CASTLES FOR KIDS

Kids love castles.  They have fantasies about pirates and secret passages and treasure hunts and sunken ships.   This tour activates all these themes and dreams .

The first castle is on the island of Kos.  It is castle of the Knights of the Order of Saint John.   Kids love this castle because you can run and roam at will.   They can touch and stand on all the relics and statues.  No guards to stifle your spirit.   The castle has a moat and drawbridge and towers and gun ports and other medieval features that fascinate youngsters.  The greatest views of the harbor and sea are from the castle.

Turkey is just a couple of hours away by boat from Kos.   In Bodrum, you visit the Museum of Underwater Archaeology located in the 600 year old Castle of the Knight St. Peter the Liberator.  This is a fabulous castle for kids to explore because there are so many exotic rooms, such as, the Dungeon with wall chains, a ship wrecked boat with its ancient cargo displayed intact, the Secret Museum in the Snake Tower and the Glasswreck Hall, among other great exhibits.

Also in Bodrum, you will not want to miss the Mausoleum of Halikarnasus which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Leaving Kos, you come to Rhodes, the place of the spectacular Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of St. John the Hospitaller.  This is one of the few examples of Gothic architecture in Greece.    The entire old city of Rhodes is a World Heritage Site with the largest Crusader castle and structures of the Eastern Mediterranean.   Be sure to set the kids free to walk the length of the dry moat.   They will also want to enter and exit all eleven gates of the fortress, each one with its own distinct character.

We can customize this itinerary to suit your travel needs. 

Day 1: Kos
Welcome to Kos island, home of Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine. After roaming around the Kos Crusader castle, enjoy your welcome dinner in an outdoor taverna specializing in eastern Mediterranean cuisine.

Day 2: Kos
Visit the ruins of Hippocrates’ medical clinic where dream therapy was used to heal patients! Bike to Therma wherehealing hot springs flow directly into the cool sea. Dinner in Zia, the highest point on the island, with traditional Greek folk dancing.

Day 3: Kos
Get your passports ready for a day across the waters to Bodrum, Turkey. Its restored Crusader fortress holds an impressive museum of underwater archaeological finds made by Texas A & M University.  There’s also the Mausoleum of Halikarnasus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Day 4: Kos
Experience the calm and tranquility of tiny Nyseros island. Take a short walk down into a dormant volcano that smells of sulfur and you can see the smoke rising from the earth. Swim at the local black sand beach. Alternate itinerary — sail to Kalymnos, the home of the sponge divers — visit the island’s amazing
aquarium.

Day 5: Rhodes
Transfer to Rhodes by high speed ferry boat.  The entire old Rhodes town is a World Heritage Site.  It is car-free which means it’s more quiet that other places and safer for walking.   Explore the spectacular Grand Master Castle and walk the dry moat.  In the evening listen to live bouzouki music.

Day 6: Rhodes
Visit lovely Lindos, another car free town. It has an ancient Acropolis which the kids ascend to by donkey. Terrific views of the sea for miles around. Swim in the underwater sea cave! Beautiful hand-laid pebble mosaic terraces.  You will also visit the Bee Museum and see live bees and honey production and enjoy honey tastings.

Day 7: Rhodes
Youngsters adore the Valley of the Butterflies.  It is a marvel to behold thousands of these fluttering creatures.   Next stop is Seven Springs where you walk through a watery tunnel.   Best place for swimming is Kallithea, a small cove that once held an ornate Italian spa.  Last stop is the Aquarium showcasing marine life in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Day 8: Departure

TRIP DURATION  8 days

START & END POINTS
Start Point:   Tour starts on Kos island.  Best to fly from Athens since it is a long ferry boat ride.
End Point: Tour Ends on Rhodes island. Best to fly to Athens since it is a long ferry boat ride.

BOOKING AGREEMENT  Participants are required to sign our company Booking Agreement as a condition of the tour.

WAIVER  Participants are required to sign our company Waiver as a condition of the tour.  Parents sign on behalf of children.

COST PER PERSON

Children 12 and under receive 20% discount

For currency exchange rates, click here.

INCLUSIONS

Accommodations 7 nights accommodations in 5 star resorts with rooms and activities geared towards families.  Includes  daily breakfast (see Accommodations tab)

Vehicle with Driver-Guide: See description below

Airport transfer Our company driver picks you up at Kos Airport and takes you to Rhodes airport on departure.

Ferry  business class (if available)  Kos to Rhodes

Day boat Kos to Nyseros (roundtrip)

Day boat Kos to Bodrum (roundtrip)

Kos Entry fees to Hippocrates site,

Turkey entry fees to Bodrum Castle, Halikarnasus Mausoleum,

Rhodes entry fees to Grand Master Palace, Rhodes archaeology museum, Valley of the Butterflies, Kallithea Springs, Lindos Acropolis, Bee Museum

Map of Kos and Rhodes

Trip packet with useful and interesting information, such as what to see and do, recommended places to eat, packing tips, etc.

Mobile phone with programmed numbers

Gratuities, tips and VAT taxes

EXCLUSIONS

Airfare to/from Greece

Airfare to Kos, Airfare from Rhodes

Athens hotel

All meals

Travel insurance — mandatory for families see Extras tab

DRIVER-GUIDE DETAILS

Guests are transported in a mini-van akin to a Nissan Prima Star with seating for up to eight passengers.   For more than eight participants see Groups tab.  Our company driver-guides are focused on your safety, your comfort, your pleasure, your convenience.   They work a basic eight hour day and are not needed at night because almost all eating choices are within walking distance.  Driver-guides assist with your luggage, interface with the hotels, help with translations, lead you on walks or hikes, introduce you to all activities, and in general they are all around trouble shooters.   They take care of all their own meals.  It is in your discretion if you wish the driver-guide to join your party at dinner but he pays for his own meal.

An indicative hotel for Castles For Kids tour is the five-star resort Rodos Palace Hotel located a mere ten minute walk from Old Town Rhodes with rooms and suites for families and kids’ playground and playroom.

We select the family accommodations based on quality, comfort, cleanliness, hospitality, location and convenience.

A single room entails an additional cost, for example, if a grandparent joins the tour.

All hotels are dependent on availability. In the event of no occupancy, we patronize comparable accommodations in the same location.

Travel Insurance  For U.S. citizens, we are official agents of Travel Guard travel insurance and can book your trip insurance or provide you a policy quote.  Travel insurance is mandatory for families.

Athens hotel   If you come to Athens before going to Kos  and/or after you leave Rhodes, we can book your pre- and post-tour accommodations in Athens with a choice of fine hotels we patronize in the Plaka neighborhood.

Licensed Guide in Rhodes   2 hour walking tour with professional guide in Old Town Rhodes.   The guide takes you to the highlights of the medieval town, such as Grand Master Palace and the cobble stoned Street of the Knight, as well as less heralded sites, such as the old Turkish neighborhood with Mosque of Suleiman and the Jewish neighborhood.   Cost is 300 euros per group, includes entry fees.

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