Hellenic Treasures

Enchanting Greece 10 days Meteora Edition. Tour starts weekly in Athens, APR-OCT

CLASSICAL GREECE! Athens, Nauplia , Olympia , Delphi: See where our own Western civilization began, and how modern Greece lives today !

Compare with the 9 Day version , or the 7 Day Edition
Add Crete & Santorini , Rome, or Spain and Andalusia

DAY 1 - Friday, Sunday , Tuesday in Athens
WELCOME TO ATHENS!
Our staff escorts you from the airport to your hotel, with time left to start exploring Athens.

DAY 2 - Saturday , Athens (cB)
On your first morning in Athens we show you the top sights: the Acropolis and its museum, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian's Arch, the Theater of Dionysus.

The Acropolis hill, so called the "Sacred Rock" of Athens, is the most important site of the city. During Perikles' Golden Age, ancient Greek civilization was represented in an ideal way on the hill and some of the architectural masterpieces of the period were erected on its ground.
The first habitation remains on the Acropolis date from the Neolithic period. Over the centuries, the rocky hill was continuously used either as a cult place or as a residential area or both. The inscriptions on the numerous and precious offerings to the sanctuary of Athena (marble korai, bronze and clay statuettes and vases) indicate that the cult of the city's patron goddess was established as early as the Archaic period (650-480 B.C.).

During the Classical period (450-330 B.C.) three important temples were erected on the ruins of earlier ones: the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Nike, dedicated to Athena Parthenos, Athena Polias, and Athena-Apteros Nike, respectively. The Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the sacred area was also constructed in the same period.
The monuments on the Acropolis reflect the successive phases of the city's history. Some of them were converted into Christian churches, houses of the Franks and later on, of the Turks. After the liberation of Athens from the Turks, the protection, restoration and conservation of the monuments was one of the first tasks of the newly-founded Greek state. This major effort is continued until today, with the large-scale restoration and supporting of the monuments, which started in the 1970's and is still in progress.
The first excavations on the hill were conducted between 1835 and 1837. More systematic work was carried out in 1885-1890 by Panagiotis Kavvadias.

In the afternoon, plunge into the city as you like ( on your own ) for sightseeing and shopping.

DAY 3 - Sunday - Cape Sounion (BL)
Morning at leisure, explore Athens as you wish .

Cape Sounion ( Afternoon- Group Tour) :Drive along the coastal road, past the wonderful beaches of Glyfada, Vouliagmeni and Varkiza to the most Southern point of Attica, CAPE SOUNION, where the white marble pillars of the temple Posseidon stand. On the way you have a splendid view of the Saronic Gulf and the little islands...... After visiting the Temple of Posseidon, you have time to walk at leisure on the rocky promontory of Sounion.

DAY 4 - Monday - MYCENAE, EPIDAURUS & NAUPLIA (BD)
Leave Athens along the Saronic Gulf coastal road to the Corinth Canal, which connects the Aegean Sea with the Ionian Sea. Drive on to Mycenae, the Homeric City of the Atreides, "rich in gold" of the ancient poets. (Visit the Lion's Gate, the Cyclopean Walls and the Royal Tombs), center of ancient Mycenaean civilization (2800-1100 BC); the legendary home of the Atreides, is situated upon a small hilltop on the lower slopes of Euboea Mountain, between two of its peaks, on the road leading from the Argolic Gulf to the north (Corinth, Athens, etc.).
The site was inhabited since Neolithic times (about 4000 BC) but reached its peak during the Late Bronze Age (1350-1200 BC), giving its name to a civilization which spread throughout the Greek world.
During that period, the acropolis was surrounded by massive "cyclopean" walls, which were built in three stages (ca.1350, 1250 and 1225 BC) except on its SE flank where a steep ravine provided natural defense.
A palace was built on the summit of the hill while towards the Argolic plain lay the wall - painted "Cult Center", the main gate or "Lion Gate" and "Grave Circle A" which contained the treasures now displayed at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. On the NE side, a tunnel leading to a subterranean fountain was built in "cyclopean" masonry in around 1225 B.C.
More tombs, "Grave Circle B", and large tholoi as well as houses were discovered outside the walls. Mycenae was occupied without interruption until 468 B.C. when it was conquered by the city of Argos and its population banished. It was reoccupied in the 3rd century B.C. for a relatively short period. It had been abandoned for some time when Pausanias visited the site during the 2nd century A.D.

Drive through the fertile plain of Argolis to Nafplion, a picturesque town nestled at the foot of the Palamidi Fortress. After lunch, leave for Epidavros to visit the theater (4th Century B.C.), famous for its astonishing acoustics. Lunch on own in Mycanae or Nafplion. Drive through central Peloponnese , Arcadia - the home of Pan and the Nymphs - We pass by Tripolis and Megalopolis on our way to Olympia, On to Olympia where we overnight

DAY 5 - Tuesday - OLYMPIA (BD)
Tour the ancient site of the Olympic games. We visit the great Temple of Zeus, one of the Wonders of the Ancient World, and tour the museum. On to Delphi and overnight

DAY 6- Wednesday - DELPHI (BD)
Drive through the plains of Eliad and Achaia, through Patras, the capital of Peloponnese and go across the "Little Dardanelles" from Rio to Antirio. The drive takes us through the picturesque town of Nafpaktos (Lepanto). For optional lunch the tour stops at either Ites or Galaxidi.
We drive through Rion, Antirion and Nafpaktos and along the Corinthian coast on our way to Delphi : site of the famed oracle, at the foot of Mount Parnassus. Delphi was simply the center of the Greek ancient world. Overnight in .Delphi /Kalambaka (B)
We tour the ruins of Delphi and its oracle, sacred to Apollo and Dionysus. We then depart for Kalambaka, passing through numerous picturesque villages and typical towns of Central Greece. Overnight in Kalambaka.

DAY 7 - Thursday - Meteora / Athens (B)
Visit Meteora , set among striking scenery, perched on top of huge rocks, which seem suspended in mid-air, stand ageless monasteries, where you can see exquisite specimens of Byzantine art. Return to Athens via Trikala, Lamia, Thermopylae - where we visit the Leonidas Monument. Arrival Athens early in the evening.

DAY 8 - Friday - Athens (B)
Full day at leisure. Explore Athens as you wish.

DAY 9 - Saturday Athens Markets or BYZANTINE Churches (cBL)
Ride the new Athens Subway alongside the locals today ( always escorted with your English speaking Guide) ! We take pride in affording you this experience, entirely by public transportation, with orientation by our English-speaking representative. You'll get to tour Athens fascinating vegetable & fruit markets by subway and/ or taxi. Enjoy lunch at a charming local restaurant before we head back to the hotel . Markets days/dates are subject to change, we may have to change your program in Athens to accommodate such changes.

Or if you prefer you may choose instead to tour one of the following tours:

BYZANTINE CHURCHES
Russian Orthodox Church at Filellinon & Amalias
Athens cathedral (Mitropolis) at Mitropoleos
Kapnikarea at Ermou
Saint Theodore at Klafthmonos
They then visited the Jewelry museum (LALAOUNIS) before breaking for lunch.
They used the metro 3 times (because they wanted to).

HISTORICAL INTEREST- Museum Tour :
BENAKI MUSEUM - (closed on Tuesdays)
Covering the history of Greece from Paleolithic (prehistoric, 60000 B.C.) til present. Can easily spend over 4 hours in there. There is also a cafeteria for breaks.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTEREST
Temple of Olympian Zeus / Dionissos Theatre/ Ancient Agora/ Roman Agora

Guests who have been on the organized tour (the day before) can use the same entrance ticket to all the archaeological sites mentioned above.

Above are only suggestions , you may discuss with the guide and modify (add/subtract) according to what you are most interested in. The guide will advise you on what is feasible to cover in a half-day. Or add another half day : additional $$$ apply

DAY 10 - Sunday - ATHENS/ DEPARTURE (B)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Compare with the Triangle of Ancient Lands : Egypt Greece Israel

Rate per person in US $

Please note that Deluxe / First class applies to hotels in Athens.
Outside of Athens : Nauplia , Delphi ,Olympia, Meteora: Hotels used are Tourist Class

Tour starts weekly in Athens, APR-OCT

Rates include:

• All transfer in Greece.
• Hotel accommodation with tax, & continental breakfast daily.
• Seat in a coach-group tours, with guided sightseeing as per itinerary Including all entrance fees.
• Meals as indicated, pre set menu: BLD = : Breakfast Lunch Dinner.
• Lonely Planet Travel Guide book.
• Guide & Metro tickets on Day 8

Not included:

• Gratuities Personal expenses.
• Beverages, and meals not specifically listed.
• Trip Cancellation Insurance/Travel Insurance (Please ask us for the flyer)
• International airfares between New York and Athens .

Sample hotels in Athens : Please note that outside of Athens it will be always 4 stars modest First class hotels:
Deluxe: Divani Palace Acropolis. First : Electra Palace. Stanley