Off Duty Traveler

Thinking about an EF College Greece tour? Read my honest review covering the itinerary, hotel quality, food, and what it’s really like to visit in March.

This was my third trip to Europe with EF College Tours, having already explored London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Ireland.

Note that this is a tour with the EF Tours College Experience, a separate group from the EF Go Ahead Tours packages that cater to adults only. I’ve reviewed EF Go Ahead Tours extensively here. Going with a college group is a more affordable way to experience Europe; however, the accommodations and food options are going to be on the lower end of the luxury side. Some EF College tours no longer allow community members to accompany, but the EF Go Ahead tour version is a very similar itinerary with better accommodations and food.

For this itinerary, I traveled with my twin sons, Johnathan and Matthew, for their very first European adventure.

Is Greece Intimidating for First-Timers?

If you have never been to Europe and are traveling from the U.S., Greece can feel quite exotic and intimidating compared to the UK.

Our trip required a long long-haul flight, part of which we missed in London due to heavy airport security delays that left us waiting four extra hours for our connecting flight to Athens.

It was completely worth it.

This educational itinerary is a fast-paced, whirlwind tour of almost every major historical site you will want to see in mainland Greece.

We traveled in March, which meant cool, comfortable weather and small crowds at major World Heritage sites before the peak summer rush.

Interested in a summer cruise to the Greek Islands instead? Read my full review of the Princess Cruise to Greece, Turkey, Italy and Malta here.

Destination 1: Athens & The Greek Islands

Our group landed in Athens exhausted from travel. We were met by our enthusiastic EF Tour Director, Georgia, and our bus driver, who immediately taught us how to say “good morning” in Greek and shout “Opa!”

Exploring Historic Athens

We immediately embarked on a bus tour of Athens. At the time, the city was under EU austerity measures, so we noticed uncut grass along the roadways and delayed trash collection.

Despite those economic hurdles, our local guide gave us a phenomenal overview of this magnificent historic city.

The tour included stops at the Panathenaic Stadium and, of course, a guided walk up the Acropolis to see the Parthenon in person.

Day Cruise: Hydra, Poros, and Aegina

Our Athens itinerary included an optional day boat cruise to three nearby islands: Hydra, Poros, and Aegina. I was astonished by the beauty of these islands and teared up when our boat pulled into Hydra’s harbor.

My twin boys conquered Hydra and Poros by hiking to the highest peaks, while I enjoyed a glass of Greek wine at a seaside cafe.

Our Itinerary in Athens, Greece included:

-Guided walking tour of the Acropolis and the Parthenon

-Bus Tour of Athens

-Visit to the Acropolis Museum

-Dinner and Greek dancing event

-Day boat cruise of the Greek Islands

Athens Tour Review Breakdown

Lodging: Fair. Our hotel was a bit far from the center of Athens, which required public transit or a long walk along streets with limited sidewalks. Its website boasted a “view of the Aegean Sea” which was only true if you leaned over the balcony rail and craned your neck to catch a tiny sliver of blue!

Food: Fair. The best meal we had in Athens was at a tiny family-owned spot serving hot gyros and fresh homemade yogurt for 2.50 Euros. On the downside, we encountered quite a bit of bad house wine included with group dinners.

Excursions: Excellent. Our bus tour was seamless, we had ample time at the Acropolis, and the three-island boat cruise was an absolute highlight of the trip.

Destination 2: Delphi & Olympia

On day four, we departed Athens via private coach along the National Road. Our first stop was the ancient religious sanctuary of Delphi, home of the legendary Oracle of Delphi dating back to the 8th century B.C.

After exploring Delphi, we continued to our hotel in Olympia, eager to explore the birthplace of the Olympic Games the following morning.

The next day, our expert guide walked us through the Temple of Zeus and the original Olympic stadium track where the modern Olympic flame is still lit today.

Olympia Tour Review Breakdown

Food: Fair. To be honest, the only memorable food from this leg was the fresh Baklava during our lunch stops. Like I said, these college trips are not geared for higher end adult travelers.

Lodging: Fair. The hotel room was quite cold, but it was clean, secure, and perfectly fine for an overnight stop.

Excursions: Outstanding. Standing inside the ancient ruins where civilization was shaped is mind-blowing. The local EF guides here were phenomenal educators.

Our Itinerary in Olympia, Greece Included:

-Transportation via private coach on the National Road

-Stop in Delphi

-Guided tour of the ancient Olympic site

-Visit to the Olympic archaeological museum

-Dinner in Olympia

-Overnight in Olympia

Destination 3: Tolo & The Peloponnese Peninsula

After Olympia, we drove to Tolo, a charming seaside village on the Peloponnese peninsula. Since we visited during the off-season, the resort town was very quiet and most tourist shops were closed.

Our group raided a small local grocery store for snacks and wine, then spent the evening relaxing in the hotel lobby sharing stories from the trip.

Historical Stops: Epidaurus, Corinth, and Mycenae

Leaving Tolo, we stopped at Epidaurus to see the ancient sanctuary of healing and its world-famous theater, known for perfect acoustic design.

Next was a quick photo stop at the dramatic Corinth Canal, followed by the bronze-age ruins of Mycenae (dating back to 1600 B.C.).

Our Itinerary in Tolo, Greece Included

Since this was really just a hotel stop and not a destination, we did not have any EF Tour sanctioned activities here. It did make me want to come back and visit Greece during the summer season though!

Tolo, Greece Review

Lodging: Good. The hotel was obviously meant to have great views of the sea and would probably be bustling during the summer.

Food: None other than the snacks we purchased and a lunch stop.

Excursions and Itinerary: Excellent. As this is a stopping off point to get to our next destinations on the way back to Athens.

Our Peloponnese Greece Itinerary Included

-Visit to Epidaurus

-Stop at the Corinth Canal

-Professional guided tour of the ancient ruins of Mycenae

-Visit to the Temple of Poseidon

-Dinner with the group at sunset with a view of the Temple

-Visit to a Mathematics and Science museum

-Shopping and Free Time in the Plaka

Tolo and Peloponnese Greece Review

Lodging: Good. Our final night in Athens was spent at a different hotel, functional and clean but still a long distance from the city which required traversing over sidewalks where in the evenings Athens residents park their cars, which made it necessary to dodge traffic as we went around them.

Food: I don’t remember what we ate, but I remember the fantastic view of the Temple of Poseidon.

Excursions and Itinerary: Outstanding. The professional guides were incredibly knowledgeable, the visits to the ancient sites were astonishing and my sons and I were glad to finally have some free time to poke around in the Plaka. My only complaint is that I didn’t feel like we had enough free time here.

What to Pack for a Tour of Greece

Because an EF Tour involves rapid hotel shifts, boarding tour buses daily, and walking miles over ancient, uneven stone, smart packing is critical.

Supportive Walking Shoes: Leave the thin flip-flops at home. You will easily log 15,000+ steps on slippery marble at the Acropolis. Bring broken-in sneakers or sturdy walking sandals.

Versatile Layers: March weather in Greece brings crisp mornings and sunny afternoons. Pack a lightweight rain jacket and a packable fleece layer.

Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag: While Greece is very safe, crowded tourist hubs like the Plaka and public transit lines in Athens are hotspots for pickpockets.

Preparing for a European Tour? Check out my detailed What to Pack for Italy in March guide for Mediterranean gear recommendations, or use my Interactive Group Tour Packing Calculator to test if your suitcase fits under-bus tour storage!

Final Verdict: Is the EF Greece Tour Worth It?

If you want a comprehensive, high-energy overview of ancient Greece without the stress of driving, booking ferry tickets, or managing logistics yourself, this tour is fantastic.

The pace is fast and furious, and you will spend significant time on the tour bus traveling between archaeological sites.

However, looking back, I am amazed by how many iconic World Heritage sites my sons and I were able to experience in a single week.

Between the world-class local guides, the incredible history, and the Greek island cruise, it was an unforgettable introduction to Europe for my boys.

If you’d like to see my photos check out my album on Flickr or visit my Google Photos. Opa! I’ll see you on the next trip!