Classical Greece

Welcome to Greece! Upon your arrival in Athens you will be greeted in the public area of the arrivals hall and transferred to your select hotel. The remainder of the day is to be spent at your leisure exploring Athens at night. Overnight in Athens.

This sightseeing tour will afford you the luxury of experiencing the two most important attractions of Athens. The Acropolis of Athens is one of the most famous archaeological sites in all of Greece. The new Acropolis Museum is the home to the masterpieces of the Acropolis, where they are displayed in stunning surroundings bathed in natural light. The tour begins inside the Syntagma metro station where you will visit the metro Museum with very interesting archaeological artifacts from the daily life of Ancient Athens that came to light during the construction of the metro. You will then continue on to the House of the Greek Parliament, the Monument to the Unknown Soldier and watch the changing of the guard. Your tour continues towards the National Gardens and on to the beautiful neoclassical Zappeion Hall, in front of which tower the surviving columns of the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch, both of which you will have the opportunity to visit. From there you enter the famous Plaka district where you see the statue of Melina Merkouri. You will enter the Acropolis from the south slope so as to avoid the crowds and also to visit the Dionysus sanctuary and Dionysus Theatre built in the 5th century BC. Your guide will take care of the tickets so you can skip the line. As you begin to ascend the sacred hill a breathtaking view of the city below will unfold. Your guide will give you a detailed explanation of the glorious monuments of the Acropolis such as the Parthenon, the Erectheion, the Propylaia, the Nike Temple and the surrounding monuments such as the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Ancient Agora, the Observatory as well as the Philopappos, Mars, and Pnyx Hills. After your tour of the Acropolis site, you will have approximately 45-minutes to descend towards the New Acropolis Museum. You will have ample time to take personal photographs from many vantage points on and around the Acropolis prior to reaching the Acropolis Museum. Its unique design has incorporated the excavations which are visible under stunning glass floors. The Acropolis masterpieces are marked out and given the prominence they deserve through ideal interior atmospheric conditions, natural lighting. Additionally, there is easy visitor access, panoramic views and excellent layout of the exhibition areas. The museum exhibits about 4,000 artifacts. The tour ends at the Acropolis Museum. Make your own way to your hotel at the end of the tour. Overnight in Athens at your select hotel.

This morning you will be collected from your select Athens hotel and commence your 4 day Classical Tour of Greece. First you will drive to the Corinth canal for a short stop. You will continue onward to Epidaurus for a visit to the theatre and archaeological site and then to Nafplion. After a brief stop you will drive to Mycenae to visit the archaeological site and then depart for Olympia, passing through the central Peloponnese cities of Megalopolis and Tripolis. Evening arrival in Olympia for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast today you will be collected from your select Athens hotel and commence your 4 day Classical Tour of Greece. First you will drive to the Corinth canal for a short stop. Continue onwards to Epidaurus for a visit of the theatre and archaeological site and then to Nafplion. After a brief stop you will drive to Mycenae to visit the archaeological site and then depart for Olympia, passing through the central Peloponnese cities of Megalopolis and Tripolis. Evening arrival in Olympia for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast today you will visit the archaeological site and the museum of Olympia. Afterwards you will drive via Patras to Rion where you will cross the newly built cable bridge to Antirion on the mainland of Greece. Continue through Nafpaktos to Delphi for dinner and overnight.

Today will start with a morning visit of the archaeological site and the museum of Delphi. Depart for Kalambaka, driving through Amphissa, Lamia and Trikala. Afternoon arrival in Kalambaka for dinner, and overnight.

In the morning you will take in the breathtaking monasteries of Meteora. Your tour of this beguiling region will include visits to at least 2 monasteries (depending on the days of the week). First inhabited in the 9th century AD, the rock cliffs provided a refuge to ascetic monks looking for complete isolation from civilization. The region's importance grew in the subsequent centuries, reaching its peak in influence during the 15th & 16th centuries. In the early afternoon you will drive back to Athens, passing through Thermopylae and Kamena Vourla. Early evening arrival in Athens for your overnight at your select hotel.

After breakfast this morning (time permitting) you will be greeted in the lobby of your hotel and transferred to Athens airport where you will board your flight home, full of a new appreciation for one of Europe's most enchanting countries.