The Jewish sites in breathtaking Greece – 12-day tour – October 22nd to November 2nd, 2021

DAY 1 – Friday October 22^nd – ATHENS
In the morning you will be met by our representative at the airport of ATHENS, and transferred to your hotel in the center of Athens. We will have a Tour of the Jewish Sites of Athens. This will include a visit to the Jewish Museum, the Synagogue of Athens, the Holocaust Memorial, and other sites of Jewish interest. In the evening, we will have a KABBALAT SHABBAT dinner (either at the Community Center or at the Chabbad House). Overnight in Athens.

DAY 2 – Saturday October 23^rd – CHALKIDA & VOLOS
After breakfast, we will depart with our bus from Athens to CHALKIDA, a beautiful town which is the capital of Evoia island. We will visit the Synagogue of Chalkida, learn about the Jewish history of the town, and relax for about an hour at a cafeteria with great views of the bridge.
We then head to VOLOS, where we will arrive at about 2:00 PM. We will check into our hotel, and then have a free afternoon and evening to explore the city. Dinner and overnight in Volos.

DAY 3 – Sunday October 24^th – VOLOS & PELION
After breakfast, we will visit the Synagogue of Volos, the Holocaust Memorial of Volos, and learn about the Jewish history of the town. We will have a short tour to PELION, visiting the 2 picturesque villages of Portaria and Makrynitsa. We will return back to Volos in the evening. Dinner and overnight in Volos.

DAY 4 – Monday October 25^th – LARISSA, METEORA, METSOVO, IOANNINA
After breakfast, we will depart at 8:00 AM in the morning from Volos to LARISSA, where we will stop for 2 hours, for visiting the Synagogue and the Monument of Jewish Martyrs of the Holocaust. We continue to KALAMBAKA, a small town built at the foot of majestic gray rocks, where we will stop for about 3 hours for admiring the breathtaking METEORA monasteries, and having lunch. We then continue to METSOVO, a picturesque little town, where can stop for one hour. We then head to IOANNINA (Yannena), a beautiful town with a very rich Jewish history. We will arrive there at about 7:00 PM and settle in our hotel. Dinner and overnight in Ioannina.

DAY 5 – Tuesday October 26^th – IOANNINA
After breakfast, we will have a tour of the Jewish sites of Ioannina, including the Synagogue and the Cemetery. In the afternoon, we will have a boat ride in the beautiful lake, visiting the small islet. Dinner and overnight in Ioannina.

DAY 6 – Wednesday October 27^th – IOANNINA, CORFU
After breakfast, we depart for Igoumenitsa, and take the ferry to the beautiful island of CORFU, where we will arrive at about 11:45 AM. We will visit the Jewish sites of Corfu, including the Synagogue, the site of the former Jewish Getto and the Monument to the Jews of Corfu. We will also walk at the old city of Corfu and the Castle area (we can stop for a light lunch during this tour). We will arrive at our hotel at about 4:00 PM and check-in. Evening free. Dinner and Overnight in Corfu.

DAY 7 – Thursday October 28^th – CORFU
After breakfast, we will visit the amazing Achilleion Palace. After breakfast, we will have a culinary experience at a wonderful vineyard. We will start by getting to know “Ambelonas Corfu” – history of the place, the vineyard, the equipment and the processes for traditional olive and wine making, followed by lunch with exclusive products of Corfu! In the afternoon we return to our hotel. Evening free, dinner and overnight in Corfu.

DAY 8 – Friday October 29^th – CORFU, THESSALONIKI
After breakfast, we take the ferry from Corfu to Igoumenitsa, and then we head to THESSALONIKI, where we will arrive in the afternoon. Settle in our hotel and rest. In the evening we will have a pleasant walk by the White Tower, Ladadika area, etc. Dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.

DAY 9 – Saturday October 30^th – THESSALONIKI
After breakfast, we start exploring the amazing Jewish sites of this city. We will walk together through the historical center of Thessaloniki, where Jewish life used to flourish from the 15th century until World War II. We start the tour by visiting the Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki, and continue to the main Synagogue “Monastirioton”, the only pre-war synagogue (out of 43) still existing in the city. We will then visit “Yad Lezikaron” synagogue (if permitted) and continue to Modiano market, in the heart of the former quarter of Jewish life in the city. We will proceed to the Yahudi Hamam and then to Allatini Bank in Frangon area, the heart of the commercial life of the past. We will then visit the Shoah monument (Holocaust memorial) at Liberty Square, where the first Nazi prosecution of Thessaloniki’s Jews took place. Evening free. Dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.

DAY 10 – Sunday October 31^st – THESSALONIKI
After breakfast, we will continue touring the Jewish sites of Thessaloniki. We will first drive to the old train station, from where the deportations to Auschwitz Birkenau had started. Then we will drive to the east part of the city, to see all the villas of the wealthy Jews of the prewar period – some masterpieces among them! We will continue to the Yeni Cami, which used to be a mosque built for the converted Jews (a jewel of architecture loaded with an amazing story), the old city walls with an amazing view, and of course the University campus with the recently inaugurated monument for the destroyed ancient Jewish cemetery, where there used to be more than 350.000 tombs (totally destroyed today). Of course, during the tour, we will also also admire the touristic attractions of the city. Evening free. Dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.

DAY 11 – Monday November 1^st – ATHENS
In the morning we fly to Athens. Our bus will be waiting for us at the airport of Athens, and we will immediately start the Athens Sightseeing Tour (about 4 hours). You will see the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch, Zappion, the National Garden, and the House of Parliament. We will stop at the “Memorial to the Unknown Soldier” where you will see the Evzones in their picturesque uniform. Pass by the Academy of Fine Arts, the University and the National Library. Then visit the Panathenaic Stadium, the cradle of the first Olympic Games of the modern era (1896). We will then visit the Acropolis & Parthenon (the most important monuments of Greece). We will arrive at our hotel at about 1:00 PM, and settle in our hotel (this is located in the heart of Athens, so there are numerous traditional restaurants around it). In the evening, we will have a Farewell dinner at a traditional Greek taverna with live folk singing, dancing, and a wonderful show! There is no better way for ending this incredible tour, which will create memories for a lifetime! Overnight in Athens.

DAY 12 – Tuesday November 2^nd – ATHENS
Transfer to the airport of Athens for our return flight.

OPTIONAL – YOU CAN STAY IN ATHENS FOR ONE MORE NIGHT!
If you choose to stay in Athens for one more night, then the itinerary of the 12th day (Tuesday November 2nd) will be the following:
After breakfast, we will visit the National Gallery of Greece, which includes countless masterpieces! We will then visit “Perivoli at Vari” an amazing farm producing organic products and serving them directly to the clients! We will have a picturesque stroll at the premises, discussing the venue’s unique cultivation practices, based on the principles of regenerative agriculture. The visitors will admire the “chicken tractor” and the biodiversity pond, and experience first-hand how food is grown in the most harmonious way with Nature. We will then have a family-style lunch with fresh organic products of the farm. Evening free, and overnight in Athens.
On the next day (Wednesday November 3rd), you will be transferred to the airport of Athens for our return flight.
* The additional cost for this extension is 109 Euro per person. For more details and reserving this extended tour (13 days) click here.