Thermopylae

Culture & history tours

Embark on a 2-day tour that takes you to the ancient city of Delphi and across the scenic Plain of Thessaly to Kalambaka. Explore the picturesque small town located at the foot of Meteora, the site of one of the most important groups of Greek Orthodox monasteries, and minimize your environmental footprint with this gas emissions-neutral tour. Detailed Itinerary Day 1 Start the day with a relaxing drive through the beautiful Greek countryside, passing by the cities of Thebes, Levadia, and Arachova, before arriving in Delphi at around noon. At Delphi, you’ll have the opportunity to visit this important site that appears in Greek mythology. In ancient times, Delphi was considered to be the center of the universe and was guarded by a python dragon that was killed by Apollo. See the ruins of the Temple of Apollo, which was built in the 4th century B.C. and was destroyed by Emperor Theodosius I in 390 A.D. It was also here that the priestess Pythia would foretell the future from the famous Oracle of Delphi. Visit the theater that seated 5,000 spectators and hosted plays, poetry readings, and festivals. At the nearby stadium, the Pythian Games were held every 4 years. Athletes from all over the Greek world would come to compete, and these games would become the predecessor to the modern Olympics. At the end of the day, drive to Kalambaka, a lovely city with beautiful gardens and magnificent views of the Meteora rocks. Overnight in Kalambaka. Day 2 In the morning, head to Meteora for a tour of the fascinating cliff-top monasteries. Be amazed by the cliffs, which average a height of 1,000 feet, and were first inhabited in the 9th century by a group of hermit monks who lived on the rock towers Today 6 monasteries remain out of the original 20. Views of the entire valley from the magnificent rock towers, and the peace of the surroundings, make this a unique place to visit. On the way back to Athens you’ll make a short stop at the monument to Leonidas, the King of Sparta who died in 480 B.C. at the famous Battle of Thermopylae.

Embark on a 2-day tour to the archaeological site of Delphi and the historic Orthodox monasteries built on the rocks of Meteora. Learn about the myths and history attached to these sites from your guide on this guided tour from Athens. Day 1: Depart Athens for the ancient site of the Oracle of Delphi. Travel by air-conditioned coach through the pretty towns and villages of Thebes, Levadia, and Arachova on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. Arrive in Delphi and explore the ruins of the ancient sanctuary of Pythia, the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo. Explore the temple and learn about its significance from your guide. Then, continue to the beautiful town of Kalabaka for dinner and your overnight stay. Day 2: After breakfast, make your way to Meteora, famous for its stunning rock formations. Visit the monasteries built to serve the monks and nuns following the teachings of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Return to Athens via Trikala and Lamia. Stop at Thermopylae to admire the monument to the Greek warrior-king Leonidas I, who died there in 480 BC. Arrive back in Athens by the early evening.

Day 1: Corinth Canal (short stop). Drive to Epidaurus, and pay a visit to the archaeological site and to the theatre, famous for its remarkable acoustics. Continue on to Nauplia for a short stop. Next, drive to Mycenae where you will visit the fascinating archaeological site. Depart for Olympia, passing through the central Peloponnese area and passing the cities of Megalopolis and Tripolis. Finally, arrive in Olympia for dinner and overnight stay. There is also a possibility of staying in Nauplia instead. (Dinner included). Day 2: In the morning visit the archaeological site and the museum of Olympia. Drive via Patras to Rion, cross the channel to Antirion on the state of the art suspension bridge, known as the longest and most modern in Europe. Arrive in Nafpaktos, then continue to Delphi. Enjoy dinner and overnight stay in Delphi. (Breakfast and dinner included). Day 3: First, visit the archaeological site and the museum of Delphi. Depart for Kalambaka, passing through Amphissa, Lamia and Trikala. Arrive in Kalambaka, and savor a dinner before your overnight stay. (Breakfast and dinner included). Day 4: In the morning, visit the breathtaking Meteora. In the early afternoon, start the drive back to Athens passing via Thermopylae and Kammena Vourla. (Breakfast included). This tour offers the opportunity to visit the most impressive historical Greek sites, giving you an insight into the glorious past of Greece.

Meteora 2 days (on halfboard basis) 1st day: First you will drive to Delphi through Levadia and Arachova. At Delphi you will visit the archaeological site. Then depart for Kalambaka. Drive through the towns of central Greece (Amphissa, Lamia and Trikala) crossing the Thessalian plain, the granary of Greece, to reach Kalambaka. Overnight. (D.*) 2nd day: Morning visit of the breathtaking Meteora and its monasteries built on the top of high rocks. Then start the drive back to Athens passing through Thermopylae where Leonidas was killed (visit) and Kamena Vourla.(B.**) * Dinner ** Breakfast

Begin the tour in Athens and as we drive Marathon the start of the original marathon race, the city of Thiva, and the spot where Oedipus killed his father, according to the Aeschylus tragedy First stop at the celebrity ski resort village of Arachova. After is Delphi with a book guide where you will have 2 hours to visit the archaeological site and museum, the Temple of Athena, Tholos Monument, and Kastalia, the holy spring. About 13:00 lunch in Delphi, with a magnificent view of the Delphi Riviera and the biggest valley of olive trees in Greece. Later we will drive higher to mountain Parnassos with an off-road drive at a height of 1500m to visit the Corycian Cave from 4000 bc the 1st oracle a site not fully excavated yet. Next is Thermopylae, and see the Battlefield view from above, the Ancient hot gates, the Leonidas and 300 Spartans' monument, and hear a full detailed description of the battle. See Kolonos Hill is the place where the last Spartans died protecting the dead body of King Leonidas. On the drive for 2 hours listen to the guide explain the myths and historical events in ancient Greece not only for Delphi but concerning religion, the immortality of the soul with the Eleusinian mysteries, the culture, and the sciences.

The day begins with a pickup from Athens in a private, air-conditioned vehicle. Head to the UNESCO World Heritage listed site of Delphi where your sightseeing adventure awaits. At the site, enjoy the freedom to visit the landmarks that interest you most and customize the experience to suit your group. Highlights of Delphi include the 4th century B.C. Temple of Apollo, the Sanctuaries of Apollo and Athena Pronaia, the Statue of Leonidas, and the Delphi Archaeological Museum. There’s also ancient stadiums and theaters to marvel at, as well as the impressive Thermopylae where a famous battle took place. Later, enjoy a visit to the town of Delphi, or if you’d prefer, explore the charming village of Arachova. Stroll around and mingle with the locals, grab a coffee or lunch, and shop for souvenirs. At the end of an unforgettable day, sit back and relax on the return journey to Athens.

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.

We start our tour early in the morning from Athens till Meteora. Our driver will pick you up from your hotel/ apartment or the airport/ port. The travel time is about 4,5 hours. The first stop is at Kalabaka, a town of the municipality of Meteora in the Trikala regional unit, part of Thessaly in Greece. The population was 12,000 at the 2011 census, of which 8,330 in the town proper. The Meteora monasteries are located near the town. We arrive at Meteora and visit up to three Monasteries. Breathtaking at first site, the Monasteries are of great cultural and natural importance. Split from earthquakes, weathered from the wind and the water over millions of millions of years, these immense rocks are an authentic masterpiece of mother nature. The Meteora is a rock formation in central Greece hosting one of the largest and most precipitously built complexes of Eastern Orthodox Monasteries. The six (of an original 24) monasteries are built on immense natural pillars and hill-like rounded boulders that dominate the local area. Meteora is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List and the name means "lofty", "elevated", and is etymologically related to meteor. Please be modestly dressed. Women are suggested to wear long skirts & long sleeves. If you do not have, you will be given a skirt on your way in. Next stop is at Kastraki, a picturesque village near Meteora, where we have free time for lunch at a traditional Greek tavern with your friends and family or shopping. As we leave the magnificent Meteora behind us, let us not overlook the Battle of Thermopylae of 480 BCE, which has long been the topic of cultural motivation, as it is perhaps the most famous military last stand of all time. The monument of the Great Leonidas, King of Sparta, in Thermopylae, will grace our path on our way back to Athens in the late afternoon. The drive is about 4,5 hours.

See the Gates of Fire, deriving from the hot sulphur springs and the cavernous entrance to Hades. Experience the monument of King Leonidas, erected in 1955 and created by the sculptor Vasos Falireas. At the Thermopylae Museum, learn about the 480 BC battle that changed the course of Greek history and western civilization before seeing the baths of Thermopylae. In Delphi, see the Temple of Apollo, the Ancient Theater, the Stadium, the Athenian Treasury, the Gymnasium, and the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia. The Naxian Sphinx, which dates to 560 BC, is a fascinating stop before seeing the Metopes of the Athenian Treasury, Omphalos, Kleobis and Biton, Statue of Antinoos, and the famous Charioteer. Enjoy a traditional lunch on the Caldera at Delphi, overlooking fabulous Itea and Amfissa before driving back to a designated location in Athens.

Your private tour will start from your hotel in Athens and head to the central mainland of Greece. The first stop is the battlefield of Thermopylae and the "Hot Gates" named after the hot springs there. Here is where King Leonidas and 300 brave Spartans gave their lives for the freedom of Greece.  Pass by Trikala, Karditsa, Kalambaka and Kastraki, before finally reaching the Meteora monasteries. They come second in religious importance and size after Mount Athos in orthodox Christianity. Meteora means "middle of the sky", and the monasteries are built on high pillars at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly, near the Pineios river and Pindus Mountains. There are still monks and nuns inhabiting them today. You will visit up to 3 monasteries, depending on what time allows before having a memorable Greek lunch. You'll eat at a traditional tavern in Kalambaka or Kastraki where you'll have plenty of choice of Greek dishes to choose from.