Program Overview
What better way to illustrate the origins of Western Civilization than by bringing students to the place where it all began? On this comprehensive tour of Greece, organized by Imago Dei Academy and TFT, we focus on the most important sites in Classical Greek culture while also giving students an appreciation for modern Greek life. Begin in the bustling capital city of Athens, where students will visit one of the world’s best museums at the Acropolis. From there, we’ll explore several key sites around the Peninsula, from Nafplio and Corinth to Olympia, home of the ancient Olympics and the Temple of Zeus. Stop at one of the world’s most famous ancient theaters at the healing site of Epidaurus, walk through ancient temples in Nemea, and wander through incredible cobblestone streets in the village of Dimitsana. On our way back to Athens, we’ll be sure to stop at the oracle of Delphi, working our way through the top sites of Greece!
You’ll discover the beauty and history of Greece, from incredible archaeological sites, 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 Peloponnese on this teen travel program. 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!
During this program, you will…
- Climb the Acropolis for a close-up look at the Parthenon, one of the most spectacular ancient ruins in the world
- Learn how to make the best Greek specialties during a private cooking class
- Enjoy a day at the “theater” at one of the world’s largest classical amphitheaters in Epidaurus
- Visit Olympia, city where the Olympics were held, and even run your own Olympic dash
- Try the world’s most delicious gyro in the historical Monastiraki neighborhood of Athens
- Discover ancient civilizations of Greece at the site of Mycenae and stare in awe at the Lion’s Gate
- Go on a scavenger hunt in the Agora, the birthplace of democracy in the heart of historical Athens
- See the Corinth Canal, a technological feat of engineering dating back to the time of Ancient Greece
- Visit the mystical, mysterious Delphi, home to the Oracle that initiated the story of Oedipus
- Visit the charming seaside city of Nafplio and climb to the top of a castle fortress overlooking the Aegean Sea
- Wander through cobblestone streets in charming Dimitsana
Trip Itinerary
DAY 1: DEPART FROM THE USA
Group flight departs 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 5: MYCENAE > NAFPLIO
We’ll then head 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!
Then head to Mycenae, one of antiquities major centers of Greek civilization. From 1600-1100 BCE, this was the powerhold of the region! Walk through the Lion’s Gate and discover what made this one of the regions most interesting groups of people, and which led us to what we now consider Western Civilization.
DAY 5: EPIDAURUS
This morning, continue on our adventure back through classical Greece. Our first stop is Epidaurus, the ancient healing sanctuary dedicated to the god Asclepius. See for yourself the second-largest ancient theater, which to this day seats up to 14,000 spectators during summer festivities.
Return to Nafplio this afternoon and discover the Venetian fortress of Palamidi – take in the stunning views of Nafplio from the top of this incredible site!
DAY 6: NEMEA > DIMITSANA > OLYMPIA
Board our coach and head to perhaps one of the most famous destinations in all of Greece: Olympia! Along the way, we’ll visit Nemea, another local site where we can walk through the standing ancient temple!
Then it’s back on the road, where we’ll stop in the beautiful Grecian village of Dimitsana for lunch. Take in this medieval village that also played a huge role in the Greek War of Independence.
Once we’ve arrived in Olympia and checked into our hotel, we’ll visit the Archaeology Museum, which houses world-renowned artifacts from the site of Olympia. This evening, students will be able to explore this modern town, ice cream in hand.
DAY 7: ANCIENT OLYMPIA
This morning, we’ll discover the birthplace of the Olympics. Students will see what remains of the infamous Temple of Zeus, and even have the chance to run their own Olympic dash. Afterwards, we’ll continue on to Delphi, home of the Oracle and of the god Apollo. Have lunch at a beautiful overlook point outside of the modern village of Delphi, before getting settled into our hotel. We’ll take a walking tour of Delphi and have time for souvenir shopping before dinner.
DAY 8: DELPHI
Wrap up our time in Delphi with a guided tour of the historical site of Delphi which, apart from being famous for its Oracle and as Apollo’s residence, was also the site of the original Panhellenic Games (precursors to the Olympic Games). Visit the Delphi Museum to uncover artifacts from these fascinating archaeological sites. After lunch, we’ll board our private coach and return to Athens. We’ll enjoy another traditional dinner in the heart of downtown before going on an evening walk to soak up the ambience.
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 Greece.
DAY 10: RETURN FLIGHT TO THE USA
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Informational Meeting Details
Informational Meeting Details
A TFT representative will give a short presentation and answer your questions.
When: Tuesday, May 24, 2022
Time: 5-5:30 MDT
Register for the webinar here
Travel with us and discover why we are consistently winning awards for Top Youth Travel Organization.
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Trip Specific FAQs
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 $2,995 which INCLUDES all breakfasts and dinners, accommodations, transportation, premium trip insurance, entrance to museums/events, taxes, and tips for activities.
Tuition does NOT INCLUDE airfare, lunches and meals not listed in the itinerary, beverages other than filtered water at meals, COVID testing before, during, or after the trip, 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, tips, excess baggage fees, damage to hotels, expenses related to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. transportation delays or natural disasters).
Tuition for the trip is $2,995 which INCLUDES all breakfasts and dinners, accommodations, transportation, premium trip insurance, entrance to museums/events, taxes, and tips for activities.
Tuition does NOT INCLUDE airfare, lunches and meals not listed in the itinerary, beverages other than filtered water at meals, COVID testing before, during, or after the trip, 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, tips, excess baggage fees, damage to hotels, expenses related to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. transportation delays or natural disasters).
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.
Who can go on this trip?
The trip is open to all 9-12th grade students at the Imago Dei Academy. Space is limited and is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The trip is open to all 9-12th grade students at the Imago Dei Academy. 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.
Single rooms can be requested and will cost $500 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.
Single rooms can be requested and will cost $500 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.
What is the payment timeline?
Deadline to register: Two weeks after our informational meeting
$750 deposit due within three business days of registration
Deadlines for airfare: September 15, 2022
Balance in three installments: October 15, November 15, and December 15, 2022
Deadline to register: Two weeks after our informational meeting
$750 deposit due within three business days of registration
Deadlines for airfare: September 15, 2022
Balance in three installments: October 15, November 15, and December 15, 2022
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.