School Trips to GreeceAthens, Delphi, Olympia & Meteora
School trips to Greece are educational group tours that introduce students to the classical world, from the Acropolis and the Ancient Agora to the oracle at Delphi and the first Olympic stadium.
In 2026, Rustic Pathways programs to Greece are priced from $2,440 to $3,795 per student, excluding international airfare, on itineraries of 6 to 9 days.
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- per student, excluding international airfare
- $2,440–$3,795
- operating programs in Greece
- Since 2024
- have partnered since 2012, each counted once
- 321 schools
- private single-school groups on custom dates
- 10+ students
- emergency number for enrolled families during programs and travel days
- 24/7
Greece School Travel Itineraries
The three Greece school travel itineraries are Athens and Ancient History, Echoes of Empire, and Ancient Worlds and Island Life. Athens and Ancient History starts at $3,795 for 9 days, Echoes of Empire starts at $2,440 for 6 days, and Ancient Worlds and Island Life starts at $3,060 for 7 days.
Compare the three itineraries side by side
| Itinerary | Athens and Ancient History | Echoes of Empire | Crete: Ancient Worlds and Island Life |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 9 days | 6 days | 7 days |
| Starting price | From $3,795 | From $2,440 | From $3,060 |
| Learning focus | Classics · Ancient history · Art and architecture · Physical education | Classics · Ancient history · Art and architecture · Cultural studies | Archaeology · Marine biology · Food systems · Environmental science |
| Route | Athens · Meteora · Delphi · Olympia · Nafplio | Athens · Aegina · Corinth · Mycenae · Nafplio | Heraklion · Knossos · CretAquarium · Chania · Apokoronas · Botanical Park of Crete |
| Destination overnight bases | Athens (2) · Hotel near Meteora (1) · Hotel near Delphi (1) · Hotel near Olympia (1) · Nafplio (1) · Athens (1) | Athens (5) | Heraklion (3) · Chania (3) |
| Physical profile | low: 4 days · moderate: 3 days · high: 2 days | low: 2 days · moderate: 2 days · high: 2 days | low: 4 days · moderate: 3 days |
| On-program flights | None. The group arrives and departs Athens (ATH) and travels by private coach; international airfare is not in Program Tuition. | None. The group arrives and departs Athens (ATH), travels by private coach and takes one ferry; international airfare is not in Program Tuition. | None. The group lands at Heraklion (HER) and departs from Chania (CHQ) on an open-jaw booking, and travels between them by private coach; international airfare is not in Program Tuition. |
| Hotel changes | Four hotel changes across nine days | None; one Athens hotel for the whole program | One; Heraklion for three nights, then Chania for three |
| Best for | Classics and history departments that want the whole classical map rather than Athens alone: the Acropolis, Meteora, Delphi, Olympia and the Aegean shore, with the driving days that reaching them costs. | Classics and cultural studies departments that want the classical core without the driving: one hotel, the Acropolis and its museum, an island day by ferry, and a single circuit of the Peloponnese. | Archaeology and science departments that want a Bronze Age palace, a marine research aquarium and a working farm on one island, without a mainland day. |
- Athens · Arrive and depart; the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum and the Ancient Agora
- Meteora · The monasteries on their rock pillars, a full day north
- Delphi · The Temple of Apollo and the Delphi Archaeological Museum
- Olympia · The original Olympic stadium and the sanctuary of Zeus
- Nafplio · The Aegean shore and an olive oil workshop before the drive back
- Athens · The base for the whole program; the Acropolis, the markets and the museum
- Aegina · By ferry: the Temple of Aphaia and Aegina town
- Mycenae · The Lion Gate, the citadel and the Treasury of Atreus, with Corinth on the same day
- Heraklion and Knossos · Three nights in Heraklion; the Bronze Age palace at Knossos
- CretAquarium · The marine teaching session
- Chania · Three nights; the Venetian harbour and the old town
- Apokoronas · The farm and the seasonal cooking workshop
- Botanical Park · The guided botanical session
Athens · Meteora · Delphi · Olympia · Nafplio
9 days · From $3,795
Athens and Ancient History
Travel across mainland Greece on a 9-day journey connecting Athens with Meteora, Delphi, Olympia, and Nafplio. Students explore ancient history, art, architecture, and Greek culture while visiting archaeological sites, monasteries, and landmarks tied to the origins of Western civilization and the Olympic Games.
Choose this programThe route connects Athens, Meteora, Delphi, Olympia, and Nafplio.
- Athens2 nights
- Hotel near Meteora1 night
- Hotel near Delphi1 night
- Hotel near Olympia1 night
- Nafplio1 night
- Athens1 night
Your nine-day itinerary
-
Day 1
Fly to Greece
The group meets at its home airport and flies together to Athens.
MorningMeet at the home airport and check in as a group.AfternoonThe flight out.EveningOvernight in the air; arrival is the next day.- Route
- Home airport to Athens.
- Travel
- International flight, booked by the school or arranged by Rustic Pathways on request.
- Overnight
- In transit.
- Meals
- As provided by the airline.
- Physical demand
- Low effort.
-
Day 2
Arrive in Athens
The group lands at Athens, meets the Program Leaders who stay for the whole program, and eats its first dinner under the Acropolis.
MorningArrival at Athens International and the transfer to the hotel.AfternoonSettling in, and the orientation on the week and the ground rules.EveningA rooftop group dinner with the first view of the Acropolis above the city.- Route
- Athens airport to the hotel.
- Travel
- Private transfer, about forty-five minutes.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel in Athens, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Dinner included; earlier meals depend on arrival time.
- Physical demand
- Low effort; the airport transfer and a short walk to the rooftop dinner.
- Customization
- A group landing late moves the orientation to the next morning.
-
Day 3
The Acropolis and the Agora
A full day on the classical city: the Acropolis with a guide, the Acropolis Museum with an archaeologist, and the Agora where the arguing was done.
MorningGuided Acropolis visit through the Propylaea, the Erechtheion, the Temple of Athena Nike and the Parthenon.AfternoonA private tour of the Acropolis Museum with a local archaeologist, then the ruins of the Ancient Agora.EveningBack to the hotel and a first discussion of what the day showed.- Route
- The Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum and the Ancient Agora.
- Travel
- Mostly on foot, with a short coach leg.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel in Athens, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
- Physical demand
- High effort; a full day on marble steps and uneven ground, scheduled around the heat.
- Learning outcome
- Students stand in the space where public argument was invented and say what the building program above it was arguing for.
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Day 4
The monasteries at Meteora
North for the day to the monasteries built on rock pillars 400 meters high, reached for centuries only by ladder.
MorningThe drive north out of Attica.AfternoonThe Meteora monasteries, built by Orthodox monks in the fourteenth century, and the views from the UNESCO site.EveningDinner and the overnight near Kalambaka.- Route
- Athens north to Meteora.
- Travel
- Private coach, about four hours.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel near Kalambaka, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
- Physical demand
- High effort; long flights of steps cut into the rock.
- Learning outcome
- Students ask why a monastic order chose the least reachable ground in the country, and what that choice was for.
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Day 5
The oracle at Delphi
South to the place the ancient Greeks called the center of the world, for the Temple of Apollo and the Charioteer.
MorningThe drive down to Delphi.AfternoonA guided tour of the Temple of Apollo, where the Pythia gave her answers, then the Delphi Archaeological Museum and the Charioteer.EveningAn evening discussion on the centuries the group has covered in three days.- Route
- Meteora south to Delphi.
- Travel
- Private coach, about three hours.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel near Delphi, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
- Physical demand
- Moderate effort; a sloping site walked end to end.
- Learning outcome
- Students weigh a society that invented public argument still sending its questions to an oracle.
-
Day 6
Where the Olympics began
Across the Gulf of Corinth into the Peloponnese for Olympia, the sanctuary of Zeus and a race in the original stadium.
MorningThe drive along the Gulf of Corinth and the crossing into the Peloponnese.AfternoonOlympia: the original stadium where the games began in 776 BC, and the sanctuary of Zeus.EveningA scavenger hunt through the Altis, then dinner.- Route
- Delphi across the Gulf of Corinth to Olympia.
- Travel
- Private coach, about four hours.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel near Olympia, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
- Physical demand
- Moderate effort; a long drive and an afternoon on open ground.
- Learning outcome
- Students run the track the games started on and work out what the modern revival kept and what it invented.
-
Day 7
The Aegean at Nafplio
East across the Peloponnese to the seaside town of Nafplio, for the Aegean, an olive oil workshop and a Greek table.
MorningThe drive east across the Peloponnese.AfternoonA swim in the Aegean and time on the shore at Nafplio.EveningAn olive oil workshop, then dinner of seafood, grilled meats, tzatziki, melitzanosalata and fava.- Route
- Olympia east to Nafplio.
- Travel
- Private coach, about three hours.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel in Nafplio, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
- Physical demand
- Low effort; a driving day and an afternoon on the shore.
- Learning outcome
- Students trace one crop through a workshop and a dinner table and see how far back the same agriculture runs.
- Customization
- Classics departments can trade the shore afternoon for the citadel at Mycenae, which is forty minutes away.
-
Day 8
Back to Athens
The last drive into Athens, the Monastiraki flea market, and a closing dinner with a folk dancing class.
MorningThe drive back to the capital.AfternoonThe flea market at Monastiraki.EveningA final dinner with a traditional Greek folk dancing class, the closing discussion and Rustic Ties.- Route
- Nafplio back to Athens, then Monastiraki.
- Travel
- Private coach, about two hours.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel in Athens, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
- Physical demand
- Moderate effort; a drive and an evening on foot.
- Learning outcome
- Students set out the week's sites in order and say which one changed what they thought they were coming to see.
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Day 9
Depart from Athens
A relaxed last morning in Athens before the transfer to the airport.
MorningA slow morning and the last of the packing.AfternoonThe transfer to Athens International.EveningDeparture.- Route
- Athens to the airport.
- Travel
- Private transfer, about forty-five minutes.
- Overnight
- In transit.
- Meals
- Breakfast included; later meals depend on flight time.
- Physical demand
- Low effort.
- Customization
- A late departure adds a further morning in the city.
Athens · Aegina · Corinth Canal · Nafplio · Mycenae · Ancient Corinth
6 days · From $2,440
Echoes of Empire
Based in Athens for all six days, this itinerary combines the Greek capital's classical landmarks with excursions to Aegina, Corinth, Mycenae, and Nafplio. Students visit the Acropolis and its museum, travel by ferry to an island, and explore major sites that connect ancient history with Greek culture.
Choose this programThe route connects Athens, Aegina, Corinth, Mycenae, and Nafplio.
- Athens5 nights
Your six-day itinerary
-
Day 1
Arrive in Athens
The group lands at Athens, meets its Program Leaders and walks into the old city on the first evening.
MorningArrival at Athens International and the transfer to the hotel.AfternoonAn orientation walk through the National Garden.EveningA stroll through Plaka and the Anafiotika lanes below the Acropolis, then dinner.- Route
- Athens airport to the hotel, then the National Garden, Plaka and Anafiotika.
- Travel
- Private transfer, about forty-five minutes, then on foot.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel in Athens, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Dinner included; earlier meals depend on arrival time.
- Physical demand
- Low effort; a walk on level streets.
- Customization
- A group landing late moves the orientation walk to the next morning.
-
Day 2
The Acropolis and its museum
The classical core in a day: a guided Acropolis visit, the museum below it, and the hill the courts once met on.
MorningGuided Acropolis visit through the Propylaea, the Erechtheion and the Parthenon, before the heat.AfternoonThe Acropolis Museum.EveningSunset from Areopagus Hill.- Route
- The Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum and Areopagus Hill, on foot.
- Travel
- None; the day is walked.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel in Athens, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
- Physical demand
- High effort; marble steps and uneven ground, with the climb scheduled for the morning.
- Learning outcome
- Students see the sculpture in the museum and the building it came off within an hour of each other, and say what each setting does to it.
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Day 3
Ferry to Aegina
A ferry across the Saronic Gulf for the Temple of Aphaia and the harbour town, and back to Athens the same evening.
MorningThe ferry from Piraeus to Aegina, booked and boarded by Rustic Pathways.AfternoonThe Temple of Aphaia, then Aegina town and the single standing column of the Temple of Apollo.EveningThe ferry back and dinner in Athens.- Route
- Piraeus to Aegina by ferry, the Temple of Aphaia and Aegina town, then back.
- Travel
- Scheduled ferry, about an hour each way, with the group booked together.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel in Athens, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner included; lunch is on the island.
- Physical demand
- Moderate effort; a hill walk to the temple.
- Learning outcome
- Students compare a complete Doric temple standing on a hill with the single column left of its twin, and ask what decides which one survives.
- Customization
- Linked. The day moves only with the ferry reservation.
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Day 4
The Peloponnese circuit
One long loop west: the Corinth Canal, the Palamidi fortress, the Bronze Age citadel at Mycenae and Ancient Corinth at sunset.
MorningThe drive west and a photo stop at the Corinth Canal, then the Palamidi fortress above Nafplio.AfternoonMycenae: the Lion Gate, the citadel and the Treasury of Atreus.EveningAncient Corinth and Acrocorinth at sunset, then the drive back to Athens.- Route
- Athens to the Corinth Canal, the Palamidi fortress above Nafplio, Mycenae and Ancient Corinth, and back.
- Travel
- Private coach, about five hours across the day.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel in Athens, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
- Physical demand
- High effort; the longest day of the route, with a fortress climb and uneven citadel ground.
- Learning outcome
- Students stand in a citadel five hundred years older than the Parthenon and place it against the Athens they have just walked.
-
Day 5
Markets and the museum
A day on the modern city and the collection that holds what the sites do not: the Varvakios market, Psyrri street art and the National Archaeological Museum.
MorningThe Varvakios Central Market.AfternoonA street art tour through Psyrri, then the National Archaeological Museum.EveningFree time and dinner.- Route
- Varvakios market, Psyrri and the National Archaeological Museum.
- Travel
- On foot with short metro legs, about an hour across the day.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel in Athens, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
- Physical demand
- Moderate effort; a full day on city streets and museum floors.
- Learning outcome
- Students find the same city arguing with itself on a gallery wall and in a case, and say which one is the louder record.
- Customization
- Art departments can extend the Psyrri tour and shorten the market morning.
-
Day 6
Depart from Athens
A last stroll to the Panathenaic Stadium, then the transfer to the airport.
MorningA final walk to the Panathenaic Stadium, the marble rebuild that held the first modern games.AfternoonThe transfer to Athens International.EveningDeparture.- Route
- The Panathenaic Stadium, then the airport.
- Travel
- Private transfer, about forty-five minutes.
- Overnight
- In transit.
- Meals
- Breakfast included; later meals depend on flight time.
- Physical demand
- Low effort.
- Customization
- A group with a late flight can take the Temple of Olympian Zeus instead.
Heraklion · Knossos · Chania · Apokoronas
7 days · From $3,060
Crete: Ancient Worlds and Island Life
Students spend seven days exploring Crete, with stays in Heraklion and Chania. The itinerary covers archaeology, marine biology, food systems, and environmental science through visits to Knossos, CretAquarium, Apokoronas, and the Botanical Park of Crete.
Choose this programThe route connects Heraklion, Knossos, CretAquarium, Chania, Apokoronas, and Botanical Park of Crete.
- Heraklion3 nights
- Chania3 nights
Your seven-day itinerary
-
Day 1
Arrive in Heraklion
The group lands at Heraklion, meets the Program Leaders who stay for the whole program, and settles in before a welcome dinner.
MorningArrival at Heraklion (HER) and the transfer to the hotel; how much of the morning this takes depends on the flight.AfternoonA short harbour orientation if the group has rested, then free time.EveningWelcome dinner, and each student writes down one question about island life to carry through the week.- Route
- Heraklion airport to the hotel, then on foot toward the harbour.
- Travel
- Private transfer, about twenty minutes.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel in Heraklion, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Dinner included; earlier meals depend on arrival time.
- Physical demand
- Low effort; a short walk on level ground.
- Learning outcome
- Students put in writing what they expect an island to depend on, before they have seen any of it.
- Customization
- A group landing in the evening moves the harbour walk to the next morning.
-
Day 2
Knossos: evidence and reconstruction
A licensed guide takes the group through Knossos early, separating what was excavated from what was rebuilt in the 1900s, then the museum holds the objects the site gave up.
MorningEarly guided visit to Knossos, distinguishing excavated evidence, modern reconstruction and myth.AfternoonLunch and rest, then a focused visit to the Heraklion Archaeological Museum on a few objects about food, trade and the sea.EveningDinner, and each student picks the one object that changed how they read the morning.- Route
- Knossos, then back into Heraklion for the Archaeological Museum.
- Travel
- About twenty minutes by coach each way.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel in Heraklion, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
- Physical demand
- Moderate effort; uneven ground and no shade at the site, which is why it is walked early.
- Learning outcome
- Students point at a wall and say whether they are looking at Bronze Age fabric, an early-twentieth-century reconstruction, or a guess.
- Customization
- Classics departments can trade part of the museum hour for the site's storerooms discussion with the guide.
On the siteKnossos is open ground with polished stone underfoot and very little shade. Hats, water and closed shoes are on the kit list, and the visit is booked for the first hour of the day. -
Day 3
Mediterranean marine life
A prebooked English-language teaching session at the CretAquarium on Mediterranean species, then a guided shore observation that puts the tank against the coast it came from.
MorningThe CretAquarium teaching session, with the age-appropriate scope agreed in advance.AfternoonLunch, a short guided shore observation and proper downtime; nothing is collected.EveningDinner, and one question that the day's evidence could actually answer, about habitat, coastal tourism or water use.- Route
- East along the coast to the aquarium at Gournes, then a shore stop on the way back.
- Travel
- About twenty-five minutes by coach each way.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel in Heraklion, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
- Physical demand
- Low effort; indoors in the morning, and a short walk on rock and shingle after lunch.
- Learning outcome
- Students say what a controlled tank shows that a shoreline cannot, and what the shoreline shows that the tank cannot.
- Customization
- Biology departments can extend the shore observation and shorten the free block that follows it.
The sessionThe aquarium's English teaching session and its scope are confirmed in the final proposal. Behind-the-scenes access is not offered and is not part of this day. -
Day 4
West to Chania
The direct run west along the north coast to Chania, then one compact walk through the old town rather than two port-town stops.
MorningThe coach west to Chania, with breaks; no sightseeing stop is built into the drive.AfternoonLunch, hotel check-in and rest.EveningOne local-history walk through the Venetian harbour and the old town, then dinner.- Route
- Heraklion west along the north coast to Chania, then the old town on foot.
- Travel
- Two and a half to three hours by coach, plus breaks and traffic.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel in Chania, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
- Physical demand
- Low effort; a long seated leg, then an evening walk on harbour cobbles.
- Learning outcome
- Students describe what changes between the island's two biggest towns, and what does not.
- Customization
- A group that would rather break the drive can take the Rethymno waterfront as a stop, at the cost of the evening walk.
-
Day 5
A working food system
A farm in the Apokoronas hills for a seasonal cooking workshop, built around what the host actually grows and the water and labour it takes.
MorningThe farm visit and the seasonal cooking workshop, on water, labour and what the holding really produces.AfternoonThe group eats what it prepared, then a protected rest block.EveningDinner, setting one ancient food object from day 2 against one production decision seen today.- Route
- Chania inland to the Apokoronas area and back.
- Travel
- About forty-five minutes by coach each way.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel in Chania, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner included; lunch is what the group cooked.
- Physical demand
- Moderate effort; standing to cook, and uneven ground on the holding.
- Learning outcome
- Students account for the water and the hours behind one dish they cooked, and say who carries both.
- Customization
- What the group harvests is set by the season and by the farm, and is confirmed in the final proposal rather than promised here.
The placementThe farm, the menu and the rotation for a group this size are confirmed in the final proposal before a school commits. -
Day 6
Plants, landscape and the coast
A guided session at the Botanical Park of Crete on what grows on the island and why, then the coast for the afternoon.
MorningPrebooked botanical interpretation at the Botanical Park and Gardens of Crete, separating a cultivated collection from a wild ecosystem.AfternoonLunch, then the coast; swimming is optional and depends on conditions and supervision.EveningFinal dinner, and each student revises one assumption they wrote down on day 1.- Route
- South-west of Chania to the botanical park, then back to the coast.
- Travel
- About forty-five minutes by coach each way.
- Overnight
- Program-approved hotel in Chania, shared rooms.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
- Physical demand
- Moderate effort; the park is a long descending path and the climb back out is the work of the morning.
- Learning outcome
- Students name three plants that are on the island because someone put them there, and say what that tells them about the place.
- Customization
- A student who cannot manage the descent stays on the upper terraces with a Program Leader.
SwimmingSwimming happens only at a supervised entry point, with the school's own swim consents collected before departure, and only if conditions allow. -
Day 7
Depart from Chania
Breakfast, the closing circle, and the transfer to Chania airport; nothing essential is scheduled on the departure day.
MorningBreakfast, packing and the closing circle.AfternoonTransfer to Chania (CHQ) for the confirmed departure.EveningTravel home.- Route
- The Chania hotel to Chania (CHQ).
- Travel
- Private transfer, about twenty minutes, then the international leg.
- Overnight
- No program night; the group travels home.
- Meals
- Breakfast included; what follows depends on the departure time.
- Physical demand
- Low effort, mostly seated.
- Learning outcome
- Students say what they thought a Greek island was on day 1, what they think now, and which day moved them.
What applies across every itinerary
- Groups and teachers
- Groups start at 10 students; smaller groups are considered individually. One teacher receives free Program Tuition per eight paying students.
- Rooming
- Students share gender-separated rooms with individual beds; teachers have private rooms. Teacher rooms are confirmed in your school's proposal.
- Excluded
- Program Tuition excludes flights to and from the program, travel insurance, medical insurance, and personal spending.
- Flights and documents
- Schools book international flights or ask Rustic Pathways to arrange them. Families handle passports and visas with Rustic Pathways guidance.
- Supervision
- Program Leaders operate the itinerary during scheduled activities and are housed on site and available overnight, and facilitate the evening reflections without grading or correcting them. Agreement is not required.
- Effort
- Low is limited walking, moderate is a full day on foot on city streets and museum floors, and high is a full day on uneven archaeological ground with climbs and steps.
- Getting around
- Rustic Pathways arranges every leg. No itinerary on this page flies inside the program.
How much should a school budget for a trip to Greece?
In 2026, Rustic Pathways school trips to Greece are priced from $2,440 to $3,795 per student, or approximately $407 to $437 per day, excluding international airfare.
Program Tuition covers accommodation, meals, in-country coach and ferry transport, guides, activities and entrance fees, with one complimentary teacher place per eight paying students. There is no published departure to book: each of these itineraries is quoted for your group.
$2,440 to $3,795
per student across the sample itineraries, excluding international airfare.
6 to 9 days
program length across the itineraries Rustic Pathways runs in Greece.
Group quote
every school receives its own, built on dates, group size and route.
| Included | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Travel | Accommodation for every program night, all meals and drinking water, airport transfers, in-country coach transport and the Aegina ferry, scheduled activities, guides, and entrance fees. |
| Staff and support | At least two trained Program Leaders, including both a male and a female leader, pre-departure planning, and school documentation. Enrolled families receive a 24/7 emergency number for use during programs and travel days. |
| Community donations | Required by a service project, paid by Rustic Pathways and never collected from students. |
| Chaperones | One complimentary Program Tuition place per eight paying students. Chaperone airfare and insurance are separate. |
Not included: International airfare, travel insurance, medical insurance, personal spending, passport or visa fees, and vaccinations.
| Effect | Factor |
|---|---|
| raises | Peak and holiday weeks in the spring and autumn shoulder seasons |
| raises | Upgraded lodging |
| raises | Extra chaperones beyond the complimentary place |
| raises | More hotel changes and longer drives, as on the nine-day route |
| lowers | More students in the group means fixed costs split more ways. |
| raises | A shorter trip costs more per day, because the same fixed costs are spread over fewer of them. |
Payment and cancellation
Installment plans are available. Schools pay as a group, or families pay monthly under the current enrollment terms.
What shapes a school trip to Greece?
Greece’s major sites are spread across the mainland and islands, so each itinerary balances travel time with the places your group wants to study.
The 6-day Athens route uses one hotel, with day trips to Aegina, Mycenae, Corinth, and the Corinth Canal. The 9-day mainland route travels farther to Meteora, Delphi, and Olympia, requiring four hotel changes.
The 7-day Crete route stays on the island, traveling from Heraklion to Chania. It pairs Knossos and Bronze Age history with marine life, farming, and ecology.
Nine days from Athens north to Meteora, then Delphi, Olympia and Nafplio, and back to Athens.Six days from one Athens hotel: a ferry day to Aegina and a coach loop through Corinth, Nafplio and Mycenae.Seven days on Crete: Heraklion for Knossos and the CretAquarium, then west to Chania.
What do students learn on a Greece school trip?
Students learn classical history, archaeology, art, religion, marine biology, and food systems through sites and field experiences in Athens, Delphi, Meteora, Aegina, Corinth, and Crete.
Classics and ancient history
Students explore the Acropolis, Acropolis Museum, and Ancient Agora in Athens, then study Apollo and the oracle at Delphi.
Why did a society built on public argument still turn to an oracle for answers?
Athens and Ancient History
Art, architecture and religion
Students compare Meteora’s Orthodox monasteries with the Temple of Aphaia on Aegina and the Doric ruins of Ancient Corinth.
What does a culture build on the hardest site it can find, and why there?
Athens and Ancient History
Echoes of Empire
Archaeology, marine biology and food systems
Students study Knossos and its artifacts, Mediterranean marine life at CretAquarium, and farming and plant ecosystems on Crete.
How does an island use the ground and water it has, and who carries the cost of that use?
Crete: Ancient Worlds and Island Life
What makes Rustic Pathways educational trips different?
A Rustic Pathways school trip is one private group on your school's own dates, one bed per student, and an itinerary built to your curriculum.
- 01No mixed groups. Just your school
- 02One student, one bed
- 03Your school picks the dates
- 04Monthly payment plans available
- 05No tipping; Rustic Pathways Program Tuition includes community donations
- 06Aligned to your curriculum
Who supervises and manages the trip to Greece?
School chaperones and Rustic Pathways Program Leaders supervise and manage the school trip to Greece together.
Rustic Pathways manages the itinerary, accommodation, ground transport, activities and emergency procedures; your school manages its own student conduct and communication policies.
Your school can book international flights directly or ask Rustic Pathways to arrange them. Families receive trip logistics and itinerary information through the MyRustic web app.
How is safety managed on a school trip to Greece?
Program Leaders manage local operations and safety procedures alongside school chaperones. Across 13 years of published incident data from every Rustic Pathways program worldwide, 87% of reports were GREEN, the minor tier where the group stays intact.
What the team plans for
Heat on open sites
All three itineraries are walking days on unshaded archaeological ground. Rustic Pathways' own record schedules activities and rest around the heat, and puts the Acropolis and Knossos in the morning.
Uneven ground and site climbs
Marble steps at the Acropolis, the rock-pillar stairs at Meteora, the Palamidi fortress and the citadel at Mycenae are all uneven underfoot and climbed on foot.
City movement and the ferry day
Group movement through central Athens and the Monastiraki market, and one ferry crossing to Aegina on the six-day route, booked and boarded by Rustic Pathways rather than by the group.
Controls built into every trip
Written risk plan. A score above 5 requires new controls, reassessment or cancellation.
Two-Deep Leadership. A single staff member is never alone with students, and at least two trained Program Leaders, including both a male and a female leader, support each School Group Travel trip.
Assessed activity vendors. Coach, ferry and site-guide operators are reviewed before use, every one to two years, and on site when high risk.
Medical readiness. WFR coverage for remote programs and a dedicated Medical Director who has led medical planning since 2015.
What is the best time for school travel to Greece?
March to May and September to November are the best times for mainland Greece, while Crete is best from April to May and September to October. These windows avoid the hottest summer conditions and colder winter periods.
| SPRING | SUMMER | AUTUMN | WINTER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens and Ancient History | |||
| Mar–May · Best | Hot and dry | Sep–Nov · Best | Colder at Meteora |
| Echoes of Empire | |||
| Mar–May · Best | Hot and dry | Sep–Nov · Best | Reduced ferry schedules |
| Crete: Ancient Worlds and Island Life | |||
| Apr–May · Best | Hot and dry | Sep–Oct · Best | Cooler, off-season |
Is Rustic Pathways the right partner for your school trip to Greece?
Yes, Rustic Pathways is the right partner for private, curriculum-focused school trips to Greece. Your school chooses the travel dates, and Rustic Pathways builds the itinerary around your curriculum.
Students travel only with their teachers and classmates and never join another school's group. Individual students can join open enrollment teen travel programs to Greece instead.
A strong fit
- You want one private group with your dates and your teachers.
- You can travel for 6 to 9 days.
- You have 10 or more students.
- You want to read all six, or all nine, days before you commit.
Talk with us first
- A student has significant mobility, medical, sensory, mental-health, dietary, or religious support needs.
- You have fewer than 10 students.
- You need to travel in high summer, when heat affects walking days and scheduling.
- You want the nine-day route, which includes four hotel changes and long drives between Meteora, Delphi, and Olympia.
Probably not a fit
- You want open-enrollment teen travel, a group shared with another school, or an island-hopping trip.
Support planning starts early
Raise individual needs before booking so Rustic Pathways can assess them and adapt the route and support plan where feasible.
Questions about school trips to Greece
Find answers to common questions about school trips to Greece, including pricing and the best time to travel.
How much does a school trip to Greece cost?
A school trip to Greece costs $2,440 to $3,795 per student for 6 to 9 days, excluding international airfare.
Pricing varies by season, trip length, and group size, with one complimentary program tuition place for every eight paying students.
When is the best time to travel to Greece?
The best time for a school trip to Greece is March to May or September to November; Crete has a narrower window of April to May or September to October.
These cooler months are better suited to itineraries with extensive walking and open archaeological sites.
Have a question before you ask for a proposal?
Matija Paunovski answers Greece school-trip questions with the school travel team.
Send your group size, dates, trip length, and what you want students to learn. I’ll reply within 1 business day and send you options within 48 hours, and no sales call unless you ask for one.
Start with your travel window
Start your Greece trip proposal with your travel dates, group size, and learning goals. Receive a reply within 1 business day and customized trip options within 48 hours.
Or reach a person directly: +1 440-975-9691 or groups@rusticpathways.com
Need approval or funding first?
Certificate of insurance, risk management plans, and fundraising templates for families, on request.
Destinations related to Greece
Browse all school trip destinations- Rustic Pathways has operated student travel since 1983. Recent industry recognition:
- 2026 GoAbroad Innovation AwardsInnovation in Adventure-Based Programming · Global Adventure Learning Model
- 2025 International Travel AwardsBest Group Tour Operator
- 2024 Skift IDEA AwardsIndustry Innovators – Tour Operators
- 4x WYSETC Best Youth Tour Operator2015, 2017, 2018, 2019
- BBB A+ RatingBetter Business Bureau profile
- NESA Affiliate OrganizationNear East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools
- 2025 World Travel AwardsUnited States’ Leading Tour Operator