10 Day Two Shores of the Aegean: Türkiye & Greece
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Duration
10 days
Max Group Size
40
Departure Type
Request
Guiding Method
Fully guided
Physical level
moderate
Operated In
English
Age Requirement
11 - 99 Ages
About this tour
Discover the flavors, coastal landscapes and shared cultural heritage of the Aegean on this 10-day Türkiye and Greece food and culture tour.
Begin in İzmir and explore the culinary traditions and olive-growing countryside of Urla, where local ingredients, regional recipes and village life introduce you to the character of western Türkiye. Continue to Ayvalık, known for its historic streets, coastal atmosphere and rich food culture, before crossing the Aegean Sea by ferry to Lesvos.
On the Greek side, spend time in island villages, meet local hosts and taste regional specialties that reflect the shared culinary traditions of both shores. Continue to Athens, where neighborhood walks, a hands-on cooking experience and visits to ancient landmarks bring together the cultural and gastronomic themes of the journey.
With time for cafés, local encounters and independent exploration, this tour offers a relaxed way to experience the Aegean through food, history, island life and everyday culture.
Route
- 1IzmirEuropeTurkeyStart
- 2UrlaEuropeTurkeyIzmir
- 3AyvalıkEuropeTurkeyBalikesir
- 4LesbosEuropeGreece
- 5Island of CundaEuropeTurkeyBalikesirAyvalık
- 6AthensEuropeGreeceEnd
What makes this tour special
Itinerary
Arrive at İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport, meet your transfer representative and continue to your hotel.
Depending on your arrival time, enjoy a short waterfront walk or take time to rest.
In the evening, meet your guide and fellow travellers over a welcome dinner featuring Aegean dishes. Hear about the route and the local experiences planned for the coming days.
Overnight: İzmir
Meals: Dinner
After breakfast, explore selected streets of İzmir’s Kemeraltı district. Visit food shops and enjoy a few tastings while your guide introduces regional ingredients.
Continue to Urla for a cooking workshop with a local host. Help prepare a seasonal menu that may include vegetables cooked in olive oil, a savoury pastry or a regional salad.
Enjoy the lunch you have made together.
In the afternoon, take a relaxed walk through Urla, with time to browse small shops or stop for coffee before checking in to your accommodation.
Overnight: Urla
Meals: Breakfast and workshop lunch
After breakfast, visit an olive oil producer in the Urla area.
Learn about the stages of production and join a guided tasting. Active processing depends on the season; the visit may focus on the equipment, methods and finished oils.
Continue north to Ayvalık, with a lunch break at your leisure.
On arrival, explore selected streets of the town before checking in to your hotel. The evening is free to enjoy a local restaurant or a waterfront walk.
Overnight: Ayvalık
Meals: Breakfast
Spend the morning exploring Ayvalık with your guide. Visit selected food shops and meet a local artisan or producer for a tasting and conversation.
Continue to Cunda for a walk through its historic streets and along the waterfront.
Enjoy a regional lunch at a selected restaurant. The menu will reflect seasonal availability and dietary requirements confirmed before departure.
The afternoon is relaxed, with free time to browse, photograph the streets or enjoy a café stop.
Return to your accommodation and prepare for tomorrow’s sea crossing.
Overnight: Ayvalık
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
After breakfast, transfer to the ferry terminal for your scheduled crossing from Ayvalık to Lesvos, subject to the confirmed sailing timetable.
Complete departure and arrival formalities before meeting your Greek guide and transfer team.
Continue to your hotel in Mytilene or the surrounding area. Depending on the ferry’s arrival time, enjoy an introductory walk through the town.
Gather for a welcome dinner featuring selected island dishes.
Overnight: Lesvos
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
After breakfast, travel to a selected village for a guided walk and an introduction to local food traditions.
Visit a food producer or artisan business, with the host confirmed for your departure. The experience may focus on olive oil, cheese, preserves or another island speciality.
Continue to a local kitchen for a hands-on cooking session. Prepare a small seasonal menu with your instructor, then sit down to enjoy lunch together.
Return to your accommodation in the afternoon, with time to relax or explore independently.
Overnight: Lesvos
Meals: Breakfast and workshop lunch
Enjoy breakfast before transferring to Mytilene Airport for your flight to Athens.
On arrival, meet your transfer representative and continue to your hotel. This day remains flexible around the confirmed flight schedule.
If time allows, take a short introductory walk through a nearby neighbourhood. Your guide can recommend places for dinner at your leisure.
Overnight: Athens
Meals: Breakfast
Domestic flight: Not included
After breakfast, explore selected food shops and market areas with your guide. Discover ingredients used in everyday Greek cooking and enjoy a few arranged tastings.
Join a cooking workshop led by a local instructor. Prepare a seasonal menu, with dishes selected to suit the group and kitchen.
Enjoy your workshop lunch before an afternoon walk through selected streets of Plaka and the surrounding area.
The remainder of the day is free.
Overnight: Athens
Meals: Breakfast and workshop lunch
Visit the Acropolis with your guide, allowing time for explanations, photographs and breaks.
Continue to the Acropolis Museum to place the morning’s visit in context.
After free time for lunch, enjoy an afternoon at leisure. You may wish to revisit a neighbourhood, shop for local products or relax at your hotel.
In the evening, gather for a farewell dinner. Share your favourite flavours and encounters from both shores of the Aegean.
Overnight: Athens
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Enjoy breakfast before checking out.
Transfer to Athens International Airport according to your departure schedule.
Meals: Breakfast
Trip includes
Included
9 nights in selected 4-star or boutique hotels.
Licensed English-speaking guides for scheduled activities in Türkiye and Greece
Guiding Method
Fully guided
EnglishNine breakfasts.
Four lunches: three cooking workshop lunches and one lunch in Cunda.
Three dinners: İzmir welcome dinner, Lesvos welcome dinner and Athens farewell dinner.
Arrival transfer at İzmir Airport and departure transfer at Athens Airport.
Scheduled airport and ferry-terminal transfers.
Private land transport for scheduled excursions.
Standard passenger ferry ticket from Ayvalık to Lesvos, subject to the confirmed service and fare.
Three cooking workshops with ingredients and equipment.
Listed producer visits and specified tastings.
Standard admission to the Acropolis and Acropolis Museum.
Guided cultural and neighbourhood walks.
Departure dates must be matched to the confirmed Ayvalık–Lesvos ferry timetable. Sailings can change because of seasonal operations, weather or port decisions. Any alternative routing and associated costs must be agreed if the planned crossing becomes unavailable.
The proposed itinerary uses a flight from Lesvos to Athens to preserve daytime sightseeing. An overnight ferry alternative can be quoted separately and would require changes to accommodation and activities.
Travellers must confirm entry requirements for both Türkiye and Greece according to their nationality before booking. Do not assume that any special island-entry arrangement permits onward travel to Athens.
Separate guides and vehicles operate in each country. Guests travel with their luggage on the ferry and must follow the operator’s baggage and boarding requirements.
Menus and producer visits vary by season and host availability. Please provide allergies and dietary requirements before booking.
Expect cobbled streets, slopes and steps. The Acropolis visit involves uneven surfaces and exposed areas; comfortable shoes, water and sun protection are recommended.
Hotels, ferry fares, flights, workshop hosts and admission arrangements should be confirmed before this programme is offered for sale.
Excluded
International flights
All Type Insurance
Mytilene–Athens flight.
Visas, entry-related charges and travel insurance.
Any local accommodation taxes payable directly, unless included in the final quotation.
Meals and drinks not specified.
Alcoholic beverages, personal purchases and optional activities.
Gratuities.
Availability
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Make this journey exclusively yours
By design, this is a group tour. You can however request a private, customized version of this tour for yourself or your private group of people. Private departures are usually more expensive, but come with these benefits:
Personal
Itinerary can be tweaked and customized.
Protected
Travel withing your own bubble.
Professional
Access our Travel Specialists insider knowledge.
Privacy
Enjoy a tour focused solely on you or your travel group.
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