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Map of Greece Real Food Adventure including Greece

Discover southern Greece on this food odyssey, from crumbling ruins to crumbling feta.

Uncover a world of ancient treasures and authentic food on this indulgent adventure through 4000 years of culinary culture. From the pistachio farms and fish markets of the Saronic Islands to the olive groves and rugged coastline of the Peloponnese region, meet passionate cooks and local producers as you explore the diverse flavours and faces of Greece. Beginning in the historic hub of Athens, cycle through the charming island of Aegina, cook up a storm in a local kitchen in Poros, relax on the beaches of Kardamyli and marvel at the legacy of ancient Greece at the Theatre of Epidaurus and Mycenae's Treasury of Atreus. With a hearty serving of breathtaking sites and mouth-watering bites, savour iconic Greek flavours from ouzo to olive oil on a real food adventure that’s sure to spoil your senses.

Start
Athens, Greece
Finish
Athens, Greece
Destination
Greece
Style
Original
Theme
Food
Code
ZMZG
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

  • Strap on your helmet and take a charming bike ride through the island of Aegina. Stop by a pistachio farm to enjoy a tasting and seek out some speciality pistachio sweets.

  • Cook up a storm with a local cook in Poros – an island renowned for its lamb and olive groves. Learn to prepare some classic regional dishes, then feast on your creations over dinner.

  • Sip ouzo at a family-owned distillery for a taste of this iconic Greek aperitif. Recipes are often closely guarded secrets, and this family have been producing theirs for more than a hundred years.

  • Get to the source of Kalamata olive production on a tour of the rugged Mani region. Meet some of the passionate food producers as you visit olive groves and a traditional olive mill, before enjoying a tasting.

  • Unwind in the beautiful seaside town of Kardamyli, a stunning village set against a beautiful backdrop of the open ocean, cypress trees, wild olive groves, and distant snow-capped mountains.

Is this trip right for you?

  • This trip aims to give you an exciting, diverse and well-rounded experience of a country’s cuisine. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. If you have dietary requirements, simply contact your agent at the time of booking for further information on how this may impact on your ability to take part in included activities and meals. Come with an open mind and open mouth, and you won’t be disappointed!

  • Summer temperatures can reach 40°C or higher in some areas, so it's important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.

  • While we start and finish our trip in Athens, there is no time for sightseeing in this city once the trip has commenced. If you wish to explore Athens' wealth of historic sites, such as the Acropolis, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Tomb of the Unknown Solider, we recommend that you extend your stay here either before or after your trip.

Sailing through the Greek islands with Intrepid
Enjoy al-fresco dining in Greece with Intrepid Travel
Locally made olive oil, Athens
Sailing in Greece - Paros
An Aegina fish market in Greece
The Acropolis in Greece

Itinerary
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Yiasou! Welcome to Athens, the capital of Greece. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you arrive early, be sure to explore some of the ancient sites for which the city is famous, including the Acropolis, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Greece is home to a culinary culture that is thought to be more than 4000 years old. While wheat, olives and wine are considered seminal, Greek food is equally renowned for vibrant Mediterranean vegetables, liberal use of herbs such as dill and mint, succulent lamb, locally caught seafood, and syrup-soaked sweets. Greece is credited with spreading ancient culinary traditions well beyond its borders and, in turn, its cuisine reflects Ottoman influences through Arabic, Persian and Turkish-tinged flavours. While many dishes require patience and time to prepare, Greek food celebrates a rustic simplicity, and it is most likely this quality which has made it one of the world's best-loved cuisines. After your meeting, celebrate the start of your foodie odyssey with a feast of mezethes, an array of small plates typically accompanied by a glass of wine or ouzo, in a rustic taverna.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Athens - Welcome Dinner
Meals Included
  • Dinner
Special Information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

This morning, take the city train to Piraeus port and travel by ferry to the island of Aegina, your first stop in the Saronic Gulf. The ferry ride takes approximately 40 minutes. After checking in at your hotel, strap on your helmet and take a charming bike ride to visit a pistachio farm. It’s thought that pistachio trees were first planted on the island in the 19th century, brought to Aegina via Syria, and the Greek island of Chios. Enjoy a sample from the farm and be sure to seek out fistikato or fistiki Aeginis glyko, specialty pistachio sweets of Aegina. The late afternoon and evening are free for your own exploration. Your leader will have some excellent local suggestions come dinnertime.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Aegina - Bike Tour
  • Aegina - Pistachio Farm Visit
Optional Activities
  • Aegina - Archaeological Museum of Kolona Aegina - EUR4
  • Aegina - Agios Nektarios Monastery Entrance - Free
  • Aegina - Temple of Aphaia Entrance - EUR6
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

After breakfast, stroll down and check out the catch of the day at the open fish markets by the port. Perhaps also stop past the island's most famous pastry shop to pick up some pistachio goodies to take with you. Next, board another ferry bound for Poros, a small Greek island renowned for lamb, olive groves and charming white houses with terracotta roofs. Take part in an evening cooking class with a local chef and learn to prepare some classic regional dishes, then feast on your creations over dinner.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Poros - Cooking Class
Optional Activities
  • Monastery of Zoodochos Pigi - Free
  • Clock Tower Poros - Free
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
Your hotel is located approximately a 5-minute taxi ride or 40 minutes walking distance from the town centre. A taxi one-way will cost approximately EU6. The hotel has a pool and private beach.

Take a day trip to Hydra Island, a quintessential Greek getaway. Hydra is truly the gem of the Saronic Gulf and stands alone among Greek islands as the one free of wheeled vehicles – no cars, no scooters – just tiny marble-cobbled lanes, donkeys, rocks and sea. There are no land vehicles here, not even pushbikes, so put your walking shoes on and get acquainted with the locals with a spot of people watching and enjoy this one of a kind, Greek Island. Enjoy a delicious lunch of spit-roast lamb then relax with a stroll along the marina, before returning to Poros in the evening.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Hydra - Day Trip
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Take a private vehicle from Poros to Nafplio. Along the way, travel to the ancient site of Epidaurus. Named after Epidauro, the son of Apollo, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Epidaurus comprises the remains of the Sanctuary of Asklepios (the ancient god of medicine) as well as one of the best-preserved theatres of ancient Greece. The site was built to celebrate the power of the healing gods of the Hellenic and Roman worlds, with some structures dating back as far as the 6th-century BC. Next head to Mycenae to visit the Treasury of Atreus, also called Tomb of Agamemnon – believed to have been erected in the period between 1350 to 1250 BC, this is one of nine intriguing beehive structures unearthed in this area. Arrive in Nafplio by late afternoon.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Epidaurus - Guided Tour
  • Mycenae - Treasury of Atreus
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

The charming seaside town of Nafplio, considered one of the most beautiful in the eastern Peloponnese, reflects the legacy of Frankish, Venetian and Turkish conquerors in its culture and architecture. Stop in at a family-owned ouzo distillery for a taste of this iconic Greek aperitif. Traditionally distilled in copper pots, ouzo acquires its distinct flavour from the addition of anise. Star anise, fennel, mastic, cardamom, coriander, cloves, and cinnamon may also be added, and recipes are often closely guarded family secrets. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore. In summer, boats are also available to the Venetian fortress of Bourtzi, one of the most photographed sites of Nafplio.

The rest of the afternoon is free to explore. In summer, boats are also available to the Venetian fortress of Bourtzi, one of the most photographed sites of Nafplio.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Nafplio - Ouzo Distillery Visit and Tasting
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Continue to the seaside town of Kardamyli by private vehicle (approximately 4 hours). Stop in Kalamata for a short walking tour and market visit with food tasting and free time for lunch. Arrive in Kardamylil by early afternoon. Located in the rugged coastal region of the Mani Peninsula, south of Kalamata, this stunning village is set against a beautiful backdrop of the open ocean, cypress trees, wild olive groves, and distant snow-capped mountains. The afternoon is free for you to explore. Pack some hiking shoes and walk one of the town's seaside trails or venture out to the nearby Diros caves (approximately 1 hour from Kardamyli). Comprising of more than 2800 passageways, it’s believed that this complex of caves was occupied from around 4000-3000BC. The excursion takes around 40 minutes on a boat, travelling over a 2.5 kilometre (1.6 miles) through passages and underground galleries laden with stalagmites and stalactites. In the evening, settle back into your accommodation and enjoy a glass of retsina while watching the sun set over the Messenian Gulf.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Kalamata - Market visit with olive tasting
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
The drive from Kalamata to Kardamyli is quite windy on a two-lane road. This section of the journey is expected to take around 1 hour.

Take a day trip to meet some of the passionate food producers of the Mani Peninsula. Visit olive groves and a traditional old-fashioned olive mill, where an introduction to olive oil making takes place. Enjoy a tasting with a delicious side of bread, paximadi (rusks) and whole olives. Afterwards, visit an apiary and learn about the craft of beekeeping from the local keepers then taste honey fresh from the hive. Finish at a traditional kafenio (coffee shop) to indulge in a typical Greek dessert, galaktoboureko, accompanied by a revitalising Greek coffee before returning to Kardamyli for the night. As this adventure comes to a close tomorrow, enjoy one final Greek feast with your new friends.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Mani Peninsula - Regional Producers Day Trip
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Your Real Food Adventure concludes on arrival at Kifisos Bus Station in Athens at approximately 3:30pm. We recommend that onward flights be booked no earlier than 8pm. To reach Athens International Airport from Kifisos Bus Station, you can take a taxi (approximately 40 minutes, EUR 40-45) or the Airport Express Bus (route X93), which departs from Kifisos Bus Station every 30-40 minutes (approximately 1 hour, EUR 6). Tickets can be purchased from the bus driver. If you wish to extend your Greek adventure, why not enjoy a spot of island-hopping from Athens to the idyllic Santorini. Check out our Athens to Santorini (ZMSE) trip for more details.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Want to tailor this itinerary?

Meals

8 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners

Transport

Public bus, Private vehicle, Bicycle, Ferry, Metro

Accommodation

Hotel (8 nights)

Included activities

  • Athens - Welcome Dinner
  • Aegina - Bike Tour
  • Aegina - Pistachio Farm Visit
  • Poros - Cooking Class
  • Hydra - Day Trip
  • Epidaurus - Guided Tour
  • Mycenae - Treasury of Atreus
  • Nafplio - Ouzo Distillery Visit and Tasting
  • Kalamata - Market visit with olive tasting
  • Mani Peninsula - Regional Producers Day Trip

Dates & availability

Trip departures are unavailable.

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Important notes

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information. 
2. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.
3. This trip ends at 3:30pm on Day 9 in Athens. Please do not book onward travel arrangements commencing before 8pm on the final day of the trip. Please refer to Day 9 of the itinerary for details, and before booking any flights.

Essential trip information

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