GREECE & SOUTHERN ITALY
Oct 6 – 22, 2025
PRICE
$4,600
DURATION
18 DAYS / 17 NIGHTS
GROUP MAX
14 PEOPLE
PHYSICAL
MODERATE
WEATHER
Warm
TOUR OVERVIEW
This unique tour will encompass the best of Greece and Southern Italy. We start by focusing on classical Athens and other archaeological sites in the Peloponnese Peninsula on mainland Greece before moving on to Puglia and Sicily in southern Italy for its highlights.
TOUR LEADER
Terry Giansanti
TOUR PRICE
$4,600
SOLD OUT
Maximum 2 Travelers per Reservation
$500 deposit per person is required to reserve space. The availability of space is based on a first come, first serve basis.
100% of the balance is required 90 days before the first day of the tour.
DAY 1 • • •
Start our tour in the morning with our local deaf guide. We visit the world-famous Parthenon and the Acropolis Museum. In the evening stroll around the Plaka district. Welcome dinner. Stay in Athens for 2 nights.
DAY 2 • • •
Visit the Temple of Zeus, Olympic Stadium, Changing of the Guard at the Parliament, and stroll around central Athens.
DAY 3 • • •
Pick up our van and drive to Nafplion, stopping by Epidarus to see the best-preserved ancient Greek theatre in the country. Have a leisurely lunch in a taverna, Greek-style. Free afternoon/evening in Nafplion. Stay two nights in Nafplion.
DAY 4 • • •
Drive to Tolo to catch our day cruise to the two Greek islands of Hydra and Spetses, where we spend the day to get a taste of traditional Greek island life. Lounge around, people-watch, and swim in its beautiful waters. Leisurely dinner on the beach in Tolo.
DAY 5 • • •
Drive from Nafplion to Olympia, stopping by Mycenae to visit the famous Lion’s Gate and Agamemnon’s Tomb. Continue to Olympia and afternoon free time in Olympia. Overnight in Olympia.
DAY 6 • • •
Visit the site of the ancient Olympic Games, the Sanctuary of Olympia, the Archaeological Museum, and the Ancient Olympic Games museum. In the afternoon drive to Delphi. Stay in Delphi for 1 night.
DAY 7 • • •
Visit the world-famous Sanctuary of Delphi where the Delphi Oracle presided. After lunch, drive to Patras where we catch the overnight ferry from Patras to Bari in Italy, arriving the next morning.
DAY 8 • • •
Arrival in Bari. With our local deaf guide we take a walking tour around old Bari and its famous sights, including the church of St. Nicholas. We sample the famous local dish known as assassin’s spaghetti. Sleep in Bari for two nights.
DAY 9 • • •
Visit Puglia’s highlights including the trulli of Alberobello and the beachfront town of Polignano a Mare.
DAY 10 • • •
Go up to Andria to visit a deaf-owned olive oil mill, then continue on to Castel del Monte. Afterwards, drive to Matera and settle into our B&B in the “Sassi” part of town. Stay 2 nights in Matera.
DAY 11 • • •
Day free to rest and recharge our batteries for the last leg of the trip! Enjoy the scenery and atmosphere of Matera all day long.
DAY 12 • • •
Depart for Reggio Calabria. Possible stopover in Tropea. Evening “passeggiata” on the main street of Reggio Calabria, seeing Sicily across the Strait of Messina. Overnight in Reggio Calabria.
DAY 13 • • •
Cross the Strait of Messina via ferry. Visit the swanky resort town of Taormina. Then go up to Mount Etna, Sicily’s highest mountain and still an active volcano. Stay in Syracuse for 2 nights.
DAY 14 • • •
Visit the Archeological center of Syracuse, including its Greek Theater and Dionysius’ Ear. Explore the Catacombs and the church of the weeping Mary. Afternoon side trip to Noto. Evening to roam and explore the atmospheric Ortygia Island, the oldest part of Syracuse.
DAY 15 • • •
Depart for Catania. Stop by to visit the center of Catania including the Duomo and the famous fish market. Move on to Cefalu for a brief walk around the seaside town. Arrive in Palermo. Stay in Palermo for 2 nights.
DAY 16 • • •
Grand tour of the city all day including Palermo Cathedral, Ballarò Market, Palatine Chapel and learn more about the rich history of Palermo. Farewell dinner.
DAY 17 • • •
Drive up to visit the cathedral of Monreale. Leisurely lunch in Sferracavallo. Stop by the Capaci Monument. Take a late afternoon flight to Rome. Stay at a hotel near the Rome Fiumicino Airport ready to fly back home the next day.
DAY 18 • • •
Depart from Rome Fiumicino Airport back home.
- 16 nights in accommodations guaranteed by Hands On Travel.
- 1 night in the ferry from Patras to Bari, in twin rooms with private bathroom.
- 18 meals: Breakfast (16), Dinner (2).
- Services of a deaf Tour Leader on call 24 hours a day.
- Services of local deaf and/or hearing guides.
- All transportation expenses including the ferry from Greece to Italy.
- All admission fees for attractions and museums mentioned in the itinerary.
- Informative travel preparation packet.
- Pre-tour and/or post-tour itinerary consultation.
- $100 discount per person on your next regular tour.
- Other domestic and/or international airfares.
- Tips for your tour leader and local tour guides.
- City and tourist taxes.
- All other meals not mentioned in the itinerary and personal expenses.
- Travel Insurance.
- Any COVID-19 related tests.
Why do you need travel insurance?
LEARN DIFFERENT SIGN LANGUAGES!
Hands On Travel is a proud sponsor to Intersign University which provides sign language courses in many different countries.
Learn MoreTOUR MANAGER
Terry Giansanti
TOUR PRICE
$4,600
SOLD OUT
Maximum 2 Travelers per Reservation
$500 deposit per person is required to reserve space. The availability of space is based on a first come, first serve basis.
100% of the balance is required 90 days before the first day of the tour.
Why do you need travel insurance?
LEARN DIFFERENT SIGN LANGUAGES!
Hands On Travel is a proud sponsor to Intersign University which provides sign language courses in many different countries.
Learn MorePRICE
$4,600
DURATION
18 DAYS / 17 NIGHTS
GROUP MAX
14 PEOPLE
PHYSICAL
MODERATE
WEATHER
Warm
GALLERY
Got a Question?
First, please scroll through our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have further questions or need help with a specific topic, feel free to contact us! Thank you.
RESERVATION
Spots are based on a first come, first serve basis. A $500 deposit per person is required to reserve your space and can be paid with a debit or credit card. Alternative payment options include personal check or wire transfer. After registration, you will receive an automatic email response with further instructions. Full payment is due 90 days before the start of your tour.
Absolutely yes! You can contact us by clicking this link and fill out the form and we will get back to you. Above all, we want to make your tour a memorable one for your group.
HOT is proud of the three distinct reasons that allow it to be different from other tour companies: they use sign language exclusively, travel in small groups which provide an intimate experience while also having more flexibility on their schedule, and spend time visiting places they love versus wasting time at places where there wasn’t much interest..
Generally, all tours will provide accommodations in double rooms with private bathrooms and breakfast, transportation expenses including lunch and dinner (depending on the itinerary), museum entrance fees along with a $100 credit towards your next full tour. In addition we provide you with information about each specific tour so that you can be fully aware of what is included.
We will be happy to assist you with a custom-designed tour, tailored towards your preferences. If not, stay up to date by joining our mailing list in order for us to provide you with any future tours that we may have availability for.
Did you know that we have travel consultants who can assist you? You can go to our Travel Consulting page for more information. The best way to accomplish this would be to seek out friends and/or family members (usually in order of 6 people) so they will lower the costs significantly, or advertise open spots on your tour publicly. We also have discounts, and some other advantages! What’s more- we are able to lower the level of accommodations as well as remove extras all together which make it feasible for a low cost.
It is often easier for us to permit single travelers when it comes time to sign up for our tours. If you are unable to find a partner and need assistance, please contact us as we may have singles available on the list- pending your approval first. There are some tours that allow exceptions for those seeking not only with partners but also without them too!
If somebody backs out, please register on our wait list or contact us directly so that we can put you on the wait list for a similar tour. We will also keep your name up to date with our latest tours and alerts about similar upcoming trips in order to give you a chance at joining them.
TRAVEL PROTECTION
Hands On Travel recommends that you purchase a travel protection plan to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. Travel protection plans include coverage for Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Emergency Medical and Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation, Trip Delay, Baggage Delay and more. To learn more about how to help protect you and your trip investment, visit the following link: TRAVEL PROTECTION
Don’t hesitate. We will stay in touch with you from the date of deposit until your arrival at the starting point of your tour, to make sure that all is well before departure. You can contact us via phone or e-mail any time for questions and we will remain in communication throughout your trip!
BILLING
No, we do not charge any extra fees or fuel surcharges. The listed price is the price you pay. Including tax.
You can find this under our Terms & Conditions. If you find it necessary to cancel your confirmed tour reservation, you must notify HOT about it by e-mail. You may transfer your space to another suitable person or request us to seek replacements. If your replacement is found, HOT will, at its discretion depending on the time frame, refund your deposits/payments or apply it towards a future Hands on Travel tour that is to be taken no more than 3 years after the dates of the original tour. If your replacement is not found, the cancellation of your reservation will become effective and the following charges will apply: (a) if cancelled more than 90 days before the first day of the tour, all installment or additional payments will be refunded to you minus the non-refundable deposit of US $500 per person and any non-refundable payments that HOT has made to suppliers. (b) if cancelled less than 90 days before the first day of the tour, no refunds will be made.
Since tour prices are quoted as a package, no partial refunds can be made for the unused portion of any tour including lodging, meals, or any other items that are included in the tour price. This does not apply to those who wish to participate in only a portion of a tour. In this case, we can pro-rate costs for the unused days.
After registration, you will receive an automatic email reply with further instructions. A $500 per person booking deposit is required to reserve your spot on the trip and can be paid by personal check, credit card and/or wire transfer. Full payment is due no less than 90 days before the start of the trip.
If you need to cancel or postpone your trip 3 or more months before the start, all monies paid will be refunded minus the $500 non-refundable deposit. You can also transfer the entire amount of your deposit to be used for a later trip if we are able to find replacements.
DURING THE TOUR
Big coach buses separate us from local people. We fail to experience or understand the “hands on” lives of locals.
We started out as a walking tour company. Walking offers close-up experiences with local people and hidden gems to discover.
It’s much easier to communicate full to everyone in semi-circle and make sign language 100% accessible. No more missing what is being said.
We’d be able to dine in smaller, cozier and unique restaurants that would offer a local culinary experience unlike large, tourist-oriented restaurants. And, we’d be able to stay at smaller accommodations in prime locations unlike large chain hotels outside the city limits.
We strive to include local guides for certain days to promote maximum cultural experience as well as exchange deaf-related insights.
Most of our customers will gain insightful observations and deeper understanding on how Deaf people live on a local level.
Most of our customers will gain insightful observations and deeper understanding on how Deaf people live on a local level.
