Christmas / New Year’s Eve / Epiphany in London

4, 5, 6, 7 Days – Departures:

21, 22, 23, 24 December 2019 (6 days)
21 December 2019 (7 days)
23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 December 2019 (5 days)
01, 02 January 2020 (5 days)
03 January 2020 (4 days)

CITY TOUR – BRITISH MUSEUM – WINDSOR TOUR GUIDED CRUISE ON RIVER THAMES UP TO GREENWICH

LONDON

Live the magic Spirit of Christmas in London! The city comes alive with celebrating festive decorations on all streets and shops, impressively decorated shop windows (Harrods & Selfridges showcases are themselves a sight!), golden lights everywhere! Have fun with your kids on the skating rinks set up in front of the London Eye (the largest Ferris wheel in the world), Hyde Park or the National Natural History Museum, with a backdrop of enormous charming Christmas trees, colorful carousel, festive sweets smells, taste from hot chocolate and delicacies for young and old! In particular, Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park that opens from November 21 to January 05, 2020, open daily (except 25/12) from 10 am to 10 pm. It will travel you to a fairy tale world: climb to the enormous wheel and enjoy the view from above, ice skate on the ice skating rink, watch the circus or visit the Magic Kingdom made of snow and ice! Admission is free of charge. The Museums of Natural History and Science, which are next to each other, are ideal for spending exciting moments with your little ones! In the evening, indulge in the joyful atmosphere of show and musicals! Do not forget that a trip to London is worth just watching a musical! Like Billy Elliot, Jersey Boys, Thriller, the all time Phantom of the Opera, Lion King, Les Miserables, Mamma Mia! etc. Pantomimes and Christmas family shows are scheduled specifically for this period. You can taste the multiculturalism of the city in the restaurants, from exotic to the usual Italian, at the theaters, exhibitions, museums and everyday life of its inhabitants from all over the world. West End of London is full of life day and night, in a fun fair of joy and experience. Watch some of the spectacular shows, have fun & dance at one of the well-known clubs. Discover the exciting spectacles of the Piccadilly Circus, the Tower treasures (London Tower), the British Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum. Visit the unique boutiques of Chelsea and Knightsbridge as well as Harrods, the world’s most famous store. Relax and enjoy the tranquility of a beautiful park. On our trips we will enjoy a cruise on the River Thames along with our tour guide (included is the full-day hop – hop off ticket for the whole day!). We will pass under the historical bridges of Thames and we will admire many attractions of the city from another point of view. We will see Westminster, London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tate Modern, Waterloo Bridge, Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Blackfriars Bridge, Canary Wharf, also we will see the beautiful new residential area of Docklands and even Greenwich where we will have a guided tour. In the picturesque Greenwich we will see the National Maritime Museum showing the history of British shipping which is the largest in the world. Up in the Royal Park, is the Royal Observatory where the world time was set.

SCHEDULE

1st Day

ATHENS – LONDON – PANORAMIC CITY TOUR & VISIT TO THE BRITISH MUSEUM – (OPTIONAL EVENING TOUR OF THE CITY)

Meeting at the airport and flight to London. A metropolis full of life constantly changing, combining the past with the present. Samuel Johnson had said «If you're tired of London, you're tired of life». On your arrival, our representative will be waiting for you and on the way we will begin our acquaintance with cosmopolitan London. We will begin from the prestigious Kensington neighborhood, with its homonymous gardens, the Palace (Kensington Gardens & Kensington Palace), we will continue to Knightsbridge with its luxurious market and aristocratic architecture (Harrods is there with its impressive showcases), we will cross the most crowded and perhaps the most beautiful park in Europe, Hyde Park. Next are the impressive Marble Arch, the noble Mayfair, Trafalgar Square with the imposing Nelson's Column, from which we will pass and we will be in the Buckingham Palace. Continuing we will see the Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square, with the emblem of the city, the impressive Big Ben, the London Eye, the impressive Ferris wheel with a height of 135 meters. The acquaintance with the impressive city will end with the visit of the Greek sculptures of Parthenon at the British Museum. Next, we transfer to the hotel and arrange. In the evening you can optionally (individual expenses) follow the city's night tour for a different, festive, lighted view of the city. London is perhaps the only European metropolis with so different architectural districts. We will enjoy Mayfair, Chelsea with the famous Kings Road, Westminster with the Georgian neighborhoods of the 18th century, the lighted Thames bridges, Soho, Covent Garden, Leicester Square, London Eye, Big Ben, The Shard, Tower Bridge, London Bridge. In most sights we will stop for photos. Time free for a short meal or drink (individual costs).

2nd Day

LONDON – (OPTIONAL EXCURSION IN OXFORD – STRATFORD – BICESTER OUTLET VILLAGE)

Breakfast in the hotel. Day at your disposal. Today you can optionally visit Oxford, a well-known university campus, with medieval buildings, the foundation of Anglo-Saxon education. We will see many colleges like Balliol, the cradle of many famous scientists and politicians, to the well-known Christ Church College from the Harry Potter films. Free time to stroll in the picturesque streets of the beautiful city. Next, after crossing the villages of the Cotswolds, a more typical example of the English province, we will reach the beautiful and picturesque Stratford, built on the banks of Avon, the city that theatrical-philosopher Shakespeare was born. It is worth a walk in the small narrow alleys, with characteristic houses or a boating on the river. We will see Shakespeare's birthplace and the Royal Theater. Note: The Bicester Outlet Village will be closed 25/12, so no visit will take place. More free time will be given in Oxford.

3rd Day

LONDON – GIFT ALL-DAY GUIDED CRUISE ON RIVER THAMES AND GREENWICH (INCLUDED ARE CRUISE TICKET & GREAK-SPEAKING TOUR GUIDE)

Breakfast in our hotel. In the morning we will take a coach with our guide and transfer to Westminster Pier to board the boat and enjoy an all-day cruise tour along the River Thames up to Greenwich! Your ticket is valid for the whole day (24 hrs hop on - hop off). With our guide’s escort we will combine the cruise with a visit to many London sights as the boat stops in central parts of the city. We will see Westminster, London Eye, St Paul's Cathedral, Tate Modern, Waterloo Bridge, Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Blackfriars Bridge, Canary Wharf, also see the beautiful new residential area of Docklands and even Greenwich where we will have a guided tour. In the picturesque Greenwich we will see the National Maritime Museum showing the history of British shipping and is the largest in the world. Up in the Royal park, the Royal Observatory is hosted where the world time was set. Magnificent buildings, full of life markets and a distinctive nautical atmosphere. Returning, always with the company of our Greek-speaking tour guide, we will go down to London Bridge, London's oldest and also most beautiful bridge in London, so that we visit Borough Market, the colorful and alternative London’s market where the heart of the city beats. Our tour ends at Westminster Pier in the afternoon from where you are free to continue with your own schedule. Today's excursion includes your morning transfer from your hotel to the Westminster Pier by coach, our Greek-speaking tour guide up until the afternoon and the hop-on hop-off of the Cruise to the River Thames for unlimited time! Not included is the return transfer to the hotel as well as any tickets for sightseeing or museums. In the evening, dine in a restaurant: English cuisine is not famous for its delicacy, that’s why in London you will find thousands of Italian, French, Spanish, Chinese, Indian and of course, Greek restaurants.

4th Day

LONDON – FREE DAY FOR SHOPPING, VISIT MUSEUMS, WALK IN THE PARKS

Breakfast at your hotel. Free day. The problem is not what to do today, but what to do first! Take a stroll to feel the city's oasis in one of London's many lush green parks: Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Regents Park with its Zoo and Park or St James Park. Perhaps there is no other city with so many museums and so many important art galleries. From the new Millennium Bridge find yourself at the Tate Modern art gallery (free entrance), featuring works by Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol and other modern artists. Admire works from Renoir to Raphael in the National Gallery, visit the Natural History Museum (free entrance), the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Madame Tussauds Museum, the Science Museum with free entrance, and more. You can also spend your day for shopping! London has most international designer stores from Paris. From Marble Arch to the west, to High Holborn to the east, Oxford Street stretches over 2,5 kilometers with over 300 stores, forming perhaps the busiest shopping street in the world. London's major department stores such as Selfridges, Harrods, Harvey Nichols and the world-famous Marks & Spencer will offer you everything at a reasonable price. The stylish Bond Street of the Mayfair mansion features famous designer shops (Prada, Chanel, Dior, Jimmy Choo), as well as art galleries (Sotheby's well-known auction houses are also found there). At Regent Street you will find the well-known Hamleys toy store, the Liberty department stores, etc. At Jermyn Street you'll find men's clothing. For a more trendy ambience, you can go to Carnaby Street, the trend of new fashion and design talents. At Notting Hill you will find unusual and vintage clothes, rare antiques, in a multicultural atmosphere. Knightsbridge is the legendary Harrods that is a sight of itself, it can welcome 300.000 customers a day! In central London, most shops open at 10:00 and close at 19:00 on weekdays and slightly earlier on Saturdays, while on Sundays open’s up later. In the evening go to West End and enjoy one of the dozens of impressive musicals! Don’t forget that a trip to London is worth just by watching a musical! Like «Billy Elliot», «Wicked», «Jersey Boys», the «Phantom of the Opera», «Lion King», «Les Miserables», «Mamma Mia», «Thriller», etc. Pantomimes and family Christmas shows are specifically scheduled for this period. Prices range from 30-85 english pounds, depending on the seats. Do not forget that there are last minute opportunities in Leicester Square.

5th Day

LONDON – CHRISTMAS BUYS – FREE DAY FOR SHOPPING, VISIT MUSEUMS, WALK IN THE PARKS

Breakfast at your hotel. Day free for shopping or individual visits to museums, art galleries, etc. You can take a stroll to one of London's many lush parks. You can also visit Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park (open daily from 21/11 - 05/01 except 25/12 from 10 am to 10 pm) which will travel you to a fairy tale world: get on the enormous Ferris wheel and enjoy the view from above, ice skate on the ice skating rink, visit the Magic Kingdom made of snow and ice, enjoying a hot chocolate or taste the Christmas sweets!

6th Day

LONDON – VISIT TO THE PICTURESQUE VILLAGE & WINDSOR CASTLE – ATHENS

Breakfast in the hotel. Today we will be taken just outside of London, in Windsor to get to know the permanent residence, the last 900 years, of the Royal Family. Built in the beautiful village on the banks of River Thames, it retains unchanged the 18th century architecture, while the imposing Castle dominates the area. We will visit the official apartments and the Queen's Doll house, St George's Chapel. Free time for a walk in the picturesque streets of the city. Then transfer to the airport and flight to Athens. Arrival in Athens and end of our great travel to the charming world-class city of London!