Divine Greece Tour –
August 15 – 29, 2026
Thessaloniki, Meteora, Kalambaka, Heraklion, Crete, Santorini, Mykonos, Paros, Athens, – 14 Nights
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Divine Greece Tour – $20000 for 2 people for 2 weeks
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Begins in Thessaloniki a seaport in northeastern Greece, the second largest city in Greece and capital of the Greek region of Macedonia where Alexander the Great grew up nearby in Pella. Walk through ancient history and open-air museums of Thessaloniki and expand your tour experience to Meteora an ancient region of timeless monasteries suspended in the skies. Then, cobblestone streets, arched, whitewashed facades, cobalt-colored roofs, and rustic windmills are just a few of the picturesque Greek landscapes you can expect to find on this tour. Revel in the serenity and diversity of the Greek Islands on the isles of Mykonos and Santorini—daydreams come to life in a hundred shades of blue. And you’ll envision a more vibrant picture of Greece of sparkling cerulean and emerald complementing, white-washed structures. A grand climactic ending, the famous ancient site, the Acropolis, in the fabulous capital city of Greece, Athens.
Your tour package includes
- Tour begins in Thessaloniki
- Tour ends in Athens
- 6 handpicked 4-5-star hotels
- 14 breakfasts, and 8 dinners (some with an alcoholic option), 2 lunches
- 9 immersive sightseeing tours, including a guided walk through the ancient Acropolis
- Several expert Tour Guide/storytellers of myth and history throughout the tour
- Several local guides who bring the legends of Greece to life
- Pre-booked transportation, including 1 private deluxe motor coach and 2 on-tour flights
- 2 scenic ferry rides across the sparkling Aegean Sea
- Entrances to museums, landmarks, and more—so you can skip the lines
Included highlights
- Explore Thesaloniki steeped in historical themes of cultural and empire expansion
- Explore the timeless monasteries suspended in the skies of Meteora
- Embrace the divine and mystical on a journey of a lifetime
- Island of Crete and the city of Heraklion and the ancient myths of Knossos
- Sinking your toes into the volcanic black sands of Santorini’s beaches
- Island of Paros
- Wandering the labyrinthine alleys of Mykonos Town, where bougainvillea spills over whitewashed walls
- Snapping photos of the iconic windmills silhouetted against a Cycladic sunset
- Standing in awe atop the Acropolis as the Parthenon glows in the Athen’s sun
- Tasting fresh feta and olives on a sun-drenched terrace
Divine Greece Tour
Day 1: August 15 – Saturday
Celebration Dinner
Thessaloniki, Greece 
Arrive at Thessaloniki Airport, transfer to and check in to our hotel, Electra Palace.
You have the day at your leisure until we meet in the evening for our Welcome Celebration Dinner. Enjoy exploring and/or get some rest. Tomorrow morning, after breakfast, we’ll take a tour of Thessaloniki.
August 15 in Greece: A Nationwide Spiritual Celebration
It’s the one day all year that blends ancient devotion, island traditions, and summer celebration across Greece.
On August 15, Greece dresses in its festive best. From the highlands of Macedonia to the sunlit Aegean islands, the Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary marks the most significant religious moment of summer. Often called the Easter of August, the day is steeped in deep devotion to the Divine Mother.
In every corner of the country, thousands of worshippers make their way to sacred sites, following routes handed down through generations. It’s not merely a ritual of faith—it is a living tapestry of collective memory, where tradition meets reverence and the joy of a feast mingles with the solemnity of worship. Today, Thessaloniki may be having celebrating its holiday.
Thessaloniki, Greece, is not just a city—it’s a mosaic of civilizations, stories, and enduring beauty, vitality but with hidden trauma.
Have you ever walked through a city where a mixture of good and bad blend together, present day holiday enjoyment and a past where battles were fought by the Roman and Byzantine emperors, Ottoman sultans and Nazi Generals?
Thessaloniki was founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon, who named it after his wife, Thessaloniki, a half-sister of Alexander the Great.
Few figures in history have left as indelible a mark on the world as Alexander the Great. Born in 356 BCE in Pella, (near Thessaloniki) Macedon, a young king at 20 years old, he conquered a vast empire stretching from Greece to India, forever changing the course of history, all before the age of 32 when he died. He worshiped the gods, Pantheism. Mount Olympus, the mythical home of the Greek gods, is just a short drive away. He spoke to the Gods every day and considered himself to be a god. The religion of the time believed in the divine realm, and it couldn’t be bought. It’s center foundation didn’t stem from money but from doing good deeds and improving civilization.
What makes Alexander‘s legacy so remarkable, when Alexander conquered, he left enduring improvements and set in motion cultural transformations, particularly in Thessaloniki.
During the Roman Era Thessaloniki became the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia. Constantine I (born February 27, after 280 ce?, died 337) was the first Roman emperor to profess Christianity. He not only initiated the evolution of the empire into a Christian state but also provided the impulse for a distinctively Christian culture that prepared the way for the growth of Byzantine and Western medieval culture, heavily influenced by the Church, feudalism, prejudice and misogyny spanning from the 5th to the 15th centuries.
Then in the 20th century the Holocaust jolted the world awake with a prejudice of such horrific proportions that many are still trying to understand how it could have happened.
Persecution, prejudice and misogyny – Illegal to be a Christian, then in 313 Constantine made it legal to be a Christian
Emperor Constantine the Great issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which legalized Christianity, ending over 300 years of persecution of Christians and the beginning of its rise to prominence so that within 67 years paganism was outlawed instead. In 380 Emperor Theodosius issue the Edict of Thessalonica, making Nicene Christianity the Roman Empire’s official religion, outlawing other Christian sects (like Arianism) and paganism, branding dissenters as heretics, and paving the way for persecution against those who didn’t conform to the Holy Trinity doctrine, solidifying Christianity’s dominance in the Roman Empire under Emperor Theodosius I. Followed by the First Council of Constantinople (the Second Ecumenical Council) in 381 to solidify Nicene doctrine reaffirming the divinity of Christ.
The original Council of Nicaea was in 325, convened by Emperor Constantine, to address Arianism. Arianism affirmed a created, finite nature of Christ rather than equal divinity with God the Father and was denounced by the early church as a major heresy, pronouncing Jesus as divine by define Jesus as “of one substance” (homoousios) with God the Father.
Church Fathers who established key doctrinal foundations of Christianity with dogmas were profoundly misogynous. They under played the Divine Mother who is the most important archetype in the Christ story and critical to the divine plan and the spiritual evolution of the soul and the divine human race.
The holocaust exposed what happens on the earth plane when one religion (Christianity) is legalized and promoted at the cost of another religion (Paganism and others). It would have been better for humanity if they had promoted freedom of worship, but they didn’t.
On the earth plane the lack of freedom to worship scenario played out in Thessaloniki like a slow pressure cooker, bubbling and building up under the surface for a long time, as follows: trauma after trauma from one empires conquest over another, two World Wars, destitution and a holocaust, beyond belief – a genocide of almost an entire race of people, scapegoats who didn’t deserve to die or to be held prisoner.
The best possible defense in preventing a Holocaust from ever happening again is to spiritually educate humanity as to the Divine Justice System and redemption.
The Divine Plan teaches that the Divine Realm has a divine spiritual government that is the authority over the Earth with the Divine Mother guiding humanity to do good deeds to ignite their divine spark and to keep the flame going and for a true ascension they need a spiritual education, discipline and a divine connection to Her.
After Jesus and Mary both ascended (transfigured) to heaven with both body and soul and they became divine. The Divine Mother means She was both God and a woman and the Divine Jesus means He was both God and a man. The Divine Mother also became the Sacred Magdeleine, teacher of the sacred knowledge that saves the planet and its people. She had been teaching long before Jesus was born. She was ordained the Most-High Sovereignty and the Most-High Divinity on and off Earth. She saved Her Son by teaching Him the ancient wisdom and delivering Shakti pad which ignited His divine spark and He in turn healed others. She deserves to be revered above all others. Her Son would be the first to say so.
The Divine Mother is at the top of divine spiritual government’s hierarchy in this universe. And Her presence provides a higher consciousness and the frequency and vibration of love, light and wisdom of the ages wherever She goes and lives effectively, easily, safely and comfortably. The Divine Realm also has its own “constitution and bill of rights” with an “oath” of loyalty protecting the Most-High Sovereignty.
These last 2000 years were a complex interplay of religious, social, political, economic, and artistic elements with such prejudice and misogyny that made the world unsafe for the divine, the human and the soul.
The Divine Mother has intervened many times with Her “Legions of Light” over the last 2000 years. That’s why humanity is still alive and spiritually evolving on the planet Earth. However, so much prejudice and misogyny meant that the human race in general wasn’t ready for its divine spark to be lit. And a critical mass of higher consciousness needed to be reached before the next evolutionary step could occur, such as the igniting of human’s divine spark. The good news is signs of persecution and misogyny are waning, and signs of harmony are increasing. In 1950, the Pope acknowledged the Divine Mother in a creed. Democratic governments with “constitutions” and “bill of rights including freedom of religion” have increased. The world is becoming safer for the divine human, the human and the soul. Appearances of the Divine Mother will occur more frequently to those who have sworn an oath of loyalty to her, long ago and have begun to remember it. All indicating higher consciousness is on the increase.
Modern-Day Thessaloniki, Greece
Today, Thessaloniki is Greece’s second-largest city, and it’s Byzantine churches, Ottoman baths, neoclassical buildings, and modernist cafes reflect its diverse past and dynamic present, arguably its most youthful and energetic.
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Home to Aristotle University, the largest in the Balkans.
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Famous for international film and documentary festivals.
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Known for culinary excellence—bougatsa, gyros, and seafood abound!
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Offers a perfect blend of ancient charm and modern nightlife.
Whether you’re exploring ancient ruins or enjoying a frappe by the sea, Thessaloniki currently buzzes with life.
We’ll enjoy the rest of our day at leisure and in the evening join our group for a celebration dinner.
Overnight:
Electra Palace is ideally located within the business, cultural and commercial center of the city. Among the area’s attractions are the White Tower and the Museum of Byzantine History, while the famous Ladadika district is within walking distance. Electra Palace is 9.3 mi from Macedonia International Airport, 0.6 mi from the main train station and 1640 feet from the port.
Day 2: August 16 – Sunday
Our hotel, Electra Palace Hotel is conveniently located at Aristotelous Square. And this is where our tour of Thessaloniki begins, after breakfast.
Greece is called the “cradle of civilization” and “birthplace of democracy” because its city-states, especially Athens, pioneered foundational Western concepts like democracy (rule by the people), philosophy (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle), rational inquiry, theater (tragedy/comedy), and democratic ideals like citizen participation, public debate, and rule of law, laying the intellectual and political groundwork for much of modern Western society.
Ancient Greece’s democratic ideals and institutions laid the foundation for modern democratic systems.
Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece, after Athens and it has retained its name for nearly 2,400 years. It was founded around 315 BCE (or 316 BCE) by King Cassander of Macedon, who named it after his wife, Thessalonike, the half-sister of Alexander the Great. The city grew from existing settlements on the Thermaic Gulf into a crucial trading hub for the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires, linking Europe and Asia through the Via Egnatia. There’s a white statue of the pro-Allied Prime Minister (during WWI), Eleftherios Venizelos in a park where the road joins Aristotle Square. Thessaloniki is in close proximity to another Thermaic city, Ephesus (now in Turkey), a major cross-roads, trading port and cultural center located in the area once called Mesopotamia and known as the “cradle of ancient civilization”.
During the Roman Era, Thessaloniki was second in importance only to Constantinople (now Istanbul), founded in 315 by Constantine the Great. Thessaloniki boasted majestic churches, strong city walls, and a rich religious life. The city hosted St. Paul the Apostle during his missionary journeys (Acts 17).
White Tower of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki’s strategic location made it a prize throughout history. During the Ottoman Rule (1430–1912): The city transformed, with mosques, bazaars, and hammams built. Thessaloniki became a multicultural hub with large Jewish, Greek, and Turkish populations.
Thessaloniki Concert Hall is a modern cultural and congress center built on international standards, holding the potential to host large scale events such as operas, concerts, ballets, theatrical plays, art and cultural exhibitions and conference events
Thessaloniki is an open-air museum, where ancient ruins and monuments stand alongside bustling cafes.
Monument of Alexander The Great
We’ll walk beneath the Arch of Galerius, which was built in 298-299 AD to commemorate Emperor Galerius’s victory over the Persians and is in remarkable condition. The pillars are decorated with friezes celebrating the victory.
Holy Church of Panagia Dexia
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Holy Church of Panagia Dexia We’ll visit the Holy Church of Panagia Dexia, located in the center of Thessaloniki on Egnatia Street, is a cruciform church with a dome and bell towers. Its name refers to the Virgin Mary as an intercessor who “receives” the prayers of the faithful. Wikipedia
Day 3 – August 17 – Monday
Meals Included: Breakfast, Celebration Lunch
Meteora
After breakfast, we’ll meet with our tour guide at 7:45am to travel 3.5 hours to Meteora where we’ll visit monasteries “suspended in the sky”, including a short stop along the way to use the restroom and buy snacks. The monasteries have strict dress rules prohibiting entry to male visitors wearing shorts and female visitors with sleeveless sweatshirts. Women need a long skirt/ dress to enter the monasteries. Women cannot enter the monasteries wearing trousers or jeans. To reach the monasteries, you will be required to climb stairs.
Meteora means “suspended in the air”. The Meteora monasteries are holy places. Most of the Meteora monasteries were built in the 1500’s and then added to over the centuries. These are Christian Orthodox monasteries incredibly nestled securely on the edge of extraordinary rock formations. The basis of the original Orthodox community is the Creed of Constantinople, written in 381.
Among the sites you may visit are the following:
- Monastery of Varlaam, known for its preserved tower with the old rope net system and impressive main church. It now features a beautiful museum that showcases a wealth of valuable relics, exquisite art, and ancient manuscripts, offering visitors a glimpse into its rich history. It’s closed on Fridays.
- The Monastery of Roussanou, perched gracefully on a narrow pinnacle and known for its warm atmosphere, vibrant frescoes, and rich spiritual life. A small but quaint Monetary. Currently they have 6 nuns that live and work there. The property is perfectly maintained and emasculate. The little church has one of the main highlights, magnificent frescoes that are about 600 years old. When I left the chapel there was a young nun hand painting rocks with monasteries on cliffs. They are simple but very nice and she will also sign your name on the back all for 3 euro. The bathrooms were spotless. It’s closed of Wednesdays.
The Monastery of Agios Stefanos, easily accessible and famous for its exquisite wood-carved iconostasis and panoramic views from its terraces. It’s one of the more easily accessible of the monasteries, built in the late 12th century. This monastery has been restored numerous times and added to until it’s current form as a nunnery since 1961 and where the sisterhood of nuns are known for their remarkable social action.
- The most famous is the Great Meteoron Monastery that is the largest, oldest and best-known monastery in Meteora where there’s housing for Christian monks. Also called Megalo Meteoro or Metamorphisis, the first church of the Transfiguration of the Savior was built in the 14th century upon the highest rock.
At the sanctum of the catholic there are important frescos of the Macedonian school and the remarkable frescos of the main church and the narthex are believed to be created by Georgie, student of Theophanous the Cretan. There is the chapel of the Divine Mother (Virgin Mary of the Meteorite Stone). Some other important buildings at the centre are the kitchen, and dining hall, called the “trapeza”.
Meteora is a monastic site that is increasingly gaining significance as a World Heritage site, as a tourist destination and as functioning “living sites of the present” influenced by wider changing circumstances which is a new approach from “monuments of the past” approach.
Living sites: the past in the present approach. The “living sites” approach concentrates on communities as the creators of the sites, viewing communities and sites as an inseparable entity. The ultimate aim is to shift the focus of conservation from ‘protection’ towards a continual process of ‘creation’ in an ongoing present, attempting to change the way heritage is perceived, protected and, more importantly, further created with spiritual and construction works stemming from the divine and their representatives, i.e., the divine ‘Ministry of Spirituality and Culture’.
We’ll will stop in a nearby town, Kastraki where our group will enjoy a traditional Greek meal to celebrate our Meteora segment of our Divine Greece Tour.
We’ll check into our hotel with the rest of the day at your leisure.
Overnight: Davani Meteora Hotel, Kalambaka
Day 4 – August 18 – Tuesday
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Meteora
Today is at your leisure with an optional group morning hike with a meditation and enjoying time together sharing our stories.
Day 5 – August 19 – Wednesday
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Crete
Today we’ll fly to the Island of Crete, to Heraklion and check into our hotel, Metropole Urban Hotel. We’ll have a 2-hour tour to include the following:
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Heraklion Loggia
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Morosini Fountain
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Historical Museum of Crete
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The rest of our day at leisure until the evening when we’ll gather for our group’s Dinner Celebration and share our stories and enjoy each other’s company.
The.name Heraklion is derived from the ancient port of Heracleium, which served as the harbor for the ancient city of Knossos. The name is associated with Heracles (Hercules) in Greek mythology, reflecting the city’s historical significance and cultural heritage. Heraklion is the largest city on the island of Crete and serves as its administrative capital, with a rich history that dates back to the Minoan civilization.
In 1669 the city was ceded to the Turks after a siege of more than 20 years. Turkish rule ended after an insurrection (1897) by the Greek population, demanding union with Greece. The city was part of the international protectorate of Crete (1897–1913) and then became part of Greece. During the 1941 German airborne invasion of Crete in World War II, the city suffered heavy damage from bombing. After the war the city gained considerable commercial prominence, with a new harbor with moles, an airport, and several hotels to serve the tourist trade. Among the port’s principal exports are grapes, olives and olive oil, wine, carobs, citrus, almonds, and vegetables. Numerous earthquakes—notably in 1664, 1856, and 1926—have taken their toll of the city’s buildings and monuments, including many fine churches and mosques. A modern museum contains one on the finest collections of Minoan antiquities in Greece.
Crete holds a significant place in Greek history because it was home to the Minoan civilization, a Bronze Age culture that flourished from about 3000 BCE to 1100 BCE. Crete was the first center of high civilization in the Aegean Sea. The Minoans built great cities and palaces, traded throughout the Levant, and used writing. Their art included pottery, seals, and frescoes.
Around 1500 BCE, mainland Greeks from Mycenae began to influence Minoan affairs. After a major earthquake destroyed Knossos and other centers around 1450 BCE, power shifted to the Mycenaeans. Crete played a supporting role in the revival of Greek civilization, and its myths, legends, and laws fascinated the Greeks
Crete is the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean and the largest of the islands forming part of modern Greece. It is relatively long and narrow, stretching for 160 miles (260 km) on its east-west axis and varying in width from 7.5 to 37 miles (12 to 60 km). The administrative centre is Irákleio (Heraklion; historically Candia), on the north coast. Area 3,218 square miles (8,336 square km). Pop. (2001) 594,368; (2011) 623,065.
Crete is dominated by harsh mountains rising out of the sea. The island’s east-west mountainous range consists of four main groups that rise to the island’s highest point, Ídi mountain, 8,058 feet (2,456 metres) in elevation. To the west the Lefká (“White”) Mountains reach 8,045 feet (2,452 metres), and to the east the Díkti Mountains extend to 7,047 feet (2,148 metres) in elevation. Those mountains rise above the high upland plains of Nída, Omalós, and Lasíthi and are marked by several gorges, the best known of which is the Samariá Gorge. The gradually sloping northern coast provides several natural harbours and coastal plains, where such major towns as Chaniá (Khaniá; historically Canea), Réthymno (Réthimnon; historically Rhithymna), and Irákleio are located. The Mesara (Messára) Plain extends along the south-central part of the island for about 18 miles (29 km) and is Crete’s major expanse of flatlands. Sandy and pebble-strewn beaches dot the coastline. Crete has six small rivers as well as springs, seasonal watercourses and ponds, one natural freshwater lake (Lake Kournás), and several artificial lakes.
Crete’s climate varies between temperate and subtropical, with an annual average precipitation of about 25 inches (640 mm) and hot dry summers. Winter temperatures are relatively mild. The air in the mountains is temperate and cool. Precipitation in that region is much higher than elsewhere on the island, and the mountains are often covered with snow in the winter (November to May), which may remain on the highest peaks throughout much of the year.
The Cretan landscape is dominated by characteristic Mediterranean scrub (maquis or garigue). Palm trees are intermittent along the coasts, and cedars can be found in the east. An array of plant species (notably flowers) thrive in the moderate climate, many of them native to the island. Hundreds of migratory bird species visit Crete, and there are some small wild animals. The agrími, or wild goat, is found in remote mountainous areas and on offshore islands, where it finds protection in wildlife reserves. Endemic species of wild plants are especially plentiful in and around the Samariá Gorge, the centrepiece of Samariá National Park, in the southern part of the island in Omalós about 26 miles (42 km) south of Chaniá.
Cretans are known for their hospitality and vitality, and much emphasis is placed on bonds between family members.
Unemployment is relatively low on Crete, with a large proportion of its labour force employed in the services sector, notably in occupations related to tourism. Tourism has replaced agriculture as the economic mainstay of the island and contributes a large proportion of the gross domestic product. Since the 1970s—when the number of tourists visiting the island increased dramatically—much of the traffic has come in the form of package tours for people who prefer to enjoy the sunshine and amenities of hotels along the coast rather than trekking in the mountains and staying in the smaller towns and villages. Cruise ships also provide a large proportion of tourists, while large numbers of summer residents and retirees from northern Europe also add to the population.
Day 6 – August 20 – Thursday
Meals Included: Breakfast
Heraklion, Crete
After breakfast we’ll visit the ancient site of Knossos. The rest of the day is at our leisure.
Knossos, city in ancient Crete, capital of the legendary king Minos, and the principal cent of the Minoan, the earliest of the Aegean civilizations.
The site of Knossos stands on a knoll between the confluence of two streams and is located about 5 miles (8 km) inland from Crete’s northern coast. Excavations were begun at Knossos under Sir Arthur Evans in 1900 and revealed a palace and surrounding buildings that were the center of a sophisticated Bronze Age.
Overnight: Metropole Urban Hotel
Day 7 – August 21 – Friday
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Crete
After breakfast, we’ll 
tour ‘Saint Menas’ Cathedral across the square. The cathedral has a cruciform structure with a central dome based on a high spandrel, while internally there are also elements of a three-aisle basilica. It has two bell towers, one each in the northeastern and southeastern corners. The exterior floor plan of the cathedral is 43.2 metres (142 ft) long and 29.5 metres (97 ft) wide, with an interior area of 1,350 square metres (14,500 sq ft).
The right aisle is dedicated to Apostle Titos and the left aisle to the Ten Martyrs of Crete. The inside of the church has gone through many changes with new additions. With plans of the architect Anastasios Orlandos the woodcut icon screen was replaced by another one made of marble, the same happened with the bishop’s seat. The religious painting of the church was assigned to Saint Kartakis, who followed the principles of Byzantine iconography.
It is the largest cathedral in Crete and one of the largest in Greece.
We’ll have the rest of the day at our leisure until the evening when we’ll gather for our group’s Dinner Celebration and share our stories and find out more about each other.
Overnight: Metropole Urban Hotel
Day 8 – August 22 – Saturday
Included meal: Breakfast, Celebration Dinner
Ferry to Santorini
We’ll take a ferry to Santorini, arriving at 2:30pm.
We’ll check in to our sophisticated hotel, located in Kamari, a seaside village on Santorini, the Mar ‘n’ Mar Crown Hotel and Suites and enjoy the rest of our day at leisure. You’ve seen the photos—now get ready to star in them yourself.
Santorini
You’re free to explore Santorini from dramatic black-sand beaches and jagged cliff-lined shores and back to the island’s beloved whitewashed buildings and sprays of bright 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 volcano eruption in the 16th Century BCE.
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Mar ‘n’ Mar Crown Hotel and Suites You can eat your way through traditional dishes—like moussaka, a hearty eggplant dish, or tomato fritters.
- See Mount Profitis Ilias, the highest point on all of Santorini and home to the Prophet Elias Monastery which sits perched atop the summit.
- Stop in small, picturesque Pyrgos, and weave through the steep streets of this slightly off-the-beaten-path village.
In the evening we’ll join our group for our Celebration Dinner.
Overnight: Santorini – Mar ‘n’ Mar Crown Hotel and Suites
Day 9: August 23 – Sunday
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Paros
We’ll take a ferry to the Island of Paros for the next 3 days. Today we’ll have a day at our leisure until the evening when we’ll meet for our special dinner. Tomorrow we’ll have a tour.
What’s nearby
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Livadia Beach – 10 min walk
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Krios Beach – 15 min walk
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Marcelo Beach – 19 min walk
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Port of Parikia – 10 min walk
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Paros Archaeological Museum – 16 min walk
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Panagia Ekatontapiliani – 15 min walk
Getting around
Restaurants this side of the dirt pathway
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Tango Mar – 5 min walk
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Paralia – 5 min walk
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Blu Lounge – 5 min walk
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Mario Restaurant – 10 min walk
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Cavo D’oro – 12 min walk
Restaurants from the other side of the dirt pathway where the Paros Parking Lot is
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Nisea Breakfast & More – 1 min walk
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Filoxenia,Paros – 1 min walk
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Aether Rooftop – 2 min walk
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Ephessus – 2 min walk
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AEOLI Τσιπουροταβερνείον – 3 min walk
Overnight: Parian Village Beach Hotel – Paros
Day 10: August 24 -Monday
Included meal: Breakfast
Tour of Paros Island
Church of 100 Doors
We’ll explore the island and particularly the Church of 100 Doors. It’s a historic Byzantine church complex,known as Panagia Ekatontapiliani. The name “Ekatontapiliani” translates to “the church with 100 gates,” although the church currently has only 99 visible doors. The church’s origins are linked to Saint Helen, the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great, who is said to have founded the church during her pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The church’s architecture and art are as impressive as its history, making it a significant early Christian monument in Greece. It is a renowned Marian pilgrimage church and a testament to the island’s remarkable history.
We’ll have the rest of the day at our leisure.
Overnight: Parian Village Beach Hotel – Paros
Day 11: August 25 – Tuesday
Included meal: Breakfast, Dinner
Paros
We’ll have a day at our leisure until the evening when we’ll gather for our group’s Dinner Celebration and share our stories and find out how everybody is doing.
Athens Via Mykonos Island
We’ll travel by ferry to Mykonos and tour it for about an hour, have lunch and be on our way to Athens.
We’ll stroll along the harbor to Alefcandra Square near the picturesque windmills of Mykonos. We’ll explore the Church of the Virgin of St. Rosary which is a Catholic Church. The icon above the Holy Table depicts the Madonna and Child between St. Dominic, the apostle of piety of St.Rosary, and St. Catherine of Sienna. It was transported to Mykonos from Venice in 1715.
There will be many chances to feel the divine presence throughout our Divine Greece Tour. And this church is no exception. The divine is everywhere, especially for those devoted to the Divine Mother, when you light candles and ask for Her guidance.
Chora is one of the most popular summer destinations for Greek and foreign tourists alike. The narrow cobblestone paths and the enchanting old historic houses with their blue windows will capture all visitors’ interest as if by a spell.
Enjoy Alefkandra, also called Little Venice, along the old harbor —perched right alongside the Aegean Sea shoreline and inspired by its Italian namesake—where the colorful sun-splashed residences seem to melt into the water, their balconies hanging over the sea.
Check out the Holy Church of Panagia Paraportiani, a Byzantine-era, whitewashed facade with intriguing curves and its name literally means “Our Lady of the Side Gate” in Greek, as its entrance was found in the side gate of the entrance to the Kastro area. It’s a unique, bizarre even, architectural masterpiece.
Construction of this church started in 1425 and was not completed until the 17th century. This impressive, whitewashed church actually consists of five separate churches which are joined: the four churches (dedicated to Saint Eustathios, Saint Sozon, Saints Anargyroi and Saint Anastasia) are at ground level and constitute the base of the fifth church that has been built above them.
Chora will accommodate your every need appealing to all tastes and preferences. There’s more to see on your own. The rest of the day is free for your leisure.
Explore Little Venice with a stroll along the Old Harbor; visit the island’s famous beach clubs, hike down (or grab a taxi) to Armenistis Lighthouse, one of the oldest in Greece; or get inspired in Matogianni Street’s shops and galleries. There are numerous restaurants to choose from:
Mykonos Town’s is close by. Check out the “Tria Pigadia” (“Three Wells”, in English). The legend says that unmarried girls will find husbands after drinking a sip of water from each well! I say, “find yourself first, have some divine experiences on this journey and love will follow”.
Surrender to the soft, salty air on The Island of The Winds with its famous windmills, dating back to the 16th century, when islanders used wind power to grind grain. There are 16 windmills in total, and while they are no longer operational, they stand as a monument to early innovation.
The views here are spectacular: From this hilltop perch, you can see Chora and the harbor in the distance.
Marvel at the sapphire blue water of the Aegean Sea that matches the blue domes of some of the churches which we’ll be taking a look at.
At the picturesque fish port you will find many taverns to enjoy the local cuisine. Charming little shops and boutiques, as well as restaurants and clubs compete for your attention and when the night comes, Chora changes gear, dresses up and becomes an endless party inviting everyone to join in.
This evening we’ll join our group for a celebration dinner in Athens.
Overnight: Athens – Crowne Plaza Hotel – City Centre
Day 13– August 27 – Thursday
Included meal: Breakfast
Tour of the Acropolis – Athens
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 your dedicated local guide, who will introduce you to the highlights of this bustling capital.
Meet up with your dedicated local guide, who will introduce you to the highlights of this bustling capital.
- Pass by the Panathenaic Stadium, built entirely out of marble—the only such stadium in the world.
- Continue to Syntagma Square, home to the neoclassical Greek Parliament building, and admire the plaza’s imposing marble steps, fountain, lush shade trees, and the elite ceremonial guards known as the Evzones.
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Temple of Zeus 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.
- The temple was renowned for its grandeur, featuring 104 colossal Corinthian columns and a massive statue of Zeus. It served as a major religious and cultural center in ancient Athens and is now a significant historical site in the city.
We’ll see the crowning glory of the Acropolis, the Temple of Athena (on the left), also called Erechtheion, the ancient architectural masterpiece built during the Golden Age of Athens, over 2500 years ago.
And there’s that Parthenon (on the right) that stands as one of the most revered and recognized sites in the world. 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.
The rest of your day is at your leisure. You can return with our group to our hotel. Or remain in this area and explore Plaka nearby until returning to our hotel at your leisure.
Overnight: Athens – Crowne Plaza Athens – City Centre
Day 14: August 28 – Friday
Meals Included: Celebration Dinner
Athens
After breakfast, we’ll meet for a tour of Athens to include the following:
Drive by the Temple of Olympian Zeus • Drive to the Panathinaic Stadium where the Olympic Games were held for the first time in modern Athens in 1896 • Visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and watch the changing of the guards • Drive by the Academy, the old University, the National Library and Lycabettus Hill. • Drive up to Lycabettus Hill to enjoy the view of Athens • Enjoy lunch at a traditional restaurant tasting Greek cuisine • Drive to Plaka district, the Ancient Agora of Athens, the center of public ancient life • Visit the Holy Metropolitan Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary which is located in Metropolis Square.
The Holy Metropolitan Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary is a divine Marian sanctuary for those who are devoted to the Divine Mother and where legions of light wait for her to appear. There’s an impressive fresco of the Divine Mother located over the altar, refer above.
In the evening we’ll gather for a delightful dinner celebration and music entertainment, celebrating a successful completion of our Divine Greece Tour.
Overnight: Athens – Crowne Plaza Athens – City Centre.
Day 15 – August 29 – Saturday
Meals Included: Breakfast
Athens Airport
Flights to the next destination.
Tip:
Bring European electric plug adapter for your USA appliances.
*CTS Tours reserves the right to make changes to this tour’s itinerary, Divine Greek Tour, that will be of benefit and will insure a successful completion of the tour. CTS Tours while follow it as best it can, with possible changes in the future, in hotels and the sequencing of events or additions or subtrations of events so it will run smoothly.
CTS Tours doesn’t guarantee the accuracy of a hotel’s description in their advertisement, however, currently, CTS is satisfied that it’s done it’s best to verify the information when possible. If a hotel is changed, in the future, it will be replaced with a hotel with an equivalent number of stars or better.