GreeceItaly

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FAMILY RUN TOURS TO

T R A V E L C O

GREECE + ITALYQuality, personalized travel

from our Greek-Texan family to you

NEW for 2017 Enchanting Greek Islands Tour

www.SOFIATRAVEL.org

A different travel experience

Info@SofiaTravel.org | 214-493-3027

OUR FAMILY THE SOFIA DIFFERENCE

When Elizabeth Iliadou Sparks, a native of Verea, Greece, and her husband, Dr. David Sparks, ran their first tour to Greece, Elizabeth’s grandmother was with them to welcome the travelers off the plane. Thirty years later, our unique brand of family travel still revolves around welcoming you to an authentic travel experience based on quality, personal attention, and a love and passion for the remarkable culture and history of Greece and Italy.

By planning every menu and guiding you through every site ourselves, we can ensure that you are always receiving the highest quality and most authentic experience. We will be with you every step of the way, from answering your questions over the phone before the tour to helping you barter in the local marketplace. Our goal is that you will experience the country not as visitors, but as our guests.

We personally lead every tour

At the core of everything we do is our passion for teaching. Instead of handing you off to a series of disjointed local guides, we weave a comprehensive narrative that brings the 4,000 year history of Greece and Italy to life.

Engaging lectures

From setting sail with a third generation fisherman for a feast at his grandfather’s home on an uninhabited island to making fresh pasta with a Tuscan chef in a 12th century medieval village, we focus on the unique activities and encounters that make travel special.

Unforgettable cultural experiences

Verea, Greece 1930

Joined by their son Adam and his wife Blake, the Sparks family of Sofia Travel have led over 150 tours to Greece and Italy. Let us share with you our favorite restaurants, introduce you to our friends and family, and lead you to the most inspiring, beautiful and unforgettable

places that we know. We’d love to have you join us!

“Yes, I have been on other tours, but there

is no comparison. If I go on another tour,

it will be a Sparks tour.”

Sherry Williams, Texas Exes Experiencing Italy 2015

We craft our tours around the experience we want you to have, not on a checklist of touristic sites. By slowing down the pace, we allow time for the sorts of unexpected cultural experiences that last a lifetime.

Travel centered around you

At Sofia Travel, we guarantee quality. We personally oversee every single detail and have built relationships with local providers that date back decades. Instead of offering hundreds or thousands of tours, we personally focus on making every detail of your tour perfect.

Unyielding commitment to quality

AUTHENTIC GREECE

HIGHLIGHTSWhere some tours offer a “Greek night”, we immerse you in the country that we love. Meet our friends and family, delve into the modern culture, and go off the tourist-track.

Experience the Greece of the Greeks

From 2,300 year old golden burial goods to 600 year old Orthodox monasteries perched precariously on mountainous crags, the legacy of Greece is stunning beyond expectation.

4,000 years of history, culture, and religion

Eat like the locals with hand selected menus at local tavernas and enjoy hotels located in central, walkable neighborhoods.

Matchless cuisine, vibrant accommodations

From visiting our family’s mountain town to hearing the words of the Greek poets, we delve deep into Greek culture for an authentic experience.

Uniquely personalized travelexperiences

There is no other land like Greece. From its glorious past to its vibrant modern culture, Greece exceeds travelers’ expectations with the friendliness of its people, the richness of its cuisine, the beauty of its natural setting, and the importance of its legacy. We invite you to see our Greece, authentic Greece, the Greece we know and love, in all its

legendary glory.

SANTORINI ISLANDOPTIONAL EXTENSION

Enjoy three renewing nights on the breathtaking island of Santorini. Take a catamaran ride through the ancient volcano and enjoy the

world’s most spectacular sunset from your balcony.

September 3-15, 2017$3,995 + international airfare

(price is liable to change until publication of official tour brochure)

Stay on the Aegean Sea at the foot of Mt. Olympus • Marvel at the 2,400 year old Parthenon • Sample ancient wine varietals at a countryside family vineyard • Recount the life of the Apostle Paul in Athens • Hike the sacred way to the Oracle of Delphi • Gaze at the golden death masks of Homeric kings • Dine seaside accompanied by folk musicians • Explore a 600 year old Orthodox monastery perched high on a towering crag • Embrace the land that has been the soul and inspiration of

Western Civilization for over 4,000 years

Port of Kavala

“I cannot speak highly enough about Sofia Travel. The combination of David and Adam Sparks’ knowledge of historical events is what I look for in these types of trips. The added plus was Elizabeth —her charm, Greek language use, connections within the towns we visited—made the trip “over the top”. I want to travel with the Sparks again and so I hope the Flying Longhorns continue their relationship

with Sofia Travel.”

Carolann Smith, Texas Exes Authentic Greece 2013

ENCHANTING GREEK ISLANDS

Famous world-wide for their stunning beauty, the Greek islands are at once breathtaking and humble, exotic and welcoming. Rather than seeing them on a rushed cruise ship excursion, we invite you to fully experience the Greek islands. Sail with a third generation Greek fisherman, stroll along Venetian-built harbors at sunset, dine in a former Ottoman bathhouse, and immerse yourself in an authentic experience unlike any other.

HIGHLIGHTS

With their stunning beauty and storied histories, these three islands are irresistibly charming and deeply inspiring.

Exotic locales unlike anywhere else on the planet

Skip the well-worn tourist track for unforgettable, off-the-beaten-path experiences. Sail with a fisherman to his home on an uninhabited island or sip coffee with the nuns at a mountaintop monastery.

Go off the tourist track for authentic experiences

From 400 year old Venetian buildings to the 18th century home of a shipping magnate, these centrally located boutique hotels are dreamlike in their charm.

Unforgettable accommodations

Travel on your schedule, not a cruise ship’s. We’ve curated this tour for the perfect combination of group activities and personal exploration, all at a pace that encourages discovery and unforgettable moments.

Relaxing, rejuvenating travel

CHANIA

Venetian harbors, Ottoman baths, and Cretan culture, built on top of a 4,000 year old prehistoric settlement

Venetian harbors, Ottoman baths, Cretan culture: the best of Greece.Step back in time in this 4,000 year old exotic port town

HYDRA

No cars allowed in this unbelievably quaint port town

MYKONOS

Whitewashed winding alleyways, blue domed chapels and stunning sunsets make this cosmopolitan island a world-class destination

September 17-29, 2017$4,995 + airfare

(price is liable to change until publication of official tour brochure)

Sail on a private catamaran to the picturesque old port of Spetses • Feast on homemade products at an organic vineyard and farm in Mykonos • Hike the stunning Samaria Gorge • Enjoy a freshly caught fish dinner from a third generation fisherman at his family’s traditional dwelling • Take a horse ride to an isolated, operating nunnery above Hydra • Shop at a traditional leather workshop in Chania or a world-class jewelry store in Mykonos • Swim in the crystal clear waters of Europe’s best beaches

• Dine on freshly caught, perfectly prepared seafood

HIGHLIGHTSEnjoy Italy’s most romantic locales

See the 3,000 year history of the West come to life

Unforgettable cuisine

Start and end your tour with luxury stays in two of the world’s most sought after destinations.

Relax in Venice or the stunning Amalfi Coast

EXPERIENCING ITALY

Enjoy the full Italian experience on this intimate tour of Italy. Soak up the beauty of Tuscany, marvel at the grandeur of Florence and Rome, and immerse yourself in the matchless culture and cuisine of Italy. Travel through medieval Tuscan hill towns and family-run vineyards, enjoy engaging lectures on Roman society and Renaissance art, and stay in the

most picturesque locations on this expertly curated journey.

OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS

VENICE AMALFI COASTSpend four blissful nights along the stunning Amalfi Coast. Sail to Capri, explore haunting Pompeii, and feast your eyes on Italy’s most beautiful cities.

Venice is magical with its opulent buildings and serene waterways. Enjoy three unforgettable nights in the center of this remarkable island

May 15-26, 2017$4,295 + airfare

(price is liable to change until publication of official tour brochure)

From the center of Florence, to a medieval hill town in the Tuscan countryside, to a charming family villa, to the most romantic neighborhood in Rome, your accommodations are sure to impress.

Be inspired by the grandeur of ancient Rome and the beauty of the Renaissance as you see the world’s greatest art up close and delve into a cultural tradition that forever changed the course of humanity.

From a rustic feast at a family run farmhouse to fresh pasta made by your own hands, we put a special emphasis on embracing the wonderul Italian cuisine

Gaze up at Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel • Get lost in the enormity of the Colosseum • Spend a delightful evening making pasta with an Italian chef • Wander the alleyways surrounding Siena’s grandiose main square • Eat gelato with a view of the Pantheon • Experience art and beauty in the Borghese Gallery • Be humbled by Saint Francis’ teachings in Assisi • Dine at a traditional Tuscan farmhouse and vineyard • Stay in

the centers of Italy’s most amazing destinations

“It is evident that this is so much more than

a business for each of you. Your knowledge,

planning, experience and care resulted in

the trip being a personalized experience.”

“The warmth and personal quality you at Sofia Travel lend to the trip adds a special

dimension.”

“I don’t have an adequate vocabulary to express

my appreciation for this fantastic tour.”

Courtney Brown, Texas Exes Experiencing Italy 2015

“Their depth of knowledge and attention to detail made this the best vacation we’ve ever had AND sold us on traveling with them again in the near future.”

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“This family was amazing!

Extremely informed,

organized and a pleasure

to be with. A total cultural immersion thanks to them!!”

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Pat Smolik, Texas Exes Authentic Greece 2014

Ruth Hendelman, Texas Exes Experiencing Italy 2015

Monica Schiller, Texas Exes Authentic Greece 2014

Nancy Seilheimer, Texas Exes Experiencing Italy 2015

“I feel the Sparks go the extra mile to make trips

with them exceptional. I will follow wherever they go.”

Mel Chavez, Texas ExesAuthentic Greece 2013

FROM OUR TRAVELERSWORDS

“Five gold stars for the Texas Exes The best tour guides we Darlene and Wilson Cozby,

in getting the Sparks on board. have ever experienced.”Texas Exes Authentic Greece 2013

T R A V E L C O

www.SOFIATRAVEL.org

2017 TOURSExperiencing Italy: May 15-26Authentic Greece: Sept. 3-15

Enchanting Greek Islands: Sept. 17-29

Info@SofiaTravel.org | 214-493-3027