Cyclades islands tour with added comfort
Late availability on these dates: 23 Aug, 06 Sep, 13 Sep, 15 Sep, 22 Sep, 27 Sep
Description of Cyclades islands tour with added comfort
There’s no better way to get to know a place, to understand the culture and ways of life there, than by exploring it in the company of someone that’s actually from the area. This Cyclades islands tour, taking you from Paros to Naxos and Santorini, is led by a Greek tour leader, with tours of each island provided by guides who live on these picture-postcard perfect islands.
With the rest of your group (numbers are limited so that you can stay in small, sometimes family-run accommodations) you’ll enjoy a fascinating introduction to the islands’ history, nature and cuisine, with carefully chosen activities and excursions that take you well beyond the regular tourist route.
Your tour begins, as so many wonderful holidays in Greece do, in Athens, and the opportunity to visit one of the world’s most iconic landmarks: the Acropolis. Having got to know the rest of your group and tour leader over dinner, you’ll then head on to Paros. Journeys between islands on this Cyclades tour are exclusively by ferry: more relaxed, more enjoyable, and importantly, far more eco-friendly than flying.
Paros is a lovely island with a distinctive character which will be revealed by a guided tour that takes you around its narrow streets and out to the beautiful coast via peaceful villages, olive and pine tree groves, and Venetian castles.
As with all of our small group trips, this Cyclades islands tour follows a set itinerary – however plenty of time is set aside for you to do your own thing, so on Paros you might spend a day on the beach, hike along the coast a little, or head out to the nearby island of Antiparos, a favourite haunt of celebrities and royalty.
Naxos is unique among the Cyclades in that it is self-sufficient – all food on the island is grown and produced there, with no imports. You’ll explore the produce of Naxos through a series of organised visits including an olive oil museum tour, a tour of a kitron distillery, and likely most enjoyable of all, a hands-on cookery lesson from a local chef during which she’ll show you around the organic garden from where she gets her own ingredients.
Santorini, where you’ll spend your final few days, is a gloriously beautiful, volcanic island. Pack suitable walking footwear as you’ll hike to the island’s caldera for some spectacular views, learning as you go how the volcanic activity that shaped the island has also blessed it with wonderfully rich soil. The proof? It lies in Santorini’s superb wine industry, which you’ll explore through tastings at a handful of the island’s small, family-run wineries.
The Cyclades are, unsurprisingly, among the most popular Greek islands. For those looking to go beyond the beaches and resorts, however, this holiday gives you an incredibly satisfying introduction to their unique culture.
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Responsible Travel
Planet
We have always been about balancing profit and purpose, and in 2018 this commitment was made official when we became a certified B Corp. This means we’re more dedicated and accountable than ever, to being better – in the ways that matter. This trip is run by our local Greek operator who shares our commitment to responsible travel, from waste and water management to ensuring our travellers are leaving the lightest footprint possible. Our Greek team are trained on our global responsible travel policies and practices.Where possible we choose to travel by land rather than air. By minimizing the use of flights on our trips, we are making journeys more stimulating and more sustainable for travellers. This trip between several of Greece’s islands does not include any flights, providing all transport by private vehicle and public ferry. We ensure our vehicles are fuel-efficient and well maintained with regular servicing. We use vehicles that are an appropriate size to suit the group size. Public ferries are a great way to travel between Greece’s many islands – a scenic journey, travelling like locals do, and a lower environmental impact.
People
The best folk to show you the heart of a destination are the ones that live there, which is why we work exclusively with local leaders. Our leaders are not only travel experts, they’re teachers, travel gurus and enthusiastic purveyors of grassroots experiences. They’ll just as easily steer you through the laneways of a city as help you strike up a conversation with the locals – and all with a smile. On this trip through the islands of Greece, travellers will also be joined by local guides in several places. In each location these guides will bring to life the destination, its history and what makes it special. That might be the scenic beaches of Paro, the best uses for olive oil in Galini, or island wines in Santorini.Our trips often include the highlights of a country or region, but we understand that over tourism has a great impact on these popular locations and their local communities. To minimise our effect on the world’s most admired sites we design our itineraries to visit at quieter times of the day, ensure part of the entry costs are allocated to conservation and preservation of the site, and at times we will choose an alternative location that provides the same experience as the more well-known location. On this trip to Greece’s Cyclades Islands, we visit two of the lesser-known islands – Paros and Naxos. Travellers still enjoy the varied scenery, produce and lifestyles of the Greek islands, but spread the economic benefits and environmental impact of their visit beyond the most popular islands.
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