Program Overview
Step into a postcard as you explore the best of Greece with TFT! On this trip organized by Travel For Teens and Jackson Academy, you’ll discover the beauty of Greece, from stunning beaches, whitewashed homes, charming towns, and centuries of rich history. Get lost in the ancient ruins of Athens, and marvel at the incredible views of the world-renowned Greek Islands on this teen travel program.
On our summertime adventure through some of Greece’s most popular destinations, we will sail through crystal waters, relax on two island paradises, eat like gods, and explore the ancient culture that is at the heart of Western Civilization. Prepare to fall in love with the culture, people, history, cuisine, and pure beauty of Greece!
Informational Meeting Details
A TFT representative will host a 30 minute live webinar to answer your pre departure questions. The Webinar will be recorded and posted to the site for those who cannot attend the meeting.
When: May 2022 – date and time TBA
Trip Itinerary
DAY 1: DEPART FROM THE USA
Group flight departs from Jackson, MS for Athens.
DAYS 2-3: ATHENS
Upon your arrival in Athens, you’ll be greeted at the airport by your Travel For Teens guides, who will accompany you for the duration of your journey. After getting settled into the hotel, we’ll have lunch and head to downtown Athens for a walking tour. See Constitution Square, wander the winding streets of the historical Plaka neighborhood, and explore the market district of Monastiraki. We’ll top off an exciting first day with your first taste of authentic Greek cuisine at one of our favorite local restaurants.
Then step back in time 2500 years to the height of ancient Greek civilization at the incredible Acropolis! First, we’ll visit the Acropolis Museum, rated one of the world’s top 10 museums. Then we’ll see this incredibly well-preserved monument ourselves. After lunch, students will have free time to explore Plaka and shop for souvenirs on Ermou Street. For dinner, try your hand at making your own Greek delicacies in our cooking class.
DAY 4: NAFPLIO
We’ll take a day trip out of Athens to the beautiful seaside city of Nafplio. En-route, stop at the Corinth Canal, a technological feat of engineering dating back to the time of Ancient Greece and only completed in the 19th century! We’ll have lunch in Nafplio, which was the first capital of Greece, before visiting a nearby beach for our first dip in the Mediterranean Sea.
DAY 5: PAROS
Today, we’ll depart Athens and do like the Greeks do: board a ferry to visit an island! The first island we’ll stay at on our journey is Paros, a beautiful island in the Mediterranean. Upon our arrival, we’ll have lunch, then head down to the beach for some relaxing and swimming! Watch the sunset over the sea as we enjoy dinner at one of the island’s most beautiful lookout spots.
DAYS 6-8: SANTORINI
Then it’s time to explore the winding cobblestone streets of Paroikia for the last time before boarding the ferry to our next island: the famous Santorini. Upon our arrival, we’ll explore the town and relax before enjoying dinner.
Begin the day in the village of Oia, one of the most photographed places on the planet. Students will surely recognize its whitewashed buildings, blue domes, and antique windmills. We’ll spend the day strolling through the town and capturing its scenic beauty. This evening, watch the sunset from aboard our own private sunset cruise along the Santorini caldera. Swim in hot springs and take in the breathtaking Aegean views!
We’ll visit Santorini’s other picturesque village, Fira, and soak up Greek life as we explore its narrow alleyways and quaint shops. There will be time for swimming at the hotel pool this morning as well. In the afternoon, we’ll board our flight to return to Athens, and grab dinner in the city center!
DAY 9: ATHENS
On our final day in Greece, we’ll begin the day with a scavenger hunt in the Agora, the birthplace of democracy in the heart of historical Athens. This afternoon, you’ll have free time to do some souvenir shopping in the hip neighborhood of Monastiraki, or to visit any museums or sites you may have missed. To celebrate the end of an amazing journey, we’ll enjoy an upscale dinner dressed in our finest and reminisce on the memories we’ve made in Italy and Greece.
DAY 10: RETURN FLIGHT TO THE USA
Welcome Home!
Payment Timeline
October 15, 2021: Deadline to register
Within three business days of registration: $500 trip deposit
The balance will be paid in three installments on December 15, 2021, January 15, and February 5, 2022. Airfare will be due February 5, 2022 with the final payment.
Airfare: Parents may arrange their own travel to/from Athens (ATH) airport or wait for the group flight to be announced.
Frequently Asked Question
Who is Travel For Teens?
We are in our 21st year in the teen travel business and have emerged as the industry leader for teen travel in the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Asia, Oceania, and Africa. We operate over 100 programs in 47 countries on 6 continents.
Our philosophy: We offer genuine and authentic trips for travelers, not tourists.
Our goal is to engender a passion for learning about other cultures and places through living like a local in that place.
How much is tuition & what does tuition include?
Tuition for the trip is $2,795 plus airfare, which INCLUDES all breakfasts and dinners, accommodations, transportation, entrance to museums/events, taxes, and tips.
Tuition does NOT INCLUDE lunches and meals not listed in the itinerary, airfare, beverages other than filtered water at meals, laundry, souvenirs, shopping, visas and visa application fees, personal and medical expenses, activities and admissions that are not program-related or referenced in the itinerary, excess baggage fees, damage to hotels, expenses related to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. transportation delays or natural disasters), or mandatory Trip Cancellation Insurance (Travel Protection Plans).
Note there is a $70 adult participants (18+) surcharge for the additional admission costs for adults.
Tuition for the trip is $2,795 plus airfare, which INCLUDES all breakfasts and dinners, accommodations, transportation, entrance to museums/events, taxes, and tips.
Tuition does NOT INCLUDE lunches and meals not listed in the itinerary, airfare, beverages other than filtered water at meals, laundry, souvenirs, shopping, visas and visa application fees, personal and medical expenses, activities and admissions that are not program-related or referenced in the itinerary, excess baggage fees, damage to hotels, expenses related to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. transportation delays or natural disasters), or mandatory Trip Cancellation Insurance (Travel Protection Plans).
Note there is a $70 adult participants (18+) surcharge for the additional admission costs for adults.
If I cannot afford the payment schedule listed above, does Travel For Teens provide flexible payment plans?
Yes, Travel For Teens is willing to customize a payment plan for any participant who needs a little flexibility in the payment schedule. Please email help@travelforteens.com for details on payment plans.
How much is trip cancellation insurance?
Trip cancellation insurance will be mandatory for all participants and is not included in your deposit payment. We feel that this gives everyone more peace of mind in case of unforeseen events. The trip cancellation insurance, if purchased directly from Travel For Teens, is $187 for the standard plan for the tuition only. You may also choose to purchase a more comprehensive cancel-for-any-reason insurance. All paying participants (i.e. students/parents) will need to provide proof of an independently-purchased policy if not purchasing the plan offered by Travel For Teens.
Trip Insurance
Trip cancellation insurance will be mandatory for all participants and is not included in your deposit payment. We feel that this gives everyone more peace of mind in case of unforeseen events. The trip cancellation insurance, if purchased directly from Travel For Teens, is $187 for the standard plan for the tuition only. You may also choose to purchase a more comprehensive cancel-for-any-reason insurance. All paying participants (i.e. students/parents) will need to provide proof of an independently-purchased policy if not purchasing the plan offered by Travel For Teens.
Trip Insurance
Who can go on this trip?
The trip is open to all 9-12th grade students at Jackson Academy, their parents, and JA Alums. Space is limited and is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The trip is open to all 9-12th grade students at Jackson Academy, their parents, and JA Alums. Space is limited and is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
After I register, what happens next?
Once you have completed your registration and paid your deposit, you will receive an email that contains your USERNAME and PASSWORD to MyTFT. All forms to be completed by parents and physician as well as packing lists, travel tips, travel insurance information, and other important information can be found on the MyTFT portal (hard copies of the essential legal/medical forms can be mailed to participants upon request). Our contract and release must be signed by all custodial parents (or guardians) and the participant.
Where do we stay?
We will be staying in three-star hotels throughout the program. The names of the accommodations are available to all families once they have signed up.
Students traveling with a family member may request to be in a twin room. Parents traveling as a couple can request a double bed instead of a twin room.
Single rooms can be requested and will cost $540 additional per person per single.
Note: singles must be requested at the time of registration to be guaranteed.
We will be staying in three-star hotels throughout the program. The names of the accommodations are available to all families once they have signed up.
Students traveling with a family member may request to be in a twin room. Parents traveling as a couple can request a double bed instead of a twin room.
Single rooms can be requested and will cost $540 additional per person per single.
Note: singles must be requested at the time of registration to be guaranteed.
Trip Emails & Photographs
PHOTOGRAPHS
We will take dozens, if not hundreds, of photos each day. The best photos will be posted as regularly as possible (ideally every day) to a private photo-sharing platform (Waldo Photos) where you can follow along with the trip. We will send you an email to alert you when we post new photos. Low-resolution photos can be viewed for free during and after the trip. All of your High-Resolution matched photos can be purchased and downloaded in real-time during the trip or after the trip for $50.
EMAILS
The Trip Director will be in regular email contact every 24-48 hours, internet willing, with our families. Emails will include fun detailed updates about the day’s activities and are a great way for families to follow along with the journey. Email will be the best way to communicate messages to the Trip Director.
Safety, Sickness & Communication
SAFETY AND SICKNESS
The safety of our participants is our #1 concern, which is why we have only experienced trip leaders running the show. We offer 24/7 communication throughout our programs and have detailed risk management and safety policies in place. Please review our policies here.
For information regarding our specific policies with Covid-19 please review our Covid-19 protocols page here.
What are the safety qualifications for our staff?
Our staff members undergo a rigorous hiring process. They receive the same background check as school educators, an extensive training process to go over all safety precautions and protocols, and are required to be certified in CPR and First Aid. We exclusively hire responsible, multi-talented individuals who are safety-minded and are as passionate about teen travel as we are.
What is the food like on a TFT program? Can you accommodate dietary restrictions?
In a word – delicious! At TFT, we believe food should be an integral part of the travel experience and always make an effort to eat at authentic establishments when we can. What better way to immerse yourself in the culture of a place than by sampling the local delicacies, and we encourage students to do so whenever possible! Just as we stay away from Americanized hotel chains, we try to avoid restaurants with menus that cater only to tourists because every good traveler knows the best food is found wherever the locals are eating!
We also love to have picnics al fresco and do this whenever possible, which is a great way to taste some local food while sitting out in the fresh air taking in the sights and sounds of our surroundings.
As always, we are willing and able to accommodate vegetarians, vegans, gluten allergies, and other dietary restrictions.
Do I need to speak the language?
No, our skilled staff members will help you get around and even teach you a few fun phrases!
Are participants allowed to have their cell phones on the program?
We do allow participants to bring their phones, but we ask that they use it solely as a camera when we are out and about during the day. We want everyone to focus on living in the moment and fully experience each new destination we are visiting without being absorbed in their phones. We ask that participants look at their journey with us as a way to disconnect. When we have downtime at our hotels in the evenings it is okay for participants to use their devices to connect with friends and family back home.
Photo Gallery