8 days, price in double room from: € 685

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Cyclades Naxos & Santorini walking trip Cyclades Naxos & Santorini walking trip - - GreeceGreeceArrival to Athens airportArrival to Athens airport

Two beautiful islands in one tripVisit the iconic cliff-top villages of Santorini perched high above the breath-taking calderaEnjoy panoramic views of the Cyclades from summit of Mt. Zas (999 m)Marvel at the Kouros statues on Naxos, 2800 years old.Follow unique cobbled paths on ancient trails across the islandsVisit the ancient sites of Thira and Akrotiri on Santorini

Discover two of the most beautiful islands of the Cycladen group in one trip!

In Naxos you explore the highest mountain of the area: Zas. From its summit you enjoy breathtaking views of thesea of olives around you that is in sharp contrast with the deep blue Aegean Sea. Naxos is an island of contrasts: alively town and beaches and a rural countryside where life is still very traditional.

Santorini is probably the most photogenic place of Greece. The steep cliffs with layers in all colors are the result ofan explosion of the Thera volcano thousands of years ago. In the flooded caldera of Santorini there is still volcanicactivity, as you can see during your visit to the Kammeni Islands. White washed villages on the cliffs, interestingancient sites and excellent wines, guarantee a perfect stay. And what is better than to discover this unique landscapeon foot?

Route

Day 1 Arrive on Naxos

Arrival at Athens Airport and transfer to the port of Piraeus from where you leave by ferry, late afternoon, toNaxos. The ferry takes 5,5 hrs and you arrive in Naxos around midnight. In case your flight does not allowtraveling to Naxos on the same day, you have to book an extra night in Athens and you travel to Naxos thenext day in the early morning.

style : Selfguidedlevel : duration : 8 dayscomfort :period: Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

Octcode: GRSW003

WALKING

Day 2 Round walk from Chalki to Melanes (10, 14 or 19 km)

You take a taxi or public bus to Chalki, located in the center of the Tragea plain. Today you explore thisfertile inner land with olive groves and rich vegetation. There are some olive trees that are over thousandyears old! You walk on cobbled paths via the Venetian Fortress Ano Kastro onto an ancient marble quarrywhere you find a 10m height statue of an unfinished Kouros from the 6th century BC! The walk ends in thenearby village of Melanes, where you take a taxi or a public bus back to Naxos town.

Challenge: 3,5, 4,5 or 7 hours, 10, 14 or 19 km, 150m, 300m or 400m ascent, 150m, 300m or 400mdescent

Day 3 Walk to Summit of Mt. Zas (13 or 19 km)

Today´s walk starts at Filoti, a small village that you reach by taxi or public bus. From this village, built at thefoothills of Mt. Zas, you start your walk to the summit of this legendary mountain. You may witness the cavein which, according the legend, Zeus -the father of all the gods- was nursed by an eagle. After yourdescend, you can optionally continue the walk to Apiranthos. From Apiranthos you may walk back via thesaddle of Mt. Fanari to Filoti; a beautiful walk with breathtaking views!

Challenge: 4,5 or 7 hours, 13 or 19 km, 500m or 900m ascent, 500m or 900m descent

Day 4 From Naxos to Santorini

You travel from Naxos to Santorini. The ferry usually departs around noon and arrives 3 hours later inSantorini. In the morning you may visit the Castle in Naxos (Chora) and also visit the museum. Or you canrelax on the tempting sandy beach of Agios Georgios. The approach of Santorini by ferry is reallyunforgettable. You enter the submersed crater of this old volcano and will be impressed by the steepcoloured cliffs and the whitewashed villages on top. It is said that the Minoan civilization disappearedsuddenly at about the same time as the volcanic eruption, 3.600 years ago, or was this eruption thebeggining for the legend of Atlantis?

Day 5 Walk from Perissa to Akrotiri (13 km)

A transfer will take you to Perissa from where you start climbing via an old path to a windy saddle. This partis one of the very few places that exists from before the devastating volcanic outburst. You walk up toAncient Thira: the capital of the island in Ancient and Roman times. The location is really fantastic! Then youdescend via an old path to the quiet inner parts of the island. You walk through vineyards (Santoriniproduces top class wines!) and along picturesque villages. Through this landscape of volcanic ashes andalong the black beach you walk back to Akrotiri village.

Challenge: 5,5 hours, 13 km, 580m ascent, 550m descent

Day 6 Walk from Fira to Oia (10,3 km)

You travel by public bus to Fira, the capital of Santorini. Here you can explore the narrow alleys of thiswhitewashed town, built on the top of the volcanic cliffs. It houses a couple of interesting museums, such asthe museum of prehistoric Thira and the Archaeological Museum. In the afternoon you make the renownedwalk from Fira to Oia. Along the walk you will enjoy fabulous views of the lagoon and the spectacular cliffs,with its massive drops. Most of the walk is through a really nice wide mule-path. Sure you will make loads ofphotos during this walk along this scenic Santorini coastline. From Oia you have a transfer back to the hotel.

Challenge: 3 hours, 10,3 km, 300m ascent, 400m descent

Day 7 Round walk from Akrotiri and travel from Santorini to Athens (5,2 km)

A last free morning in Akrotiri at leisure and possibility to visit the archaeological site of Akrotiri: the GreekPompejithat opened in spring 2012 after it had been closed for many years.

Transfer to the port from where you travel comfortably per modern ferry to Piraeus. The journey last around8hours. Upon arrival you will have an organized transfer per taxi to your centrally located hotel in Athens.

Challenge: 1,5 hrs, 5,2 km, 135m ascent, 120m descent

Day 8 Departure

Depending on your flight departure today, you may have time to visit the Acropolis and the fabulousAcropolis Museum before you go by metro or bus to the airport for your flight departure.

Hotel Anixis (Naxos)Located in the heart of OLD TOWN of NAXOS right next to the Castle where cars are bannedand just 200 metres from the port. Rooms, studios and suites each with its own bathroom andmost of them with veranda or balcony with sea view. In the garden or in the roof garden, withmarvelous views of the sea, you can enjoy your breakfast or a drink.

www.hotelanixis.gr

Kalimera hotel (Akrotiri)The family hotel Villa Kalimera has very friendly and helpful owners. The hotel features a lushflower garden and a small pool. There is a restaurant with home cooked dishes on the menu.Rooms are simply furnished.

www.kalimerasantorini.com

Acropolis Hill hotel (Athens)The Acropolis Hill Hotel, which opened in 2010, is nestled in the serene green area ofPhilopappou, near the Acropolis. It is a contemporary comfortable accommodation near thehistorical centre of Athens. The hotel has a small pool. Rooms are small but nicely designedand with a comfortable bath room.

www.acropolishill.gr

the best time to travel to the Greek islands is between Apriland June & september to the end of October. In Summer itgets very hot

Arrival/Departure in/from AthensYou will travel in and out from Athens airport. If your flightarrives before 14:30 hrs., you will be transferred to Piraeusport and travel on the 17:30 hrs. ferry to Naxos (duration ofthe ferry is app. 5,5 hrs).

If you arrive after 14:30 hrs, you will travel to Athens centerby public transport or taxi, and will be transferred toPiraeus the next day in the early morning. You may alsobook an additional transfer from the airport to Athens withS-Cape.

Your transfer from Piraeus port to your hotel in Athens atthe end of your trip is included. You will travel by publictransport or taxi from Athens to the airport on yourdeparture day.

We can send you GPS tracks of this trip upon request andafter booking.

'standard' hotels

All hotels of this trip are carefully selected because of their location, atmosphere and/or unique services. All roomsare en-suite.Below you find the standard hotels of this trip. If a hotel is fully booked, we book a similar alternative for you andinform you about the alternative booked.

Extra overnight:You can book additional night(s) at any of the accommodations along the way. If your flight arrives later than 14:30hrs into Athens airport, you will need to book an extra night in Athens before your trip. In that case transfer from theairport to Athens center is not included. Instead you will be transfered from Athens center to Piraeus port the nextday in the morning and you travel on the morning ferry to Naxos.

Practical info

Included

Included7 nights accommodation on Bed and Breakfast basis (3 nights on Naxos, 3 nights on Santorini and 1 night inAthens)Taxi transfer Athens Airport-Piraeus OR Athens hotel-PiraeusRoundtrip transfers on Naxos and SantoriniTaxi transfer Akrotiri-Perissa and Oia-Akrotiri on SantoriniTaxi transfer Piraeus-AthensAll necessary ferry tickets in tourist class24-hour telephone assistanceAccess to our app ActiveNav that allows for easy route tracking.Detailed road book and GPS tracks (digital version)

Optional services (to be booked in advance)Airport departure transferAdditional night/s at any of the accommodations along the way or on any other destination in Greece