Ancient Empires: Italy and Greece

10 or 13 days

Milan, Florence, Rome, Pompeii, Athens, Delphi, with extension to Crete | FRG

Weathered, but mighty columns and foundations of stone stand defiant against the ravages of time on this history-rich tour of the ancient world. In Florence, you'll visit the crown jewel of Tuscany: La Piazza del Duomo, a magnificent cathedral complex built over the course of 140 years by five generations of engineers, artists, labourers, and craftsmen. In the daunting shadow of Mount Vesuvius, you'll step through the ashen ruins of Pompeii, an enduring memorial to both one of civilization's worst tragedies... and nature's incredible power. In Rome, you'll experience the Baroque opulence of La Piazza Navona–with incredibly-detailed statues, beautiful fountains, and one of the city's famous obelisks (stolen from the Egyptians at the height of The Roman Empire's power). One short flight later, like the city fathers of the Hellenic era, you will seek the wisdom of the famous Oracle at Delphi among ruins dating back at least as early as 6th Century B.C.. Walk the well-worn path of famous philosophers, celebrated statesmen, and common folk living as best they could as you traverse the sunny, bountiful landscapes of Italy and Greece–the cradle of Western civilization.

Image displaying map describing the itinerary of the Ancient Empires: Italy and Greece tour

Day 1: Fly overnight to Italy

Day 2: Milan | Florence

Meet your Tour Director at your destination

Arrive in Milan and travel to Florence

Day 3: Florence

Take a guided tour of Florence

With your expert local guide you will see:

Piazza della Signoria
Ponte Vecchio
Basilica of Santa Croce
Gates of Paradise

Day 4: Florence | Rome

Travel to Rome

Take a guided tour of Rome

With your expert local guide you will visit:

Roman Forum
Colosseum

Day 5: Rome

Take a guided tour of Vatican City

With your expert local guide you will visit:

Sistine Chapel
Vatican Museums

Enjoy time to explore St. Peter's Basilica on your own

Take a self-guided walking tour of Rome

You will see:

Trevi Fountain
Pantheon
Piazza Navona
Spanish Steps

Day 6: Rome | Pompeii

Excursion to Pompeii

Tour the ruins of Pompeii with an expert local guide

Day 7: Rome | Athens | Delphi

Fly to Athens

Travel to Delphi

Day 8: Delphi | Athens

Visit the Delphi Museum

Take a guided tour of Delphi

With your expert local guide you will see:

Temple of Apollo
Delphi Archaeological Museum

Travel to Athens

Day 9: Athens

Take a guided tour of Athens

With your expert local guide you will see:

Ancient Olympic Stadium
Syntagma Square, the central square of Athens
Acropolis

Visit the Acropolis Museum, home to ancient ruins and prehistoric artefacts

Take a walking tour of Athens

With your Tour Director you will see:

Plaka district
Athenian Trilogy

Add this in-depth excursion:

Greek Evening

Friends, feta, and fresh Mediterranean flavors—opa! Stuff yourself like an olive during a traditional Greek dinner. Then, link arms for a night of music and dancing. You might even get to experience the famous plate-smashing tradition. Whatever the night brings, you'll enjoy a lively celebration and experience the best of Greece’s theatrical culture.

Day 10: Depart for Home

Add 3 more days

Day 10: Athens | Heraklion

Fly to Heraklion, the capital of Crete

Take a guided tour of Heraklion

With your expert local guide you will visit:

Knossos Palace
Archaeological Museum

Walking Tour of Heraklion

Explore Heraklion in small, supervised groups

Day 11: Heraklion | Agios Nikolaos

Visit the Heraklion Food Market

Take a day trip to Agios Nikolaos

Day 12: Heraklion | Chania | Athens

Enjoy a visit to the local market

Visit the Archaeological Museum of Crete

Supervised exploration time in Chania

Fly to Athens

Day 13: Depart for Home

See what an EF tour is really like

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Your experience includes

This all-inclusive global experience gives students the chance to explore the world–all at an unbeatable value.

Airfare & transportation

Hotels

Meals

Entrances

Full-time Tour Director

Expert Local Guides

Personalized Learning Support

Continuous Support

24-hour Emergency Service

Worldwide Presence

Pricing that makes travel possible

Includes airfare, hotels, meals, full-time Tour Director, and more.

Payment options

We believe every student should have the opportunity to travel, which is why we let our travellers choose how they want to manage their payments. Enrol in our Automatic Payment Plan with just $199 to start, make fixed and low monthly payments through FlexPay, receive invoices and make your payments in less frequent instalments, or pay upfront in full.

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