Welcome to Greece, home of epic loves and immense history, from the mythological Oracle of Delphi to the celebrated Olympics. You are met at the airport by a private transfer and taken to Athens’ historic city center. The golden hills shift to old stone buildings and cobblestone walkways, and marble glints in the mid-morning sun. There is no grander symbol of Grecian antiquity than atop the Acropolis, the collection of marble temples that stand proudly over the city serving as a reminder of the country’s illustrious past. Settle into your luxurious accommodation where city life pulses around you.

With the afternoon left to explore at your whim, you can take in the entirety of the modern city’s expanse in one panorama atop Lycabettus Hill. While the Acropolis was once the highest point in ancient Athens, Lycabettus is now adorned with the chapel of St. George, towers over the city, and gives the mountaintop a hidden grace and an almost private view. A wooden funicular climbs the steep slope, bringing you to a wonderful view of the cityscape, including the rising majesty of the ancient temples and the world-famous Parthenon. The scent of marble and stone drifts from the city and the mountaintop. Beyond the ruins is the vast blue of the Aegean Sea, old enough to have witnessed the Golden Age of Athens.

The morning light expands over the city, giving a sheen to the marble overlooking the buildings below. The rich and sweet aroma of Greek coffee entices you from your bed, readying you for the day to come. Meet your guide and venture out into the modern and ancient history that will captivate your imagination as it displays Athens’s ever-evolving wonder.

Visiting the new Acropolis Museum brings you in line with some of the stone faces of Greece’s Golden Age and beyond. The lobby hovers over the true ruins that made up a portion of the ancient city; you can see fragments of ancient Athens’ grid of streets and homes, beneath the museum’s foundation. The cold air of the lobby is a respite from the Mediterranean heat of the city. The stone from the ruins below mixes with the surrounding history on display. Touring through the museum will take you through standing busts and full statues, pillars and pottery, each item’s luster captivating in its own way. Five out of the six statues of the Erechtheion, known as Caryatid, are available to the public to witness the intricate designs. The statues resemble muses with their draped, flowing clothing and poised stature; however, the statues are pillars meant to help support and decorate the temple dedicated to Poseidon and Athena.

The Acropolis has watched over the city for over two millennia and continues to impress visitors and locals alike. Walking along the trail that leads to the top of the hill, you will notice the paved pathway shift to marble that shines in the sunlight of the early afternoon. Stand on the steps of the Propylaea, the entryway to the temple, a tremendous architectural feat in itself. The columns are thick and tall, able to endure the weight of the once imposing pediment. Walk beneath the remaining gate and onto the open plaza that showcases the sensational history of Athens within the majestic ruins.

The Parthenon causes a pause in its stature, not only as a revered structure but also as an iconic image of history. The entire temple was built like a puzzle, each piece needing to be placed in an exact position to create its perfect angle from every direction viewed. Look closer at the pediments and metopes to see the remarkable designs carved into the spaces. The gods are displayed in marbled mythology, legends and history abound, and the focus that it must have taken to plan and implement the temple is as impressive as its remaining artistry.

Outside of Athens is another world from the past that brings more Grecian history to life. From the epics of Homer to athletic myths, today you will venture away from Greece’s capital and find yourself in the rolling hills of Mycenae. Upon your arrival, you notice that the hills are manmade and look like beehives. The Royal Tholos tombs were built in the 15th and 14th-centuries B.C., where a golden mask was once found, believed to be a molded frame of Agamemnon, leader of the expedition against Troy. The epic Iliad by Homer claims that Helen of Troy’s face launched 1,000 ships to descend upon the ancient city, and it all started at Mycenae.

The remains of the Bronze Age city are created from gigantic stones, imposing and impressive all at once. The Lions Gate was the main entrance into the citadel and continues to hold strong, presenting two ornately carved lionesses posing against a single pillar, etched into a triangular stone. Watch out over the valley below, leading to the foothills of the distance mountain range. The aged stones and the landscape around the ruins contain a mysterious atmosphere; however, the elegance of the old city is apparent at first glance, especially in the Mycenaean’s expert taming of the land. When night falls, you find yourself in the city of Olympia, ready to relax in the comforts of your hotel.

Modern Olympia sits on a hill close to the illustrious ruins that have dazzled international imaginations for thousands of years, from athletes to spectators. Wander through the ancient site where the most famous games in the modern world began. The city has accumulated temples, monuments, altars, and more over the centuries, creating a chronology of architectural art. Cool green trees surround the city, but arid ground surrounds the ruins. The great Temple of Zeus once held one of the Seven Wonders of the World: the Statue of Zeus. The temple’s remains consist of the large portico with rugged steps, an enormous lone pillar, and the decorated sculptures located in the museum that illustrate chariot races and battles. Olympia was once and continues to be, a place that has motivated and cultivated greatness. As the day drifts onward, you will continue to Delphi, home of the famous Oracle.

Located on the upper slopes of Mount Parnassus, the cool air and rocky mountain landscape is a comfortable change from the Mediterranean heat. Delphi was once world-renowned for its famous Oracle, a priestess of the Temple of Apollo, rumored to predict pilgrims’ futures. There is amorousness to the air that surrounds the pillared ruins, offering a continuous splendor within the rising mountaintops and lush tree line that surrounds the ancient city. Enter the sanctuary through the main entrance on the southeast corner where the Sacred Way would lead to the Temple of Apollo. The polished stone rises over the temple on the sloping hill, topped with sectioned columns and continuing to encompass its original space, even if the structure no longer remains. The spirit of Delphi is alive and well within the cool mid-morning sun, between the Grecian and Roman ruins that cover the open space. There is a wonderment that has never ceased, spread across the mountainside, awe-inspiring and alluring. Whether watching over the winding valley from the seats of the theater or traversing the standing temples that once held offerings to gods like Athena, the amazing display is all around you. Return to Athens with whispers of the ages running through your head.

Your morning in Athens brings you the sunlight washing over the marble temples once again, where the pink light is reflected on the white stone. You will be taken to the port neighborhood of Piraeus, where you will board a boat that will bring you to the revered island of Mykonos. Known most notably for its beaches, Mykonos is more than a collection of smooth sand and crystal clear waters. The brilliance of the island can be seen in its historic charm and secluded feeling winding in the labyrinthine streets of Mykonos Town. The Cyclades architecture is known by its whitewashed walls that give a vibrant glow to the buildings retaining heat in the winter and cold in the summer. The scent of the sweet ocean and freshly cooked seafood is hypnotic. You can hear the gentle waves of the ever-present beaches. The pastel colors of Little Venice spring from the walls, where a small stretch of buildings, once owned by merchants, hover over the waves, brightening the shoreline and adding to Mykonos’ elegant atmosphere.

Mykonos’ sandy shores and warm breeze have enticed people to the island for decades. There is an indelible pulse to the night and an eccentric sparkle to the day. The day is yours to explore the island and its surroundings at your leisure, from the quaint churches to the luxurious restaurants, powdery sands to quiet comforts. Just off of Mykonos is the island of Delos, birthplace of Apollo and his sister Artemis, where a dreamy feeling drapes over the city. Ruins run along the foothills where the once affluent city was located along the sapphire water from as early as 3rd-century B.C. There is a softness to the remains that is different from Delphi and Olympia, where the rising hills and spreading pillars continue to add grace to the island, and a sense of power stems from the stone lions that continue to guard the sacred lake where Apollo was birthed. The entryway stands against the backdrop of a rising rocky peak; within the remaining walls is a statue that overlooks the city and the waterline. Wandering through the ancient city gives a feeling of grandeur that emanates from the ruins and what came before.