HALF DAY CITY TOUR ATHENS (4 Hours)

Athens is the capital of Greece, with 4 million population and combines modern and ancient culture. It is the birthplace of democracy. Our tour starts at the Acropolis, including the Pantheon, Erechtion, Temple of wingless Nikki and Propylaia. We can continue with the temple of Zeus, the old Olympic Stadium, the monument of unknown soldier, where we can watch the changing of the guards. Continuing downtown, we can see the Athens Trilogy (Academy, first university National library) the 3 temples of knowledge. A brief visit to Plaka, the old city in the slopes of Acropolis. This half-day tour of Athens can be combined with a half-day tour to Sounio or Corinth to get a real feel of Athens and a nearby destination in one day. ( Entrance fees are not included)

HALF DAY ANCIENT CORINTH (4-5 Hours)

About 70 miles west of Athens and 1 and a half hour-drive, we meet the Corinth canal, 4 miles long which connects the Aegean sea with the Corinthian Gulf and the Ionian sea. After taking some photos we continue to the outdoor and indoor museum of Ancient Corinth, an important city because of its location. It is one of the towns which Apostole Paul visited and lived for about 18 months. In the outdoor archeological area you can see the temple of Apollo, the ancient Agora and the step “Vima” where Apostole Paul was lead to be fried by the Roman Gallio, who refused to prosecute him. We will continue to the Acrocorinth, visit the castle with the same name, which has a breathtaking view of the Corinthian Gulf. ( Entrancefeesare not included)

 

HALF DAY TOUR TO CAPE SOUNIO (4-5 Hours)

A one and a half hour-drive from Athens takes us to Cape Sounio. A scenic route through the south coast of the suburbs  Glyfada, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza, Anavissos to Cape Sounio. Visit the magnificent temple of Poseidon, God of the sea, admire the breathtaking panoramic view from a drop of 210 feet into the waters of the Gulf. On the way back to Athens, there is a vast selection of seafood restaurants where you can enjoy your meal by the waterfront. (Entrance fee to the site is not included)

 

 

 

FULL DAY CITY TOUR ATHENS (8-9 Hours)

The city which combines ancient and modern, the city where democracy was born. Full of interesting ancient sites, which shows its splendor. We begin our tour at the Acropolis, where we  visit the Pantheon, Erechtion, the temple of wingless Nikki and the Propylaia, the ancient gallery. We continue to the temple of Zeus, the old Olympic stadium, Zapio building, which is the first Olympic village at the first modern Olympic games, the main square of Athens, Syntagma, the Greek Parliament and of course watch the change of guards in front of the unknown soldier monument.  Continuing downtown, we can see the Athens Trilogy (Academy, first university National library) the 3 temples of knowledge. Around the Acropolis, we will visit the old part of the city (Monastiraki and Plaka) which hosts souvenir shops and restaurants with view to Acropolis. Finishing the tour, we can visit the highest point of Athens, Lycabettus Hill, to admire the amazing vie of Athens, Pireaus port at sunset. If museums are your thing I strongly recommend the new Acropolis museum and the National archeological museum (Entrance fees to sites and museums are not included)

 

 

 

 

FULL DAY ARGOLIS (11-12 Hours)

This tour includes the region of Argolida located in the north-east Peloponnese, which boasts many interesting sights. Starting early in the morning from Athens, after about 1 and a half hours we will reach the Corinth canal, which connects the Aegean sea with the Corinthian Gulf and the Ionian sea. We will visit the indoor and outdoor museum of Corinth, an important city of the past due to its location and 2 ports. About 30 minutes after ancient Corinth, thru olive trees, orange trees and vineyards, we reach the town of Mycenae, the region where the Mycenae civilization developed between 1600-1100 BC. We will visit the Mycenae Acropolis known for the gate of ten lions and the Cyclopean walls. Mycenae was the kingdom of Agamemnon, who was the leader of Greeks in the Trojan war, well-known through Homer’s poems. In the same location there is a museum and close by the magnificent tomb of Agamemnon. Mycenae is also a world heritage site by UNESCO. Half an hour away it’s the picturesque seaside town of Nafplio, hosting the imposing castle of Palamidi. Nafplio was the first capital of contemporary Greece between 1823-1833. Free time for lunch. Next stop before Athens is the theatre of Epidauros, the sanctuary of Asclepius, which was a therapeutic center of antiquity. The ancient theatre was built 3 centuries before Christ, with a capacity of 13000 people. It is still used in summer for theatrical plays and visitors can admire the wonderful acoustics of the theatre. (Entrance fees are not included)

FULL DAY ANCIENT OLYMPIA (12 Hours)

 

Ancient Olympia is on the east side of Peloponnese. It is the city where the Olympic games were born in 776 BC.

It is about 200 miles from Athens and it takes us about 3 and a half hours to get there, so an early start is recommended. On the way there are some spots to stop for a coffee break, such as the Corinth canal.

 

Reaching ancient Olympia we can start the tour at the outdoor archeological site, the temple of Zeus, the ancient stadium, the gymnasium and the workshop of Fidias, the sculptor of the golden-ivory statue of Zeus which is one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. Close by,

we can visit the museum of ancient Olympia and the Olympic games museum. Finishing our tour, we will have a meal in the village and return to Athens

Note: As ancient Olympia is at a large distance from Athens, it is recommended as a part of a multi-day tour.

 

 

 

 

FULL DAY DELPHI TOUR (9-10 Hours)

Following the Acropolis, Delphi is the second most visited archeological destination. About a 2-hour drive (120 miles), situated north-west of Athens, the Delphi archeological site is located in a majestic region on the south slopes of Mount Parnassus. On the way to Delphi, I would recommend we stop at the Byzantine monastery of St. Lucas, as it is well-known for its beautiful mosaics and at the traditional village of Arahova  which is for its handmade rugs. During ancient times, it was the most important religious center and the ancient Greeks believed that it was the center of the world. Delphi is where the priestess of God Apollo, Pythia, sat and gave prophesies. From all over Greece, people went to Delphi before making important decisions for wars, politics, expeditions or alliances. In order to get a positive prophecy, they brought gifts. We can visit the temple of Apollo, the sanctuary of Athena, Pronaia, the Athenian treasury and Abaton. Also, the ancient theatre with a capacity of 500 people. Last but not least, there is an interesting indoor museum. After the visit to Delphi, we can have lunch at one of the restaurants which serve traditional dishes of the region. Return to Athens. ( Entrance fees are not included)

FULL DAY METEORA (12 Hours)

Meteora is a religious destination. It is a region in Central Greece, next to Kalambaka village, which is 280 miles from Athens so an early start is recommended. On the way to Kalambaka, we can stop at Thermopylae, where the Spartan king Leonidas and his brave 300 soldiers defended the narrow passage of the Hot Gates and said the famous : “ Μολώνλαβε”.

Passing the beautiful town, Trikala, we will see the imposing rocks on which the early Christian monks built monasteries. The word “Meteora” means suspended in air and that is because the monasteries are built on the edge of the rocks which leaves visitors speechless. Although there are many monasteries in the area, only 4-6 for them are accessible and on specific days and time. The biggest and oldest of them the Holy Monastery of Great Meteoro, the monastery of Saint Stephan is also highly recommended. Lunch in Kalambaka and return to Athens

Note: As Meteora is a long way from Athens, it is recommended as a part of a multi-day tour.