DAY 1: ATHENS-ARRIVAL
You are in the oldest city in Europe. Wether you arrive early or late it is not problem because you have a free day to get some rest and maybe have a first meeting with the capital of Greece. After we transfer you to your hotel you have free time to take your first taste in Greece. You can have a walk, you can taste a greek snack or drink a coffee to one of the coffee terraces with a special view of the old city center, or just relax so to be ready for the most coprehensive archaeological tour of Greece. Overnight Athens
DAY 2: ATHENS TOUR
Today our mission is to show you all the beauties of Athens. Picking you up from your hotel and walking through the famous trilogy of buildings, the first University, The National Library and the Academy of Arts and Sciences, we reaching the parliament, where we can see the change of the national guards and the central square of Syntagma. After we walk down the commercial road of Ermou, and the ancient road of Dionisioy Aeropagitou and we end at the Acropolis rock and Acropolis museum where we let you time to admire the most ancient building that stands there hundreds of years and the modern museum that contains all the important remains. After this you are free to walk through the narrow streets of the old city center of Athens. Overnight Athens.
DAY 3: ATHENS-DELPHI-TRIKALA
Starting from Athens and after about 2 hours of driving we arrive at Delphi, the city with the most important oracle of the ancient world. Delphi was the navel of the earth, where, according to legend, met the two eagles sent out by Zeus from the ends of the universe to find the navel of the world, and for many centuries the cultural and religious center and symbol of unity for the Hellenic world. In this place, maintained very well with respect to the passage of time, we will discover and see all the important discoveries along with the stories that accompany them. We will also visit the temple of Athena Pronaia, 500 meters further, that is the most photographed place but no tourist guides take you there.After we will be transferred to one of the most picturesque and traditional villages of Greece, Arachova. There you will have time to relax enjoying your coffee and local food and sweets. After Delphi we are heading north to the city of Trikala where we will stay for the night. Trikala is a small city but very beautifull with the small river that crosses the city and the big square with lots of shops and tavernas. Overnight Trikala.
DAY 4: TRIKALA-METEORA-NAFPLIO
Leaving behind Trikala and in a very short distance we rach a monument with a deep religious value and unparalleled natural beauty, Meteora. Meteora is, after Mount Athos, the largest and continuous presence since the establishment of the first monastic ascetics date set in Greece. The historical evidence suggests that the monasteries of Meteora were thirty in total. Of these thirty only six are in operation today. Apart from its religious value, Meteora have also great natural value. The imposing rocks, whose height reaches sometimes 400 m. and cover an area of about thirty kilometers, are a unique geological phenomenon. This phenomenon we will admire from two observatory points, where you will take the best pictures of Meteora. Then we will visit one of the biggest and most well preserved monasteries to see how is the life of the monks that leave inside. After Meteora we take the road back to South Greece and the big island of Peloponnese where most of the archaeological miracles lay down. Our first stop is Nafplio, the first capital of modern Greece and a small city of incredible beauty by the sea. You will have time to explore the city of Nafplio. Overnight Nafplio.
DAY 5: NAFPLIO-MYCENAE-EPIDAURUS-KALAMATA
Today the day is dedicated to Argolida and in particular to two of the most famous monuments of World Heritage of UNESCO, Mycenae and Epidaurus. Admire the “Rich Mycenae,” the kingdom of mythical Agamemnon, first sung by Homer in his epics, is the most important and richest palatial center of the Late Bronze Age in Greece. Then we head to one of the major clinics in ancient Greece, where cured many serious diseases of the time, Epidaurus. There lies one of the most important and well-preserved theater of antiquity, the ancient theater of Epidaurus with its imposing acoustic. After the tour we head to Kalamata, the second biggest city of Peloponnese. Kalamata compibes two cities in one, the old city center with the small shops and traditional tavernas and the city next to the sea with the fish tavernas on the beach. Overnight Kalamata.
DAY 6: ANCIENT MESSINI
Today we will take you to the archaeological site of Ancient Messini. Ancient Messini is one of the most important in size, shape and state of preservation archaeological site, though not so famous to tourists, which still has a lot to offer. Not only has sanctuaries and public buildings, but also imposing fortifications and houses and tombs. It has, among other things, the rare privilege not been destroyed or covered by modern settlements and is an eminently Mediterranean intact natural environment. About 500 meters from the center of Mauromati village, west of the provincial road leading from it to the Arcadian Gate is the local Archaeological Museum, where it will be and our first acquaintance with the ancient civilization of Messina. After the tour of the museum will wander to the archaeological site, where you can travel back in time, in this well-preserved ancient city. Back to Kalamata where you will have the afternoon free to yourselves. Kalamata has a lot of options, from swimming and sunbathing in the sea in front of your hotel, to wondering along the city center, shopping and relaxing. Overnight Kalamata.
DAY 7:KALAMATA-ANCIENT OLYMPIA-ATHENS
Today you live like ancient Greek athletes, at the area that gave birth to the Olympic Games. First we will visit the museum of Ancient Olympia, one of the most important in Greece, showing the long history of the most celebrated sanctuary of antiquity, which was dedicated to the father of gods and men, Zeus, and was the birthplace of the Olympic Games. Includes the permanent exhibition of findings from excavations in the sacred area of the Altis, dating from prehistoric times to the early Christian times, the most important of the Praxiteles Hermes. Then we will move to the archaeological site of Olympia, where wandering in space will certainly feel like ancient athletes. The archaeological site of Olympia includes the sanctuary of Zeus, with temples and buildings related to the cult, and various buildings that had been built around it, such as sports facilities used for the preparation and holding of the Olympic Games, auxiliary buildings, utilitarian and administrative and secular buildings. After our visit to the birthplace of Olympic Games, we take the road back to Athens where ends our Greece archaeological tour with the most unique memories.
Duration: 7 days
Price/person : 1499 euros/person (min 2 persons)
Includes: transfers as they are mentioned in the programme, 6 overnights in double or twin room with breakfast in 3* hotels depending on availability (2 in Athens, 1 in Trikala, 1 in Nafplio and 2 in Kalamata), entrance fee in all the archaeological sites and museums as mentioned in the programme, english speaking driver
What you will see and learn:
- The most important archaelogical sites and museums of Greece, most of them protected by UNESCO as a monument of World Cultural Heritage
- The capital of Greece and most important city of antiquity, Athens and some of the most important smaller cities.
- Places with great natural importance like Meteora
- Beautiful beaches that you will have the chance to explore
- You will taste great greek food and sweets that will make you happy
- This tour is the most complete tour of Greece