Argolis, Sparta, Mystras, Olympia, Delphi, Meteora & Thermopylae

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.

After this we will drive for 2hrs to reach Olympia while you will have the chance to gaze at the diversity of Greece’s natural beauty. The way leads us to the prefecture of Elis where the Ancient Olympia is located. You can spend about 1hrs in the Archaeological Museum of Olympia. We will keep the Archaeological Site for the folowing morning.

The Archaeological Museum, that constitutes the last section of our tour, is filled with remarkable exhibits, including the famous statue of Hermes attributed to the sculptor Praxiteles. As we walk around the museum halls you will learn in detail everything there is to know about the history of this place, the establishment of the Games and the evolution into their modern state. You will enjoy a journey back in a moment in time where history was written and experience firsthand the beauty of some of the Worlds Ancient Wonders.

Your chauffeur will take you to your accommodation. Overnight in Olympia.

Day 3

In the morning you can visit the Archaeological Site of Olympia if you have opted to divide your visit in two parts. You can spent 2hrs for your visit to the Archaeological Site. Depart to Delphi. On our way to Delphi, approx. after 2 hrs driving, we will have a stop at the magnificent town of Nafpaktos where we suggest a lunch.

After approx. 1,5 hrs and the wonderful scenic ride we will arrive to the navel of the world, Delphi. Your chauffeur will wait for you to drive you to your accommodation in Delphi.

Day 4

Our day begins with a visit to 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. 1,5hrs in the Museum of Delphi, and then we will visit the Archaeological Site. It’s time for lunch.

In continue, we will depart for Meteora. Lay back and relax in the convenience of our luxurious air conditioned minivans and enjoy the scenic and pleasing ride in the Greek beautiful countryside for the next 3,5 hrs till you will reach Meteora. Once you will reach the city of Kalabaka, your chauffeur will wait for you to drive you to your accommodation.

Overinight in Kalabaka.

Day 5

Wake up in the morning and get ready for your visit to Meteora. You will have the time to visit all the open monasteries in approx. 3,5hrs. There are only a few sites in the world that can take a person back to the dark ages. Meteora is one of them. Meteora is one of the largest complexes of monasteries in Greece, inferior only to Mount Athos. The cultural and historical value of the site combined with the remarkable natural beauty of these uniquely formed monasteries has established Meteora as a protected site on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

In the 9th century AD the first monks gathered in the area and began forming a community that since then grew and flourished into the unique and beaming monastic community of Meteora. Of course our tour would not be complete without a short walk among the beautifully formed natural trails. At the end of our path we will make a stop to rest, snap some photographs to remember this heavenly place and enjoy the undeniably sublime and breathtaking scenery. Our next stop is the traditional restaurant in Kalabaka. After your lunch you will depart for Athens. After having visited Meteora, on the way back to Athens, approx. after 2hrs driving you will reach Thermopylae, widely known for the ballte of 480B.C. that took place there. Today’s visitor can see the monument erected on the sport depicting the Spartan King Leonidas.

The scenery has pretty much changed at the battlefield nowadays. For this reason, “Thermopylae’s Innovative Centre of Historical Information” is a must see on the spot to help the visitor understand the morphology of the ground and the narrow passage of the battlefield, that due to erosion has changed. A traditional restaurant is our next stop and our chance to taste the authentic Greek cousine with local delicacies in the fish town Kamena Vourla. After your lunch your driver will take you back to Athens after a 2,5hrs driving. Lay back and take your time to take in all the diverse experiences gained on this tour.