It’s a Wrap! 2025–2026 Greece Trip Qualifiers Are Going to Have Their Hands Full

Athens is famous not only for its ancient history, mythology, and iconic landmarks, but also for its vibrant culinary and street food scene. Whether you’re a sophisticated foodie or just a curious traveler, the Greek capital has something delicious to satisfy every palate.

Greek gastronomy is a blend of history, culture, and geography. Influenced heavily by the Ottoman Empire and Turkish flavors, the traditional cuisine has a rich yet simplistic base that allows each ingredient to shine. From sheep’s yogurt to creamy feta, dairy is a main feature, and herbs like dill and oregano provide depth without overpowering the taste of the meal. Greeks prefer natural flavors over spiciness, and since there’s no shortage of olive trees in the country’s landscape, olive oil enriches almost every dish, and is often paired with locally sourced olives, seafood, and vegetables.

Athens is a city where dining typically takes place outside. You’ll see tables propped up on the pavement, scattered throughout public squares, or set along rooftop terraces. And sharing is at the heart of mealtimes across Greece. If you’re lucky enough to eat with an Athenian host, you can expect plate after plate of fresh meze (small dishes served as appetizers) to find its way to the table. Traditional Greek dishes are still the number one choice across Athens and there are plenty of tavernas where you can chow down on homemade staples.

Getting hungry yet? We thought it’d be fun to have a friendly battle here between two of the most sought-after food titans amongst tourists and locals alike.

Souvlaki vs. Gyros

We’ve all heard of—and maybe even tried outsider versions of—gyros. It’s an absolute Greek classic that has made its way around the world. But the gyro’s lesser known cousin, souvlaki, is also an extremely popular street food and restaurant dish.

So what’s the difference between souvlaki and gyros?

The term “souvlaki” means “small skewer,” and its roots can be traced all the way back to Ancient Greece, with its first written mention in Homer’s The Iliad:

“Then Achilles sliced the meat well and pierced it through on both sides with spits, and the godlike son of Menoetius kindled the fire to great light, but when the fire had burned, and the flame had died out, he scattered the hot embers and stretched the spits out over top, and he sprinkled the divine salt when he had joined the spits to the cooking stones.”

Souvlaki itself is marinated meat—pork, chicken, beef, or lamb—grilled on a skewer. On the street scene you’ll also find it served in a warm pita with a side of tzatziki, which is a Greek dip made from strained yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, and olive oil, along with fresh herbs that are sometimes accompanied by vinegar, lemon juice, and/or salt. It’s also common to find souvlaki served over salad at a sit-down grill house or local taverna.

Each souvlaki vendor in Athens adds their own personal touch to the meats, with variations in ingredients added, preparation methods, and secret family recipes to make their version stand out with subtle differences in flavor and texture.

A gyro—meat-stuffed pita bread—is said to have appeared in Greece in 1922, brought in by a large group of Armenian refugees from Asia Minor, now Turkey. The literal meaning of the word “gyro” is “to turn” or “revolution,” which refers to how the meat is cooked.

Gyros are pita wraps packed with herb-seasoned meats (either lamb, chicken, or beef) and onions, crispy French fries, tomato, and tzatziki sauce. The meat is usually slow-cooked on a free-standing, cone-shaped, vertical rotisserie and sliced off when someone orders, much like a kebab.

This popular street food is found just about everywhere in Athens, and is particularly popular with the city’s night owls—you can find vendors serving up gyros into the early morning.

So now that you are well-versed in the differences between souvlaki and gyros, which one will you be choosing?

Personally, I’ll take two of each, please!

We hope you enjoyed this Athenian food adventure, but it really just scratches the surface on all of the mouthwatering Greek cuisine that qualifiers of the 2025–2026 Agent/Broker Travel Incentive will have the opportunity to indulge in. We’re sure your agency/brokerage is hungry too—start feeding it more sales and make plans to join us next year from September 27 to October 1 on our Luxurious Odyssey Through Historic Athens.

View the eligibility requirements to see what it takes to qualify.

Legal Notice: In the event any dispute should arise concerning any aspect of the 2025–2026 Agent/Broker Travel Incentive, such dispute shall be resolved by The Doctors Company. The decision as to any dispute concerning the Agent/Broker Travel Incentive shall rest in the sole discretion of The Doctors Company, and such decision shall be full, final, and not subject to any further review. Wholesale brokers of The Doctors Company and TDC Specialty Underwriters are not eligible to participate in the Agent/Broker Travel Incentive.