Your performance tour of Greece starts with an overnight flight from North America to Athens. Refer to your MCI tour handbook for tips on making the journey smooth and comfortable.
DAY 2 | Saturday, February 15
WELCOME TO GREECE!
Your Music Contact International tour manager will be waiting to greet you in the arrivals area.
Together, board your private motor coach and let your journey through history begin. Travel back in time through a city with a history of more than 5,000 years. Walk along the streets where Pericles, Plato and the Apostle Paul laid the foundations for Western Civilization and enjoy the perfect blend of ancient worlds and modern times in vibrant Athens, capital of Greece.
Begin exploring highlights of Athens on a locally guided tour from the comfort of your coach and stop for photos and selfies. See landmarks including the Parliament House, the Academy, the University of Athens, the National Library, the Panathenaic Stadium, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch.
Celebrate the kickoff of your performance tour of Greece with a welcome dinner of Greek fare at your hotel.
Later, settle in for a good night's rest at the hotel.
DAY 3 | Sunday, February 16
SIGHTSEEING & SINGING IN ATHENS | WORSHIP SERVICE*
Each day of your tour begins with a delicious breakfast in your hotel. After breakfast, head to a church in the Athens area, where your choir will join a local congregation and sing the music for this morning's worship service.
Enjoy time for lunch with your chaperones before joining your guide for more sightseeing.
Visit the famous marble-capped Acropolis, the sacred rock of Athens which was the citadel and sanctuary of the city in antiquity. Venture to the Parthenon and the Erechteion temples, perfect spots to gather to take impressive group photos. Evening activity
This evening, get a taste for authentic Greek life and food at the Zafiro Experience. Join this lively celebration of Greek culture asprofessional dancers in traditional costumes perform energetic ethnic dances and even smash plates before you dine on delicious Greek food. Feast onbreads, meats, cheeses, salads and sweets from a country known for exceptionally delicious food influenced by Middle Eastern, Italian and Balkan cultures!
DAY 4 | Monday, February 17
SIGHTSEEING & SINGING | FRIENDSHIP CONCERT*
After breakfast at the hotel, depart for a local high school where you will perform a friendship concert with the students. Take time to make friends and learn the local culture with the students.
In the afternoon, enjoy time for lunch and shopping with your chaperones in lively Plaka surrounding the Acropolis. Plaka is a historic neighborhood located in the heart of Athens, Greece. It is one of the most iconic and well-preserved areas of the city, known for its charming streets, neoclassical architecture, and vibrant atmosphere.
Tonight, you will perform a concert at a local church in Athens. Afterwards, enjoy dinner in small chaperoned groups.
DAY 5 | Tuesday, February 18
CRUISE THE ISLANDS
Get an early morning start for a full day cruise to the beautiful islands off the coast of Athens. First stop is Hydra, a fashionable artists' colony, retreat and film location. Next, sail onto Poros marked by delightful scenery with pine-wooded hills where the first naval arsenal of independent Greece was established. The last port of call is Aegina, an attractive resort destination with options for guided excursions to the Temple of Aphaia one of the finest and best preserved Greek temples or to a beautiful hilltop Monastery.
A buffet lunch is served on the ship, and afterwards, The Lassiter High School Choir will be invited to perform* for other guests on board!
After the concert, enjoy dinner served to the choir at a local restaurant.
DAY 6 | Wednesday, February 19
SIGHTSEEING & SINGING IN DELPHI
Enjoy breakfast in the hotel dining room this morning. Afterwards, gather your things and check out of the hotel. Board your waiting motor coach to transfer to Delphi.Resting on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, Delphi boasts an amazing natural landscape that highlights the historical significance of this ancient town. Blending harmoniously with the superb landscape and charged with sacred meaning, Delphi was once the religious center and symbol of unity of the ancient Greek world.
Upon arrival in Delphi, enjoy lunch on your own in town.
In the afternoon, visit the Sanctuary of Apollo, the Athenian Treasury, and the Archaeological Museum of Delphi with a local guide, three exquisite landmarks that have been preserved to honor Delphi’s rich history.
Continue to your hotel and check in.
This evening, enjoy dinner together with your choir at the hotel restaurant.
DAY 7 | Thursday, February 20
SIGHTSEEING IN ITEA | COOKING CLASS*
After breakfast, board the bus bound for cooking school where you will learn how to make a few local delicacies while preparing your own homemade lunch.
After lunch, head to the nearby coastal town of Itea. Itea is situated on the northern shores of the Gulf of Corinth and is known for its scenic beauty, with the Parnassus mountain range serving as a picturesque backdrop. In small groups, explore the lovely waterfront promenade, cafes, and restaurants while taking in the views of the Gulf of Corinth.
Tonight, a farewell dinner will be arranged offering you another opportunity to savor the local flavors and recount the many highlights of your tour!
DAY 8 | Friday, February 21
FLY HOME
Your performance tour of Greece ends with a flight from Athens back to North America. Heartfelt goodbyes are exchanged at the airport, and your group is sent off with a fond, "Thank you for connecting our world through your music. Until we meet again!"
*All performance opportunities and venues proposed in this itinerary are pending final confirmation and availability at time of booking. Your group's final program will be determined by confirmed times and locations for concerts, workshops, entrances and other activities. Although your ensemble's exact itinerary will vary to accommodate performance schedules, the same type of singing experiences, activities and caliber of venue will be included in your final concert tour program.
Your Tour INCLUDES:
FLIGHTS - professionally managed with group airfare
Round trip flights from Atlanta to Athens
Our flight team handles custom flight requests and upgrades.
ACCOMMODATIONS - thoughtfully selected to match group needs
6 nights in a 4* hotel as follows:
4 nights in Athens
2 nights in Delphi
MEALS - varied, flavorful, and highlighting local cuisine
Breakfast daily at your hotel
5 dinners including:
Welcome dinner at hotel in Athens
Zafiro experience in Athens including buffet dinner
Dinner in Athens at local restaurant
Dinner at hotel in Delphi
Farewell dinner at a local restaurant
2 lunches including:
Greek Island Cruise
Cooking Class
Additional meals can be arranged upon request.
PERFORMANCES, WORKSHOPS, and EXCHANGES that are customized, unique, and inspiring
Music is the heart of this tour and the suggestions made here reflect the type of performances, venues, musical exchanges, and experiences we will arrange for your ensemble. Impromptu singing on tour is encouraged!
5 performance & singing opportunities*:
Sing at a Sunday worship service in a church in or around Athens
Friendship concert in or around Athens at a local school
Perform a concert at a church in Athens
Sing informally on boat cruise to Hydra, Poros & Aegina
*These arrangements are pending confirmation. Confirming concerts is a process, which requires registration of your ensemble for this tour along with your current biography, sound samples, photos, and repertoire. In some cases, additional separate applications must also be submitted. Organizers, venues, and hosts need to then approve each proposed concert. Music Contact International manages this process and is excited to share updates as performances confirm.
ACTIVITIES + TOURS + ENTRANCES - handpicked for your travelers
Experience fabulous sightseeing with our entertaining and informative guides:
Guided visit to the Acropolis, Parthenon & Erechteion
Full day boat cruise to Hydra, Poros and Aegina
Guided visit to Sanctuary of Apollo, Athenian Treasury and the Archaeological Museum of Delphi
Visit to resort village of Itea
Half day cooking class with lunch
TOUR MANAGER to handle on-the-road logistics
A full-time tour manager to accompany your group every step of the way from arrival through departure. Our beloved tour managers assist with:
Greeting and gathering the group upon arrival
Expediting hotel check-ins and check-outs
Liaising with reception desks, coach drivers, and guides
Facilitating concerts and rehearsals
Directing on-site entrances and activities, handling tickets and vouchers
Keeping each day well-paced
Sharing cultural content and interpreting local customs
Sending everyone home with fond memories & hopes to travel together again soon!
TRANSPORTATION in a private, modern, climate-controlled motor coach with a professional driver - MAXIMUM 42 seats PER COACH
For all services specified in your itinerary.
INSURANCE that covers our commitment to you
Music Contact International, Inc. holds $5,000,000.00 of Travel Agent and Tour Operator Professional Liability Insurance.
GRATUITIES:
Tips for all tour managers, local guides, coach drivers are included in the package prices
TOUR ENHANCEMENT MATERIALS to help plan, promote, and prepare for your tour
A custom Traveler’s Resource Site (TRS): We build this site specifically for your tour as a resource for travelers to engage in from the start. The TRS is where travelers view the itinerary and watch it develop. There are maps, pictures, packing lists, recommendations for destination-based books and movies, collections of FAQs, and helpful travel links. We’ll build your site when your group is registered for this tour!
A customized Tour Handbook with hourly itinerary, packing tips and lists, practical “Things to Know”, destination background, and other fun content. This printed booklet is provided for each traveler about a month before departure.
A luggage tag, passport/document holder, and outlet adapter for each traveler is also included.
MUSIC CONTACT INTERNATIONAL SERVICES go beyond logistics
A unique opportunity to make lifelong friends through music and pilgrimage! When we bring groups together, friendships develop that frequently extend to years of heartfelt reunions on tours we plan around the world.
You are in good hands! We’ve got 30+ years’ experience arranging custom cultural and special interest tours, performance tours and festivals for choirs, bands, and orchestras.
Our MCI team is the best in the business! We are musicians, teachers, event planners, parents, performers, volunteers, travelers, linguists, athletes, and more, from many countries, sharing our expertise at producing great tour experiences.
We are right there with you! Often, a person who works on your tour, escorts it. This means your tour manager’s expectations for a great program and activities are as high as yours!
Details are our specialty! Group leaders appreciate our well-organized, user-friendly systems and tools for handling group logistics, payments, and diverse traveler needs.
You’ll love our flexibility! Do some of your travelers need individual flights? Adjoining rooms? Gluten-free meals? We are always glad to help.
No matter where you live, consider us local! We will travel to meet your group, present the tour, and help you promote and plan for it. We also Zoom, Skype, and video chat.
CONVENIENT ONLINE PAYMENT SYSTEM -tour accounting has never been easier!
MCI has a secure, password-protected, online payment site where tour members register and pay for their tour in increments. Reminders and statements are sent electronically.
Your designated leader is emailed a weekly report on group finances and has access to a portal to view payments at any time. We have a system for handling scholarships and monies from fundraisers as well. If for any reason you prefer to collect payments from your travelers and send us a group payment, that’s fine too!
TOUR PACKAGE PRICESyou can rely on
ESTIMATED PRICE FOR LAND PACKAGE:
$2,826.00 per person in double occupancy, based on a minimum of 30 paying travelers
$2,666.00 per person in double occupancy, based on a minimum of 35 paying travelers
ESTIMATED PRICE FOR AIR PACKAGE:
$1,400.00 airfare per person
ESTIMATED PRICES FOR LAND AND AIR PACKAGE:
$4,221.00 per person in double occupancy, based on a minimum of 30 paying travelers
$4,061.00 per person in double occupancy, based on a minimum of 35 paying travelers
OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL SERVICES:
$421.00 per person supplement for single occupancy
Your tour includes everything above. Here’s what’s not included:
Passport, official ID, visa or other required travel documents | Immunizations |Fees for extra, oversize or overweight baggage | Luggage handling at airports and hotels | Musical instruments including rental of piano and keyboard | Transportation of oversized instruments | Rehearsal/meeting room | Meals, entrance fees, and coach transfers not mentioned above | Drinks with meals unless specified | Gratuities for hotel staff | Travel insurance
Please let us know if you would like any of these items added to your tour.
TRAVEL PROTECTION is recommended!
Music Contact International recommends purchasing a travel protection plan through Travel Insured. This link is also available online via your Traveler's Resource Site. Please review coverage options very carefully and contact Travel Insured Inc. directly with any insurance-related questions.
Traveler's Resource Site
Visit your Traveler's Resource site for your itinerary, travel tips, destination info and more!
Link to payment site where you can register & make monthly payments
Contact our helpdesk with any issues with the payment system or your account
