Delphi, Meteora & Thermopylae Tour

Day 1

Our tour starts in the morning and by taking a ride following the highway after approx. 2hrs we will arrive at the picturesque traditional village of Arachova, where you can enjoy a nice stroll in the village, look for local products and have a quick coffee. Our short break will revitalize us and get us prepared for our visit to the navel of the world, the Archaeological Site of Delphi. After a few minutes of driving from Arachova you will reach Delphi.

Legend has it that Zeus, sent his two eagles across the world, one from the East and one from the West, and he said that the point where the two eagles would meet would mark the center of the earth, the navel of the world. 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 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. You can spend approx. 3hrs on the Site and its Museum.

Your driver will be waiting for you to take you to a traditional Greek taverna for a home cooked lunch before 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 driver will escort you to your accommodation.

Day 2

Meteora

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.