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Wine Tours

CLICK HERE FOR A TRIP to SICILY
May 27 to June 8, 2009

Greece - Wine, Cuisine, History and Culture

11 Days - October 2 to 13, 2008 SOLD OUT

A similar trip will be run in 2009. Send Steve and email if that might interest.

Register | Price | Itinerary | Trip Extension

Imagine fall in the vineyards of Greece. With its warm climate, magnificent ancient treasures and natural beauty, Greece is truly a feast for the senses. In the fall of 2008 join wine personality and Wine Access Senior Editor Steve Thurlow as he leads an 11 day excursion of discovery and enjoyment.

Visit wineries, see some of the world's best Bronze Age, Mycenaean and ancient Greek ruins, learn how to cook Cretan style, discover the importance of the Cretan diet to health, dine in splendid traditional settings at wineries with their owners and winemakers, bathe in the warm Mediterranean and soak up the warm autumn sunshine.

Experience Santorini, one of the world's most beautiful places, wander in streets little changed since antiquity and shop in traditional markets for the freshest produce.

In October each year after summer in Toronto, there is plenty of warm sunshine in southern Greece; daily highs of 25-27°C and lows of 16-18°C.

Wine for Life in co-operation with Wine Access magazine, and Olympic Airlines presents an accompanied wine, food and cultural visit to southern Greece. We will explore the leading vineyards and wineries and be introduced to the local cuisine under the attention of one of Crete's master chefs.

As well as tasting and dining at all the major wineries we will find time to visit many of the major Bronze Age, Mycenaean, ancient Greek and Roman sites. Staying in three luxury beach hotels near Malia, Thira and Nafplion, the visit will culminate with a brief one day visit to the centre of Athens.

If all this sounds like too hectic a pace, don't worry. There will be time for relaxing by the pool in the warm sunshine and wandering around some of the beautiful towns and villages that lie along our route.

Athens Extension

For those who can spare another few days we suggest staying on a while longer to visit Athens. We will arrange a hotel downtown Athens of your choice and delay the return flight to Canada for a small additional fee.

Register for Tour

Email: Steve Thurlow steve@stevethurlow.com

Telephone: Steve on 905-880-7183

Form: Download and print this registration form (MS Word)

PDF Version of registration form

Price

The trip price assumes double occupancy and includes scheduled flights with Olympic Airlines from Toronto flying out to Heraklion via Athens and returning from Athens direct to Toronto. It also includes all hotels, continental breakfasts, winery visits and tastings, and 11 meals with wines. Also included is the flight from Santorini to Athens, and the high speed ferry from Crete to Santorini plus luxury coach transportation elsewhere. The price for the 11 day trip is C$3990 per person. Single supplement is C$495.

Itinerary

Thursday October 2nd 2008

Departure from Toronto this evening on Olympic Airlines flight to Heraklion, Crete via Athens.

OA424 2OCT YYZ 1615 ATH 1040
OA506 3OCT ATH 1215 HER 1305

Day 1: Friday 3rd– Malia, Crete

Upon arrival at Heraklion airport, Steve Thurlow will meet you and you will then be transferred to Kalypso Hotel where a light lunch will be served.

After a chance to rest after the flight, in the evening there will be a welcome cocktail gathering followed by a relaxing dinner. A selection of wines will be served with a buffet designed to show off the diversity and richness of Cretan cuisine in the company of some of your winery hosts during the trip.

Day 2: Saturday 4th- Cooking School, Knossos and Boutari Winery, Crete

After breakfast, the morning will be filled with a cooking class. Assist with the preparation of today's lunch at the hotel under the expert guidance of Christos Veneris and his team.

Learn about the range of fresh produce, herbs, fish, meat, vegetables and fruits that are available. Cretans are at the top of the world’s longevity list due to a low incidence of cancer, cardiovascular and neurological disease, largely attributable to diet and lifestyle. This will be explained in detail during the cooking class and over the lunch.

Bart Lyrarakis from Lyrarakis Winery will present his wines during lunch.

The afternoon will be free for relaxing at the hotel or catching the sun on the beach.

Late afternoon we depart for a visit to Knossos the world famous archaeological site from Bronze Age Crete.

Afterwards we continue to the Boutari winery for a tour and tasting followed by dinner.

Day 3: Sunday 5th– Festos and Dafnes, Crete

Up early this morning to cross to the south of the island to visit the ruins of Festos before the heat of the day. This is the second most important Bronze Age settlement discovered on Crete.

After Festos, we will visit Ktima Zaharioudaki Winery perched on top of a hill nearby with a splendid view over the southern plain. There will be a tasting followed by a traditional Cretan lunch.

We then head back to our hotel in Malia stopping briefly in Dafnes to visit the Dulufakis Winery. Evening will be free.

Day 4: Monday 6th– Sitia and Moni Toplou, Crete

After breakfast we depart for a visit to the less developed eastern part of the island. We will stop briefly in the quaint port town of Agios Nikolaos before passing over the coastal mountains to Sitia and then to Moni Toplou.

This monastery, in a remote corner of the island, is famous for its production of olive oil and wine. We will visit both facilities before taking a traditional lunch. The visit will conclude at the monastery church.

Abbot Filotheos will be our host.

The drive back to our hotel is towards the setting sun.

The evening will be free.

Day 5: Tuesday 7th– Crete to Santorini

After breakfast we check out of our Malia hotel and depart for the ferry to Santorini, where we arrive at midday.

We check in to the Thallassa Seaside Resort on Kamari Beach where you will be free to explore the many local tavernas and cafes, to take a swim in the crystal clear waters or maybe to relax by the pool.

That evening the nearby Santos Winery will host a tasting of many of the wines of the island followed by a dinner.

Day 6: Wednesday 8th- Santorini

After a breakfast we depart for a visit to the Bronze Age site of Akrotiri, then to Boutari Winery for a tasting, then on to Oia town for shopping and lunch,

followed by a visit to the Sigalas Winery before returning to the hotel for a relaxing afternoon.

That evening we will take dinner in a seaside taverna along with many of the winemakers of Santorini.

Day 7: Thursday 9th– Santorini to Peloponnese

Late morning we leave for the airport for our 50 minute flight to Athens. We then drive south into the Peloponnese region stopping for a tour and tasting at Domaine Skouras.

OA553 9OCT JTR 1340 ATH 1430

After Dom. Skouras we drive south and are soon in the port town of Nafplion where we check in to Pensione Marianna late that afternoon.

The evening will be free to explore this port town which was once the capital of Greece. There are many restaurants to choose from, with the focus on seafood.

Day 8: Friday 10th– Mycenae and Nemea

We leave this morning to visit the nearby ruins of the city of Mycenae.

The city was the base for an empire that became the dominant power in the region including Crete and Santorini between 1400 and 1200 BC around the supposed time of the Trojan war. The civilization that flourished here established many of the principles that later developed into classical Greek society.

We return to the hotel late morning for some free time to wander in Nafplion or maybe lounge on the beach.

Late afternoon we leave for the Koutsi region to visit 2 wineries Gaia and Semeli. We take dinner at the second.

Day 9: Saturday 11th- Nemea

This morning we will visit the site of Ancient Nemea, one of the locations of the classical games that were the basis for the modern Olympic Games.

We then go to Palivou winery for a tasting and light refreshment before we head over the hills with breathtaking views of the Nemea Valley to the Kartogi Winery for a tasting and late lunch.

Late afternoon we return to the hotel. Evening is free.

Day 10: Sunday 12th- Epidavros, Corinth and Athens

After breakfast we check out of the hotel for the short drive to Epidavros. Here we visit the amazingly well preserved enormous open air theatre built in the 4th century BC.

The original 34 rows were extended in Roman times by another 21 rows. The theatre is marveled for its exceptional acoustics, which permit almost perfect intelligibility of un amplified spoken word from the proscenium to all 15,000 spectators, regardless of their seating.

We then head towards Athens stopping briefly to wonder at the Corinth canal that connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea.

It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnesian peninsula from the Greek mainland and therefore effectively making the former an island. The canal is 6.3 km. in length and was built between 1881 and 1893.

The Corinth Canal is considered a great technical achievement for its time. It saves the 400 km. long journey around the Peloponnesus for smaller ships, but since it is only 21 m wide it is too narrow for modern ocean freighters

By lunchtime we will be in the centre of Athens in the famous Plaka market district for shopping and a bite to eat or to visit some of the ancient monuments.

Late afternoon we gather at the Acropolis for a guided tour of the Parthenon.

We then head to the airport to check into the 5 star luxury Sofitel Athens Airport Hotel. Our closing group dinner at a nearby taverna will bring our trip to a conclusion.

Day 11: Monday October 13th, 2008 – Athens/Toronto
Up early this morning to walk across the street to check in for the direct flight to Toronto arriving at 2:35 p.m.

Breakfast will be served on the plane.

OA423 13OCT ATH 0855 YYZ 1435

Athens Extension

The main itinerary stops for only a few hours in the magnificent city of Athens to give a glimpse of what there is to see. Some travelers will return at a later date but some may wish to extend the tour by staying a few additional nights unaccompanied in downtown Athens delaying their return flight for a small fee. When booking indicate this preference on the registration form and we can make the arrangements for you if you wish.

Conditions

The above itinerary is as planned. However we reserve the right to make adjustments depending upon weather and other constraints, to substitute visits to alternative wineries and to arrange accommodation at similar standard hotels in the towns mentioned. Prices are for double occupancy in twin and double rooms (single supplement is C$495), flights are in economy (business class upgrade available) on scheduled flights to and from Toronto. Air and hotels subject to availability. The price is C$3990 and covers flights, ferry to Santorini and ground transportation in Greece, bed and breakfast hotel accommodation, 11 meals with wine but does not include Airport Taxes and Fuel Surcharges which are subject to fluctuation (in June 2008 they were $475.30). This price is correct at present but may change as a result of currency variations, airline surcharges or other circumstances beyond our control.

In accordance with the Ontario Industry Travel Act, below is the registered name, address and registration number of the provider of the travel services:

K. Walsh & Associates, 1240 Bay Street, Suite 700, Toronto, ON, M5R 2A7
TICO registration number: 4400099

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