Greece has 6,000 islands in total, scattered in the Aegean and Ionian Seas, of which only 227 are inhabited. The total number of islands varies from source to source because of the changing definition of what is an island. Nevertheless, Greece is synonymous with islands. There are certainly enough for anyone to spend a lifetime exploring them all. And this is what many of our travellers do!

From the Mamma Mia! movie set on the Skopelos island to picture perfect Santorini, the Zeus’ home on Crete, exciting archeological sites on Delos, tiny islands of Ios, Meganisi and Alonissos, Evia with its hiking paradise, Skyros with its Ancient history to name a few, it is no surprise that Greek Island Hopping is fueling people’s wanderlust.

Greek Island dining is another delicious lure of Island Hopping. In Greece, they often say good fish has the head on the plate and the tail in the sea meaning that food is made from super fresh ingredients. Anywhere you go you’re bound to indulge in freshly cooked healthy and delicious food. One of the most popular appetizers is the octopus or seafood pasta dish. Travellers and locals here also enjoy a meaty pasta dish in tomato sauce, as well as slow-cooked lamb and pork belly.

Under the wide open blue skies, and surrounded by an endless coastline, each day here melts into the next. It is because of this incredible ambience that Greece is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and one of the most well- known.

There are so many more treasures across thousands of Greek Islands – reach out if you’d like to discover more about Greece or want help planning your holidays.

Our Wonders of Greece tour takes our travellers though Athens, Epidaurus, Nafplion, Mycenae, Olympia, Delphi, Kalambaka, Meteora, Piraeus, Mykonos and Santorini – some of the most beautiful and interesting cities of this Ancient world.

The adventure starts in Athens with its magnificent Acropolis visible from almost every part of the temple city. Epidaurus makes one of the best day trips from Athens. Famed for its perfect proportions and acoustics, the ancient theatre is set in a serene wooded landscape.

Nafplio is of course one of Greece’s prettiest and most romantic towns, often known as charming Venetian heritage. Mycenae is a fortress city atop a hill which was the hub of a mighty civilisation that dominated the Greek a thousand years before Athens’ Golden Age – it’s a fascinating city to explore.

In the Western Peloponnese, in the Valley of Gods lies the most celebrated sanctuary of ancient Greece, and the birthplace of the most important athletic mega-event of all times – the Olympic Games. Olympia is one of the most well known tourist destinations in Greece, and one of the most powerful brand names worldwide.

Perched high on the southern slopes of Mt. Parnassos, and overlooking the gleaming waters of the Gulf of Corinth, Delphi is without doubt the most spectacular of Greece’s ancient sites. Kalambaka, the town that guards the approach to the Meteora, was burned to the ground by the Nazis in WWII, and is now almost entirely consists of recent construction.

Piraeus is the entryway to Greece for so many travellers who cruise into Athens, and is the biggest port in the Mediterranean (more than 20 million passengers pass through annually), the hub of the Aegean ferry network, the centre of Greece’s maritime trade and the base for its large merchant navy. And we conclude our trip in stunning Mykonos and Santorini with some of the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises in Europe.

Embark on a stunning voyage on one of the ships from 29 to 35m in length with cabins 8 to 14m2 in size, daily cabin service, buffet breakfast, three-course lunches and captain’s dinners, olive oil tasting on board and a picturesque journey through Split, Makarska, Mljet, Dubrovnik, Trstenik, Korcula, Hvar and Bol.

Croatia is a gem in itself. But the Southern Explorer KL2 cruise around Croatia makes your European holiday unforgettable. And part of the joy of a European cruise is also the diverse gastronomical experiences along the way.

The Dalmatian coast is one of the most popular experiences in Europe. It’s home to Roman ruins, spectacular beaches, old fishing ports, medieval architecture and historic cities, where you’ll walk along cobbled-stone streets that have been there for centuries – it feels like history coming alive right under your nose. Pack your comfortable footwear, hat and sunglasses – this world is waiting to be explored!

Split is where our travellers start their trip, and apart from the Split old town, there is so much to see – the Marjan Hill, Split museums and beaches and so much more. This journey moves along to Makarska – a beach resort with a spectacular natural setting, backed by the glorious Biokovo mountain range, and Mljet – Dalmatia’s most southerly, most verdant and, some would argue, most beautiful isle. More than 70 per cent of this thin, one-road idyll is covered in pine forest. A third of it is national park. And of course Dubrovnik, which served as a film set for Robin Hood: Origins and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, drawing even more attention to the city.

Our voyage takes you 90km away from Dubrovnik to Trstenik as well – a village situated on the southern coast of the Peljesac peninsula. It is connected to the Croatian mainland by the coastal road via Ston. Due to its unique and unspoilt nature and hidden away location it’s considered as one of the most beautiful villages of the Croatian coast.

Rich in vineyards, olive groves and small villages, and harbouring a glorious old town, the island of Korčula is the sixth-largest Adriatic island. Nestled in a picturesque cove on the western side of Hvar island lies the historic and stunning Hvar town, by far and away one of the most beautiful places you’d ever lay eyes on, finishing a week long voyage in Bol – an attractive place made up of small stone houses and winding streets dotted with pink and purple geraniums.

Arguably Europe’s most enticing country, Italy charms travelers with irresistible food, awesome architecture, diverse scenery and unparalleled art. In fact, it’s so packed with possibilities it can almost overwhelm. Our Best of Italy tour helps to ease some of that ‘overwhelm’ helping them explore Florence, Cinque Terre, Venice, Verona, San Gimignano, Siena, Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri and Rome the ‘care free’ way, allowing for more adventure and joy and less worrying about getting around.

And of course Italy offers some of the most delicious cooking classes as well, which has been very popular amongst our Aussie explorers.

From the Roman Forum to the watery canals of Venice, Italy is one of the most iconic destinations: lovers and friends throw coins into the Trevi fountain and travellers hike Cinque Terra. Boasting Etruscan antiquities, Renaissance architecture, some of the best wines in the world, the country truly has it all, including interesting Italian festivals, from Gelato and Battle of the Oranges to Medieval Archery and Opera Festival in Arena.

Our journey starts in Florence with its amazing museums, palaces, and churches house some of the greatest artistic treasures in the world. The dramatic scenery and laid-back lifestyle of Italy’s Cinque Terre has made this small area a must-see. Cinque Terre, just above Tuscany, is often remembered as a coastal town that appears to rise from the Mediterranean Sea. Our journey continues to a floating masterpiece of Venice, Romeo and Juliet town of Verona, San Gimignano – Italy’s Medieval Manhattan with its skyline of fourteen stone towers rising dramatically from the Tuscan countryside and a medieval masterpiece town Siena.

The journey doesn’t end there, taking you to Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri and finally Rome. Pompeii, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast in between (with the island of Capri nearby) can be explored in many different ways and we make sure your trip is enjoyable and easy. We don’t accept anything less than La dolce vita in this journey!

It isn’t surprising that this is one of our bestsellers as this journey takes our travellers from Zagreb, Sarajevo, Dubrovnik, Split, Plitvice Lakes, Ljubljana and Venice, getting the most of Croatia, Slovenia and Italy.

We especially love beautiful waterfalls in Croatia – some of the most picturesque views in Europe. And of course Plitvice Lakes – sixteen lakes, inter-connected by a series of waterfalls, and set in deep woodland populated by deer, bears, wolves, boars and rare bird species. It takes upwards of six hours to explore the lakes on foot, or you can slice two hours off by taking advantage of the park’s free boats and buses.

Ljubljana is Slovenia’s capital and one of Europe’s greenest and most livable capitals.

Some of you might have read Veronika Decides To Die by Paulo Coelho. Young, beautiful and successful Veronika is a Slovenian woman who seems to have the perfect life on paper but decides to commit suicide. As a final note, she writes a letter to the press justifying her suicide, making everyone believe that she decided to kill herself because people didn’t know where Slovenia is. How can this fictional story not inspire you to explore Ljubljana! This capital city is never crowded – but also never boring – and one of Europe’s top new culinary destinations.

Few places can lay claim to such a spectacular natural setting, untainted architectural heritage, or jaw-dropping central thoroughfare in the Grand Canal as Venice does. Built on 118 islands in a lagoon, the city of Venice with its canals, bridges and palaces is almost always on everyone’s “must see” list. And Venice has an incredible array of wonderful, authentic and traditional local food, making it even more attractive to traveling foodies.

No matter how many photographs or films you may have seen, it is still a jaw- dropping experience to see Venice’s canals and palaces for the first time (second or even third!), especially during the Carnevale di Venezia, or The Carnival of Venice!

Spain is a beautiful, interesting, and dynamic country with extensive white-sand Mediterranean and Atlantic beaches, incredible, unique archipelagos hosting the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. Spain is a place where medieval fortresses lie atop Roman ruins and where Catholic cathedrals nestle next to jewels of Islamic architecture. These sites bear the indelible marks of the great civilisations that have risen and fallen within Spain’s borders – it’s no surprise that our travellers find this European country one of their favourite destinations. And the Fabulous Spain tour is the top pick among many Aussie travellers as this journey takes them on a trip through Barcelona, Madrid, Merida, Seville, Cordoba and Granada.

Barcelona combines everything that is most charming about Mediterranean cities – a relaxed pace, months of endless sunshine and unbeatable food. Madrid has an amazing fusion of history and modern, urban lifestyle. These cities can really ignite a travel bug fueling more energy and excitement.

Our tour takes you to Mérida, the capital of Extremadura, which was also the capital of the Roman province of Lusitania and is still home to the most impressive and extensive Roman ruins in all of Spain.

Known for its steamy-hot summers, mild winters and sultry operatic gypsy heroine Carmen, Seville is a city with fabulous food, Gothic and Renaissance architecture, and exotic flamenco rhythms. It never fails to charm and seduce our travellers.

One of the world’s greatest Islamic buildings, the Mezquita is a symbol of the worldly, sophisticated culture that flourished in Córdoba. While its historical treasures are ample reason to visit, Córdoba is looking to the future, too, with a mini-revolution in gastronomy and new food market. Meanwhile, high-speed rail links from Málaga and Madrid have brought it well within reach for weekend breaks – something we may really benefit from in Australia as well.

The Alhambra may be Spain’s most visited attraction year on year, but wandering the hills and the backstreets of Granada’s barrios will give you the real feel of this fascinating city, which has elegance and edginess in equal measure. It’s always been a city at a crossroads, where culture and ideas from North Africa and Europe collide. The city is still heavily influenced by its Moorish roots and you will smell hookahs, couscous, and incense everywhere you go.