Argolis, Sparta, Mystras, Monemvasia, Diros Water Caves, Vasses, Olympia & Delphi

Day 1

Our chauffer will meet you bright and early in the morning at the lobby of your accommodation. You will be driven west and you will have the chance to enjoy the magnificent Greek coastal scenery. Our first stop is the engineering Marvel Corinth Canal.

After our 30minute stop on the Corinth Canal and after taking our time to snap some breathtaking pictures and get some rest on the nearby rest area café, your chauffer will drive you through the winding country local roads through olive trees, vineyards and orange trees to Ancient Corinth. 20 minutes later we will arrive at the next stop of our exploration, the city of Ancient Corinth.

The Ancient Corinth used to be a city that was a powerful and strategic center where numerous historic, cultural and religious events have taken place. You will admire the doric Temple of Apollo, the renowed Bema where St. Paul gave his speech,the spring of Glauke, the fountain of Pinene and discover the myths hidden behind their waters, the market place, the theater, the Odeon and several other Roman buildings while at the same time gaining an in depth understanding of the city’s prominence.

The Archaeological Museum is of great interest since it is a great introductory to the famous Corinthian pottery and Mosaic Art. You can spend 1,5hr to explore the Archaeological Site of Ancient Corinth and its Museum. In the second part of our tour we will travel together back in time and explore the times just before the outburst of the Trojan War by visiting Mycenae. The historic facts of the Trojan War, the stories of rivalry, betrayal and royal prevalence will all come to life in front of your eyes.

As you enter the citadel you will come across the imposing Lions Gate and you will observe the Cyclopean walls, that are believed to have been erected by the mythical creatures Cyclops. The Archaeological Museum of Mycenae, includes exhibits found in the archaeological excavation giving you a visual and authentic perspective of the small everyday life objects, the religions utensils, burial offerings, burial jewelry, decorative objects etc.

Before leaving Mycenae, a short stop at Treasury of Atreas, the impressive both in size and importance beehive tomb, also known as the tomb of Agamemnon. You can spent about 1,5hr to explore the Archeological Site of Mycenae and its Museum. At this point we suggest a break for a lunch in Mycenae. After a 30min drive we will reach the Archaeological Site of Epidavros, the birthplace of God Asclepios, God of Health and his sanctuary, and of course visit the renowned for its accoustics Theater of Epidauros. You can spent 1,5hr in Epidavros.

Our last stop for this day is Nafplion, only 45 min away. Nafplion is the beautiful city that was designated as the first capital of Greece after the war of Independence.

Overnight in Nafplion.

Day 2

Next morning wake up in Nafplion. Before we will leave Nafplion behind us we will make sure that we will have visited and explored its highlights, the Castle of Palamidi and the Castle of Acronafplia.

Lay back and enjoy the ride for the next 2hrs till we will reach Sparta. Sparta was a city of great significance during the ancient times. As city – state, Sparta dominated the entirety of ancient Greece for a period of time.

If you are interested you can have the option to visit the Museum of Olive to discover the history of the Olive Cultivation since ancient times in Greece. Of course the tour would not be complete without a visit at the Tomb of the great King Leonidas, one of the most memorable historic figures in human history. After your visit to Sparta, your driver will take you after an easy ride to Mystras, to discover the intriguing history of this breathtaking ancient town.

Mystras, that was once the most important town of the Peloponnese, stands abandoned since 1832 when its inhabitants left to reside in the modern city of Sparta leaving behind the byzantine ruins with its Castle and its Byzantine churches.The Byzantine Castle with its renowned Byzantine churches is a beloved destination that has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Monument. After the visit to Mystras (2hrs), we suggest a break a beautiful traditional lunch in Sparta to try a great selection of authentic local delicacies to satisfy all your senses.

Depart for Monemvasia. After approx. 1,5hr we will arrive in Monemvasia where we will overnight.

Day 3

On this morning we will experience the water caves of Diros. Visitors describe these caves as a miracle of Mother Nature whose beauty cannot be depicted not even by the most intricate descriptions or fascinating pictures. It is said that these caves exude a sense of magic that one cannot experience anywhere else in the world and it is the number one must-see of the region of Laconia.

During the 40-minute boat trip you will have the opportunity to enjoy the elaborate formations of the stalagmites and stalactites that formed on the inside of the cave thousands of years ago, explore the intricate natural structures of the water cave and of course take some pictures to remember this once in a lifetime experience.

We will continue to Vasses for a stop. Next stop Olympia, that we will reach after a 2hrs driving.

Overnight in Olympia

Day 4

We will start our day with a visit to Olympia. Ancient Olympia is a place whose beauty and value cannot be fathomed by words and descriptions. It is the place that has been admittedly the most glorified and worshiped sanctuary of the ancient world, dedicated to the father of humans and the Gods, Zeus.

The first Olympic Games were held here in honor of God Zeus back in 776B.C. and has become nowadays an international athletic celebration, that exceeds borders and nationalities, begins in this exact place every four years.

You will be able to see the ruins of the Temple of Zeus, of the Temple of Hera, the Stadium with its spectacular capacity of 45000 people. Take your time to explore the ruins of the ancient facilities on site and then continue to the Museum. Archaeological Museum, is filled with remarkable exhibits, including the famous statue of Hermes attributed to the sculptor Praxiteles. We will have 3 hours to explore it.

At this point we suggest a break for a lunch.

Next, we will depart from Olympia to Delphi. On our way to Delphi we will have a stop at the magnificent town of Nafpaktos. After approx. 3,5 hrs and the wonderful scenic ride.

Overnight in Delphi

Day 5

Early in the morning we will begin with our visit to the navel of the world, the Archaeological Site of Delphi.

Delphi used to be the most important sanctuary dedicated to God Apollo, the place through which the God was believed to be offering his Oracles through Pythia, the Priestess of the Sanctuary, who was always eager to give her advice to everyone from mere citizens to mythical heroes and legendary leaders of cities.

The perpetual inner need of mortals and the endless effort of the human race to foresee and learn about the future but also have the blessing of the Gods gradually converted the Oracle of Delphi into an important information and cultural center and allowed it to collect all the offerings that the cities were sending as donations, which resulted in the creation of a local treasury of immense value.

You will see the Temple of Apollo but also explore the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia with the renowned Tholos, The Castalia Spring, the Temple of Apollo, the Great ancient theater, the stadium, where the so called Pythian Games and the treasuries that the city state erected in order to express the gratitude towards the Gods.

Inside the archaeological museum of Delphi which is our next stop you will have the chance to admire many important ancient Greek artifacts from the excavations at Delphi, including the famous statue of Antinoos and the unique bronze statue of the Charioteer dated from 475 B.C. You can spend approx. 3hrs on the Site and its Museum.

After our visit to the Site we will depart to Athens. On the way we would never miss to stop at the beautiful traditional and picturesque village of Arachova, where you can enjoy a nice stroll in the village.

Then, we will depart for the Monastery of Hosios Loukas. Hossios Loukas is the largest surviving monastery of the Middle Byzantine period in Greece, famous for its Byzanitne mosaics, founded in the early 10th century by the hermit Hosios Loukas whose relics are kept in the monastery to this day. You can spend about 1,5hr for your visit to the Monastery.

After all we will follow the way back to Athens. Driving time to Athens 2,5 hrs