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 TOUR of ATHENS- PELOPONNESE- DELPHES
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 the bay of Nafplio with Palamidi Fortress and Bourtzi or the picturesque village of Tolo enjoying the clear blue sea. Visits also of Mycenae and the theatre of Epidavros.
Overnight in Nafplio or Tolo.
3rd and 4th day in Sparte and Monemvassia:
A travel to time from the Ancient Sparte to the Mediaeval city of Mistras and then back and front to the peninsula of Mani with the famous Diros Cave and Monemvasia Castle.
Overnight in Sparte.
5th day in Olympia:
Proposed Visits is the archaeological site of the ancient Olympia.
Overnight in Olympia or in Krestena
6th day in Delphi:
Proposed Visits are the archaeological site with the museum and the picturesque villages around Delphi.
Overnight in Delphi.
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 Sparte (200km). Arrival and installation at the hotel.
The city of Sparte lies at the southern end of the central Laconia plain, on the right bank of the river Evrotas. The city was strategically located; guarded from three sides by mountains and controlling the routes by which invading armies could penetrate Laconia and the southern Peloponnesus via the Langhda Pass over Mt Taygetus.
Sparte and Athens, until the time of Alexander the Great, were the two most powerful city-states in all of Greece, during ancient times.
Eight kilometres west of the modern town of Sparte, is Mistras another site that holds significant historical importance. The old medieval capital of Moria was the second most important city in the Byzantine Empire after Constantinople. To its monasteries and churches there are some magnificent pieces of wall paintings that worth visiting. Mistras, with its castle and domes and palaces spread out as though it’s the setting for a fairy-tale, is a place of immense interest.
Apart from the historical towns of Sparte and Mistras, to the south are the Mani region, and the city of Aeropoli with its Diros Caves, where you will be mesmerized by the colourful stalagmites and stalactites. Archaeological discoveries in the cave confirmed the human presence during the Palaeolithic and Neolithic times.
Overnight in Sparte.
4th DAY
Direction to Monemvassia (100 km)
Coming across the coast you meet a high rock connected to the land by a narrow passage that has been constructed after the cliff has been separated to the land because of an earthquake. Monemvassia means the one and only passage, but is also known as the ‘Greek Gibraltar’. The first sight of it will impress you. Walk by the narrow passage to the citadel (you have to park the car at the city limits). To discover the secrets of this rock you walk under the narrow gate of a medieval castle around the almost deserted village and you will feel like travelling to the medieval period when it was one of the most famous ports of the Byzantine Empire.
On your way back to Sparte you may choose to visit Yithio, a developed small port with nice taverns to eat and the ruins of a roman theatre to visit.
Overnight in Sparte.
5th DAY
Direction to Olympia (180 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.
6th DAY
Direction to Delphi (210 km). Arrival and installation at the hotel.
Delphi is known as the centre of worship for the god Apollo, son of Zeus, who embodied moral discipline and spiritual clarity. Delphi in ancient times was considered as the centre, 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 ('channelled' by the spirit of the god), while the priests wrote them down and translated them to the people.
The centre 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 centre 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.
7th DAY
Direction to Athens ( 190 km). Arrival and installation at the hotel.
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
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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