Thermopylae - Delphi

Thermopylae - Thermopylae is a location in Greece known for its narrow coastal passage in ancient times. The Battle of Thermopylae was fought here between a coalition of Greek city-states led by King Leonidas of Sparta and the Persian Empire under Xerxes.

The Gates of Fire: Named after the hot sulfur springs and, in Greek mythology, the cavernous entrances to Hades.

The monument of King Leonidas: Built in 1955 by sculptor Vasos Falireas, this brass statue of the Spartan King with his spear and shield is truly remarkable.

Thermopylae museum: This innovative museum is dedicated to the 480 BC battle that altered the course of Greek history and Western civilization.

Hotsprings: The baths of Thermopylae are a haven of healing spas. High-end hydrotherapy facilities focus on balneotherapy, not only as a treatment for specific ailments, illnesses, and injuries but also to promote general well-being. Of the 60 pending springs, 34 have been officially recognized so far.

Drive to Delphi

Check in at your chosen hotel in Delphi

Delphi - Breakfast at Delphi

Delphi, also known as Pytho, is famous for its ancient sanctuary, which became wealthy as the seat of Pythia, the oracle consulted for important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The Greeks considered Delphi the navel or center of the world, represented by the stone monument known as the Omphalos of Delphi.

Visit Delphi archaeological site: A UNESCO World Heritage Center, Delphi is one of Greece’s most important archaeological sites. The oracle’s functions expanded over the centuries to include athletic games, cultural events, and most notably, the Pythian games. The Temple of Apollo, the Ancient Theater, the Stadium, the Athenian Treasury, the Gymnasium, and the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia are truly captivating.

Visit Delphi Archaeological Museum: This museum houses many significant ancient Greek artifacts from the excavations at Delphi.

Frieze of the Treasury of Sifnias

Naxian Sphinx: Dating back to 560 BC, this is one of the earliest artistic representations of the demonic creature with a lion’s body, bird’s wings, and a woman’s head.

Metopes of the Athenian Treasury: From the early 5th century BCE, these depict scenes such as Theseus and Antiope, Theseus and the Minotaur, Theseus and the Marathonian bull, Heracles and the cattle of Geryon, Heracles battling the three-bodied giant Geryon, Heracles subduing a Centaur, Heracles and Cycnus, Heracles and the Nemean lion, an Amazonomachy scene, and many more.

Omphalos: Signifying the center of the earth, this was kept in Apollo’s temple.

Kleobis and Biton: Statues of two brothers from Argos, typical of the kouros type, attributed to a Peloponnesian workshop and dating to the end of the 7th century BC.

Statue of Antinoos: This statue portrays the celebrated youth and favorite of Emperor Hadrian as a god. It is considered one of the finest examples of the neoclassical style revived in the 2nd century AD.

The famous Charioteer: Part of a statuary complex that included a chariot run by four horses and a second male figure.

Delphi Village: A popular tourist destination, Delphi village offers many hotels, guesthouses, tavernas, and bars.

Enjoy your lunch on the Caldera at Delphi, overlooking the stunning views of Itea and Amfissa.

Shopping for your family and friends

Coffees

Drive to Olympia.

Check in at your chosen hotel

Option for dinner at “La Belle Helene” to enjoy home-cooked Greek meals

Overnight at Olympia

Ancient Olympia

Olympia - Breakfast at Olympia

Olympia is an ancient site on Greece’s Peloponnese peninsula, known for hosting the original Olympic Games founded in the 8th century BC. Its extensive ruins include athletic training areas, a stadium, and temples dedicated to the gods Hera and Zeus.

Archaeological Site of Olympia - Visit the Temple of Zeus: Dedicated to the god Zeus, this Doric temple, built in the second quarter of the 5th century BCE, is a prime example of the fully developed classical Greek temple of the Doric order.

Temple of Hera: Known as Heraion, this ancient Archaic Greek temple was dedicated to Hera, queen of the Greek gods, and built around 590 BCE. In modern times, the torch of the Olympic flame is lit in its ruins by the god Apollo.

Philippeion: The only circular building inside the Altis, it is one of the finest examples of ancient Greek architecture. It was dedicated to Zeus by Philip II of Macedonia after his victory at Chaironeia in 338 BCE and completed by his son Alexander the Great.

The Hippodrome and later Stadium: The Hippodrome was a wide, flat open area where the starting and finishing lines were marked by a pole. Horse and chariot races took place here.

The Palaestra: Built in the 3rd century BC as part of the gymnasium complex, it was used for practicing boxing, wrestling, and jumping.

The Workshop of Pheidias: This is where the great sculptor crafted the gigantic chryselephantine statue of Zeus, listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.

Archaeological Museum of Olympia - The Archaeological Museum of Olympia: Exhibits incredible artifacts from the site.

Statue of Zeus: A giant seated figure about 13 meters tall. The huge ivory and gold statue was even larger than that of Athena in the Parthenon.

Filoxenia- Φιλοξενία - The Museum of the History of the Olympic Games in Antiquity: Since 2004, a new museum has been in operation. The museum is based on the collection of Georgios Papastefanou, who was the first to believe in the possibility of spreading the Olympic Idea and Education through a museum.

The museum of Archimedes (Mathematician) is regarded as one of the leading scientists in classical antiquity. This unique museum in the center of ancient Olympia is dedicated to the “Greatest Mind” of all time. Visitors can see replicas of his inventions and interact with them.

Olympia village: Located in the western Peloponnese, in the beautiful valley of the Alpheios river, this village is the most celebrated sanctuary of ancient Greece. You will be amazed by the serene atmosphere it creates.

“La Belle Helene” meeting the wonderful Konstantina and enjoying her delicious authentic Greek home-cooked meals.

Stroll among the village shops where you can treat yourself and buy handmade souvenirs for your family and friends.

Drive to Nafplio

Check in at your chosen hotel

Overnight at Nafplio

Nafplio - Epidaurus - Mycenae

Nafplio - Breakfast at Nafplio

A seaport town in the Peloponnese, Nafplio is a charming town with a spectacular waterfront, small cobblestone streets, and historic buildings, crowned by the Palamidi fortress and the Bourtzi fortress. The town was the first capital of the modern Hellenic Republic after the 1821 War of Independence against Ottoman oppression.

Palamidi Castle: Situated on the crest of a 216-meter-high hill, this Venetian-built fortress offers an impressive view over the Argolic gulf. There are 999 steps to the top of the castle! Climb them if you dare!

Freedom Square: An obelisk here thanks the French for their contribution to the War of Independence against the Ottomans, depicting a French and a Hellenic woman in their struggle for liberty.

Bourtzi: The water castle of Bourtzi is a Venetian fortress located in the middle of the harbor.

Constitution Square: The most important and historic square in Nafplio, named after the Constitution that Otto, the first king of Greece, was obliged to grant after the 3rd of September uprising in 1843.

First Hellenic Parliament: Near Syntagma Square, you will find an imposing mosque built in 1730 with a large hall and characteristic dome. The mosque housed the first Hellenic parliament from 1825 until 1826.

Anastasios of Nafplia church: Located in the old town, you will be impressed by the church’s dome and the wall paintings decorating the spiritual interior. A true example of Christian Orthodox religious art.

St. Spyridon church: Outside this church, one of the darkest events in modern Greek history took place—the assassination of Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first Greek Governor, in 1831.

Antica Gelateria di Roma for the best gelato and Italian delights.

Pergamonto for the best ‘loukoumades’ in Greece (puff balls with honey or chocolate and almond nuts).

Stroll among the town’s shops where you can treat yourself and buy handmade souvenirs for your family and friends.

Drive to Mycenae

Epidavros - Drive to Epidaurus

One of the most popular archaeological sites in Greece, located on the northeastern side of the Peloponnese in the region of Argolis.

The Epidaurus amphitheater: Famous for its classic Greek construction and astounding acoustics. Enjoy the arts! Be captivated by theatrical performances from Euripides, Sophocles, Aristophanes, and Aeschylus. Drop a pin or coin on the stage, and it will be heard even if you are sitting in the last seats of the theater.

The Epidaurus Archaeological Museum: Noted for its reconstructions of temples and its columns with inscriptions.

The Asclepius: The sanctuary dedicated to the ancient Greek demi-god of medicine, Asclepius. A marvelous ancient medical retreat.

Drive to Mycenae

Mycenae - Visit Mycenae

Rich in gold! King Agamemnon’s mythical kingdom, sung in Homer’s epics, is the most important and richest center of the late Bronze Age.

The Lions Gate: The main entrance of the Bronze Age citadel of Mycenae, erected during the 13th century BC.

Grave Circles A and B: Royal cemeteries situated to the south of the Lion Gate and outside the Bronze Age citadel.

The Cyclopean Walls: The main characteristic of the Mycenaean walls is that they are made of huge limestone boulders. Only the mythical Cyclopes had the strength to move the enormous boulders that made up the walls of Mycenae and Tiryns.

The Royal Palace: Consisting of domestic apartments, the Throne Room Suite, the Grand Staircase, a collection of rooms for officers or palace officials, and the Forecourt.

The Treasury of Atreus: A large tholos or beehive tomb constructed during the Bronze Age around 1250 BC.

Tomb of Clytemnestra: A Mycenaean tholos-type tomb built in 1250 BC, named after Clytemnestra, the wife of King Agamemnon and leader of the Greeks in the Trojan War.

The Mycenaean Archaeological Museum: The most important Mycenaean artifacts are exhibited here. You will be dazzled by the gold grave goods, burial masks, jewelry, weapons, worship idols, and frescoes.

Drive to Ancient Corinth

Check in at your chosen hotel

Late lunch - early dinner at an authentic Greek taverna on a terrace overlooking the Temple of Apollo

Overnight at Ancient Corinth or Loutraki

Ancient Corinth - Acrocorinth - Isthmus Canal

Akrokorinthos - Breakfast at Corinth or Loutraki

Visit Acrocorinth, the acropolis of ancient Corinth, a monolithic rock overseeing the ancient city of Corinth. It is one of the most impressive and dominant acropoleis of the Peloponnese.

Gates: A system of three circuit walls reinforced by towers.

Keep

Peirene Spring: Located within the encircling walls, a gift of Asopus to Sisyphus.

Temple of Aphrodite: On the highest of the two peaks of the mountain are traces of the temple of Aphrodite.

Frankish Tower: At the southwestern edge of the precipitous rock, fortified during Frankish times, forming the inner keep of the fortress. Remains of churches, mosques, houses, fountains, and cisterns are preserved here.

Views of Geraneia Mountain: Enjoy breathtaking views of the Corinthian Gulf and the southwestern coast of the Peloponnese.

Drive to Ancient Corinth

Corinth - Hadgimoustafa spring: A fountain built during the Ottoman Empire.

Ancient Corinth Archaeological Museum: Housing a large collection of artifacts from the local site and smaller sites in the neighboring area.

Temple of Apollo: One of the earliest Doric temples in the Peloponnese and the Greek mainland, with monolithic columns, rare in the ancient world, built around 560 BCE.

Agora: A rectangular construction 160 meters long and 70 meters wide, consisting of central shops, small temples, and altars, and the renowned podium or Bema from where Apostle Paul addressed the Corinthians in 52 AD.

Roman buildings.

Bema or Pedestal

Theater and Odeon/Asklepieion

Lechaion road: Facing the Corinthian Gulf, leading to the port of Lechaion.

St. Paul’s church: Admire a magnificent mosaic mural depicting Saul’s vision from Christ as he was traveling to Damascus to persecute the Christians.

Stroll among the village shops where you can treat yourself and buy handmade souvenirs for your family and friends.

Drive to Ancient Diolkos, witnessing the ancient passageway from the time of Periander (tyranny).

Drive to Isthmus Canal

Corinth Canal - Visit the Isthmus Canal, one of the most important projects and 19th-century engineering masterpieces, playing a catalytic role in Mediterranean trade.

Drive to Kechries Port, tracing the footsteps of St. Paul.

Lunch by the Saronic Sea at the village of the Baths of Helen of Troy.

Return to Athens.

Athens - Return to your chosen hotel, Airbnb, or apartment in Athens.

• Skip-the-line tickets (upon request)
• Complimentary on-board WiFi
• Expert English-speaking and multi-lingual drivers
• Exclusive Fully Private Multi-Day Tour
• Professional drivers well-versed in Greek history
• Travel in comfort with a private luxury vehicle
• Complimentary bottled water and refreshing wipes
• Convenient hotel/port pick-up and drop-off service
• Delightful fresh handmade Greek biscuits

• 3 nights accommodation (option for hotel reservation upon request)  
• Entrance fees to the sites
• Food & Drinks
• Airport pick-up and drop-off (additional cost)
• Licensed tour guide to accompany guests into the site and museum (additional cost on request)

Our journey begins at Thermopylae, the historical battleground! Here we’ll honor King Leonidas of Sparta and his 300 warriors with a visit to his magnificent statue, and take in the sight of the famous hot springs, believed to be one of the gates to Hades.

Next, we’ll visit the archaeological site and Museum of Delphi, filled with an astounding array of artifacts, such as the Naxian Sphinx, the one-of-a-kind bronze Charioteer, and the Statue of Antinoos.

We’ll journey through Ancient Olympia, known as the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games.

You’ll get the chance to traverse Mycenae, the starting point of the famous expedition to Troy.

Experience the charm of Nafplio, the first capital of modern Greece. Admire its picturesque Venetian architecture, which earned it the title ‘Naples of Greece’ by the Venetians.

Take in the breathtaking Epidaurus theater, erected in the late 4th century BC to host religious events in honor of Asclepius. Noteworthy for its flawless acoustics, it remains in use today, hosting performances of ancient Greek drama during summer.

We’ll trace the footsteps of St Paul at the remarkable archaeological site of Ancient Corinth.

At Ancient Diolkos, we’ll uncover and delve into the ancient corridor that links the Corinthian to the Saronic Gulf, along with its subducting bridge. Rest at a delightful cafe, enjoying a snack or coffee while relishing the scenery, as you anticipate boats navigating through the canal.

Lastly, we’ll visit the Isthmus/Corinth canal, the incredible engineering feat that separates the Peloponnese from the mainland of Greece, offering unparalleled views of the Corinthian and Saronic gulfs.

• Animals or pets allowed
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Infant seats are available on request if advised at time of booking

If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.