Grand cultural tour, from Athens
Special Offer: 10.00% discount for early booking (-60 days).
General Description
Day 1:
We drive along the coastal road from Athens to the Corinth Canal (brief stop).
We continue to Epidaurus, where we visit the Ancient Theatre, the Archaeological Museum, and the Sanctuary of Asclepius.
After that, we arrive in the lovely seaside town of Nafplio (brief stop) and continue our trip to Mycenae, where we visit the Archaeological Site and the Archaeological Museum.
In the afternoon, we depart for Olympia passing through Central Peloponnese and the towns of Tripolis and Megalopolis.
Dinner and overnight in Olympia, the place where the first-ever Olympic Games took place.
Day 2:
In the morning, we arrive at the Archaeological Site of Olympia, where we visit the museum, the Ancient Stadium, and the Temple of Zeus.
We continue our trip driving through the large plains of Ilia and Achaia and crossing the impressive cable bridge of Rion-Antirrion, which connects the Peloponnese region to the Sterea Ellada region.
We pass by the picturesque towns of Nafpaktos and Itea and in the evening we arrive in Delphi.
Dinner and overnight in Delphi.
Day 3:
In the morning, we visit the Archaeological Museum and the Archaeological Site of Delphi, where we see the Temple of Apollo, the Stadium, the Ancient Theatre, and the Temple of Athena Pronea.
Then we depart for Kalambaka, a small town at the foot of Meteora.
Dinner and Overnight in Kalambaka.
Day 4:
In the morning, we visit the breathtaking rock complex of Meteora and the Byzantine Monasteries on top of the rocks, from where we marvel at the breathtaking view.
Then, we leave Kalambaka, drive through the fertile land of Thessaly and the valley of Tempi. Soon, we arrive at the Archaeological Park of Dion, the Sanctuary of Zeus from where Alexander the Great started his large expedition to the East. Dion is located at the foot of Mount Olympus, where, according to legend, the ancient Greek gods lived.
Then, we continue until we reach Thessaloniki, the second largest town in Greece, which is built around a large port.
Dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.
Day 5:
We depart in the morning for a tour to historical Macedonia.
We first stop at Veria (Biblical Beroea), where we visit the Bema of Saint Paul. This is the place where the Apostle talked to the locals during his visit. In Veria, we also walk through the old Jewish neighborhood and the colorful market area.
Then, we continue till Naoussa. There, we visit Aristotle School, where the famous philosopher would teach Alexander the Great and other youths the doctrines of morals and politics.
A few miles from Naoussa we find the picturesque town of Edessa and its impressive waterfalls.
We continue to Pella, the capital of the Macedonian kingdom, where we visit the 4th century B.C. villas and the new museum.
We return to Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight.
Day 6:
In the morning, we visit the unique Roman and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki. We get the chance to see some of the oldest Christian churches and visit the Museum of Byzantine Culture, which was awarded the Council of Europe’s Museum Prize in 2005.
The rest of the day you’re free to explore the town at your own pace.
Dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.
Day 7:
The next day we drive to Vergina, where we visit the beautiful museum built in the Great Tumulus covering the royal tombs of Macedonia.
We see the marvelous golden findings from the excavation carried out in the tomb of King Phillip II, father of Alexander the Great.
After that, we drive south through Thessaly, Lamia, Thermopylae (where we visit the Monument of Leonidas), Thebes and we eventually arrive in Athens in the afternoon.
Additional information
Note:
For the visit to Meteora Monasteries, ladies need to wear a long skirt and gentlemen long trousers. Those who stay on the coast will depart for their hotels around 19.15.