Description

Day 1

We start our tour, driving on the Athens - Corinth National Road, having on our left the Saronic Gulf and the island of Salamis, where in 480 BC the famous battle of Salamis took place.

After about an hour, we make our first stop at the Corinth Canal. There, we will admire and take pictures of the magnificent Canal, which connects the Saronic with the Corinthian Gulf.

Then, just a little further, you will visit the town of Ancient Corinth, the richest city of Ancient Greece and the only one that had two ports. The city is also well known for the visiting and teaching of Apostle Paul in it. At the archaeological site, you will see the Temple of Apollo, the Pirene and Glafki fountains, the Ancient Agora and the location called “Vima” (Step) where the Apostle Paul was led to be tried by the Roman Proconsul Gallio, who refused to prosecute him . You will also see the Roman Odeon and the Ancient Theatre. The museum is situated in the same location.

Of course, we will continue our drive to the Acrocorinth rock, where the fortress by the same name stands at an altitude of 575 meters above the ancient city. There, we will make a brief stop and take pictures.

We will continue our 7-day tour heading towards Myceane. The route between Corinth and Mycenae passes through picturesque, small villages and fields of olive oil trees and grapes.

The city of Mycenae was the kingdom of the legendary King Agamemnon, whom Homer has praised. Mycenae is famous for its Mycenaean civilization, which lasted from 1,600 to 1,100 BC. At the Acropolis of Mycenae, you will admire the Cyclopean Walls and cross the impressive Lion Gate. The museum is situated in the same location.

A little further, the tomb of Agamemnon, stand impressive, majestic, which is nothing less than this great King deserved.

We will continue our tour heading towards the city of Nafplion.

Nafplio is the capital of the Argolis prefecture. In the 19th century, it was the first capital of Greece (from 1828 to 1834), after the liberation of the country from Ottoman rule. The old city has been given the status of a “traditional settlement” by the Greek state.

It is full of historic buildings and ideal for walks through its narrow, picturesque alleys. At Nafplio, you will dine and have the time to walk the narrow streets, admiring the historic picturesque buildings and the small water castle of Bourtzi, in the middle of the harbor. Then, you will visit the historic Palamidi fortress.

The fortress located just above the town, dominates the area. This is an amazing fortress that was fortified by the Venetians from 1686 to 1715 and has been kept in immaculate condition, giving all visitors a sense of awe. It is a Venetian monument, which is kept in excellent condition. You will explore the fortress with its numerous turrets and enjoy the breathtaking view, taking many pictures.

At Nafplion we will stay overnight.

 

Day 2

 

We will start our second day at about 9.00am

We will drive northeast towards the Diakofto village.

From Diakofto you will take the small train, the popular “Odontotos” (gauge rack railway), which will pass through a route more than magnificent. I would like note that the route of the train takes you through a virgin forest with huge plane trees, over ravines and parallel to the Vouraikos gorge. It is so beautiful that no one can describe it in words).

You will meet your tour driver at Kalavryta where you will have the opportunity to visit the holocaust museum, walk in this picturesque village and have lunch.

Then you will take the way towards the Cave of Lakes

This is one of the most beautiful caves in Greece, where you can admire the stalactites and stalagmites, which have formed after the passing of many thousands of years. You must enter accompanied by a guide and once you enter, the spectacle is breathtaking

After your visit you will be driven south towards the village Lagadia.

The views are scenic as you will pass through traditional villages forests and small towns.

Arriving at Lagadia you will make check in at your hotel and later you will have the opportunity to walk and explore this village and you will admire a wonderful sunset as well.

We will overnight at Lagadia

 

Day 3

 

We will start our third day of our 7-day tour early morning at about 8.30am heading west towards Ancient Olympia.

Amazing route through forests mountains and small villages.

We will arrive at Ancient Olympia after 1,1/2 hours.

The historic and famous city of Ancient Olympia is located on the west side of the Peloponnese. It is, of course, the city which gave birth to the Olympic Games in 776 BC. 

At the archaeological site, you will admire the Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Hera (Heraion), the Palaestra, the Gymnasium, the Ancient Stadium, the Zanes, the workshop of the famous sculptor Phidias, the circular Philippeion and many more . The museum is situated in the same location, where, among many exhibits, you will see the famous statue of Hermes of Praxiteles.

After your visit you will have lunch in a local restaurant.

Finishing your lunch and heading towards the north, we will arrive at Rio, where we have two options, depending on the kind of experience you want to live.

A) We can cross the famous and impressive Rio – Antirrio Bridge, which boasts a length of 2,880 meters, state-of-the-art technology and incredible resistance to weather conditions.

B) We can reach Antirrio, onboard a small boat which moves parallel to the bridge and will give us the chance to take many pictures

After Antirrio, we will move northeast and reach the city of Nafpaktos. This is one of the most ancient Greek cities and is related to important historical events, such as the battle of Lepanto, between the great alliance of Spain, Venice, Genoa, the Duchy of Tuscany and the Papal States (called Lega Santa) against the Ottoman Empire.                                            

This wonderful port village is the place where we will overnight.

At evening you will have the chance to walk along the picturesque harbor, and you can enjoy your dinner beside the sea.

 

Day 4

 

We start our day from Nafpaktos and head north, towards the geographical region of Epirus. We will pass the historic city of Missolonghi and Amfilochia, and after about 2 hours, we will reach the village of Dodoni, where we will visit ancient Dodona.

Ancient Dodona in antiquity was a worship place for Zeus and Dione, while the oldest oracle in Greece was also operating here.

At the archeological site, you will admire an amazing theater, altars dedicated to various gods, the Stadium, the Bouleuterion and many more.

After our visit ends, we will head to the city of Ioannina. There you will dine and check in at your hotel.

A little later, we will visit the Castle of Ioannina as well as the small island located in the Ioannina Lake.

There are many small monasteries on the island, as well as the monastery where Ali Pasha was assassinated in January 1822.

We will spend the night in the city of Ioannina.

 

Day 5

 

We will start our day by visiting the Cave of Perama, which is one of the most important caves in Greece, located a few kilometers away from Ioannina.

After completing the visit to the cave, we will head east, towards the mountainous, traditional town of Metsovo. The town is famous, among other things, for the preparation of the special cheeses of the area.

You will have the opportunity to walk in the center of the town, admire traditional houses and visit the local dairy. You will also be able to dine in a traditional restaurant.

Our next destination is the city of Kalabaka and the rocks of Meteora.

Meteora is located on the northwestern border of the Thessalian plain. It is a large cluster of dark rocks with a maximum height of 530 meters. This strange and unique landscape was created by nature about 30 million years ago.

This wild and inaccessible place attracted Christian hermits as early as the 10th and 11th centuries, with official operation of the monasteries beginning in the 14th century. At their peak, there were about 24 monasteries in operation. However, today only 6 of them remain active. The area has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Arriving in Kalabaka, we will check in at the hotel where we will spend the night.

After a few hours rest, you will make your first walk through the towering cliffs and enjoy an amazing sunset. Then, you can dine in a traditional restaurant and return to your hotel.

 

Day 6

                                                                                                 

After breakfast, we start our tour around the Meteora rocks and the historic monasteries.

The location and the natural environment will leave you breathless and we will make many stops in the best spots to photograph the phenomenon of the steep rocks of Meteora and the beautiful monasteries that dominate their tops.

You can visit all the monasteries you want, as there will be plenty of time at your disposal. Just remember to have a second card and battery for your camera, because you will definitely need them!

After we finish our tour, we will return to the city of Kalabaka for lunch in a traditional restaurant.

After lunch we will head south towards Thermopylae, where the Thermopylae battle took place with Leonidas and the 300 Spartans battling against hundreds of thousands of Persians.

We will stop at the Leonidas monument and walk in the battlefield.

The tour driver will also show you the hot springs of Thermopylae, with hot water gushing abundantly.         

After Thermopylae we will take the way to Delphi where we will check in at our hotel.

There is enough time to rest.

Your evening is free so you can walk and enjoy the Delphi village. Then you will have diner in an extraordinary local restaurant with a breathtaking view admiring the sunset. 

We will overnight in Delphi.    

 

Day 7

 

After a good breakfast, we start our day by visiting the archaeological site of Delphi.

At the archaeological site, you will admire the Temple of Apollo, the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia, the Roman Agora, the Athenian Treasury, the Ancient Theatre, the Stadium and many more.The amazing museum is situated in the same location. A few meters away, one can see the famous Castalia Spring and the Ancient Gymnasium.   

Our next stop is the famous village Arachova which is a picturesque village and a ski resort as well.

Time to dine and relax at a traditional Greek restaurant.

On the way back we will visit the monastery of Hosios Loukas, which is a UNESCO world heritage site. The monastery is situated in an unspoiled natural environment.

Our next and final stop is at the town of Livadia, in the place called “Krya”. There, you will enjoy the city’s waterfalls and beautiful natural environment.

Then we take the way back to Athens, satisfied with our seven - day tour and the best memories in our baggage!

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