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Sunsets, stories and strolls through Syros

Explore the local ways of island life with this five-day Intrepid Retreats experience to the heart of the Cyclades. From the ancient treasures of Athens, cross the Aegean to Syros in search of secluded coves and spectacular sunsets. Feel like part of the community with your comfortable, family-run base in the heart of Ermoupoli, and take the time to explore the streets that blend whitewashed houses with colourful mansions and imposing churches. Hike to hilltop viewpoints, and take a day trip to the glamour isle of Mykonos. Don’t forget to savour iconic flavours and taste tradition with a healthy helping of delicious Greek cuisine.

Start
Athens, Greece
Finish
Athens, Greece
Destination
Greece
Style
Original
Theme
Intrepid Retreats
Code
ZMLS
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 4, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

  • Bring the history and stories of Ancient Greece to life with the insider knowledge of a local host on a visit to the world-famous Acropolis.

  • Uncover stunning views and the local way of life with hikes through the island’s charming hilltop villages, from the fortress-like Ano Syros to the cave dwellings of ancient philosophers.

  • Taste the traditional flavours of the island with a dinner as you watch a Syros sunset over the Aegean and Rembetika music floats around you.

  • Soak up the atmosphere of Mykonos on a day trip, and enjoy the ability to escape its crowds back on secluded Syros.

  • Learn the secrets behind Syros sweets at a family-run loukoumia workshop, discovering the island’s history and tradition in the flavours of rose, mastic and bergamot.

Is this trip right for you?

  • Please ensure you consult your local government’s advice regarding travel prior to booking this trip.

  • Don’t let the heat keep you from exploring the world! Summer temperatures can be extreme in Greece (over 40°C), which can be uncomfortable. 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. Please note that only some of our hotels and public trains in this region have air-conditioning.

  • As accommodation on this trip is twin-share, solo travellers will share a room with other travellers of the same gender. This trip is a great opportunity to get to know other like-minded people, so embrace it while you can. Please note that a single supplement can be booked on this trip, subject to availability. For those travelling as a duo, hotels in Greece often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together. In some cases, bathroom facilities will be shared rather than ensuite.

Map of Greece Retreat: Syros Island including Greece
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Itinerary
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Welcome to Athens! Meet your local host at 10 am and store your luggage at the hotel, ready for an exploration of the famous Acropolis, one of the Western world's most important historical structures. Ascend the heights of this sacred rock via the towering Propylaia entrance, and hear the history and stories from your host as you encounter the Parthenon – the greatest Doric temple of the ancient world. After stepping back 2500 years, jump on taxis to the port of Piraeus, then climb aboard a scenic ferry ride to Syros Island (approximately 4 hours). Sitting in the heart of the Cyclades, Syros is known for its relaxed atmosphere and neo-classical architecture. Arrive this evening and transfer to your conveniently located, family-run hotel. With four nights here you'll help support a local business at an important time, so unpack and settle in.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Athens - Acropolis Visit
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting at 10 am this morning as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time, and will head out to visit the Acropolis straight after. Please take this into consideration when booking your flights to and from Athens. We are happy to book additional accommodation before or after the trip for you in Athens, subject to availability. If you are going to be late please let your booking agent or hotel reception know.

Get ready for a day of island exploration with an included breakfast this morning. Syros is one of the Aegean's most underrated islands and offers a rare opportunity to see the isles as the Greeks do. Join your host and take a morning walk through the fortress-like village of Ano Syros, and explore the hilltop town’s stone archways and narrow alleyways as you keep an ear open for traditional Rembetiko music floating out of the family-run tavernas. Take in stunning views of the Aegean as you look across the island’s typical whitewashed houses, farms, terraced fields and gorgeous sandy beaches. Head back to Ermoupoli town for a wander past well preserved neoclassical mansions and 19th-century tenement blocks with your host. Syros is a great place for those with a sweet tooth, so stop at a traditional loukoumi workshop to meet the family who run it, learn how these multi-coloured fruit-flavoured jellies (also called Greek Delight) are made, and maybe sample some chalvadopita (hazelnut, almond or honey-filled wafers) too. Take the rest of the day and maybe seek out some of the savory flavours of the island, whose cuisine takes influences from across the Aegean and Mediterranean.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Syros - Loukoumia Workshop Visit
  • Syros - Morning Hike to Ano Syros
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

This wouldn’t be an island getaway without some serious beach time, so make this a relaxing, rejuvenating day. Outside of Ermoupoli are many small tranquil coves, like south at the small village of Azolimnos that boasts crystal clear waters for swimming in. There are dive centres that run underwater trips and tavernas strewn along the shore for seafood and wine. Stroll around the village and pop your head into the small church, while inland is the relaxing area of Manna with houses with bougainvillea gardens, greenhouses and vineyards. In the evening, take taxis to a taverna to a remotely located village in the rugged northern part of the island to sample delicious syrian specialities (maybe Aetopita, fish and vegetable pie, or lachanodolma, cabbage leaves stuffed with rice) during an included meal, all while watching the sun set over the Aegean Sea.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Syros - Azolimnos Beach Excursion
  • Syros - Sunset Village Dinner
Optional Activities
  • Syros - Archaeological Sites & Ruins - EUR5
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

After breakfast this morning you’ll take a trip across the water to an island packed with beauty and glamour, with a history of around 5000 years and said to be named after Apollo's grandson – Mykonos. You will board the 30-minute ferry at 9 am and return at 2 pm. This will give you a few hours on the island, where white-washed architecture clings to the labyrinth of narrow streets and laneways in the town's old area. Browse flower-lined paths past age-old churches and chic galleries and boutiques. Make your way to secluded, sandy beaches or enjoy a cocktail at one tavernas with colourful wooden balconies that hang precariously over the sea. Return to Syros with a free afternoon to further explore the island as you like. If you’re still feeling like a walk, discover abandoned windmills, ancient ruins and charming villages on a network of stone-paved tracks that crisscross the island, where scents of fennel, thyme and wild olives drift through the air. Perhaps head to the various archaeological sites on the island, or you might prefer to simply hole up on a beach for the rest of the day.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Mykonos - Day Trip
Optional Activities
  • Mykonos - House of Lena - EUR2
  • Mykonos - Aegean Maritime Museum - EUR4
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

There is more free time to explore Syros this morning, before saying farewell and boarding the ferry back to Athens, where you will be taken back to our centrally located hotel, arriving in the late evening.
Optional Activities
  • Athens - Taste of Athens Urban Adventure - EUR68
  • Athens - Walking Athens Urban Adventure - EUR55
  • Athens - Numismatic Museum - EUR6
  • Athens - Twilight Athens Urban Adventure - EUR91
  • Athens - Bohemian Tales of the City Urban Adventure - EUR70
  • Athens - Markets, Ruins & Ancient Athens Urban Adventure - EUR58
  • Athens - Day Trip to the Saronic Islands - EUR85
  • Athens - National Archaeological Museum - EUR10
  • Athens - Lycabettus Hill - Free
  • Athens - Dora Stratou - EUR15
  • Athens - Day Trip to Delphi - EUR60
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Please note that the tour comes to an end after arrival back into Piraeus port at around 7:30 pm, with a drop off at our hotel in the city centre of Athens no earlier than 8:30 pm, subject to delays due to weather conditions and ferry operations. Please take this into consideration when booking your flights to and from Athens. We are happy to book additional accommodation before or after the trip for you in Athens, subject to availability. Please enquire with your booking agent.

Meals

4 breakfasts, 1 dinner

Transport

Ferry, Public bus, Taxi

Accommodation

Family-run hotel (4 nights)

Included activities

  • Athens - Acropolis Visit
  • Syros - Loukoumia Workshop Visit
  • Syros - Morning Hike to Ano Syros
  • Syros - Azolimnos Beach Excursion
  • Syros - Sunset Village Dinner
  • Mykonos - Day Trip

Dates & availability

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Important notes

START & END OF TOUR
This trip starts with a group meeting at 10 am on day 1, and ends after the arrival back at our hotel in Athens at 8:30 pm on the final day (subject to delays due to weather conditions and ferry operations). Please take this into consideration when booking your flights to and from Athens. We are happy to book additional accommodation before or after the trip for you in Athens, subject to availability.

MINIMUM NUMBERS
This trip requires a minimum of 4 clients booked and confirmed in order to depart.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
A single supplement is bookable on this trip, subject to availability at the time of booking. If you would like to book a single supplement and enquire about availability please speak to your booking agent.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

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