Three thousand years of incredible awaits you in the Cradle of Western Civilization. Soak up fun and sun at the world famous Pink Palace on the island of Corfu, famous for its pink toga party, greek fire dancing, plate smashing, private beach, and downright awesomeness. Once you've experienced that world famous ancient Greek party scene, absorb three thousand years of Grecian history and culture in Athens. Marvel at the Acropolis, relax at a corner Hookah bar, fill up on Gyros, or whip through the traditional Greek island of Aegina. This is 8 days of sun, beauty, partying, culture, and history that would make Spartacus envious. 

Included: 

• Round trip ANEK Lines cruise transport
• Round trip luxury coach transport (with A/C, DVD, & bathroom)
• accommodation with your friends at the Pink Palace with dinner and breakfast
• hotel in Athens with breakfast
• Athens walking tour
• Exclusive discount on Aegina day trip
• Exclusive discounts on other various activities
• The Greece Bus2alps informational guide
• Bus2alps trip leader

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Route

A FlorenceB CorfuC AthensD Greece

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 

The trip departs Florence at 9:00* from the Santa Maria Novella train station. The meeting point is in front of the international ticket windows. Be sure to check in with your trip leader at least 20 minutes before the scheduled departure time. Travel is by luxury coach with A/C, DVD, and bathroom. Estimated travel time to Ancona is 5** hours. Once in Ancona, we board the ANEK Lines cruise ship for the 14 hour** crossing to Greece. The boat departs at 16:00*. The ferry is the size of a cruise ship and has excellent on board amenities including a dance club, restaurants, bars, and stores. This is the perfect opportunity to meet your fellow trip members.

Day 2

We arrive on the Greek mainland at Igoumenista at approximately 8:30*. On arrival, we transfer to another ferry for the 1.5 hour** crossing to Corfu. Once in Corfu, we are met by the techno music blasting Pink Palace bus and head to the Pink Palace where we immediately check in. The rest of the day is free to hang on the beach, or join in on one of the various activities. Dinner is served at 20.30 in The Palladium at The Pink Palace.

Day 3

Your options for the day include the Booze Cruise****, the ATV Safari, rent an ATV yourself, go Sea Kayaking, take a day trip to Corfu Town or simply relax on the beach. Dinner is again served at 20.30 in The Palladium. The Pink Toga Party*** begins after dinner. Most people wear their togas to dinner.

Day 4

Your options for the day include the Booze Cruise****, the ATV Safari, rent an ATV yourself, go Sea Kayaking, take a day trip to Corfu Town or simply relax on the beach. Dinner is served at 20.30 in The Palladium. Departure for Athens is at 22.00*. It is a 45-minute drive to the port, and then a 1.5 hour ferry ride. Estimated drive time after we dock is 7** hours drive. We arrive in Athens at approximately 8:00*.

Day 5

We will depart on a walking tour of Athens after breaktast. Meet your trip leader at 10:30*. The walking tour is a great way to get acquainted with Athens, one of the oldest and most fascinating cities in the Western World. Today you will see The Greek National Parliament, the 1896 Olympic Stadium, The Temple of Zeus, The Acropolis Museum and of course, The Acropolis. Your Bus2alps Trip Leader will provide you with historical and factual information about each location. Your International student I.D. will get you free entry to all the sites on the walking tour.

In order to receive free entry, your I.D. must be an international I.D. from your study abroad program. Any other student I.D. will get you a reduced rate of 6 Euro. Entry covers six sites throughout ancient Athens. The walking tour ends at Monastiraki Square. Here you can have a sit down lunch or grab a cheap gyro from a traditional Greek Gyro stand. The afternoon is free to have custom sandals made, shop at the flea market and souvenir shops, visit the museums, head to the Olympic Park, or grab a coffee at Starbucks.

At night we go to Vizentino’s, a traditional Greek restaurant in Plaka for an optional group dinner. The dinner costs 13 Euro for various Greek appetizers, a choice of entree, and unlimited wine. Meeting time will be 20:45* in the accommodation lobby. Vizentino’s always provides great service for the Bus2alps group. After dinner we will head to the district of Psiri. Psiri has traditional Greek hookah and outdoor bars, and several dance clubs.

Day 6

Today you are free to check out more of Athens or to take a day trip. There will be an organized optional day trip to Aegina, a neighboring island of Athens. With beautiful scenery, and traditional white and blue buildings, Aegina is a perfect release from the bustling city life of Athens. In Aegina, you can rent scooters or ATVs to explore the island. The trip departs between 8:30 and 10:00 and returns late afternoon depending on seasonal ferry schedules. Your trip leader will inform you of the exact times at the beginning of the week. Day trips to Marathon, Delphi, the beach and Olympic Park are possible. Contact your trip leader for more information. If one of Athens’ 3 soccer teams have a game, we will organize an optional group trip to the game. There will again be a meeting time and place for those interested in going to the Gazi district. Gazi is a large square with numerous bars and clubs.

Day 7

Thursday morning we depart Athens at 12:00*. We travel by private bus to Patras where we board our return cruise for Ancona. Estimated bus time is 3 hours**. The cruise trip is 21 hours**. Cruise boat travel is on the same ANEK Lines boat we traveled to Greece with.

Day 8

Friday we arrive in Ancona at 16:00* and board our private bus to return to Florence. Estimated travel time is 5 hours**. We will make one stop en route. Approximate arrival time in Florence is 20:00*.

Included Activities

Athens Walking Tour: Your Bus2alps Trip Leader will give you a 3 hour orientation tour of the city of Athens, which brings you to its major attractions, including the Greek Parliament, 1896 Olympic Stadium, Temple of Zeus, and the Acropolis. Your Trip Leader will provide you with a brief history of each site.

Optional Activities

Toga Party: 15 Euro (includes 10 Euro deposit on toga) - The Pink Palace has become famous for its Pink Toga Party. The night kicks off with a group dinner in your pink toga, followed by a crazy party highlighted by Greek dancing, plate smashing, and lots of Greek Ouzo.

Booze Cruise: 25 Euro - Join the Pink Palace Navy for a crazy five hour boat adventure around the island of Corfu. The booze cruise stops at places to cliff jump, swim in bat caves, and hang out on a private beach. Loud music and a laid-back attitude make the booze cruise an insane time.

ATV Safari & Rentals: 25 Euro (Safari), 18 Euro (Rental Only) - Spend your day trekking through one of Greece’s lushest islands, visiting beautiful vista points, hanging out in small Greek towns, and blaring your horn at old Greek couples waving as your drive by.

Kayak Safari & Rentals: 15 Euro - Grab a paddle and spend your day exploring the Corfu coastine.

Aegina Day Trip: Located a short distance from Athens, the island of Aegina is a vast getaway from the bustle of Athens city life. With beautiful beaches, high mountain viewpoints, and white and blue houses, Aegina is a Greek postcard.

Aegina Scooter & ATV Rentals: 25 Euro (ATV), 15 Euro (Scooter) - A great way to explore the beautiful island is by way of motorized vehicle. You must have some sort of experience to rent a scooter.