1st DAY: Depart from our terminal for three day trip via
the coastal National highway for our first (short) stop at the impressive Corinth canal. We continue to Epidaurus with its theater, famous for its acoustics. Our day continues as we will be arriving in the picturesque Nafplion (the first capital of Greece) for a short stop. Our next visit will be Mycenae a UNESCO World Heritage site. «Rich in gold» as Homer mentions, with the Cyclopean Walls, the Lion's Gate, the Royal Tombs, including Agamemnon & Clytemnestra's, and the Treasury of Atreus, a magnificent 14th-century B.C. structure.
In the afternoon, we will be crossing the mountains of the Peloponnese to arrive in Olympia for dinner and overnight
2nd DAY:Built on the banks of the River Alfios, Olympia is beautiful,
green, and placid. We will enjoy a tour through the remains of
the Ancient Olympia Complex (home of the original Olympic Games),
including the Temple of Zeus, the Palaestra, and Phidias’s Workshop.
We continue to the local museum, one of the richest in Greece, with
the impressive statue of Hermes of Praxitelis.
In the afternoon, we will start heading north, to Delphi for dinner and overnight.
3rd day: Delphi used to be the most sacred spot in the world
and a pilgrimage center for many centuries in the antiquity.
You will pass by CASTALIA SPRING, visit at the archaeological site
and view the monument of the Argive Kings, the temple of Pronaia,
the treasury of the Athenians, the Athenian Stoa, the Polygonal Wall,
the monument of Platea and the Temple of Apollo home of Pythia (oracle).
We continue to the local museum with the bronze statue of the Charioteer.
In the afternoon we will heading on to Kalabaka (nearby Meteora) for overnight and dinner.
4th DAY:This morning we will be visiting Meteora. Amazing rock
formations, like towers of sandstone, stand ageless, and have
provided sacred retreat for monks over the centuries.
A number of monasteries are hidden on top of Meteora.
The view over the plain is breathtaking. Meteora is considered
among the most beautiful areas of mainland Greece
and belongs to Unesco's list of world heritage monuments.
In the afternoon we will heading on Thessalonoki for overnight and dinner.
5th day: The morning is dedicated to exploring the city of Thessaloniki.
We will visit the most important landmarks and monuments of the city,
and embrace its glorious Byzantine and Romean past, with visits to its characteristic churches and the museum of Byzantine culture.
The afternoon will be at leisure to explore more of the city on your own.
6th day: Today we will be exploring the historical places
of Macedonia. First stop will be the town of Edessa with its
beautiful waterfalls. Our next visit will be to Aristotle’s school
where the great philosopher taught the « the doctrines
of morals and politics» to Alexander the Great.
We continue to Vergina with the Royal tombs of Macedonia,
including this of King Phillip II, father of Alexander the Great.
Our last stop for today will be to Veria with the Bema of St. Paul, the colorful market and the Jewish neighborhood.Return drive to Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight.
7th day: Our exploration of the history of Macedonian history continues
todayon our way back to Athens. Our first stop will be to Pella,
τηε ancient capital of Macedonia and birthplace of Alexander the Great.
We will visit the site with the exquisite floor mosaics and the new local
museum.We continue our drive to the archaeological park of Dion,
the sacred place of ancient Macedonia at the foot of mount Olympos.
After our visitswe continue our drive, with a photo stop at Thermopylae
and the statue of Leonidas, to arrive in Athens in the evening.