Greece Golden Circle! From Athens to Athens 10Days Land Tour

Day 1

Meet your chauffeur at lobby of your accommodation early in the morning to leave for Kalavrita at Peloponnese. We will drive westwards and you will have the chance to enjoy the magnificent Greek coastal scenery along the Athenian coastline. After 1hr 15′ of an easy ride we will arrive at our first stop the engineering marvel of Corinth Canal.

Then we will continue to visit Limnes Caves but before this you will have the chance to enjoy the Odontotos train straight to Kalavrita. You will admire one of the most beautiful natural sights in Greece. After, you have the opportunity to visit the historic monastery of Agia Lavra, which was built in the 10th century and became the center of the national liberation fight of the Greek people.

We will stay at Kalavrita for the night. Kalavrita is a typical mountainous Greek village, where you can enjoy the nature, the local products and traditional greek cuisine.

Overnight in Kalavrita.

Day 2

Start your day with a visit to 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 will have time 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.

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. 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 3

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.

Overnight in Sparta.

Day 4

You can enjoy your morning in beautiful Monemvasia.Then, 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.

Overnight in Monemvasia.

Day 5

We are starting the tour heading to Vassae, so as to visit the Temple of Epicurius Apollo about an hour later.

Epicurius means helper in Greek, was considered to be the God that could heal the mortals from their ailments. Unique in its entity the Temple of Apollo Epikourios and Vassae in general were the first sites that were listed in the World Heritage List as Greek monuments of exceptional value in 1986.

We will continue our route to Olympia. You will have to spend in the Archaeological Site of Olympia and its Museum. 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.

Finally the Archaeological Museum is filled with remarkable exhibits, including the famous statue of Hermes attributed to the sculptor Praxiteles. Your chauffeur will be waiting for you to drive you to your accommodation in Olympia.

Overnight in Olympia.

Day 6

Early in the morning 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, a little before we arrive to Delphi we suggest a break for a lunch. Our break will revitalize us and get us prepared for 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.

Overnight in Delphi.

Day 7

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.

Overnight in Meteora.

Day 8

We will start early in the morning to visit Dion, a village in the Pieria located at the foot of Mount Olympus. You will have the chance to explore the site of ancient Dion, which is dedicated to Zeus, as well as a series of temples to Demeter and to Isis.

After this visit, we will drive to the beautiful city of Thessaloniki. You will gave the chance to visit the Archaelogical Museum, the Arch of Galerius, the Rotunda and of course the White Tower.

Overnight in Thessaloniki.

Day 9

Early in the morning we depart to Pella. We will reach the region, where you will visit the new, modern museum, as well as the Archaeological site with the unique mosaics.

Then, we arrive in Vergina, where you can explore the history of the region. After, we will return back to Thessaloniki.

Overnight in Thessaloniki.

Day 10

Visit Kavala and Philippi and then return back to Athens

Start your last day with a visit to Kavala. Enjoy the beauty of this amazing city. Before we take the route back to Athens, you must visit the archaelogical site of Philippi.

Lay back and take your time to take in all the diverse experiences gained on this tour.