Highlights: Athens sightseeing with Acropolis and its Νew Μuseum – Corinth Canal – Mycenae – Epidaurus ancient theatre – Nafplio – Tolo – Hydra Spetses Islands – Ancient Olympia – Pylos – Diros lake Cave – Mount Taygetos – Monemvasia – Sparti – Mystras – Dimitsana – Karytaina – Lousios Gorge – Ladonas river – Kalavryta – Cog Railway cross of Vouraikos gorge – Poseidon Temple of Sounio

8 days / 7 nights

Arrival in Athens a/p. Welcome by our representative. Drive towards Peloponnesus. On the way stop at Corinth canal which separates Peloponnesus from Greece mainland. Its first cut attempt was done in 52 A.D. then guided to ancient Theatre of Epidaurus (4th century B.C.), famous for its remarkable acoustics, to Homeric Mycenae (1300 B.C.) to see the Royal Tomb of Agamemnon, the Lion Gate and the Cyclopean Walls. King Agamemnon was the leader of the Greek army in the Trojan war. Then we’ll visit Nafplio the first capital of Greece after Greeks revolution against Turks in 1821. After a short drive we arrive to the beautiful seaside town of Tolo.

Daily cruise to 2 Greek islands. Spetses and Hydra. Both islands with great contribution to Greek revolution against Turks in 1821 and with beautiful sceneries. Return to Tolo at late afternoon. Then drive through central Peloponnesus we arrive to Kalamata in the evening. Dinner in the hotel or a local tavern.

Drive towards Sparta through Taygetos mountain road of amazing nature. Guided visit to Mystras the home town of the last Byzantine Emperor. Short drive to Sparta and then to the castle town of Monemvasia. Dinner in the hotel or local tavern.

Walk around the narrow alleys of Monemvasia by your own. Then drive through Mani we arrive to Dyros caves. Explore by boat the fantastic lake Cave of Dyros with its beautiful stalagmites and stalactites. Then drive on the west side of Peloponnesus and passing various seaside villages we arrive to Pylos or Methoni.

We continue our driving on the west side of Peloponnesus and we arrive to Olympia. Guided tour to archeological site to see the Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Hera, the altar of the Olympic flame, the Olympic stadium of 45,000 seating capacity where the first Olympic games took place in 776 B.C and the museum with the famous status of Hermes of Praxiteles. Then driving through central mountainery Peloponnesus we arrive to traditional village of Karytaina or Dimitsana.

Morning walk around traditional village of Dimitsana and afterwards a couple of hours walk at the fantastic gorge of Lousios river. Drive to Ladonas river/ lake, a place of amazing beauty and afterwards to Kalavryta.

Today we’ll see Kalavryta, Ag Lavra, the place where the Greek revolution against Turks started in 1821, the hill of the Holocaust in the WWII and taking the Cog railway we cross the Vouraikos gorge to Diakofto. Drive back to Athens. Evening walk by your own to Plaka, Athens old town and dinner to a Greek tavern with wine and folklore show OR dinner in a Greek tavern with bouzouki and rebetika.

Athens guided tour. Constitution Square (Syntagma), the House of Parliament, the Memorial to the Unknown Soldier and the National Library. Driving down Herod Atticus str., you will see the Evzones in their picturesque uniform and the Presidential Palace. On your way to the Acropolis you will see the Hadrian’s Arch, visit the Temple of Olympian Zeus and you will make a short stop at the Panathenaic Stadium where the first modern Olympic Games took place in 1896. Then Acropolis, the architectural masterpieces of the Golden Age of Athens (5^th cent. B.C), Propylaea, Temple of Athena Nike, Erechtheion, and finally Parthenon, a place any civilized person has to visit. We complete the visit with the new Museum of Acropolis. OPTIONAL Lunch in a tavern at Monastiraki with souvlaki or shish Kebab. In the afternoon shopping walk in Ermou str. with its small fashion shops OR visit to Poseidon Temple at Sounio. Then transfer to the Athens a/p for your departure.

Note: Greek Night

Greek night in a tavern with folklore show or night club dancing or dinner in a Greek tavern with bouzouki music and rebetika or night life in a pista show with popular Greek singers.