FAQ

Choose the trip and the departure date, tell us how many travellers there are and enter every name exactly as it appears on the passport. You can add optional extras, enter a promotional code if you have one and pay the deposit. Confirmation arrives by e-mail. If you would rather talk to someone, visit our office in Athens or our branch in Thessaloniki, and a consultant will help you book.

A deposit of 25% of the price is paid at the time of booking; on some longer trips the percentage may be slightly higher, and it is always shown on the trip page. The balance is due 30 days before departure, and the exact date appears in your booking summary. If you book less than 30 days before departure, the full amount is paid straight away.

You can pay by card, bank transfer, PayPal, IRIS or in person at our office. You choose the method when you book. For bank transfers we send you the account details and the reference to quote, so that your payment can be matched to your booking straight away.

Yes. If you pay by card you can split the amount into up to 12 monthly instalments with no interest; you choose the number of instalments when you pay. Instalments apply to card payments. If you would like to talk through how to organise your payments, our team will help you find the most convenient solution.

The price is per person in a double room. It normally covers scheduled flights from Athens with airport taxes (on trips that include flights), the hotels, transfers and visits listed in the programme, the meals marked day by day, the Greek coordinator and local guides. It does not usually cover insurance, tips, drinks, personal expenses, any visa fees or optional extras. The exact list is on each trip page.

Often yes, but it depends on what you want to change and how close the departure is. Dates, names and services depend on availability and on the rules of airlines and hotels, which sometimes charge change fees. Write to us as early as you can: we will tell you what is possible and what it would cost before you confirm anything. If there is a typing error in a name, let us know straight away.

You can cancel by writing to us. The cancellation charge rises in stages as departure approaches, from 10% of the price up to 100% just before departure. The detailed schedule is in the trip's terms and conditions and in your booking summary. This is why we recommend insurance that covers cancellation: if the reason is covered by the policy, the charge may be reimbursed.

It depends on the destination. For EU and Schengen countries an identity card or a valid passport is normally enough. For other countries you need a passport, often valid for at least 6 months after your return. The name on the booking must match the one on the document. The basics are on each trip page, and we confirm the up-to-date details after you book.

Entry requirements depend on your nationality and can change, so we do not quote fixed rules. After you book we send you up-to-date guidance for your passport and help with any e-visa. We still encourage you to check the official sources of the destination country. If you would rather we handled the paperwork, a visa service can be added among the extras, where available.

Quite a lot can: visas, passport validity and required documents depend on citizenship, and the same applies if you hold dual citizenship or a residence permit in Greece. Tell us your nationality and the document you will travel with when you book, so that we can give you the right guidance. Requirements can change, so please also check the official sources.

For many destinations there are no general vaccination requirements, but some, especially in Africa, Asia and Latin America, may have specific recommendations or rules. We cannot give medical advice: please speak to your doctor or a travel-health clinic in good time and check the official health portals. The destination page also has a short general reminder.

Your travel documents arrive by e-mail in digital form: e-tickets, hotel vouchers, the updated programme and useful contacts, including your coordinator's. We send them once the balance is paid, normally in the days before departure. We suggest saving them on your phone and printing a copy as well; if anything has not reached you, just write to us.

It is not compulsory, but we recommend it to every traveller, especially on long-haul or higher-value trips: a health problem or a last-minute cancellation can be costly. When you book you can add our insurance among the extras; if you already have your own policy you may use it, as long as it covers the destination and the dates. Always check the limits and exclusions.

Travel policies usually include assistance and medical expenses abroad, baggage cover and, in the more complete versions, cancellation for the reasons listed in the contract. Exact conditions, excesses and exclusions vary from policy to policy and are set out in the information document, which we invite you to read before buying. The cost of our insurance is calculated as a percentage of the total trip price.

It is a wider option than the basic policy: it allows you to cancel even for reasons that standard insurance does not cover, with a refund of part of the cost according to the policy terms (it may not be the full amount). It has to be chosen when you book. If you think you might have to withdraw for personal or work reasons, ask us to explain how it works before you decide.

Tell your coordinator straight away: they will help you arrange assistance on the spot. Then contact the emergency assistance line named in your policy. Keep receipts, medical reports and invoices, as you will need them for any claim. For a problem before departure, such as an illness that stops you travelling, write to us as soon as possible and keep your medical certificates.

Most trips leave from Athens (ATH) and include scheduled return flights with airport taxes. Trips without flights say so clearly on the trip page. For some departures it is possible to leave from Thessaloniki for a supplement: ask us about availability. The exact flight times are sent with your travel documents.

Airlines can change times or routings even after you have booked. If that happens we tell you as soon as we are informed and adjust transfers and connected services accordingly. If the change is significant, we agree the best solution with you. During the trip, if there are delays or cancellations, your coordinator assists you and works with our office to reorganise the programme.

We choose upper-category 3★, 4★ or 5★ hotels in convenient locations for the sights; the category and area for each stop are listed on the trip page. Rooms are doubles, with a double bed or twin beds depending on availability: you can make a request, but it is not always guaranteed. Solo travellers can book a single room for a supplement.

The meals included are shown day by day in the programme: usually breakfast and, depending on the trip, some lunches or dinners. Drinks are generally not included. Tell us about intolerances, allergies or special diets when you book: we pass them on to hotels and restaurants and do our best, but in some places the choice can be limited and we cannot guarantee the complete absence of traces of allergens.

A hold bag and a cabin bag are usually included, but weight and size depend on the airline and fare, and you will find them in your travel documents. On trips with internal flights or small aircraft, such as some safaris, the limits can be stricter and soft bags are often required. If you need an extra bag, you can add it among the extras when you book.

Tips are normally not included in the price unless the trip page says otherwise. They are optional and depend on your satisfaction, but in some countries they are part of local custom. At the start of the trip your coordinator explains local habits and indicative amounts for guides, drivers and staff, so you do not have to guess.

Every trip has a difficulty level from 1 (easy) to 5 (demanding), and its page describes the pace, the walking and the journeys involved. Many programmes have full days and a few early starts. If you have mobility issues or special needs, talk to us before you book: together we will see whether the programme suits you or whether another trip would be a better fit.

Our escorted group tours bring together 10 to 20 people, a size that keeps things flexible and lets everyone get to know each other. Some trips are “small group” departures of 8 to 12 travellers. The size of each trip is shown on its page. Groups are usually a mix of couples, friends and solo travellers, mostly Greek, and your coordinator looks after the atmosphere.

Every group tour is led by a Greek Ithaka coordinator who leaves Athens with you and stays by your side for the whole journey: they look after the organisation, deal with the unexpected and give you practical guidance. Qualified local guides work alongside them on the ground; the language of the guide is shown on each trip's page.

Each departure has a minimum number of travellers, shown on the trip page. Once it is reached, the departure is guaranteed and will not be cancelled for lack of bookings. If it is not reached, we let you know in good time and offer you another date, a different trip or a refund of what you have paid.

Yes, group travel works well for people travelling alone. The price shown is per person in a double room; if you want a single room you pay a supplement, shown on each trip's page and in your booking summary before you pay. If you would rather share a room with a friend or relative, simply book together.

Children aged 2 to 11 receive a reduction on the price, with the percentage shown on the trip page. Children under 2 are treated as infants and pay a fixed fee, also shown on the trip page. Some trips have a minimum age, for example those with long days of travel or walking, and it is listed on the trip page. If you are travelling with young children, write to us before you book.

Ithaka is a Greek travel agency based in Athens, with a branch in Thessaloniki. We run escorted group tours with a Greek coordinator, as well as tailor-made and private trips all over the world. The name evokes Odysseus's island and Cavafy's famous poem, and our motto is “Every journey is your own Ithaka”.

Yes. Ithaka holds a licence from the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) and has insolvency protection under EU Directive 2015/2302 on package travel, which is designed to safeguard the money you have paid and, if necessary, your return home. If you would like further details, just write to us.

Yes. Besides group tours we organise tailor-made and private trips all over the world, for couples, families or groups of friends: you choose the destinations, length, pace and hotel category. Tell us your ideas by writing to us or by dropping in at our office in Athens or Thessaloniki, and we will reply with a suggested itinerary and a quote.