Introduction:
Day-1:
Arrival
Arrive to the Athens airport and transfer to your hotel.
Day-2:
Athens' city tour
We start with a visit to the Acropolis hill (visit Propylaea, Temple of Athena Nike, Parthenon, Erechtheion and the New Acropolis’ Museum. Then passing from the Hadrian’s Arc and the Temple of Zeus we shall stop at the Panathenaic Stadium where the first Modern Olympics were held on 1896.
Continue by passing Schliemann’s House (Numismatic Museum) and Catholic Cathedral to the Athens Trilogy which includes the old University of Athens, the Academy, and the National Library, architectural copies of Parthenon. Then passing from the Old Parliament we reach Syntagma Square (Constitution Square) the center of the city, the first Royal Palace of Greece - todays Parliament and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Short stop, if possible, for photos).
Return to your hotel and free time.
If you are looking for souvenirs, we suggest a nice afternoon walk in the old city of Athens Plaka as well as in the next picturesque neighborhood Monastiraki with its Traditional Grill Houses, where you can taste the famous Souvlaki and Kebabs.
Day-3:
Free time
…To explore the city and the shopping area of Ermou street. For the evening hours we suggest a visit to Lycabettus hill where you will enjoy a panoramic view of the city lit. You can also have your dinner at the restaurant on the top of the hill, just a few meters away from St. George’s little church...
Day-4:
Epidaurus - Nafplion - Mycenae - Olympia
Departure in the morning to Peloponnese. First short stop at the Corinth Canal which connects the Corinthian with the Saronic gulf, such a location for this purpose that the first attempts for the boats to avoid sailing the round of Peloponnese started in ancient times with the old Diolkos.
Continue to the famous Ancient Theater of Epidaurus known for its excellent acoustics. Then drive to the historic city and first capital of Greece Nafplion, short stop. A few miles from Nafplion lies the archaeological site of Mycenae.
We shall visit the old Palace and the Tomb of king Agamemnon. Then continue through central Peloponnese to Olympia.
Overnight.
Day-5:
Olympia - Delphi
We start after breakfast with a visit to the archaeological site of ancient Olympia. Its fame rests upon the Olympic Games, the greatest national festival and a highly prestigious one world-wide, which was held every four years to honor Zeus. Then drive towards Delphi in central Greece.
Arrival at the afternoon, free time. Overnight.
Day-6:
Delphi - Meteora
The sanctuary of Delphi, set within a most spectacular landscape, was for many centuries the cultural and religious centre and symbol of unity for the Hellenic world. It was regarded as the centre of the world and had the most famous oracle of ancient Greece. After visiting the site and its museum we leave towards to Meteora where we shall be at the afternoon.
Free time and overnight.
Day-7:
Meteora - Athens
Meteora is from the biggest and most important group of monasteries in Greece after those in Mount Athos. The rock monasteries have been characterized by Unesco as a unique phenomenon of cultural heritage and they form one of the most important stations of cultural map of Greece.
We will visit two or three monasteries depending on the day and time according to their visiting schedule, the Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron which is the biggest of the Meteorite monasteries and the Holy Monastery of Varlaam.
We continue with our return to Athens where we will arrive in the evening.
Free time and overnight.
Day-8:
Athens Airport
After breakfast transfer to the Athens airport for your flight back home.
**4 days Cruise to the Aegean Sea**
Mykonos - Kusadasi - Patmos - Rhodes - Heraklion – Santorini
This programm can be combined with the previous one as an extension to it.
