Greece is two trips trying to fit into one holiday. The mainland is ancient (Athens, Delphi, Olympia, Meteora) full of stones older than written history. The islands are luminous, whitewashed houses, blue domes, ferry horns, beaches. Trying to see both in eight days will leave you exhausted. Twelve days is the sweet spot.
Here's how the Europamundo Greece + Islands combo actually works.
The route
Athens → Delphi → Kalambaka (Meteora) → Olympia → back to Athens → cruise from Piraeus to Mykonos, Patmos, Kusadasi (Turkey), Crete, Santorini → back to Athens. Total: 12 to 14 days. The cruise component is usually 3 to 4 nights.
Athens: more than just the Acropolis
Most travellers expect to "do" Athens in a day. Don't. The Acropolis is non-negotiable (go in the morning before the heat); the new Acropolis Museum is its equal indoors; the Plaka district below is for evening dinners. Sound and Light at the Acropolis at night is a worthwhile optional excursion.
The mainland: Delphi and Meteora
Delphi is the most atmospheric ancient site in Greece, perched on a mountain, the home of the oracle. You'll walk for 90 minutes through ruins with extraordinary views. Meteora is the surprise: monasteries built on top of impossible rock pillars. The cable-car ride up is one of the highlights of the entire tour. Don't skip the visits inside the working monasteries.
The cruise
Europamundo bundles a 3 or 4-night Greek Islands cruise into the tour package. The ships are mid-size (not the giant 5000-passenger cruise liners, these are 700 to 1500 passenger vessels), with morning arrivals at each island and 4 to 6 hours of free exploration. Then dinner on board and overnight sailing to the next island.
You can choose between inside cabins (cheaper, no window) and outside cabins with a porthole or balcony. For three nights, an inside cabin is fine; for four nights, splurge on the outside.
Island highlights
- Mykonos: windmills, white-painted alleyways, beaches. Very social. Lunch at Little Venice.
- Patmos: the cave where St John wrote Revelation. Quiet, hilly, photogenic.
- Kusadasi (Turkey): the surprise stop. You spend the day at Ephesus, one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the world. Worth the whole trip.
- Santorini: the famous one. The caldera, the sunset at Oia, the donkey ride down to the old port (skip the donkey, take the cable car). Stunning.
- Crete: Knossos, the Minoan palace. Bigger and more agricultural than the other islands.
What it costs from SA
- Land + cruise package pp sharing: R34,000 to R48,000 (depending on cabin)
- Flights JHB/CPT to Athens via Doha or Istanbul: R12,000 to R17,000
- Schengen visa: R2,200 per adult
- On-ground spend: R18,000 to R28,000
- All-in couple: R145,000 to R190,000
Visa note
Greece is Schengen, so the standard SA Schengen visa applies. The Turkey day-stop (Kusadasi) is covered by the cruise, you don't need a separate Turkish visa as long as you're returning to the ship the same day. Confirm with us at booking.
When to go
May-June and September-October are perfect. July-August is brutally hot and the islands are full. April is lovely on the mainland but the cruise season is just starting. November onwards the cruise routes shut down.
What to pack
Light layers, good walking shoes for the ruins, a swimsuit and beach gear for the islands, a hat. Cruise ship dinners have a smart-casual dress code on at least one evening. Don't bring black, Greek light makes everything navy or white photograph better.
For more comparison, see our 14-day Italy itinerary. For Mediterranean coach + cruise variations, see Croatia in 10 days. Browse Greece tours.
