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 ATHENS-PELOPONNESE-DELPHI-METEORA TOUR
This is an opportunity to get to know the most significant historical monuments dating from prehistoric to modern times; reminding the glory that was Greece.
In a week you will learn a lot about Greek mythology and the Olympic spirit in the land from which they came from.
1st day in Athens:
Enjoy a wonderful day in Athens by visiting the historical centre of Ancient and Modern Athens Overnights in Athens.
2nd day in Nafplio or Tolo:
Visit Mycenae, the theatre of Epidavros and the bay of Nafplio with Palamidi Fortress and Bourtzi or the picturesque village of Tolo enjoying the clear blue sea.
Overnight in Nafplio or Tolo.
3rd day in Olympia:
Proposed Visits is the archaeological site of the ancient Olympia.
Overnight in Olympia or in Krestena
4th day in Delphi:
Proposed Visits are the archaeological site with the museum and the picturesque villages around Delphi.
Overnight in Delphi.
5th and 6th day in Kalambaka:
Visit of the Meteora community of 24 monasteries, which are perched upon the summits of some massive grey colours, isolated rocky pinnacles, rising towards the sky, above the almost flat valley of the Pinios river, few kilometres beyond Kalambaka.
Overnight in Kalambaka or in Krestena.
7th day in Athens:
Visits is the historical centre of Ancient and modern Athens for those who hasn’t got the opportunity yet. Or excursion to the cape of Sounio (60km) to explore the beauties of Attica.
Overnight in Athens.
8th day:
Vehicle’s drop-off and departure.
DESCRIPTION
1st DAY
Arrival to Athens International airport. Reception by our agents for the car rental and the accommodation list. Arrival and installation at the hotel.
Athens is a major cultural capital with an innumerable site to visit. The most significant is the Acropolis, a wonder of the world that is unsurpassed in its beauty, architectural splendour and historic importance: The Parthenon, the Propylea, the Temple of Athena Nike and the Erechtheion with the famous Caryatides (that with parts of Parthenon are still being exhibiting in the British Museum of London). Just below the Acropolis hill are the two ancient theatres of Dionysus and of Herod Attics and the great National Museum of Acropolis. Walking down from the north side of Acropolis is the ancient Supreme Court and the Ancient Agora: the commercial and public centre of ancient Athens. Throw Monastiraki you arrive to Plaka where the ancient and modern Athens meets and where you can take a break from the historical tour by drinking or eating to the coffee shops or taverns. Walking in the narrow streets by the neo-classical buildings with the various small shops of souvenirs, leather and clothing, you pass by the Greek Orthodox Cathedral called Metropolis and you arrive to the Syntagma Square, where the Greek Parliament is located, with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is guarded day and night by two soldiers (called evzones) dressed in the traditional skirted uniforms. Continuing you may visit the National Garden with the Zappeion Hall, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and few steps away the Panathineon Ancient Stadium.
Choose to see the Athenian view by the hills of Phnyx or Lycabetous especially the night.
Overnight in Athens.
2nd DAY
After having breakfast you take the direction of Korinthos (few minutes stop at the Canal) and you continue direction Tripoli. Not far from your way is Mycenae, the headlight of a whole civilization. Counting 3000 years of existence is classified among the greatest architectural and archaeological wonders of the world, its Acropolis, with the Cyclopean Walls, the Lions Gate that marks the entry of the Homeric Atrides palace, the Atrides Treasures and the Agamemnon Tomb.
Leaving Mycenae you may continue to Nafplio or drift the opportunity to visit the famous best preserved ancient theatre of Epidavros - brilliant of its acoustic- and the Sanctuary of Asclepios the healer, just few kilometres out of your way.
Either from Mycenae or Epidavros, you take the direction of Argos and continue to Nafplio, which its name means "naval station". Undoubtedly is the city the most attached to Peloponnesian style and has been the first capital of Greece after the Independence war of 1821. The picturesque town nestling at the foot of a cliff at the bottom of the Argolic golf is crowned by the mighty ramparts of the powerful Venetian Palamidi Fortress. Counting its 999 steps or driving to go up there (there is a free parking), you’ll be amazed by the panoramic view that worth visiting. Walking down, take a small tour around Akronafplia. The old city keeps a perfume of holidays. You feel it walking by the small souvenirs shops -and not only- at the city centre or by the restaurants and the coffees shops at the sea front with the magnificent view of Bourtzi Fortress. Nafplio is unforgettable.
Overnight in Nafplio or Tolo.
3rd DAY
Direction to Olympia (210 km). Arrival and installation at the hotel.
Visit the site of Ancient Olympia with the Stadium, the Bouleuterion, the workshop of Pheidias (where the gold and ivory statue of Zeus has been created; one of the ancient wonders of the world, which is no longer with us), the Palaestra, the Gymnasium, the great Sanctuary of Zeus, the Heraion and Olympia Archaeological Museum.
Olympia is the birthplace of the Olympic Games that begun in 776 B.C. and where they were held, to honour Olympian Zeus, the father of the gods.
Olympia (area, of great natural beauty- still today-), is one of the favourites archaeological sites in all of Greece. You can almost feel the magic of the ancient Olympic Games and ceremony as you wonder around the ruins. It is here that the Greek world reconciled the time of a ritual truce, during the period of the games. (The Olympic Games evoke the ideal of peace still today thanks to Pierre de Coubertin).
You can see the excavations at Olympia still ongoing with new treasures being unearthing,(some of the old finds, as parts of the Temple of Zeus have been transferred to the museum of Louvre by French archaeologists, where they are still being exhibiting).
Overnight in Olympia or in Krestena village.
4th DAY
Direction to Delphi (210 km). Arrival and installation at the hotel.
Delphi is known as the center of worship for the god Apollo, son of Zeus, who embodied moral discipline and spiritual clarity. Delphi in ancient times was considered as the center, the omphalas of the known world, the place where heaven and earth met, where man was closest to the gods.
The oracle of Delphi was a spiritual experience whereby the spirit of Apollo was asked for advice on critical matters relating to people's lives or affairs of the state. Questions were asked to Pythia, the priestess of Apollo, who, seated on a tripod above a deep crevasse, would pronounce her prophecies ('channeled' by the spirit of the god), while the priests wrote them down and translated them to the people.
The center of Delphi is the Sanctuary of Apollo, on the southern tip of the mountain slope. The Doric temple was Pythia’s home. The temple walls used to be inscribed with words of wisdom such as "Know Thyself", "Nothing in Excess" and "Don't take any Wooden Drachma", which are as meaningful today as they were when they were written.
The theatre and the large stadium that is considered the best preserved in all of Greece. The Sacred Way leads to the temple, passing the treasuries and monuments that commemorate great events. In ancient times this road was lined with statues and gifts given by the city state in tribute to Apollo in thanks for victories in battle.
The frieze of the treasury is now in the archaeological museum along with many artifacts from the site including the omphalos, the sculptured cone that stood in the exact center of the world and the famous bronze statue of the Charioteer, one of the most celebrated pieces of ancient art in the world.
Overnight in Delphi.
5th and 6th DAY
Direction to Kalambaka (225km). Arrival and installation at the hotel.
In the northwest corner of Thessaly, the wide bed of the Pinios River emerges from the mighty canyons of the Eastern Pindus Mountains that plummet abruptly onto the Thassalian plain. Here, in the shadow of the mountains and just beyond the town of Kalampaka, massive grey coloured pinnacles rise towards the sky. It is a strange but breathtaking landscape that has been sculpted by wind and water over 60 million years ago: the rock towers of Meteora. The thing that makes Meteora so special is the monasteries on the top of the rock towers. The monastic history of Meteora goes back to the 11th century AD, when the monks constructed inaccessible eagle’s nests in the crannies of these rocks. The first monasteries were not built until the 14th century A.D to help keep alive Greek Orthodox religious traditions and Hellenic culture during the turbulent Middle Ages and Ottoman Turk occupation of Greece.
Meaning ‘suspended in air’ the name Meteora soon came to encompass the entire rock community of 24 monasteries. There were no steps and the main access to the monasteries was by means of a net that was hitched over a hook and hoisted up by rope and a hand cranked windlass to winch towers overhanging the chasm. Monks descended in the nets or on retractable wooden ladders up to 40m long to the fertile valleys below to grow grapes, corn and potatoes. Each community developed its own resources and by the end of the 14th century, the Grand Meteoron emerged as the dominant community. Its wealth included landed estates, flocks of sheep, and herds of cattle.
Today only four are occupied, these are the monastery of Megalo Meteoro, the monastery of Moni Varlaam or Moni Agion Panton with two other churches into the All the Saints and St. John the Baptist, the monastery of Moni Agias Triadas and the monastery of Moni Agiou Stefanou.
Overnight in Kalampaka or Kastraki village.
7th DAY
Direction to Athens. Arrival and installation at the hotel. Rest of the day for shopping or visiting. Alternatively you can drive along the coastal road to Sounio Cape. Crowned by the spectacular Temple of Poseidon overlooking the Aegean Sea, admire, enjoy or been lost to the magnificent colours of a marvellous sunset, (if the sky is clear!).
Return to Athens for overnight.
8th DAY
Breakfast. Last drive threw Athens to the airport. Drop-off of the rental vehicle. Departure.
PRICE: (A’ class hotels) or (Tourist class hotels) please contact us
Tour includes: car rental and accommodation with breakfast.
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