Begin in Athens, the city where democracy and so many other ideas and concepts of the Western tradition have their origins, and where you will tour its celebrated monuments and witness its vibrant contemporary culture. 

From Athens, continue to Naxos, the largest of the Cycladic islands, known for its  impressive main town, ancient monuments that include Byzantine churches with  exquisite frescoes, varied landscapes, picturesque old villages and sandy beaches. From Naxos, travel by boat to Delos, the sacred island where the divine twins Apollo and Artemis were born, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and to Mykonos, the quintessential Cycladic Island, known for its white-washed architecture and  cosmopolitan atmosphere. 

From Naxos, sail across the blue Aegean Sea to crescent-shaped Santorini,  perhaps the most spectacular island in the entire Mediterranean. Inhabited by a sophisticated society in deep antiquity, half of the island subsided after a cataclysmic volcanic eruption in the late 17th century BC. Some archaeologists and others have seen this event as the origin of the legend of the lost continent of Atlantis. During your two-day stay on this fabled island, explore Akrotiri, the Bronze Age town that was entirely covered with pumice and ash from the  volcano’s eruption. 

Continue in the Greek archipelago to Crete, home of the Minoans, who, during the Bronze Age, created the first civilization of Europe. Your three days in this great island will provide time to discover its famed Minoan palaces, see the treasures housed in museums, explore the magnificent countryside and taste the food considered to be the source of the widely celebrated Mediterranean diet. Crete is also famous for its flora and medicinal plants which have been in high demand since antiquity.