The Best of Italy & Greece (6330)

12 Day Tour from Venice to Athens

2026 Tour Details View 2025 Tour Details » View 2027 Tour Details »

Italy and Greece are steeped in history with a treasure trove of ancient sites and scenic beauty. On this affordable Italy and Greece tour, you’ll see the exceptional features these countries have to offer, starting in Venice and ending in Athens. In Italy, you’ll stay in the Venice area, Rome, and Florence; in Greece, you’ll stay in Delphi, Olympia, Nauplia, and Athens. Your flight from Rome to Athens is included in your package. In Venice, take a boat ride to St. Mark’s Square and watch glassblowers create works of art as they have done for centuries – or discover the lagoon at your own pace. Enjoy must-see sights, including Piazza Signoria, in the middle of Florence; see the Roman arena in Verona, and Pisa’s famous Leaning Tower. Visit Rome with a local guide who brings ancient Imperial Rome back to life. Step back in time on your visit to Athens’ Acropolis and the Parthenon, dating back to the 5th century BC, and the most accurate indication of the influence and wealth of Athens at its greatest peak. You’ll also visit Mycenae, dating back to 1350 BC, where you’ll marvel at the arches, fountains, ramparts, and amazing masonry still standing, and Delphi, known in antiquity as the “navel of the earth”. All these elements come together perfectly to create a value-minded Italy and Greece tour like no other!

The world is within reach with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, intra-vacation flights from Rome to Athens and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, complimentary headsets, and private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi. Enhance your free time to explore like a local with your CosmosGO mobile app!

Your Tour Includes:

• Boat ride in Venice and a glass-blowing workshop
• Stop in Verona, a city famed for its timeless romance
• Guided sightseeing in Florence, the heart of Renaissance art and culture
• Scenic small-train trip to Pisa’s Piazza dei Miracoli, home to the legendary Leaning Tower
• Guided sightseeing in Rome, featuring the iconic St. Peter’s Square
• Guided sightseeing in Athens, featuring the breathtaking Acropolis
• Guided inside visit of the renowned archaeological site of Mycenae
• Stop in Delphi, once revered by ancient Greeks as the center of the world
• Flight Rome-Athens

Dates & Prices Book Online
800.646.5374
World of Wonder Sales Event: Save $200 per couple on select 2026 Cosmos Tours Worldwide*
Single supplement waived for select 2026 Cosmos Europe Tours*
The Best of Italy & Greece map

 Photo Highlights

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

11 Breakfasts, 3 Dinners


Notes:

For operational reasons, schedule changes to the Rome program cannot be excluded.

This tour requires walking on uneven terrain, especially at archaeological sites, which may pose a challenge to guests with physical limitations or reliant on mobility devices such as wheelchairs.

 Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN VENICE AREA, ITALY

Welcome to Italy! Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Italy’s romantic city using your CosmosGO app. This evening, meet your Tour Director and travel companions at the welcome dinner at the hotel.


VENICE-GONDOLA-VIEW.jpg

DinnerDinner

Day 2 VENICE

Venice is a place of unmatched beauty and a feast of fantastic sights. View the delightful crisscrossing canals, the gondolas, arched bridges, palaces, and piazzas. Your included orientation features a boat ride to St. Mark’s Square and a visit to a Venetian glassblowing workshop. You’ll have time to explore at leisure on your own, perhaps sipping a cappuccino or the typical Venetian drink called “spritz” at one of the many bars or cafés. An optional excursion to the island of Burano will give you the opportunity to see more of the Venetian Lagoon before enjoying a delicious meal.

VENICE-GRAND-CANAL.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 3 VENICE AREA–VERONA–MONTECATINI

Travel to Verona, setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Marvel at the ancient Roman Arena, built for gladiator fights but now still used as a popular venue for festivals and concerts; shop in Via Mazzini, or just wander the cobblestone streets of the city center. Tonight, experience the harmony of rural life in Tuscany with an optional farmhouse dinner in the Tuscan countryside. On the menu? Good food, better wine, and the best company! Overnight in the Tuscan spa town of Montecatini.
Today’s Distance: 242 mi/ 390 km

VERONA-ARENA.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 4 MONTECATINI–FLORENCE–MONTECATINI

Today, enjoy a full day discovering the wonders of Florence, starting with a guided walking tour, featuring some of the city’s greatest attractions. See Piazza Santa Croce; world-famous Signoria Square; 13th-century Palazzo Vecchio with its collection of artistic masterpieces; Loggia dei Lanzi; the unique Duomo with Giotto’s Gothic Bell Tower and the Baptistry’s ornate bronze door known as the “Gate of Paradise.” Return to Montecatini.
Today’s distance: 81 mi /130 km

FLORENCE-DUOMO.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 5 MONTECATINI–PISA–ROME

Vistas of rolling hills, cypress trees, vineyards, olive groves, and rural villages form the backdrop of your journey through beautiful Tuscany. Stop in Pisa and enjoy a mini-train ride to the Square of Miracles and the amazing Leaning Tower, then on to Rome.
Today’s Distance: 255 mi/ 410 km

PISA-LEANING-TOWER.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 6 ROME

The “Eternal City” is steeped in history, vibrantly alive and exciting, and absolutely unique! Start the included introduction to Rome’s landmarks from St. Peter’s Square with a Local Guide. Enjoy a drive along the iconic landmarks of the city: the Tiber River, the Caius Cestius Pyramid, the Aurelian Walls, and the Caracalla Baths. Complete the experience with a walk back in time from the Circus Maximus to the Arch of Constantine and to the fascinating Colosseum, symbol of the Roman Empire.*

* For operational reasons, changes to the Rome program cannot be excluded.

ROME-COLOSSEUM.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 7 ROME–ATHENS, GREECE

Transfer to the airport for your included flight to Athens. From the capital of Italy to the capital of Greece, absorb the Mediterranean flair and discover the influence of ancient Roman and Greek civilizations on modern life and arts.

ATHENS-SKYLINE.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 8 ATHENS–MYCENAE–NAUPLIA AREA

Join the included sightseeing tour of Athens, featuring the highlights of the city and a visit to the Acropolis. Travel to the Corinth Canal, built between 1881 and 1893 and stop here for a picture. Continue to visit the Mycenae archaeological site with a Local Guide to learn about the ancient city of Homer’s epics. Enjoy views of the rugged Peloponnese scenery on the way to Nauplia. This evening, enjoy an included dinner at a local restaurant.
Today’s Distance: 90 mi / 145 km

MYCENAE-LIONS-GATE.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 9 NAUPLIA AREA–OLYMPIA

Drive south through the Peloponnese to Olympia. Take advantage of some time at leisure or score the perfect 10 with a guided optional tour of ancient Olympia, site of the first Olympic Games, featuring the ruins of the Temple of Zeus.
Today’s Distance: 118 mi / 190 km

OLYMPIA.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 10 OLYMPIA–DELPHI

Cross the Rion-Antirion bridge and skirt the Gulf or Corinth to continue inland to Delphi. Built at the foot of Mt. Parnassus, Delphi was considered by ancient Greeks to be the center of the world where the oracles of Apollo predicted the fate of many a man.
Today’s distance: 150 mi/ 240 km

DELPHI-TOWN.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 11 DELPHI–ATHENS

Enjoy free time in Athens to explore with the help of the CosmosGO app, visit the museums or take the tram to the coast. In the evening, enjoy the lively atmosphere of the tavernas in the old Plaka district with its narrow streets and sound of bouzouki music.

ATHENS-PLAKA-AGORA.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 12 ATHENS

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

ATHENS-STREET-SCENE.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

 Tour Director

With COSMOS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

ANDREA BOLDRINI

Escorting tours for more than 15 years

“Traveling has always been a passion of mine. The thrill of exploring new destinations, immersing myself in different cultures, and meeting people from all over the world is truly exhilarating. As a Tour Director, I have the unique opportunity to share this passion with others, steering a group through the magnificent landscapes of the world. I love crafting engaging commentaries that foster the best of each destination, from hidden gems to iconic landmarks. Guiding groups through these experiences and witnessing their excitement and wonder is incredibly rewarding. Every tour is a new adventure, filled with unforgettable moments and the chance to create lasting memories for my guests. Being a Tour Director allows me to combine my love for travel and enthusiasm, with my desire to educate and inspire others, making it the perfect career for me.”

Tour Director - ANDREA BOLDRINI

 Accommodations

 Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyCosmos site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 USD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 USD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 USD)
$$$$ (Over $150)


Venice Area
Montecatini
Verona
Rome
Olympia
Athens

Venice Area

Lagoon Cruise and Meal in Burano

Lagoon Cruise and Meal in Burano

Experience the floating city from the water as you cruise along the lagoon to charming Burano Island for a delicious meal and time to explore.

Price Range: $$

Montecatini

Tuscan Dinner

Tuscan Dinner

Enjoy a wonderful dinner in the delightful Tuscan countryside, featuring authentic traditional dishes using the finest local ingredients.

Price Range: $$

Highlights of Uffizi Gallery

Highlights of Uffizi Gallery

Come face-to-face with the world's greatest masterpieces when you skip the long lines and head right into the Uffizi Gallery on this extraordinary guided tour!

Price Range: $$

Florence Taste & Tales

Florence Taste & Tales

Step back in time on this captivating tour through Florence's historic streets and taste authentic Florentine specialties and wine.

Price Range: $$

Verona

Magic of Verona

Magic of Verona

Discover Verona by coach and by foot on this guided introduction to the city forever tied to ancient Rome and Shakespeare's "Romeo & Juliet".

Price Range: $

Rome

Treasures of Rome and Dinner

Treasures of Rome and Dinner

Enjoy a tour of Rome and relax over a 3-course dinner with dessert, local wine, and authentic Roman atmosphere!

Price Range: $$

Olympia

Discover Ancient Olympia

Discover Ancient Olympia

This ancient site is the most famous of Greek sanctuaries, where Zeus was worshiped and where his ivory and gold statue was counted among the Seven Wonders of the World.

Price Range: $$

Athens

Greek Dinner & Culture

Greek Dinner & Culture

Enjoy an unforgettable evening of authentic Greek food, culture and music at this fun dining experience.

Price Range: $$

 Private Touring

Private Touring: Cosmos European Private Touring enables you to experience all of the attractions, sights and highlights of your selected Cosmos tour as a private experience - delivered just for you and your traveling party. With Private Touring, you'll have your own dedicated Tour Director, your own private transportation and driver, and your own professional local guides. All with greater flexibility in pace and your experience. For your selected tour, there will be additional per-person cost for the size of your party - from 1 to 24. This additional supplement is reduced with each traveler you add to your party. Here's a sample of the additional cost:

6 guests in a party: $3,205*
18 guests in a party: $810*

Contact Cosmos or your preferred travel agent for pricing for your specific party size as well as any other information on Cosmos Private Touring.

*Supplement pricing is per person (USD) and will be added to the standard published price for your given departure date and is based on availability. Supplement price is valid for 2021 travel year. Occasionally some included and optional activities & excursions may be operated with other guests. Additional restrictions may apply. Not applicable for custom groups. No Group allowances or promotions are available on Private Touring. Published itineraries only. Note that blackout dates may exist where the Private Touring option is not available.


The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include International airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. If a price is crossed out, the new price includes a limited time promotional offer(s) – please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some tours require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Cosmos).