If you enjoy an active walk alongside your knitting and relaxation with a side order of myth and history (ancient and modern), this is the trip for you. And after all that walking (for the Greek landscape is hilly!), what better way to relax aching legs than with a dip in the sea? With TréLiz’s Lise Condis on board, there will be enough downtime to knit the KAL project she has designed for us. And the good news is that at the tail end of the summer season, we'll have plentiful opportunities to sit and knit our portable projects in historic locations at a slightly cooler temperature. There are very few people who can say that they’ve sat and knitted in a 4th century BCE Greek theater! 

We will visit some of the most iconic ancient Greek archaeological sites, covering a palace, temples, and theaters: all places where myth collides with history. As we travel from Kefalonia to Corinth, we’ll follow the progress of Greek civilization from the Mycenaean city-state to the fall of Greece to the Romans in 146 BCE. We’ll be stopping at some of the greatest hits of the Greek  Corinth Canal, the grandeur of the theatre at Epidavros, or the iconic situation of the temple of Aphaia on Aigina; these are the sites that have come to represent Greece in the public imagination. Traveling in the old ways, by boat and on foot, we can truly appreciate the landscape, as well as the lives of those who have gone before us.

If you are interested in booking both this and the Clever Women: From Penelope to Cleopatra tour consecutively, please contact us at info@rowantreetravel.com to discuss a discounted combined rate.

This trip needs at least 12 participants in order to proceed (i.e. the trip is "guaranteed"). We strongly advise you to wait to purchase your flights until the trip is guaranteed by us to go forward. Unless otherwise stated, our regular Terms and Conditions apply to this trip and for any cancellations.

Please Note

Rowan Tree Travel reserves the right to alter any part of this itinerary in order to address weather conditions, unforeseen circumstances or to improve the participant experience.

Accommodation on the Aegeotissa Ii requires going up and down ship ladders (very steep stairs), walking across a gangplank to get on and off the boat, and being able to keep your balance while we are underway. 

As with many of our tour accommodations at Rowan Tree Travel & Fibercraft, the Aegeotissa II is family-owned and operated. This is a 100 foot motorsailer. This is NOT a cruise ship (you will feel the movement of the boat), a fancy yacht, or a sailing ship. The cabins are small, with portholes, not windows, and they are not cleaned every day. The real luxury of the Aegeotissa II is not in the accommodation but in the experience  – having the boat to ourselves with lots of spots to either gather together or find some privacy, jumping off of it into the turquoise waters of secluded coves, becoming part of the crew’s family, and eating the amazing family-style Greek food that comes out of the galley!

Rowan Tree Travel does not take responsibility for injuries caused by personal mobility issues. 

If you are unsure of whether you will be able to get around on the boat, please contact us at info@rowantreetravel.com.

While our Tour Activity Level describes what to expect on a tour, our Mobility Comfort Level is personal to each traveler.

We would describe this trip as a Retreat with a mobility comfort level of 4️⃣+.

Special notes about our walks:

We will be walking on uneven, rocky surfaces and visiting terraced archaeological sites without paved walkways. You might want to bring walking poles to assist you on rough, dusty ground. We will be walking up and down hills, so you will definitely need sturdy shoes with ankle support. We will aim to explore in the mornings or late afternoons to avoid the midday sun, which can still be strong at the end of the Greek summer, so you will definitely need to bring a water bottle and protective hat. Walks will sometimes involve moderate ascents where you might expect to get out of breath. However, we will only have one guided hike of over a few hours (with a picnic break!); the rambling aspect of this tour is more to ensure that you can get the most out of exploring hilly fortress towns and archaeological sites. 

Rowan Tree Travel highly recommends purchasing travel insurance. You may purchase through our preferred partner Arch RoamRight here or through your own provider.  

*Arch RoamRight is an affiliate of RTTF and we will receive a small commission for policies bought through the provided link.

In order to gather easily for the tour, we provide an arrival and departure "window" at a major transportation hub - typically an international airport at your destination country. Flights scheduled outside the provided windows may result in additional transportation costs and/or missed tour activities. For this reason, we greatly appreciate your cooperation in booking travel that accommodates our specifications. 

This tour will start on Kefalonia and end in Athens. Flight details will be provided upon registration and confirmed once the tour has been declared a go.

Please do not purchase your airfare until the tour is guaranteed by RTTF to go forward.

Welcome to Kefalonia!

This is a flexible afternoon in Argostoli while we wait for everyone to arrive. We might head round to the sinkholes and the lighthouse depending on everyone's mood and energy. We will have a get-to-know-you dinner in Argostoli before heading back to the boat for our first night on board.

The following day will be action-packed as we explore the island. Our day might include a visit to the monastery of Agios Gerasimos (patron saint of Kefalonia) and the Orealis winery. We’ll head back to the boat for dinner.

"Pray that the road is long, full of excitement..." (C.P. Cavafy)

In this Odyssey year of all years, Ithaki (or Ithaca in its Anglicised form) needs no introduction! Fortunately, the legendary island home of Odysseus has much to offer you even if you’re not a hungry suitor. Rest assured, we will have plenty of time to knit on this sleepy island. We’ll visit the so-called Palace of Odysseus with a local guide in the morning before we head back to enjoy a quiet evening on the boat.

"I dream’d that Greece might still be free..." (George Gordon Byron, Lord Byron)

Messolonghi is etched in the minds of Romantic (capital R!) literature fans as the place where Lord Byron met his end. Byron was heavily involved in the 1820s struggle for Greek independence. 2021 (the 200th anniversary of the start of the Greek War of Independence) saw a new archaeological museum open in Messolonghi, one which we will explore before heading back on board for a knitting workshop with Lise Condis.

Venetian charm

Nafpaktos’ position at the mouth of the Gulf of Corinth has made it strategically important for centuries. The castle is "one of the finest examples of Venetian and Ottoman military architecture in northern Greece" (Blue Guide), so how can we say no? After a morning exploring, we’ll head back on board to start our journey towards Delphi.

Know thyself ...

Delphi is without a doubt one of the most impressive sites in the ancient world—the home of the Delphic Oracle, the priestess of Apollo known as the Pythia. We’ll leave from the port of Galaxidi and make our way to the top of the sanctuary. We will stop in the museum to see the finds from the site. Delphi has it all: a theatre, a stadium, impressive columns. The plain below the mountains is filled with olive trees which ripple in the breeze. It’s easy to believe that this place holds a primitive magic. After an early start, we will break for lunch in the modern town of Delphi (the town was relocated to enable the excavation of the site) before heading back to the boat to cool off.

Today is an exciting travel day as we pass through the 4-mile-long Corinth Canal. Work on the Corinth Canal was started by the Roman Emperor Nero, although it was gunpowder that ultimately succeeded where Nero’s slaves had failed. When it opened in 1882, the canal cut the journey time around the Peloponnese and avoided the notoriously treacherous passage around Cape Matapan, which was dangerous to sailors both nowadays and in antiquity (supposedly this was where Odysseus was first blown off course).

Theatre and healing

Another UNESCO World Heritage Site day, as Epidavros is home to the iconic Greek theatre. Ancient Epidaurus was the site of the sanctuary of the healing god Asclepius. These days, it’s not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but also every summer it plays host to the annual dramatic festival. Without a doubt, it's one of the most spectacular sites in Greece. We’ll visit the whole sanctuary, taking in the ancient theatre (the energetic might want to head to the top row to check the fabled acoustics) and the small museum to help us make sense of the site before heading back to the boat.

Agistri is a tiny island close to Athens in the Saronic Gulf, whose name means ‘fish hook’ in Greek. With its pine cover and distinctive red rocks, Agistri makes the perfect backdrop for our lazy day today. We’ll have plenty of knitting time and swim stops, making the most of the boat to access difficult-to-reach beaches.

Pistachios and a Temple

Aigina is one of the hotspots for Athenian weekenders, but it feels a world away from the city bustle. Aigina is home to one of the impressive ancient sanctuary settings in Greece, at the heart of which is the Doric temple of Aphaia. Although the temple’s decorative sculptures have long since been removed to Munich’s Glyptothek, the temple’s unique hilltop situation remains breathtaking. Antiquities aside, Aigina is also renowned for its pistachios (fistikia in Greek), so we’ll be sure to sample some of these before we leave!

The good thing about the temple’s impressive hilltop position is that after we’ve visited the temple and attached museum, the walk back to the boat is downhill!

Back to the Big Olive

We say goodbye to the Aegeotissa II in Piraeus harbor and head up to the city center, where we’ll stay the night at the Hotel Plaka in downtown Athens. Depending on group energy, we might walk a loop around Monastiraki, Plaka, and the Acropolis before farewell drinks on our final night together. 

Homeward bound

Hotel check-out is by 11 am, so get ready to head home at your leisure, your suitcase full of mementoes and your head full of memories.

Born in Switzerland and raised in Greece, Lise was influenced from an early age by different cultures, ideas and mentalities. Growing up, she would battle between Science and Arts and destiny made her an Optometrist when she decided not to pursue an artistic career after passing the entry examinations of the Beaux Arts.

When she began to knit and crochet, she discovered a new fiber-y world and later, after a head injury, learned that she could dye and spin her own yarn. It was an epiphany: Science and Color made peace in her mind and TréLiz was born. Lise is interested in creating unique colorways in a limited quantity, and specializes in luxurious hand dyed yarns and fibers.

Semele's background is in Classics and Modern Greek. She has lived and worked in both Greece and Italy, and has traveled extensively in both countries (exploring the knitting opportunities as she goes!). Her love of warm weather means that she is usually trying to knit a shawl or jumper to replicate the Mediterranean summer in the Welsh countryside, where she is currently based. When not knitting, she is probably reading, swimming, or attempting to track down the perfect coffee and cake. 

She has both a professional interest in and a passion for textile history and women's writing – and to this end regularly writes for travel, well-being, and crafting magazines, including The Knitter, Countryfile, Italia!, and Breathe. She is currently writing a novel. 

⛵"Carefully curated experiences that fit the ebb and flow of life of life in the Ionian Sea! So relaxing and fun, and the food was amazing. If you are thinking of international travel, Rowan Tree Travel provides a safe, wonderful and thoughtful experience!" -Jennifer J

⛵"This has been my first tour, but it will not be the last. This was perfect balance structured touring and free time with a group of people that share my passion for all things fiber." -Gale M

⛵ "It was a magical trip, the boat, setting and crew were amazing. I feel rejuvenated and rested, ready to conquer the world!! The ability to put together a group of like minded individuals, balanced by culture, knitting and adventure was incredible! I didn't want it to end!" -Sara L