully rugged landscapes of Iceland’s western peninsulas with coastal cliffs, centuries-old volcanic glaciers and huge waterfalls on a nine-day Premium adventure. Take a boat cruise between icebergs at Glacier Lagoon, trek around vast waterside craters, visit local artisans in Grundarfjordur and explore small fishing villages. Sample fresh produce at your Feature Stay, take a carbon-neutral boat trip to spot whales and dip your toes in the Arctic Ocean. See the highlights of Iceland with expert local knowledge and time to explore – you’ll get a true taste of this Northern European outpost!
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
15-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Reykjavik, Snaefellsnes Peninsul
Reykjavik, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Skagafjordur, Akureyri, Egilsstadir, Skaftafell National Park, Flúðir
Recommend this tour. Mini van with a driver and tour guide. The guide was so informative, a really lovely lady. Driver was on the ball - it was a couple of days into the trip he revealed he could understand english.
Italians are the masters of creating simple dishes that burst with flavour. Inspired by nonnas’ kitchens all over the country, this food is regional, seasonal and fresh, and on this eight-day trip through everybody’s favourite culinary hub, you’ll discover that pizza and pasta are only the tip of the iceberg. Uncover the diverse array of unforgettable street eats, meals and cicchetti (small bites) from the postcard-perfect Venice to Rome, where medieval meets modern. Delight in local wine, fresh produce, homemade dinners and seasonal favourites in San Gimignano, Tuscany and Bologna – all with a local by your side – and take your tastebuds on an unforgettable adventure.
Food tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Did this trip in September 2025 and had the best time. Would recommend a baseline fitness level where you're comfortable with extended cardio because there's a fair bit of uphill-ness. Just a heads-up one of the mountain cabins was shared bunk room and no showers if that's really not your thing (the other hut is amazing though and the views from both are incredible). Generally amazing hikes and views and seamless transport of our big luggage to accommodation.
This is a fascinating journey through remarkably unspoiled countries. Every day provided a place of great beauty or interest. The small group gelled into a very happy gathering. We were lucky to have such a wonderful tour leader, who contributed so much at every level.
MountainsOverland Journeys
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers