Things to do in Arcadia

This exciting 3-day and environmentally responsible tour takes you to the most important archaeological sites of classical Greece. Providing a superb introduction to some of the myths of the ancient world, you will visit the tomb of Agamemnon in Mycenae, the Temple of Apollo and Oracle at Delphi, and the altar of the Olympic flame at Olympia. You will also make short stops in the cities of Tripolis and Megalopolis, drive past the mighty Corinth Canal, and see the charming harbor town of Nafpaktos. Day 1: Epidaurus – Nayplia - Mycenae Following your departure from Athens, visit the Corinth Canal on the Saronic Gulf and admire the miraculous 19th-century feat of engineering. Continue to Epidaurus to tour the ancient theater, world famous for its outstanding acoustics. Proceed to Nafplia, former capital of the First Hellenic Republic, and drive through the plain of Argos. Upon arrival in Mycenae, visit the ruins of the citadel and the Tomb of Agamemnon. Continue to Olympia for your overnight stay, traveling via the cities of Tripolis and Megalopolis, where you can take short stops to stretch your legs or purchase souvenir items. Day 2: Olympia - Delphi Visit the archaeological remains of Olympia, site of the Olympic Games in classical times and sacred ground to the Ancient Greeks. Admire the Doric columns of the Temples of Zeus and Hera, see the remains of the Stadium, and go to the altar of the Olympic flame. Explore the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, located directly opposite the ruins and filled with excavated artifacts. Depart Olympia for Rion, and cross the Corinthian Bay via the new bridge to Antirion. Sit back and enjoy the ride along the coastal road to Delphi, passing the charming small harbor city of Nafpaktos. In the afternoon visit the picturesque mountain village of Arachova on the slopes of the Parnassus Mountains, before your overnight stay in Delphi. Day 3: Delphi - Athens Today, experience the mysterious atmosphere of Delphi up close, with a tour of the archaeological site perched high on the Parnassus Mountains. Once regarded as the center of the world, Delphi was connected to the worship of Gaia, or Mother Earth, and guarded by a Python dragon that was killed by Apollo. Visit the temple dedicated to Apollo and learn about the great Oracle of Delphi. Continue to the theater, where up to 5,000 spectators would watch plays, poetry readings, and festivals. Enjoy superb views of the Parnassus Mountains and valley from the top of the hill and explore an impressive collection of artefacts and relics associated with ancient Delphi at the Archaeological Museum. In the afternoon, make your way back to Athens, driving through the vine and olive tree-studded hills of Parnassus and the Valley of Phocis.

Day 1: Leave by the coastal road to the Corinth Canal (short stop). Drive on and visit the Theatre of Epidaurus, famous for its remarkable acoustics. Then, proceed to the town of Nafplio (short photo stop), drive on to Mycenae and visit the archaeological site and the Tomb of Agamemnon. Then, depart for Olympia through central Peloponnese and the towns of Tripolis and Megalopolis. Overnight in Olympia, the cradle of the Olympic Games (dinner) Day 2: In the morning, visit the archaeological site with the Sanctuary of Olympian Zeus, the ancient stadium, the spot where the torch of the modern Olympic Games is lit and the Archaeological Museum. Then, drive on through the plains of Ilia and Achaia until the magnificent bridge that crosses the Corinthian Bay from Rion to Antirion. Pass by the picturesque towns of Nafpactos (Lepanto) and Itea. Arrive in Delphi (dinner and overnight) Day 3: In the morning, visit the archaeological site and the Museum of Delphi, the most famous oracle of the ancient world. Depart for Kalambaka, a small town located at the foot of the astonishing complex of Meteora, surrounded by gigantic rocks (dinner and overnight) Day 4: Visit Meteora, a striking scenery perched on top of huge rocks which seem to be suspended in mid-air, stand ageless monasteries, where you can see exquisite specimens of Byzantine art. Return to Athens via Trikala, Lamia, Thermopylae (short stop to see across the road to Leonida's Monument). Arrive in Athens early in the evening.

This tour addresses to those who are not only interested in the imposing archaeological sites of the Greek countryside, but would also like to taste the famous Greek wine of Nemea by visiting one of its wineries. The region has produced the most qualitative and tasteful wine in Greece for thousands of years. The tour starts with a drive along the coast, on the way you will view of some Greek seaside villages and the island of Salamis (where the historical naval battle took place between the Athenians and the Persians). Your first stop will be the Corinth Canal. Opened in 1892 separating the Peloponnese peninsula from the rest of Greece and connecting the Saronic Gulf to the Corinthian Sea. You will have time to walk across on a pedestrian bridge to admire the canal closer. Continuing you will be in Ancient Corinth. Historically the city was dominated by the hill of Acrocorinth, the old Castle, the oldest and largest castle in southern Greece. The site located at the base of the hill includes the Roman Agora of Corinth, the Temple of God Apollo and a small museum. In addition to its archaeological and historical interest, Ancient Corinth is also one of the most popular religious destinations in Greece. It was here that the Apostle Paul preached Christianity, was judged by the tribunal in the Agora and established the best organized Christian church of the time. Your Next stop will be the site of Ancient Nemea. Nemea has the most wineries in Greece as grape growing has been a tradition here since ancient times. In the site apart for the museum and the sanctuary, the stadium makes the difference. One of the best-preserved stadiums, located on a higher level still preserves the tunnel through which the athletes entered the stadium. After the visit to the site, we will head towards one of the Nemean wineries. Driving through the grape yards of the largest wine production zone in Greece, we will visit one of the best wineries. People will gladly give you a small tour showing you the grape yards, the storage barrels, explaining you the procedure that takes place until the bottling. In the end, you will be offered to taste some of their best varieties while having a view of the Nemean Valley. Lastly, you will be driven towards the city of Nafplio for your last stop, considered the most scenic city, it functioned as the capital of Greece until 1834. It offers you an outstanding combination of fortresses and castles (Palamidi, Bourtzi), a huge port opened to the Aegean Sea and the unique architecture of the old city of Nafplion revealing Venetian, neoclassical and oriental elements. After walking in the idyllic old city, you will make a stop for lunch at a traditional tavern by the sea and drive up to the castle of Acronafplia for a panoramic view of Nafplio.

This tour is the best way to visit numerous ancient and historical sites while also getting a taste of the Greek countryside in a single day. During the drive along the coast, you will get a view of some Greek seaside villages and the island of Salamis (where the historical battle between the Athenians and Persians took place in 480 BCE). The Corinth Canal will be our first stop. Finally opened in 1892, it separates the Peloponnese Peninsula from the rest of Greece and connects the Saronic Gulf to the Corinthian Sea. Take the time to walk across on the pedestrian bridge to admire the canal closer, for the adventurous on some days bungee jumping, is an option. Moving on we will make our way to Ancient Corinth. This ancient city was dominated by the hill of Acrocorinth, the old Castle, the biggest and oldest castle in southern Greece. Ancient Corinth is located at the foot of the hill and includes the Roman Agora of Corinth, the temple of God Apollo and a small museum. In addition to its archaeological and historical interest Ancient Corinth is also one of the most popular religious destinations in Greece. This was where the Apostle Paul preached Christianity, was judged by the tribunal in the Agora and established the best organized Christian church of that period. Then we will be off to the site of Mycenae. At the site, you will see the renowned Lions Gate, the cyclopean walls, the burial circle A and the remains of Agamemnon’s Palace. Within the site, there is a modern museum exhibiting the findings of the “City οf Gold”. Before leaving the site we will make a small stop at the treasury of Atreus, the best-preserved Tholos tomb and one of the finest examples of the Mycenaean architecture. Continuing our travels we will head towards a more recent history of Greece, discovering the city of Nafplion. The city is considered the most scenic and functioned as the capital of Greece until 1834. Nafplion offers you an outstanding combination of fortresses and castles, a huge port opened to the Aegean Sea and the unique architecture of the old city of Nafplion revealing Venetian, neoclassical and oriental elements. After walking in the idyllic place we will stop for lunch at a traditional tavern by the sea then drive up to the castle of Acronafplia for a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings. Our last stop will be the site of Epidaurus. After a short drive, you will be able to visit one of the most important ancient Greek sanctuaries dedicated to Asclepius, the God of healing and medicine. Located in a peaceful environment and spread on a hilly area, it reaches its highest point which is the theater of Epidaurus. The best preserved ancient Greek theater dated 4th century B.C.E. proof of what miracles the ancient Greek minds could create. Lastly on the way back will follow the eastern coast of Peloponnese peninsula to reach Athens again.