8 - Day Classical Greece tour 

Amazing Classical Greece tour, including Sparta, Mystras, Meteora and Macedonia. This 8-day Classical Greece itinerary combines all the important sites of the Peloponnese Peninsula, Central Greece and the sites of Macedonia. The tour is very well designed and proven to amaze.                  

 

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.  

Continuing our tour, and not far away, lies ancient Corinth, the richest city of ancient Greece and the only one that had two ports. The city is known for the visit and stay 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 continue and after a 30 minute drive through villages and fields where grapes and olive trees are cultivated, we reach the ancient city of Mycenae. 

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. 

A little further, the tomb of Agamemnon, stand impressive, majestic, which is nothing less than this great King deserved. The museum is situated in the same location.

Leaving Mycenae behind us, and after a 25-minute drive through orange orchards, we reach Nafplio.                             

Nafplio is the capital of the Argolis prefecture. In the 19th century, it was the first capital of Greece (from 1828 to 1833), 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. You will take lunch there. 

After your lunch, we will check in at our hotel.

A little later, and after a necessary freshening up, we will visit Epidaurus, which is just 20 minutes away.                                           

You will admire the theater of Epidaurus, famous for its perfect acoustics, as well as the rest of the archaeological site.

Returning to Nafplion, you can walk around the picturesque, narrow pedestrian streets of the old town as well as the harbor’s promenade.

We will overnight at Nafplion

 

Day 2

 

After a good breakfast, we will start our day, heading for Sparta, where we will arrive after a journey of approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes.

You will visit the small, archaeological site, and afterwards, our tour will continue towards the castle-town of Mystras.

Mystras, also known as “Myzithras” was founded in 1248 by William II of Villehardouin, ruler of the Frankish Principality of Achaea. In 1259, William II is captured by the Byzantines at the Battle of Pelagonia and three years later the castle surrenders to the Byzantines and specifically Michael VIII Palaiologos. In the mid-14th century, Mystras became the capital of the Byzantine Peloponnese.                                                                                     

In the area, you can admire numerous Byzantine churches, the palace of Palaiologos and many more.

                                                    

After your visit, you will have lunch at a local restaurant. Then our tour will head northwest.

After about 2 hours of driving and passing by beautiful small villages, we will reach ancient Olympia.                                                           

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.

There we will check in an excellent hotel of the region and we will stay overnight.

 

Day 3

 

In the morning, you will visit Ancient Olympia.                                                                                                                                                   

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. The Museum of the Olympic Games is situated just a few meters away. 

Finishing our visit 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. 

                                                  

There you will have the chance to walk along the picturesque harbor and have lunch.

Leaving Nafpaktos behind us, we will move east, passing by beautiful coastal cities like Galaxidi and Itea. We will get to Delphi in the afternoon and you will check in at your hotel.                                                                       

After some rest, your driver will take you to the picturesque village of Arachova, where you will have the opportunity to make a pleasant walk admiring the stone buildings.                                                                                     

You can dine either in Arachova or at a traditional restaurant in Delphi.

We will overnight in Delphi

 

Day 4

 

After 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.                                                                        

After finishing our visit to Delphi, and following lunch, we will head towards Thermopylae.                                                                      

This is the location where the Spartan warrior Leonidas told Persians the famous phrase "Molon Labe" which means "come and get them." There, we will photograph the monuments of Leonidas and the Thespians and will have the opportunity to visit the Center for Historical Awareness of Thermopylae.

Then, after leaving behind Thermopylae, and passing the towns of Lamia, Karditsa and Trikala we will reach the area of Kalabaka, in Meteora, where you will check in at your hotel. After a little 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 5

 

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

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.

You will have time to visit three of the most important monasteries. Finally, you will make all the necessary stops to enjoy the scenery and take hundreds of photos.

After completing your tour and finishing your lunch we will drive north east.

Our destination is the small town of Edessa which located in central Macedonia. The city is famous because of its waterfalls.

We will stay overnight at Edessa so you will have the opportunity to walk the town, admire the wonderful waterfalls and make a lot of photos beside them.

 

Day 6 

 

After your breakfast we will start our day by visiting the Vergina  (the site of ancient Aigai), the first capital of Macedonia.

There, we will admire the graves of the ancient Macedonians, and especially the tomb of Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great.

The view of the entrance to the grave is breathtaking, while the exhibits, made of gold, located in the same place, will leave you speechless! 

Very close nearby, the palace of Philip is situated, where archaeological works are carried out. Nevertheless, you will still enjoy a satisfactory tour of the area.

Leaving Vergina behind us, we will head north, and after 50 minutes we will reach ancient Pella, which was the second capital of Macedonia. Ancient Pella was founded by Archelaus I of Macedon (413-399 BC) and had its greatest prosperity during the reign of Philip II (360-336 BC). There, we will visit the archaeological site with its beautiful mosaics, as well as the archaeological museum, which is amazing and rich in exhibits. 

After your visit, you will have lunch at a local restaurant.

After your lunch we head northeast to the city of Thessaloniki, where we will arrive after a journey of approximately 50 minutes.                                                                                                                                       

Arriving in the city, we will check in at our accommodation.  

At evening you will have plenty time to walk on the coastal road and admire the white tower.

You can dine at the location of Ladadika which is famous for its nightlife  

 

Day 7

 

After a good breakfast we will start the tour of Thessaloniki.

Thessaloniki has many points of interest, such as the White Tower, the Archaeological Museum, the Roman Forum, the Rotunda, The Arch of Galerius (known as “Kamara”), the church of Agios Dimitrios with its underground catacombs, etc.

We will also go to visit the north part of the city and the castle Heptapyrgion, also popularly known by its Ottoman Turkish name Yedi Kule .      

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

After completing the city tour and enjoying a delicious meal, we will leave the city behind us and head south. After about an hour, we will reach the foothills of Olympus. 

According to mythology, the 12 gods of Olympus lived here: Zeus, Hera, Hestia, Demeter, Poseidon, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, Ares, Aphrodite and Hephaestus.

We will check in at our accommodation, located in the beautiful village of Litochoro.

In the evening you can explore the picturesque village and dine at a local restaurant. 

 

Day 8

 

We will start our day by visiting the enormous archaeological site of Dion Pieria, as well as the museum.

The archaeological site is located in a natural environment, which could easily be described as a forest.

It is a place that nature lovers will immensely enjoy! 

                                                                                                                                                                 

Upon completion of your visit, we will take the road of return to Athens.

Our next stop will be at a seaside small town.

The name of this small town is Kamena Vourla.

You will have the opportunity to have lunch on the seaside and you can enjoy an ice cream or a gold Juice

So, we finish our tour and return to Athens, knowing that we have explored a large part of Greece.