Signature Greece | Songs of the Lyre

Welcome to Athens, where ancient temples watch over a modern capital alive with art and energy. Complimentary arrival transfers are provided today. Those arriving early can join an optional food tour sampling Greek delicacies (available to prebook on request). As dusk falls, gather for a welcome reception followed by dinner at Kuzina, where renowned chef Aris Tsanaklidis produces artful Greek cuisine. We dine on the rooftop terrace, a hidden vantage point with views of the illuminated Acropolis.

Follow a licensed archaeologist on a private exploration of Athens, unpicking a capital built from marble and myth. We ascend the Acropolis to stand before the Parthenon, timing our visit to avoid the crowds for a more intimate experience. Cross to Filopappou Hill for a musical interlude with a lyre master and try plucking this ancient instrument yourself before a picnic lunch of souvlaki overlooking the city. Later, a high-speed ferry whisks us across the Aegean to Naxos, where dinner and starlight welcome our first island night.

Set out on an easy morning hike through the green heart of Naxos, the tranquil Tragea Valley. From the weaving village of Moni, follow ancient paths to Panagia Drossiani, a sixth-century chapel with rare frescoes, then descend past olive groves and farmsteads to Halki village for lunch at a traditional taverna. Signature Experience: Later, join a local family for a hands-on cooking class, picking herbs from the garden and preparing cherished island recipes. As dusk falls, share your feast with wine and laughter, a true taste of Naxian life.

Today is your Signature Day, where you can select an authentic, curated experience to connect deeply with Greek culture. You could: Sail by catamaran, swimming in hidden coves and visiting nearby islands. Full day (9.30am - 5pm) Join a marble mosaic workshop and create art from Naxos’ famed crystalline marble with local artisans. Morning (10am - 1pm) Take an e-bike tour along the Aegean coast, pedalling past white-sand coves and rural hamlets. Morning (9.30am - 1.30pm) Make cheese with local farmers, learning to milk goats and taste your creations fresh from the source. Morning (10am - 1pm) Learn the craft of Naxian loom-weaving, spinning colourful threads into your own handwoven piece. Afternoon (4.30pm - 6.30pm) Signature Experience: Journey into the highlands for an exclusive folklore celebration at the family-run Elaiolithos Estate. As twilight settles over the olive groves, enjoy a dinner of seasonal island produce, accompanied by live bouzouki and violin. In this rare invitation into village life, you’ll experience the very heart of Greek culture.

Enjoy a leisurely morning in Naxos, perhaps with a swim, before a short stroll through Chora’s whitewashed lanes and shops selling citron liqueur and woven linens. After a lunch of island favourites, board the high-speed ferry to Crete, watching Naxos fade into the Aegean. By late afternoon, arrive at your Signature Stay, Kapsaliana Village Hotel, a restored 18th-century olive village turned boutique retreat. Dine on farm-to-table Cretan cuisine in the lantern-lit courtyard and feel the island’s calm embrace your first evening.

Signature Experience: Embrace Crete’s traditions at the family-run Veggera Farm, where the rhythm of rural life unfolds in warm, genuine hospitality. Join our hosts in harvesting vegetables, baking bread, and preparing traditional recipes in a wood-fired oven. It’s a celebration of the seasons, experienced through food and connection. Lunch is a joyful feast, accompanied by raki, meeting locals, and sharing stories as friends of the family drop by to play traditional music. Later, return to the hotel to relax and dine lightly under the Cretan stars.

Step back in time at ancient Eleutherna, a hillside city-state from the Homeric era where ancient bridges and cisterns whisper of Crete’s past. Discover its remarkably well-preserved ruins on an easy hike. Signature Experience: After a traditional lunch in a family-run taverna, visit Margarites, a hillside village renowned for its generations of potters and fragrant lanes lined with bougainvillea. Step inside a master’s workshop to learn the rhythm of the wheel and shape your own ceramic piece, a timeless keepsake from Crete’s living craft tradition. Return to the hotel for a private olive oil tour and tasting led by an expert, learning how to identify premium olive oils. End the day with a farewell dinner in a private area of the village-hotel, toasting the cuisine and connections shared in Greece.