Description

Day 1

We will start our 5 - Day Alternative Peloponnese tour from your accommodation in Athens and after one hour driving by the Saronic gulf we will stop at Corinth canal. You will admire the canal which connects the Saronic gulf with the Corinthian gulf. We will continue driving West and after 1,1/2 hours we will reach the Artificial Lake Doxa. Lake Doxa is located at an altitude of 900 meters in a heavenly natural beauty environment. You can walk around the lake to enjoy the natural surroundings, you can take a horse ride if you wish, or you may choose to rent a recreation water vehicle with pedals to experience a lake adventure. You can also have lunch at a local restaurant close by.

We will continue our 5 day Alternative Peloponnese tour driving towards the region of Arcadia .We will stop at the village Vytina which is located at the foot of the range Mount Mainalo .You can walk around to explore the village, you can also visit the folklore museum, walk the small Vytina’s Grove, and enjoy a drink at the square of the village by the old church of Saint Tryfon .

We will continue driving west and after about 30 minutes the traditional picturesque village Lagadia will appear in front of us. It is situated on a mountain slope, at about 1000 meters elevation. This is the village where we will overnight. After we check in you can walk around the village, admire the beautiful sunset and enjoy your dinner.

Day 2

 We devote the second day of our Alternative Peloponnese tour exploring the Traditional picturesque villages of Dimitsana and Stemnitsa, hiking inside the Lusios gorge in order to visit the hidden monastery of Saint Ioannis Prodromos, and visit the Open air museum of Hydrokinesis at Dimitsana . We will start from the monastery of Saint Ioannis. Your driver will take you at the place from where you will start hiking towards the monastery. It is about 20 minutes hiking inside the Lousios gorge.

After you visit the monastery, we will stop at the village Stemnitsa where you can walk towards the highest spot where a small castle used to be. After you capture this village in your camera, we will take the way to Dimitsana village where you will enjoy a delicious lunch. After your lunch you will visit the Open-Air Waterpower Museum and you will have plenty of time to explore the village of Dimitsana and its historical buildings.

At the end of the day we will go back to our hotel at Lagadia for our second overnight

Day 3

We will start the third day of our Alternative Peloponnese tour heading south. We will pass through the village Ellinikon and we will reach the village Karytaina where you will stroll the narrow pedestrian footpaths and you will hike towards the highest spot where the old castle of Karytaina is situated, an amazing spot for incredibly beautiful photos.

After Karytaina we will drive west towards the village Andritsaina. We will reach the new bridge of Alfeios river where we will stop to capture the old bridge of Karytaina which was drawn on one of the old Greek banknotes, the banknote of the 5000 drachmas. When we reach Andritsaina we will stop for your lunch.

After your lunch we will depart towards the Temple of Epikourios Apollon. We will reach the Temple after a 20 - minute drive through a forest enjoying the sensational scenery! The Temple of Epikourios Apollon is situated on the top of the mount at an altitude of 1150 meters. The architect who built it in 415 BC was Iktinos, the same architect of the Parthenon.It has been included in the UNESCO World heritage list since 1986. You will be amazed!!

After you visit the Temple of Epikourios Apollon and the surrounding area we will take our way towards Ancient Olympia where we will have our third overnight.

Day 4

 We will start our day early in the morning and you will visit the archaeological site of Ancient Olympia and the dazzling museum, before the big groups reach the area.

After concluding your visit, we will leave Ancient Olympia heading east towards the Cave of Lakes. It is a two - hour driving distance through dense forests and small traditional villages so we will stop at the village Kleitoria for lunch. After your lunch we drive to the Cave of Lakes. You will visit this impressive Cave with the numerous of Stalactites and Stalagmites and after your visit we will take the way towards Kalavryta. We will drive through a forest full of fir trees and cypress trees.

At Kalavryta you will see the monument of the local holocaust which took place during the Second World war on 13th of December 1943. We will check in at our hotel and later you can walk around this very fascinating town, which is also a ski resort, and enjoy your dinner at a local restaurant. We will overnight at Kalavryta..

Day 5

 We will start the 5th day of our Alternative Peloponnese tour by visiting the monastery of Agia Lavra which is located 15 minutes away from Kalavryta. It is the monastery where Palaion Patron Germanos rose the banner of the Revolution against the Othoman empire in 1821. After completing our visit, we will be back to Kalavryta to visit the holocaust museum of the execution in 1943.

A little later you will board the small train Odontotos for an incredible unique ride. The Odontotos train runs inside the Vouraikos gorge and passes through tunnels, over bridges, beside small waterfalls, and the whole trip is an amazing experience. At the end of this trip, you will meet your driver again at the seaside village of Diakopto which is located at the north side of the Peloponnese by the Corinthian gulf.

After meeting your driver, you will be driven towards Corinth. You will have lunch and you will have the opportunity to visit the archaeological site of Ancient Corinth and the museum. You will be also driven to the Acrocorinth fortress from where the view is really spectacular.

We will conclude our 5 - day Alternative Peloponnese tour by driving back to Athens having had a marvelous experience and unforgettable memories and thousands of photos in your luggage.