Your itinerary
Day 1
Day 1: Rome
Our ancient exploration begins in Rome – once known as the ‘capital of the world’. Meet your fam of 27-35s this afternoon before we kick off our trip with an Italian feast at a local restaurant (that also provides jobs for people with disabilities!) After dinner, ticking off historical sights (and tossing coins) will be on the agenda as we take on Rome’s cobblestoned streets with a walking tour orientation.
Meals: Dinner
Day 2
Day 2: Rome
Get your gladiator face on! Today’s your chance to check out this city’s monuments and museums in your free time. Just remember to keep some space in your tummy – you wouldn’t wanna miss out on the chance to make & eat pasta in Rome.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3
Day 3: Rome
Today’s the day, people. We’re taking a guided tour of the one and only – Colosseum & Roman Forum. And after our tour of all-things-epic this morning, Rome’s all yours to explore. Want some local recs for dinner? Your Trip Manager will point you in the right direction.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4
Day 4: Rome to Athens
Nooo, it’s time to leave Rome already?! We’ll see the city pass us by as we catch the train to the airport this morning. And a short flight later, we’ll have arrived in another historical hotspot – known for its mythology, architecture and well, food. Welcome to Athens! The city’s yours to explore this evening.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5
Day 5: Athens
Pose like a Greek god in front of the Acropolis today as a local guide will show us around the most iconic (and historic) spots in the city. Later tonight, you can join us for a tour of Athens’ most famous foodie hotspots.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6
Day 6: Athens
Our time travel leads us to an island cruise today. You’ll have the chance to explore the traditional town and legendary monuments of Aegina on a day trip. This evening, we regroup for fresh tzatziki, moussaka and plenty of chats at a local restaurant. Deep slumbers are due tonight before we cast off to our final ancient wonder of the trip.
Meals: Breakfast,Dinner
Day 7
Day 7: Athens to Cairo
Goodbye Athens, you’ve been nothing but mesmerising. Now it’s time to check out some mummies. We’ll find a city of ornate mosques, sparkling skyscrapers & sprawling avenues of 19th-century faded grandeur awaiting us. Egypt’s capital is full of energy, but we’ll save the proper exploring for tomorrow. Oh, and dinner’s on us tonight!
Meals: Breakfast,Dinner
Day 8
Day 8: Cairo
Aaaand now…the moment you have all been waiting for. Time to see the Pyramids of Giza! Get the tissues ready, seeing the iconic Sphinx & pyramids in all their 4,600 year old glory will make for a day that stirs you to the very core. Afterwards, you’ll have the option of exploring the Grand Egyptian Museum (one of the world’s largest museums!) with a local guide.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9
Day 9: Cairo
This morning you’ll have the chance to join an optional tour of Old Cairo, the city’s magnificent historical hotspot – think Salah El Din Citadel, the Alabaster mosque and many more amazing sights. After that, you’re free to chill or head out to explore Cairo. Looking for things to do in the evening? How about a cruise on the Nile with a buffet dinner & show?
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10
Day 10: Cairo
Sorry to break it to you, but we have to come back to the present now. Feast on breakfast and hitch a lift to the airport before saying goodbye to your crew. There’s a new found sense of wonder in the air. And there’s always another destination waiting to be discovered.
Meals: Breakfast
What’s included
What’s not included
Additional information
Grand Egyptian Museum Guided Visit
Explore the landmark Grand Egyptian Museum near Giza, a vast modern complex showcasing pharaonic art and daily life. Meet the colossal Ramses II statue in the atrium and trace a curated journey through millennia, culminating in the celebrated Tutankhamun treasures.
Immersive displays and refined curation reveal craftsmanship—from goldwork to carved stone—against striking contemporary architecture. This visit is at additional cost and bookable on tour, pairing perfectly with your time at the pyramids.
Athens Acropolis & City Highlights Guided Tour
Ascend the sacred rock with a licensed guide to the Acropolis, where sunlit marble temples crown the city. Stand before the Parthenon and the elegant Erechtheion caryatids while Athens unfurls below—an open-air lesson in myth, philosophy, and civic pride.
Round out your orientation with key city viewpoints and classical facades, from neoclassical avenues to the lanes of Plaka. Understand how democratic ideals, drama, and architecture radiated from this hilltop to influence the Mediterranean—and the modern world.
Aegina Island Cruise & Coastal Stroll
Cruise the Saronic Gulf to Aegina, gliding past pine-tipped islets and cobalt water. In Aegina Town, wander neoclassical waterfronts, browse pistachio stalls, and pause by whitewashed chapels as fishing boats bob in the harbor’s gentle swell.
Hear stories of the island’s ancient sanctuary and the hilltop Temple of Aphaia, part of a legendary triangle with the Parthenon and Cape Sounion. Savor sea breezes, seafront cafés, and the relaxed rhythm of island life—ideal for a swim stop or a scenic photo wander.
Pyramids of Giza & the Great Sphinx
Visit the Giza Plateau to behold the monumental trio: the Great Pyramid of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure rising from the desert edge. Face the enigmatic Great Sphinx, carved from bedrock, and trace the lines of ancient causeways and funerary temples.
Gain context on Fourth Dynasty engineering and the spiritual journey to the afterlife while you pause for photos and reflection. From perfectly cut limestone blocks to timeless desert horizons, this is an encounter with antiquity at its most awe-inspiring.
Hands-On Roman Pasta Class & Tasting
Roll up your sleeves and make and eat pasta in Rome under the guidance of local chefs. Learn to knead silky dough, shape hand-cut tagliatelle or fresh ravioli, and finish with seasonal sauces—best enjoyed with a glass of Lazio wine.
Discover the stories behind cucina romana and why simplicity rules the plate. This culinary workshop is at additional cost and bookable on tour, delivering skills you can carry home long after the last twirl of your fork.
Athens Evening Foodie Walk: Meze, Souvlaki & Sweets
Join a local expert for a flavorful stroll through central neighborhoods, calling in at tavernas and street-side grills. Taste classic meze, juicy souvlaki, and honey-drizzled loukoumades, with sips of ouzo or tsipouro to toast the night.
Hear how seasonal produce, island traditions, and Ottoman influences shaped Athenian cuisine, from market culture to late-night snacking. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour—ideal for curious palates and evening explorers.
Old Cairo Highlights: Citadel & Alabaster Mosque
Discover medieval Cairo at the Salah El Din Citadel, the city’s lofty fortress. Step into the Mosque of Muhammad Ali—known as the Alabaster Mosque—to admire its Ottoman-style domes and chandeliers, and take in panoramic views of Cairo from the ramparts.
Continue through storied quarters to atmospheric lanes and artisan stalls, where brass, spices, and textiles color the scene. This guided experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, offering rich context beyond the Giza sands.
Nile Dinner Cruise with Live Entertainment
Cruise the Nile as Cairo’s skyline shimmers, settling in for a festive evening afloat. Enjoy a generous buffet dinner and city views from the open deck while performers bring the river to life with live music and dance.
Expect a relaxed mood, photo-worthy backdrops, and a taste of Egyptian hospitality on the water. This evening outing is at additional cost and bookable on tour—an atmospheric way to celebrate your time in Cairo.
Age Range
Age 27-35
Dining Summary
- 9 Breakfast (B)
- 3 Dinner (D)
FAQs
- Cairo: Tipping’s a big deal in Egypt – it’s part of the culture and helps support locals (especially those working in tourism). During your trip, you’ll be expected to tip people like hotel staff, local guides, porters, and restaurant crews. To keep it simple (and avoid the awkward maths), your Trip Manager will organise a tipping kitty. They’ll let you know the suggested amount upon arrival in Egypt, and collect it in USD or Egyptian Pounds to cover group service tips along the way. Heads-up: this doesn’t include a tip for your Trip Manager.
Included Experience
- Rome: Kick back with your Contiki crew and feast on some yummy Italian cuisine – served at a local restaurant working to train and provide jobs for members of the community with disabilities.
- Rome: Stroll around the Italian capital, ticking off some sights on your bucket list!
- Rome: Wander through the ruins of the ancient Roman Empire’s political heart, while our Local Guide peels back the layers of history & reconstructs the past. From the assassinations at the Forum to the bloody battles in the Colosseum, learn how the roots of Western culture started here.
- Athens: A locally guided tour of Athens, including entry to the legendary Acropolis.
- Cairo: The world’s largest archaeological museum complex is no joke. You’ll find 100,000 artifacts here (including King Tut’s ENTIRE treasure collection). You don’t wanna miss this one…
- Cairo: Needs no introduction! Marvel at the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx. #bucketlist
Colosseum & Roman Forum Guided Tour
Step into history as you step inside the Colosseum with a local expert, gazing across the arena where gladiators once fought before roaring crowds. Hear how this engineering feat symbolized imperial power and public spectacle at the height of Rome’s might.
Continue among marble fragments and temples in the Roman Forum, political heart of the ancient city. Walk the Via Sacra, picture triumphal processions, and learn how debates and decrees here helped shape governance and law across the Western world.
Rome Orientation Walk: Trevi, Pantheon & Piazza Navona
Explore the historic heart of Rome on foot and join a guided orientation walk through cobbled lanes and café-lined squares. Make the classic Trevi Fountain coin toss, take in the soaring portico of the Pantheon, and drift into the baroque drama of Piazza Navona—a perfect snapshot of the Eternal City’s layers.
Along the way you’ll hear how emperors, popes, and artists shaped these streets, from ancient temples to Bernini’s fountains. Expect postcard moments, lively street life, and tips on where to linger for gelato or an aperitivo as twilight settles.
Operated By
Contiki
Rome Welcome Dinner at Community-Focused Trattoria
Savor a celebratory Roman feast at a local social-enterprise trattoria where hospitality goes hand in hand with impact. Meet your Trip Manager and traveling companions over plates of cacio e pepe or amatriciana, and sample regional wines in a warm neighborhood setting of tiled floors, chatter, and clinking glasses.
Your dining spot actively trains and employs people with disabilities, so every bite supports inclusion. Expect simple, seasonal dishes rooted in Rome’s cucina povera and stories that introduce you to the city’s generous spirit. It’s a feel-good start with real local flavor.