Ole Espana and Greece
Tour Spain and Greece .From Athens to Andalusia
Hellenic Treasures & the Iberian Peninsula Tour . Enchanting Greece , Costa Del Sol Beaches , and the treasure of Andalusia. Tour starts on Saturdays , weekly in Athens, APR-OCT

CLASSICAL GREECE! ATHENS, NAUPLIA, OLYMPIA, DELPHI-SEE WHERE OUR WESTERN CIVILIZATION BEGAN, AND HOW MODERN GREECE LIVES TODAY

Compare with the 9 Day version , or the 7 Day Edition , add Rome
Ten days with Meteora   add Crete & Santorini , or Spain and Andalusia

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

DAY 2 - Sunday - ATHENS (B)
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 - Monday - MYCENAE, EPIDAURUS & NAUPLIA (BD)
We set forth from Athens to tour classical Greece, passing Corinth and its steep-walled canal as we go. We stop at Mycenae, center of ancient Mycenaean civilization (2800-1100 BC); the legendary home of the Atreides, is situated upon a small hill-top 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.

On to Epidaurus, site of the temple of Asclepius. We spend the night in Nauplia.

DAY 4 - Tuesday - OLYMPIA (BD)
We pass by Tripolis and Megalopolis on our way to Olympia, 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.

DAY 5- Wednesday - DELPHI (BD)
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. During the Mycenaean period, the female deity of Earth was worshipped in the small settlement of Delphi. The development of the sanctuary and oracle though, began in the 8th century B.C. with the establishment of the cult of Apollo. Under the protection and administration of the Amphictyony, the sanctuary continued to be autonomous after the First Sacred War and, as a result, increased its panhellenic religious and political influence. The Pythian Games were re-organized, the sanctuary was enlarged and it was enriched with nice buildings, statues, and other offerings. In the 3rd century B.C. it came under the domination of the Aetolians and later, in 191 B.C., was conquered by the Romans. During the Roman occupation the site was sometimes plundered but was also favoured by some of the emperors. With the spread of Christianity, the sanctuary lost its religious meaning and was permanently closed down with a decree of emperor Theodosius the Great.

DAY 6 - Thursday - DELPHI & ATHENS (B)
We tour the ruins of Delphi and its oracle, sacred to Apollo and Dionysus. In the afternoon, we drive via the lovely village of Arachova to the Byzantine monastery of Ossios Loucas, then on to Athens.

DAY 7 - Friday -ATHENS (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Full day at leisure in Athens. Explore the city on your own.

DAY 8 - 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
Then visit the Jewelry museum (LALAOUNIS) before breaking for lunch.

HISTORICAL INTEREST- Museum Tour :
BENAKI MUSEUM - (closed on Tuesdays)
Covering the history of Greece from Paleolithic (pre-historic, 60000 B.C.) till 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



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 7 - MADRID - Sunday (B)
There are many more things to see and do in this fascinating city, but they will have to wait for your next visit. After breakfast, our representative escorts you to the airport for your flight to Madrid
Arrival at Madrid Barajas Airport. Our local rep will escort you to your hotel.

Llegada al aeropuerto de Barajas. Traslado al hotel Alojamiento. Resto del día libre para ir conociendo por su cuenta esta cosmpolita ciudad. Recuerdo que en Madrid encontrara " todo" : Las tascas con sus tipicas " tapas" y " vinitos" , gastronomia , teatro , su famosa vida nocturna . Cultura y diversion, decida a su gusto.

Day 8- Tour Madrid (B)
Monday
Breakfast at the hotel. Then morning half day tour of Madrid:
Get set for views of Madrid from a variety of perspectives. Our itinerary will take you from the Bourbon to the Austrian, Isabeline and modern quarters of the capital, reflecting the history and influences that have shaped the nation.

Our neighborhood meanderings conclude in the Moorish Quarter (Barrio de la Morería), replete with fine town houses (Mesones) and tradition. But that's just the start.

We'll view the signature squares of Madrid, Oriente, España, Puerta del Sol, Cibeles, Neptuno, Puerta de Alcalá, and Atocha, each with its own character, ranging from elegant to workaday to frenzied. We'll travel along the famed thoroughfares, including the Gran Vía. And of course, we'll see Retiro Park, and the classic Bullring of the glory days of bullfighting, and a soccer stadium and modern quarters that rival any in Europe.

The tour will conclude at the terminal, at Oriente Square.

The tour uses deluxe motorcoaches and certified tour guides, who provide full interpretation of our city, its history, monuments, characteristics, and of our own peculiarities and customs. It's a discovery!

The afternoon is at leisure

Desayuno y alojamiento. . Por la mañana visita panorámica que contempla los variados contrastes que Madrid ofrece a sus visitantes, Ciudad Universitaria , Parque del Oeste, Casa de Campo , Barrio de la Moreia , Plaza de Oriente , Plaza de Espana , Puente del Sol , Neptuno , Cibeles , Puerta de Alcala , Plaza de Toroes, etc. Tarde libre para seguir disfrutando por su cuenta de esta cosmpolita ciudad .

DAY 9. MADRID - CORDOBA - SEVILLE Tuesday (Breakfast , Dinner)
We meet up at the hotel to escort you this morning to the coach terminal in Oriente Square in Madrid and set out by 9 a.m., making the most of our time aboard to introduce ourselves to each other and learn more about what lies ahead. Our route takes us into La Mancha, the landscape of romance and adventure where Don Quixote tilted at windmills. We’ll wind across hills and down into irrigated valleys, to Puerto Lápice, a town lost in time, looking much as it did in the seventeenth century. We might even espy the establishment where an innkeeper conferred knighthood upon Don Quixote. Then we’ll pass onward through the region of Valdepeñas, where fine Tempranillo grapes are grown, and cross the Canyon of Despeñaperros, and pass through the town of Bailén on our way to Cordoba. Here we’ll visit the famous Mosque, one of the most notable in the days of Moorish rule. Then we’ll continue onward to Andalusia, where dinner and comfortable beds await us in Seville.
Desayuno y salida hacia Aranjuez. Ocana y Puerto Lapice, entrando en la magica tierra manchega , escenario de las aventuras del Quijote , prosiguiendo por el Paso de Depenaperros , para entrar en Andalucia. Llegada a Córdoba. Almuerzo. Visita de su famosa Mezquita , claro exponente de la cultura arabe en Espana . Continuacion del viaje por Ecija y Carmona , para leegar finalmente a a Sevilla. Cena y alojamiento.

DAY 10 . SEVILLE, (Breakfast , Lunch ) Wednesday
We’ll stay all day in Seville, where the Moors have left their mark in whitewashed houses, tile roofs, graceful archways, and a warren of intimate lanes with surprises at every turn. Our visit will take us to the monumental and stunning tower of La Giralda, the Cathedral that once echoed with daily calls to prayer, and the Palace of the Alcazar, with its delicately carved stonework and pleasure gardens that still delight. Your afternoon is free to wander the alleyways of Seville on your own, and perhaps to stop in and sample the tapas at an inviting establishment.
Desayuno, almuerzo y alojamiento. Visita monumental y panorámica de la ciudad: La Catedral , o Casa de Pilatos, Barrio de Sta. Cruz , Plaza de Esapana . Tarde libre.

DAY 11. SEVILLE - JEREZ - CADIZ - VEJER - COSTA DEL SOL - Thursday
Breakfast, Dinner .
Departure to Jerez where an important wine cellar will be visited. Continuation through Cadiz. Panoramic sightseeing. Departure to Vejer. Lunch. The posibility to make an optional visit to Gibraltar. Departure to Costa del Sol. Dinner and overnight.
Desayuno y salida hacia Jerez. Visita de unas típicas bodegas de vino . Continuación hacia Cádiz . Recorrido panorámico. Salida hacia Vejer de la Frontera. Almuerzo. Posibilidad de realizar una visita opcional de Gibraltar. Por la tarde, salida a la Costa del Sol. Cena y alojamiento.

DAY 12. COSTA DEL SOL - GRANADA Friday ( Breakfast , Dinner )
Take your time! We’ve built an extra day into this itinerary to allow you to explore Granada independently. Perhaps you’ll return to the fabled Alhambra for a stroll through its fantastical gardens. Or, you can wander the Albaicin, the last quarter of the city occupied by the Moors, with its charming maze of alleys lined with houses with secret patios. According to whim and interest, you’ll visit the museum of composer Manuel de Falla, or the Fine Arts or Archaeology museum, or spend your day café-sitting and shopping. We’ll be pleased to arrange a tour, if you wish, from a number of options.
Desayuno. Tiempo libre. A media mañana, salida en direccion a Loja y Santa Fe , para llegar a Granada, al pie de Sierra Nevada. Cena y alojamiento.

DAY 13. GRANADA - MADRID Saturday ( B)
Breakfast and visit Alhambra and its Gardens of Generalife.
Afternoon will see us back aboard the coach, on our way to Madrid and your hotel.
Desayuno. Durante la manana se realizara la visita de La Alhambra , monumento senero de la ciudad , que se halla situada sobre una alta colina en la margen del rio Darro; Jardines del Generalife , que son el complemento de La Alhambra , fue en otro tiempo residencia de placer de los reyes moros. Salida y almuerzo en ruta. Por la tarde, salida hacia Madrid. Alojamiento.

DAY 14 - RETURN HOME (B) - Monday
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home , hasta luego.

Rate per person in US $

Rates include:

• All transfer in Greece and Spain
• 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 as listed on each day .
• Lonely Planet Travel Guide books for Greece and Spain.
• One way air fare in economy class Athens Madrid, tax included

Not included:

• Gratuities Personal expenses.
• Beverages, and meals not specifically listed.
• Trip Cancellation Insurance/Travel Insurance (Please ask us for the flyer)
• International airfares from/ to your home country