8-DAY Athens, Olympia, Mycenae, Argolis, Nafplio, Delphi and Meteora

Day 1:ATHENS – CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION

Arriving in Athens, we’ll smoothly transfer you to your hotel in our comfortable vehicles. Our English-speaking assistant will be with you, ensuring your comfort and care throughout the journey.

In the afternoon, at the hotel, our representative will provide you with all the essential trip details. Get ready for an engaging presentation about the city, where you’ll gain insights into its vibrant daily life. Feel free to ask questions and clear any doubts, setting the stage for a pleasant and hassle-free experience throughout your trip.

With the rest of the day at your leisure, embrace Athens at your own pace. Immerse yourself in the captivating sights, sounds, and flavors of this remarkable city.

Day 2:DAY AT LEISURE AND ATHENS BY NIGHT

This will be a free day in Athens, where, after a delicious breakfast, you will have the chance to visit some of the famous attractions and places of interest in the city. Alternatively, you can enjoy a leisurely stroll in the city center and make your own discoveries as you go along.

In the evening you will join a walking tour through the most stunning districts of Athens, such as Anafiotika, Thisio, Monastiraki, and Plaka.

Day 3:FROM ATHENS TO CORINTH, MYCENAE AND NAFPLIO

After a nutritious breakfast, you will pick up your rental car and drive to the region of Argolis.

Just outside Athens, at a distance of about 11 kilometers from the city, we suggest a visit to the Daphne Monastery. This monastery is considered the oldest Byzantine monastery of its type in Greece and its frescoes and mosaics are masterpieces of the golden era of Byzantine art. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 1990.

On your way to Nafplio, you can stop at the Corinth Canal, a great engineering feat first designed in 630 BC by Periander, a tyrant that ruled Corinth and is considered one of the seven sages of Ancient Greece. This 6-kilometer-long channel was built to connect the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf, thus saving valuable sailing time for seafaring vessels. Its construction lasted a long time and was completed by the French in 1893.

About half an hour’s driving later you will reach Mycenae, one of the most important archaeological sites of Ancient Greece. Here you can visit the Lion’s Gate and the Treasure of Atreus. This last structure is generally believed to be a royal tomb and more precisely the Tomb of Agamemnon.

You will end a full day of a cultural adventure in the comfort of your hotel in Nafplio, a charming Venetian city.

Total distance: 148 kilometers

Day 4:FROM NAFPLIO TO THE ANCIENT OLYMPIA

After a delicious breakfast, you will have time to discover Nafplio in the morning. There you can get in touch with the locals by visiting an olive oil mill and tasting the famous and appetizing Greek olives. After leaving Nafplio, you will drive through the picturesque mountains of Arcadia towards the ancient Olympia.

On the route, you can make a detour to Kalavryta, a city with magnificent views and steep slopes, river springs, and pine forests. At about 17 kilometers from Kalavryta, you will come across the Cave of the Lakes. The cave extends for 2 kilometers underground and has 15 lakes inside. The combination of the colors and waterfalls together makes an impressive spectacle.

Alternatively, you can drive to Diakofto and, from there, catch the train known as “Odontotos” towards Kalavryta. This train rises to a height of 750 meters above sea level and crosses the entire Vouraikos Gorge. The views are splendid, with lush forests, waterfalls, and tunnels carved into the rocks. This is the tour of such striking beauty, that you should not miss out on the chance of taking it.

After these two compulsory stops, you will arrive at the destination of the day, Olympia. There, you will visit the site of the former Olympic stadium, where the first Games were held (776 BC). The importance of the Olympic games was such that all Greek cities ceased hostilities and participated on a large scale.

Olympia was also the most important sanctuary of the Ancient Greeks, a place to worship Zeus, the king, and father of all gods. Here also stood his gold and ivory statue, a gigantic sculpture made by Fidias himself and one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Total distance: 157 kilometers

Day 5: FROM OLYMPIA TO THE DELPHIC ORACLE

After a delicious breakfast, you will leave Olympia and cross the Corinthian Gulf over the Rio-Antirio Bridge, the longest cable bridge in Europe and one of the great jewels of modern European engineering.

You will continue to Nafpaktos, the town known as the location of the naval battle, where Miguel de Cervantes, the man who would one day write the great novel, Don Quixote, also took part. Here you can visit the old port and the castle of Nafpaktos with incredible views of the Gulf of Corinth.

Your next stop will be Galaxidi, a picturesque fishing village with beautiful beaches. Finally, you will arrive at Delphi, a World Heritage Site and the center or ‘navel’ of the ancient world, where the renowned Delphic Oracle was located (consulted by kings and pilgrims alike). When all your prayers and petitions to the Delphi Oracle have been made, you will enjoy a well-deserved rest at your hotel!

Total distance: 212 kilometers

Day 6:FROM THE ORACLE TO METEORA (KALAMBAKA)

Today, after a tasty breakfast, you will leave Delphi on the slopes of Mount Parnassus and head towards the plains of Thessaly, where the city of Kalambaka is located.

Once in Kalambaka, you will visit Meteora, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It combines the natural beauty of the region with the eternal monasteries, hanging or ‘meteora’ on top of the huge rocks. The first monastery, “the Great Meteoro,” was built by Saint Athanasius, where he arrived to escape from his pursuers, after being expelled from Mount Athos. Nowadays, only six of them remain in use: five for the monks and one for the nuns.

Dress code in monasteries: Sleeveless shirts, shorts, or skirts above the knee aren’t allowed. Trousers, sarongs, and other articles are available at the entrance of the monasteries for those visitors who do not have spare clothing to cover themselves with.

Total distance: 237 kilometers

Day 7:FROM KALAMBAKA TO ATTIKA, THE RETURN

After a delicious breakfast, you will start your return journey to Athens.

Along the way, you can drive to Thermopylae, where the statue of the Spartan king Leonidas I is to be seen. Leonidas was the intrepid king who confronted the Persians and perished in the homonymous battle.

In the same area, you can also enjoy a relaxing bath in the sulfurous thermal springs, from which Thermopylae takes its name. Admission to the spring waters is free.

Back to Athens, you will return your rental car to the station and your adventure through Greece at your own pace will have come full circle. Now it is time to have a well-deserved rest with the memories of all the places you have seen and the people you have met still fresh in your mind.

Total distance: 350 kilometers

Day 8: FAREWELL GREECE!

At the agreed time, our driver will transfer you to Athens Airport to board your international flight back home or to your next destination. You will check in your luggage and benefit from the tax return resulting from any last-minute tax-free shopping for family and friends.