Description

Day 1

Michael's Amazing tours will pick you up from your accommodation or from the place you order.

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.                                                                                     

A few kilometers further, we will find Ancient Corinth. It was considered to be the richest city of ancient Greece and the only one that had two ports. Moreover, it is well known for the visit and teaching of Apostle Paul.    

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.

After an approximately one-hour drive, through the greenest fields and forests and overlooking the Saronic Gulf, we will reach Ancient Epidaurus.                                                                                                                                                              

Epidaurus was considered to be the home of the Greek god of medicine Asclepius. It was also the most important therapeutic center of antiquity. There you will admire the Asklepieion (Sanctuary Of Asclepius), the Abaton, the Tholos (circular building), the Ancient Stadium and the Theatre of Epidaurus, famous for its perfect acoustics, where performances are still given today. The museum is situated in the same location.

Leaving Epidaurus behind us and after a short 30-minute drive, we reach the city of 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.

Just above the town, the Palamidi Fortress 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 ( pict 8.9,10 ) At Nafplio, you will dine in a traditional restaurant. After your meal, we will check in your hotel where you will rest for a while.                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Later in the afternoon, you will visit the Palamidi Fortress and also have the opportunity to see the Old Town and walk its picturesque pedestrian streets, admiring the historic buildings and the small water castle Bourtzi in the middle of the harbor.

Day 2

After breakfast, we start our day with our first stop at Mycenae, a drive of just 25 minutes from Nafplio.                       

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, we head south, towards the city of Sparta, known in antiquity for its brave warriors. There, we will visit the small archaeological site. The fortified town of Mystras is situated nearby.                                        

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 Palaeologus.                                                                                         

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 a good lunch, we depart for Monemvasia, where we are going to spend the night. Monemvasia is a famous fortified town on southwestern Peloponnese. It is built on limestone rock and has a length of one and a half kilometers, a maximum width of 600 meters and a height of 195 meters. It is linked to the mainland by a 200-meter short causeway, the shape of which resembles a human neck.                                                                                                                               

Monemvasia was founded in the 6th century AD, after Sparta residents were relocated there. Its strategic position, the power of its fleet and the alliance with the Byzantine emperors, turned Monemvasia into a famous and powerful city. In its long history story, after a brief papal occupation, it was occupied by Venetians. Then, it fell under Ottoman rule, until its liberation in 1821.

We will overnight in Monemvasia

Day 3

We will start our day with our visit to the fortified town of Monemvasia, which even today is full of life.                                         

You will tour the fortress, and, if you wish, the Upper Town, where the church of Agia Sophia is situated .                                     

After our visit, we will head east and stop at the seaside town of Gytheio with its picturesque harbor where we will eat.           

Then we will reach the area of Mani and the Diros Caves.                                                                                                                                

In this enchanting location, guided tours are offered through almost the whole cave in small boats, with only the last 300 meters of the cave being explored on foot.

We will spend the night in a neighboring, traditionally built tower of the region.

Day 4

We will start our day towards the direction of Messinia, choosing the amazing seaside route and admiring the beautiful shores of the Peloponnese.                                                                                                                                                                    

We will pass from the famous town of Kardamili, in the West Mani and the city of Kalamata (famous for its olives) and we will reach the ancient Messene.

Ancient Messene founded by Theban general Epaminondas, after his victory over the Spartans, in 370 BC.

The archaeological site is amazing, and in order to fully explore it we will need about 2 hours.

In this incredibly beautiful Ancient site, you can admire the Ancient theater, the Ekklesiasterion (or Odeon), the Arsinoe fountain, the Asklepieion, the Ancient stadium and many more.

The small museum is situated just a few meters away .

Later, we will have lunch at a neighboring restaurant and continue our tour, moving northeast.

After passing a lot of small villages, we will reach the area of 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.     

We will check in at our hotel and you will have a free night, where you can walk in the city.

Day 5

We will start our day by visiting the Archaeological site of 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.                                                                                           

After your long tour around the area and the two museums, we will depart towards Patras.

Shortly before reaching the city of Patras, we will visit the historic winery of Achaia Clauss.

It was founded in 1861 by the Bavarian Gustav Clauss, who, after becoming fascinated by the cultural quality of the Achaean capital and the delicious power of its vines, decided to establish the first winery of Greece. In 1873, Achaia Clauss created Mavrodaphne, a famous sweet wine with a dark purple color and in 1901 it produced another one of its famous wines, Demesticha.     The location you will visit is amazing and has a great history.

You will admire and taste wine varieties of many different flavors and you will be guided to areas with barrels where the wine has been aging for more than 130 years!   .The tour will be conducted by experts on wine and after it ends, it is possible for you to buy wine bottles of various types, aromas and flavors.

After this unforgettable experience, we will take the way back to Athens, having the most incredible memories in our baggage!