Day One: Our 5-day tour begins with traveling along the Saronic Gulf's costal road to the Corinth Canal. The Corinth Canal is the meeting point of the Aegean Sea with the Ionian Sea. This great structure took hundreds of years to become a reality. If you want, and dare, you can try bungee jumping off the canal wall. Corinth was a cultural center in the ancient times and you will visit Acrocorinth, the museum and the ruins from Ancient Corinth where St. Paul spoke to the Corinthians from the Bema.
After Corinth, we drive to Ancient Epidaurus the healing center of antiquity, birthplace of Asclepios the healer- Apollo’s son, with its famous Asclepeion. We visit the spectacular Epidaurus Theater. Here is the home of ancient Greek theater and the place where famous Greek tragedy plays of Sophocles and Aristophanes were performed for the first time. The theater of Epidaurus is also known for its perfect acoustics. Even in the modern days plays are performed in this theater during the Annual Epidavros Festival, a very glamorous event.
Our next stop is Nafplio, the first capital of Greece. A charming city with magnificent landscapes and its famous Acronafplia, the acropolis of Nafplio, Palamidi Castle with 999 steps to climb and Bourtzi island in the middle of the harbor. We take lunch at a sea view restaurant.
We move on to Mycenae, the center of the great Mycenaean civilization. There you will see the Lion's Gate, the Cyclopean Walls, the Royal Tombs and the Museum. The tomb of the Mycenae's King Agamemnon is placed here; you can go inside and feel the glory of the king that is maintained until today, some thousands of years after his death. We stay at Nafplio overnight.

 

Day Two: The next day we travel to Sparta city. We visit the Archaeological Museum of Sparta exhibiting among others the Temple and Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia, Athena Chalkioikos, Menalaion and the pyramidal column depicting pairs of figures. After, we visit the Museum of the Olive and Virgin Greek Olive Oil highlighting the culture and technology of the olive and olive oil production. Olive oil’s contribution to economy, its role in nutrition, body care (cosmetic, pharmaceutical uses), discovering the olive oil production technology from Antiquity until the early industrial era and the know-how of soap-making.
Then, we take the route of magnificent view towards Mystras Byzantine fortified citadel listed on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. Mystras fortress came under Byzantine control, and at the middle of the 14th century - the Despotate of Moreas and the last emperor of Byzantium, Constantine XI Palaeologos, was crowned there. In 1460 the hill was captured by the Turks and was liberated in 1821. Its most important monuments are: The Castle, The Cathedral of St. Demetrios, the Church of Saints Theodore, Church of Our Lady Hodegetria (the Leader of the Way), Church of Aghia Sophia (Holy Wisdom), Monastery of Our Lady Peribleptos, Church of Our Lady Evangelistria (of the Annunciation), Monastery of Our Lady Pantanassa (the Queen of all), Palaces of the Mystras Despots (Kantakouzenoi and Palaeologoi) and Urban buildings.
At the end, we take lunch at a local traditional restaurant and move to Olympia for the night.

 

Day Three: The next morning we visit Ancient Olympia, which gained its fame as a sanctuary of Zeus and Hera, but the site also contains a wealth of other small shrines, gymnasiums and sculptors' workshops. According to tradition, here is where the Olympic games were founded in 776 B.C.. It is from here that the Olympic torch is still carried to whatever corner of the world the modern Olympiads are held in. In Olympia museum see exhibits of unique sculptural masterpieces, such as Praxiteles' Hermes, Paeoneus' Victory, Apollo and many other art treasures. After a day with ancient cultural and athletic memories, we take our lunch to a traditional Greek restaurant before we move north to Delphi to stay overnight.

 

Day Four: We will visit Delphi where ancient Pythia delivered her oracles. Ancient Delphi once was believed to be the center of the universe. There you will meet ancient Greece by visiting the Sanctuary of Apollo Pythios, the Theater, the Tholos, the Stadium, Palestra, Baths, Castalia Spring, the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia and many others!
We Visit the Delphi Archaeological Museum that preserved many findings, statues and objects from Delphi.
After the museum we take lunch at a very nice traditional restaurant with olive trees valley and continue our way to Meteora where we are also spend the night.

 

Day Five: Ah, wondrous Meteora! A unique and impressive place with ageless Monasteries that is literally perched on top of huge granite monolithic rocks. These monasteries, that seem to be suspended between earth and sky, contain priceless historical and religious treasures. The view from the monasteries is something that you will never forget. The biggest and most important group of monasteries in Greece after those in Mount Athos, listed on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites; The Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron, The Holy Monastery of Varlaam, The Holy Monastery of Rousanou, The Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas, The Holy Monastery of St. Stephen, The Monastery of Holy Trinity. We visit 3 monasteries available depending on visitation day.
We take lunch, at a traditional restaurant and on our way back to Athens we make a stop to revive the world famous King Leonida’s 300 last battle to Thermopylae (Hot Gates)...

Day One: Our 5-day tour begins with traveling along the Saronic Gulf's costal road to the Corinth Canal. The Corinth Canal is the meeting point of the Aegean Sea with the Ionian Sea. This great structure took hundreds of years to become a reality. If you want, and dare, you can try bungee jumping off the canal wall. Corinth was a cultural center in the ancient times and you will visit Acrocorinth, the museum and the ruins from Ancient Corinth where St. Paul spoke to the Corinthians from the Bema.
After Corinth, we drive to Ancient Epidaurus the healing center of antiquity, birthplace of Asclepios the healer- Apollo’s son, with its famous Asclepeion. We visit the spectacular Epidaurus Theater. Here is the home of ancient Greek theater and the place where famous Greek tragedy plays of Sophocles and Aristophanes were performed for the first time. The theater of Epidaurus is also known for its perfect acoustics. Even in the modern days plays are performed in this theater during the Annual Epidavros Festival, a very glamorous event.
Our next stop is Nafplio, the first capital of Greece. A charming city with magnificent landscapes and its famous Acronafplia, the acropolis of Nafplio, Palamidi Castle with 999 steps to climb and Bourtzi island in the middle of the harbor. We take lunch at a sea view restaurant.
We move on to Mycenae, the center of the great Mycenaean civilization. There you will see the Lion's Gate, the Cyclopean Walls, the Royal Tombs and the Museum. The tomb of the Mycenae's King Agamemnon is placed here; you can go inside and feel the glory of the king that is maintained until today, some thousands of years after his death. We stay at Nafplio overnight.

 

Day Two: The next day we travel to Sparta city. We visit the Archaeological Museum of Sparta exhibiting among others the Temple and Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia, Athena Chalkioikos, Menalaion and the pyramidal column depicting pairs of figures. After, we visit the Museum of the Olive and Virgin Greek Olive Oil highlighting the culture and technology of the olive and olive oil production. Olive oil’s contribution to economy, its role in nutrition, body care (cosmetic, pharmaceutical uses), discovering the olive oil production technology from Antiquity until the early industrial era and the know-how of soap-making.
Then, we take the route of magnificent view towards Mystras Byzantine fortified citadel listed on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. Mystras fortress came under Byzantine control, and at the middle of the 14th century - the Despotate of Moreas and the last emperor of Byzantium, Constantine XI Palaeologos, was crowned there. In 1460 the hill was captured by the Turks and was liberated in 1821. Its most important monuments are: The Castle, The Cathedral of St. Demetrios, the Church of Saints Theodore, Church of Our Lady Hodegetria (the Leader of the Way), Church of Aghia Sophia (Holy Wisdom), Monastery of Our Lady Peribleptos, Church of Our Lady Evangelistria (of the Annunciation), Monastery of Our Lady Pantanassa (the Queen of all), Palaces of the Mystras Despots (Kantakouzenoi and Palaeologoi) and Urban buildings.
At the end, we take lunch at a local traditional restaurant and move to Monemvasia for the night.

 

Day Three: Monemvasia meaning “Only Entrance” is a small medieval fortress in fact a small island of 400m connected by a bridge to the Laconian coast. It’s past and history is glorious. Surviving buildings are castle structures including defensive fortifications, important churches, houses, public buildings, Ottoman hamams and cistern. Walk to the central square with the old cannon and the Church of Christ towed. Next, we visit the Caves of Diros in Mani, whose stalactite and stalagmite caves are very popular to visitors. Today only 6000m of its underwater river have been explored. The cave was formerly a land, but over the centuries the water level went up from the sea and so the formations of stalactites resemble white columns coming out of the water. Visitors remain speechless admiring this magnificent gift of nature when touring them in gondola-like boats. We continue by having lunch at a local traditional restaurant and take the route to Olympia where we spend the night.

 

Day Four: The next morning we visit Ancient Olympia, which gained its fame as a sanctuary of Zeus and Hera, but the site also contains a wealth of other small shrines, gymnasiums and sculptors' workshops. According to tradition, here is where the Olympic games were founded in 776 B.C.. It is from here that the Olympic torch is still carried to whatever corner of the world the modern Olympiads are held in. In Olympia museum see exhibits of unique sculptural masterpieces, such as Praxiteles' Hermes, Paeoneus' Victory, Apollo and many other art treasures. After a day with ancient cultural and athletic memories, we take our lunch to a traditional Greek restaurant before we move north to Delphi to stay overnight.

 

Day Five: We will visit Delphi where ancient Pythia delivered her oracles. Ancient Delphi once was believed to be the center of the universe. There you will meet ancient Greece by visiting the Sanctuary of Apollo Pythios, the Theater, the Tholos, the Stadium, Palestra, Baths, Castalia Spring, the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia and many others!
We Visit the Delphi Archaeological Museum that preserved many findings, statues and objects from Delphi.
On our way back, we pass through the scenic village of Arahova, nestled on the mountainside, famous for its handmade carpets rugs and Formaela cheece. Lately it has become an ideal destination for winter vacationers and Athenian VIPs who enjoy snow skiing.
Last, we visit Hosios Loukas Byzantine Monastery, listed on Unesco’s World Heritage sites, for its art and architecture and continue our way back to Athens.