• Day 1: Fly overnight to Italy

• Day 2: Florence

  Meet your Field Director at the airport

  Take a walking tour of Florence, Tuscany’s charming capital city, which began as a Roman settlement and is now known for its classic artistry and famed craftsmanship, including Michelangelo's David, Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, and the towering Duomo

• Day 3: Florence

  🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of Florence

  With your expert local guide you will see:

  • Piazza della Signoria, which is lined with classic statues
  • Ponte Vecchio, a medieval bridge where many of Florence’s famed leather and gold artisans still keep shop 
  • Basilica of Santa Croce, where Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo and others are buried 
  • Gates of Paradise, bronzed doors that depict scenes from the Old Testament and are considered an icon of the Renaissance 

  🔹 Independent exploration: Spend a half day exploring Florence on your own

• Day 4: Florence • Rome

  Travel to Rome, Italy's historic capital where the Roman Empire flourished and left an enduring mark with its intellectual, artistic, spiritual, and physical achievements

  Take a self-guided walking tour of Rome

  You will see:

  • Trevi Fountain, Rome's iconic landmark
  • Pantheon, built to honor all the gods of Rome
  • Piazza Navona, a lively square lined with restaurants and shops
  • Spanish Steps, Europe's widest staircase

  Enjoy dinner in Rome

• Day 5: Rome

  Take a guided tour of Vatican City, the headquarter of the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope

  With your expert local guide you will visit:

  • Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo’s breathtaking frescoes
  • St. Peter’s Basilica, a site of religious and historical significance over which the Pope presides

• Day 6: Rome

  Add this in-depth excursion:

  Ostia Antica

  Visit the archaeological site of Ostia Antica, Rome's seaport located at the mouth of the Tiber River. Once inhabited by 100,000 people, the town is remarkable for many of its ancient features, from a lighthouse, to frescoes and mosaics, to numerous taverns and inns.

  Take a guided tour of Rome

  With your expert local guide you will visit:

  • Roman Forum, marking the former heart of the Roman Empire where Julius Caesar gave many of his political speeches
  • The Colosseum, the world’s most famous arena used for gladiatorial combat

• Day 7: Rome • Athens • Delphi

  Fly to Athens, the capital city of Greece known for being the birthplace of democracy, the Olympic Games, and the achievements of the Greek Empire

  Travel to Delphi, site of the famed Oracle, which stands as one of the most important landmarks of antiquity

• Day 8: Delphi • Athens

  Visit the Delphi Archaeological Museum, dedicated to the Oracle of Delphi and housing a variety of artifacts dating back to 550 B.C.

  🔹 Guided learning: Take a walking tour of the sites of Delphi

  With your expert local guide you will visit:

  • Temple of Apollo where, according to legend, gods chose to communicate with mortals
  • Ruins of Delphi, where ancient military leaders were known to leave offerings here in the hopes of earning luck in battle

  Travel to Athens, the capital city of Greece known for being the birthplace of democracy, the Olympic Games, and the achievements of the Greek Empire

  Enjoy dinner in Athens

• Day 9: Athens

  Take a guided tour of Athens

  With your expert local guide you will see:

  • Olympic Stadium, where the first Olympic athletes displayed physical strength as a way to honor and entertain the gods of Mount Olympus
  • Syntagma Square, the central square of Athens

  Take a guided tour of the Acropolis

  With your expert local guide you will see:

  • Parthenon, an enduring symbol of Athenian democracy an iconic Greek landmark
  • Temple of Athena Nike, which once housed a gold statue of the goddess, her wings clipped to prevent her from deserting the city

  Take a walking tour of Athens, named for Athena, goddess of war and wisdom

  With your Field Director you will see:

  • Plaka District, a hillside area of the city with cobblestone streets, whitewashed homes, and a Greek Island feel
  • Temple of Olympian Zeus, built in 515 B.C. to honor the most powerful of all Greek gods

  Add this in-depth excursion:

  🔹 Cultural engagement: Cape Sounion with dinner

  This afternoon, travel to Cape Sounion. According to legend this is the spot where Aegeus, king of Athens, leapt to his death off the cliff, thus giving his name to the Aegean Sea. Your guided tour will take you to the ancient Greek temple of Poseidon, the god of the sea in classical mythology. End your excursion with an included dinner.

• Day 10: Depart for home

Add more days

• Day 10: Greek Island cruise

  Set sail on your cruise ship for a three-day adventure filled with on-board activities and a three-island shore excursion package. Experience how Turkish, Roman, and Greek influences helped shape the unique blend of cultures you’ll encounter as you explore each coastal town.   

• Day 11: Greek Island cruise: Santorini • Mykonos

• Day 12: Greek Island cruise: Cesme

• Day 13: Return to Athens & depart for home