Argolis, Vasses, Olympia, Delphi, Hosios Loukas & Cheronia

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.

Next, 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 30min 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. After this we will drive for 3hrs to reach Olympia while you will have the chance to gaze at the diversity of Greece’s natural beauty. On the way to Olympia we have a stop of one hour at Vassae to visit the Temple of Epicurius Apollo. After our short stop the way leads us to the prefecture of Elis where the Ancient Olympia is located. You can spend about 1,5hrs 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.

After our visit to the Site we will depart to the monastery of Hosios Loukas and to Cheronea. 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. After 45min drive we will arrive at 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.

A traditional restaurant is our next stop and our chance to taste the authentic Greek cousine with local delicacies. After your lunch you will follow the way back to Athens. Driving down the mountain Parnassos and before reaching the highway to Athens, we’ll stop at Cheronia to see the famous “Lion of Cheronia” after a 40 min easy ride. The “Lion” is a marble monument erected in the battlefield by Phillip, King of Macedonia and father of Alexander the Great, to commemorate his victory there against the Athenian and Thebean armies in 338 B.C.

You will have the chance to visit the Site and its Museum there. After your last stop you will take a 1,5hr drive to Athens.

Driving time to Athens 2,5 hrs