13 DAYS - ART IN THE GREEK ISLES (WATERCOLOR / ARTISTS)
This itinerary is ideal for artists/ instructors to share with their fellow artists and students their techniques and art, by discovering the beauties of the island of Hydra - the only island in Greece without private cars - Santorini - the unique volcano island of Greece, and Athens - the city of the eternal monuments.
Itineraries such as those have been very successful with watercolor artists like Kathy George, Joye Moon and Rose Edin. Other itineraries have included sites in the islands of Paros, Rhodes and Symi - a small island near Rhodes.
In fact Greece is full of islands ideal for such leisurely trips where the stress is on painting combined with some local guided visits. Limnos, Andros, Lesvos, Chios, Kefalonia and Ithaca just to mention a few. We can work out similar itineraries for any combination of islands at very similar rates. Below is the itinerary we created for artist, Kathy George, and her fellow painters for September 2018.
Itinerary
Day 1: Departure from the US
Day 2: ATHENS Arrival in Athens Transfer to your hotel near the Acropolis. Meeting at 7:00 pm in the hotel for orientation meeting and welcome drink and dinner in the hotel Herodion. Overnight at Hotel Herodion (B, D)
Day 3: ATHENS-HYDRA. 8.00 am Guided visit of the Acropolis with your guide followed by short walking sightseeing tour of the old town. The Acropolis museum could be visited on your own. 12.00 noon bus to Piraeus to embark the hydrofoil to Hydra around 1.00 pm. Arrival Hydra at 2.10 pm. Welcome drink at the courtyard of the hotel. Check -in at the hotel Hydroussa. A short orientation walk through the narrow streets of Hydra and its port before a painting session and critique before dinner in the court yard of the hotel. Meet at 7.30 pm in the hotel to walk for dinner in a selected taverna. Overnight in Hydra at Hotel Hydroussa, only 5 minutes walking from the port, the shops and the restaurants. (B, D)
Day 4: HYDRA 9.00 am Painting sessions and critique and short ort guided walking tour( 1 1/2hours ) of the Cathedral and its museum with interesting icons, the mansion of admiral Kountouriotis and the historical museum of Hydra. Afternoon on your own. At 7 .00 pm we meet in the hotel for dinner in the selected nearby restaurant. Overnight in Hydra at Hotel Hydroussa. (B, D)
Day 5: HYDRA Painting sessions in the court yard of the hotel. (Optional trip to the nearby island of Spetses for those who wish at extra cost by hydrofoil). Critique, and painting sessions. At 7.00 pm meet in the hotel and walk to nearby restaurant for dinner included. Overnight in Hydra at Hotel Hydroussa (B, D)
Day 6: HYDRA- PIREAUS- CRETE Crossing over to the mainland by boat from Hydra for 30 minutes to the mainland, where we reach our regular private bus. We drive to the ancient theatre of Epidauros, famous for its acoustics, for a guided visit. Stop for lunch included at the seaside on the way to Corinth and stop at the Corinth Canal before reaching Piraeus to embark the overnight ferry MINOAN LINES to Crete around 7.30 pm (departing at 9:00 pm). Dinner on your own, onboard. Overnight in twin bedded outside cabins. (B, L)
Day 7: HERAKLION-RETHYMNON Arrival early morning in Heraklion. Meeting with our bus and your private guide. Breakfast in town and then guided visit of the Heraklion Arch. museum with its Minoan art treasures, and then drive to the site of the Knossos - Minoan Palace After lunch, we visit Lyrarakis winery outside of Heraklion for wine tasting and learn how the Greek wine is being made. We then will continue to the town of Rethymnon with a picturesque Venetian harbour. Check-in and possible painting session. 7.30 pm meet at the hotel lobby of Fortezza hotel to walk for the dinner in selected restaurant. Overnight in Rethymnon at hotel Fortezza or similar. (B, D)
Day 8: RETHYMNON Short orientation walk around the harbour along with your guide. Critique and painting session in the hotel Fortezza in the pool area. 4.00pm Afternoon walk with our guide - for those who wish- to visit the Fortress and the small arch. Museum. Opportunity to experience a local baker how he makes phyllo dough in Rethymnon. At 7.00 pm meet in the hotel lobby to walk to dinner in selected typical Cretan “ouzeria”. Overnight in Rethymnon (B, D)
Day 9: RETHYMNON- ARKADI- CHANIA Depart at 9:00 am with our local bus for those who wish to visit along with our guide, and also have the opportunity to paint at the famous Arkadi monastery outside of Rethymon. Visit the Doric ancient town of Eleftherna with its new arch.museum and continue for a visit to a ceramic workshop. Lunch included in the ceramic village of Margarites. Continue to the town of Chania. Dinner on your own and overnight in Chania, Hotel Kriti (B, L)
Day 10: CHANIA 9.00 am meet in the hotel for an orientation tour (one-hour walk) of Chania with its old town and Venetian harbour. Painting sessions if you wish in the old Venetian harbour. Suggestions: visit the Nautical Museum and the Chania Archaeological Museum. Meet at the hotel lobby with your guide, at 4:00 pm continue by bus to visit the local Olive Oil press, to see how the famous Cretan olive oil is being produced and continue to the monastery of “Chrysopigi” with organic products OR visit a traditional settlement such as Vamos, outside Chania. Dinner on your own. Overnight in Chania at Hotel Kriti (B)
Day 11: CHANIA For those who wish to visit Santorini, there is a Day cruise departing by bus from Chania to Rethymnon and then catch a boat for Santorini (the volcano island) departing at 7.30 am, with return at 9 pm. Boat ride is about 2 1/2 hours each way. Schedule is subject change.
Morning: Guided bus tour with your guide to Paleachora, a picturesque village on the Libyan Sea and also visit to a typical Greek Orthodox Monastery on the way for swimming and painting. At 7. 30 pm meet in the hotel for dinner with Cretan music in a selected taverna and overnight in the hotel Kriti. (B, D)
Day 12. CHANIA - Free day for painting in Chania. Suggestions: Explore Chania town on your own, such as the old Market with local products or a trip by boat to the islands of Lazaretta & Theodorou. Dinner on your own. Overnight in Chania at Hotel Kriti (B)
Day 13: CHANIA- ATHENS Morning in Chania for painting or shopping. At 4.30pm meet at hotel lobby to depart with private bus and assistance to the airport for the late afternoon flight via Aegean Airlnes from Chania to Athens. Arrival in Athens airport after an hour's flight. Bus transfer with assistance to hotel Emmantina. Check-in at our hotel in Glyfada at the seaside. Meet at the lobby at 8.30 pm for farewell dinner in a seaside restaurant in Glyfada or Kavouri (B, D)
Day 14: ATHENS-USA Breakfast and early bus transfer to the airport.
We provide:
Accommodation in selected superior 3*** and 4**** star hotels in Athens, Hydra, and Crete in rooms for double or twin-bedded occupancy for twelve overnights (12) with TV, private facilities, A/C and all modern comforts in central locations
Daily buffet breakfast
Seven (7) dinners in all incl. welcome dinner and farewell dinners with local specialties (4 course dinner incl. appetizers, main dish, salad, dessert)
Lunches (2) near Corinth and in Crete
Local English-speaking guide in Athens, in Hydra and Crete for the whole stay, incl. her expenses
Coach transportation with fully air conditioning, modern facilities and professional driver in Athens, Crete and Piraeus as per itinerary
Group Bus transfer with assistance upon arrival and departure at fixed times
Hydrofoil tickets Piraeus/Hydra incl. taxes and boat tickets Hydra- Metochi (mainland)
Ferry ticket Piraeus-Heraklion with overnight ferry in twin bedded cabins incl. all port taxes
Flight ticket Chania/Athens incl. airport/security taxes via Aegean Airlines
Admission fees to archaeological sites and museums included in the itinerary
Assistance by our reps in Athens and Santorini