Extension: Mainland Greece Private Tours: There is no better way to see Athens, the Classical sites, and the Amazing Villages of Mainland Greece.

Overview:

Travel2Greece has contracted the best private tour drivers available to provide you with an experience that you will never forget! Choose from one of our preset itineraries or customize your tour based on your preferences and your preferred pace. There is no better way to see Athens, the Classical sites, and the Amazing Villages of Mainland Greece.

Two day Argolis:

Day 1 – Leave Athens in the morning and head for Elefsina. See the sanctuary and temple dedicated to the Goddess of Agriculture, Dimitra. You will learn the story of how her daughter Persephone was kidnapped by Pluto and see the gate to the underworld. After that we will visit the canal of Corinth. Next it’s on to the ancient theater of Epidavros, known for its perfect acoustics and still used in the summer months for live performances. We end our day in the seaside city of Nafplio, the first capital of Greece. See and visit the fortress Palamidi overlooking all of Nafplio. If you are the adventurous type, you can climb the 857 stairs leading to the top. Sleep in Nafplio.

Day 2 – After a nights rest, we leave for our visit to Ancient Mycenae. Here you will see the Lion’s Gate, the Cyclopean Walls, the Royal Tombs and the museum. You will also be able to go inside the actual tomb of King Agamemnon which is nearby. Our next stop is in Nemea, famous in Greek myth as the home of the Nemean Lion which was killed by the hero Hercules. If time permits, we may also visit a winery here. Before returning to Athens, we will see and visit Ancient Corinth, dedicated to the Patron God of Arts, Apollo.

Two day Argolis & Sparta:

Day 1 – We begin by travelling along the Saronic Gulf’s coastal road to the Corinth Canal. The Canal is a structure of great importance, as before it was built, ships sailing between the Aegean and Adriatic Seas had to circumnavigate the Peloponnese, adding about 185 nautical miles to their journey. When we reach Sparta you will see the huge statue of Leonidas made popular by the movie "300". See the remains of the palace and the theater there. Next, we move on to Mistras, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, with its churches and monasteries. We then drive to Nafplio to spend the night. If time permits we would also see Mycenae on the first day. Here you will see the Lion’s Gate, the Cyclopean Walls, the Royal Tombs and the museum. You will also be able to go inside the actual tomb of King Agamemnon which is nearby.

Day 2 – This day begins with visiting the ancient theatre of Epidavros, known for its perfect acoustics and still used in the summer months for live performances. Also see the temple of Asclepios. We will also stop in Ancient Corinth where St. Paul spoke to the Corinthians. Return to Athens in the evening.

Two day Delphi & Meteora:

Day 1 – This overnight tour takes us north of Athens. We will drive by the fields of cotton to our first stop in Levadia at the Spring of Kria. Here is where the mysterious oracle, Trophonious performed. We drive on and take a break for a snack………traditional yogurt with honey and homemade tiropita (cheese pie) will hit the spot in Zemeno before we reach Arahova. We arrive in the scenic village of Arahova where you may like to do some shopping. Then it’s on to Delphi, once considered to be the center of the universe. Delphi is probably best-known for the oracle at the sanctuary that became dedicated to Apollo during the classical period. You will visit the archaeological site dedicated to the god Apollo and will also see the impressive museum there. We make our way to Kalambaka with a stop at Gravia. This is where Odysseus Androutsos, with about 100 men, stopped 8,000 Turks. Over 400 of the Turks died, while Androutsos lost only 2 of his men. Now, it’s on to Kalambaka, driving through Lamia. We make a stop in Domokos for coffee and we end the day at your hotel in Kalambaka.

Day 2 - This day begins with seeing Meteora; a unique and impressive place with ageless monasteries that are perched on top of huge, monolithic granite rocks. Visit theww of the monasteries that seem to be suspended between earth and sky containing priceless historical and religious treasures. Many pieces of Byzantine art are also found here. The view from the monasteries is something that you will never forget. Making our way back to Athens, we will stop again in Domokos for coffee or lunch. You will also see the giant statue of Leonidas in Thermopiles made popular recently with the movie “300”. For 3 days the Persians battled against the vastly outnumbered Greeks. Although it was clear that the Persians were going to win, Leonidas stayed and fought the final battle with only 300 men from Sparta. Our last stop is in Arkista, on the water, for a little rest before reaching Athens.

Day 1 - Leave Athens and drive to Arkitsa, by the sea, for coffee. Next we will stop in Thermopiles to see the giant statue of Leonidas made popular recently with the movie “300”. For 3 days the Persians battled against the vastly outnumbered Greeks. Although it was clear that the Persians were going to win, Leonidas stayed and fought the final battle with only 300 men from Sparta. We then take the mountain road through Bralos and Amfissa. Arriving in Delphi, you will see it's impressive museum before our final destination of Arachova. There you will be able to stroll the streets of this quaint village, have a nice meal and spend the night.

Day 2 - After breakfast you will visit the archaeological sites of Delphi once considered to be the center of the universe. Delphi is probably best-known for the oracle at the sanctuary that became dedicated to Apollo during the classical period. Taking the road back to Athens, we stop in the tiny village of Zemeno for either a snack of creamy yogurt with honey along with delicious homemade cheese pies (tiropita) or you may want to enjoy a lunch here of roasted lamb. We will make our way to the Byzantine monastery of Ossios Loukas (St. Luke), placed on the edge of an inspiring valley of olive trees. Our last stop before reaching Athens will be in Levadia at the Spring of Kria. Here is where the mysterious oracle, Trophonious performed. Arrive in Athens in the evening.

Day 1 – Driving north, out of Athens, we go by the fields of cotton to our first stop in Levadia at the Spring of Kria. Here is where the mysterious oracle, Trophonious performed. If you are interested, we will make our way to the Byzantine monastery of Ossios Loukas (St. Luke), placed on the edge of an inspiring valley of olive trees. Let’s take a break by having some creamy yogurt with honey and homemade tiropita (cheese pie) in Zemeno. This will hit the spot before we reach the scenic village of Arachova where you will check into your hotel. Then it’s on to nearby Delphi, once considered to be the center of the universe. Delphi is probably best-known for the oracle at the sanctuary that became dedicated to Apollo during the classical period. You will visit the archaeological site dedicated to the god Apollo and will also see the impressive museum there. In the evening, take a stroll around the village of Arachova and have dinner.

Day 2 – In the morning we take the road to Meteora; a unique and impressive place with ageless monasteries that are perched on top of huge, monolithic granite rocks. On our way, let’s make a stop at Gravia. This is where Odysseus Androutsos, with about 100 men, stopped 8,000 Turks. Over 400 of the Turks died, while Androutsos lost only 2 of his men. We drive through Lamia, taking a break in Domokos for coffee before we reach the city of Kalambaka. Check in to your hotel in Kalambaka at the foot of Meteora. Visit a couple of the monasteries that seem to be suspended between earth and sky containing priceless historical and religious treasures. Many pieces of Byzantine art are also found here. The view from the monasteries is something that you will never forget. In the evening, have a nice dinner in Kalambaka.

Day 3 - After breakfast, you will see one or two more of the monasteries of Meteora before we head back to Athens. We will stop again in Domokos for coffee or lunch. You will also see the giant statue of Leonidas in Thermopiles made popular recently with the movie “300. For 3 days the Persians battled here against the vastly outnumbered Greeks. Although it was clear that the Persians were going to win, Leonidas stayed and fought the final battle with only 300 men from Sparta. Our last stop is in Arkista, on the water, for a little rest before reaching Athens.

Four days Sparta, Olympia, Delphi & Meteora:

Day 1 - This four-day/three night tour starts by travelling along the Saronic Gulf’s coastal road to the Corinth Canal. The Canal is a structure of great importance, as before it was built, ships sailing between the Aegean and Adriatic Seas had to circumnavigate the Peloponnese, adding about 185 nautical miles to their journey. Visit Ancient Corinth where St. Paul spoke to the Corinthians. We drive across the Peloponnese until we reach Sparta. Here you will see the huge statue of Leonidas, in his hometown, made popular by the movie "300". Also see the remains of the palace and the theatre there. Next, we move on to Mistras, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, with its churches and monasteries. After our visit to Mistras we take the road for Olympia, where we will spend our first night.

Day 2 - Our second day begins with Ancient Olympia, which gained its fame as a sanctuary of Zeus and Hera. The site also contains a wealth of other small shrines, gymnasiums and sculptors' workshops. According to tradition, here is where the Olympic games were founded in 776 B.C.. It is from here that the Olympic torch is still lit and carried to whatever corner of the world the modern Olympiads are held in. In the museum see exhibits of unique sculptural masterpieces, such as Praxiteles' Hermes, Paeoneus' Victory, Apollo and many other art treasures. We leave Olympia and will also leave the Peloponnese by crossing over the newly built bridge near Patra. We will now be back on mainland Greece and journey to the quaint village of Arachova where you will have dinner, have the time to wander through the streets and rest for the night.

Day 3 - The morning will be spent by seeing Delphi, once considered to be the center of the universe. Delphi is probably best-known for the oracle at the sanctuary that became dedicated to Apollo during the classical period. You will visit the archaeological site dedicated to the god Apollo and will also see the impressive museum there. We make our way to Kalambaka with a stop at Gravia. This is where Odysseus Androutsos, with about 100 men, stopped 8 thousand Turks. Over 400 of the Turks died, while Androutsos lost only 2 of his men. Now, it’s on to Kalambaka, driving through Lamia. We make a stop in Domokos for coffee and we end the day at your hotel in Kalambaka.

Day 4 - This day begins with seeing Meteora; a unique and impressive place with ageless monasteries that are perched on top of huge, monolithic granite rocks. Visit 3 of the monasteries that seem to be suspended between earth and sky containing priceless historical and religious treasures. Many pieces of Byzantine art are also found here. The view from the monasteries is something that you will never forget. Making our way back to Athens, we will stop again in Domokos for coffee or lunch. You will also see the giant statue of Leonidas in Thermopiles made popular recently with the movie “300”. For 3 days the Persians battled against the vastly outnumbered Greeks. Although it was clear that the Persians were going to win, Leonidas stayed and fought the final battle with only 300 men from Sparta. Our last stop is in Arkista, on the water, for a little rest before reaching Athens.

Day 1 - This four day Greek adventure begins by travelling along the Saronic Gulf’s coastal road to the Corinth Canal. The Canal is a structure of great importance, as before it was built, ships sailing between the Aegean and Adriatic Seas had to circumnavigate the Peloponnese, adding about 185 nautical miles to their journey. Visit Ancient Corinth where St. Paul spoke to the Corinthians. After Corinth, we will visit the ancient theater of Epidavros, known for its perfect acoustics and still used in the summer months for live performances. Then, on we go to Nafplio, the first capital of Greece. See and visit the fortress Palamidi overlooking all of Nafplio. If you are the adventurous type, you can climb the 857 stairs leading to the top. You will have time to explore this seaside town and enjoy a wonderful meal. Here we will spend our first night.

Day 2 - After breakfast we will drive to Ancient Mycenae. Here you will see the Lion’s Gate, the Cyclopean Walls, the Royal Tombs and the museum. You will also be able to go inside the actual tomb of King Agamemnon which is nearby. We then leave the Peloponnese by crossing over the newly built bridge near Patra. Now on the mainland of Greece again, we first make a stop in Nafpaktos and then another stop in the picturesque seaside village of Galaxidi. We journey to the quaint village of Arachova where you will have dinner, have the time to wander through the streets and rest for the night.

Day 3 - The morning will be spent by seeing Delphi, once considered to be the center of the universe. Delphi is probably best-known for the oracle at the sanctuary that became dedicated to Apollo during the classical period. You will visit the archaeological site dedicated to the god Apollo and will also see the impressive museum there. We make our way to Kalambaka with a stop at Gravia. This is where Odysseus Androutsos, with about 100 men, stopped 8 thousand Turks. Over 400 of the Turks died, while Androutsos lost only 2 of his men. Now, it’s on to Kalambaka, driving through Lamia. We make a stop in Domokos for coffee and we end the day at your hotel in Kalambaka.

Day 4 - This day begins with seeing Meteora; a unique and impressive place with ageless monasteries that are perched on top of huge, monolithic granite rocks. Visit 3 of the monasteries that seem to be suspended between earth and sky containing priceless historical and religious treasures. Many pieces of Byzantine art are also found here. The view from the monasteries is something that you will never forget. Making our way back to Athens, we will stop again in Domokos for coffee or lunch. You will also see the giant statue of Leonidas in Thermopiles made popular recently with the movie “300”. For 3 days the Persians battled against the vastly outnumbered Greeks. Although it was clear that the Persians were going to win, Leonidas stayed and fought the final battle with only 300 men from Sparta. Our last stop is in Arkista, on the water, for a little rest before reaching Athens.