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| Arrival in Athens |
Welcome to Athens!
Pick up your car from the airport to start this wonderful tour. It is approximately a 45 minute drive to your hotel in Athens.
Time at leisure to discover the city! Redolent with history and mythology, Athens is a vibrant city, enlivened by bustling outdoor cafes, pedestrian streets that wind through the city's ancient sites and its fair share of urban eccentrics, a city full of contrasts. |
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| Athens at leisure. |
| Optional sightSeeing |
This morning enjoy a city tour of Athens.
Your guide will reveal to you the secrets of the Acropolis & the Parthenon, the Temple of Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch and the Kallimarmaro Stadium, built of marble for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.
Experience the ancient wonders and relive the birthplace of democracy, twist and turn through the Plaka’s narrow streets and find ancient sites, cafes and shops full of history and character.
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| Day 3 |
Overnight Dimitsana |
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| Athens to Mycenae, Epidaurus and Dimitsana |
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Set off from Athens and drive to the Corinth Canal and see this incredible feat of engineering. The canal that divides mainland Greece from the Peloponnese peninsula.
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| Optional sightSeeing |
| In Mycenae, a mighty kingdom of ancient Greece, see the Beehive Tombs, the Treasury of Atreus, the Lion Gate and the remains of Agamemnon’s Royal Palace. Travel further to the Sanctuary of Aesculapius- the benevolent God of Medicine and visit the amphitheatre, probably the largest of ancient Greece with world renound acoustics. |
| Your drive today will end in the beautiful village of Dimitsana for your overnight.
On the way to Dimitsana a stop at the village of Vitina is a great idea for a local lunch. Both villages of Vitina and Dimitsana are known for their local produce and do offer very good dining (local and low key) possibilities.
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| Day 4 |
Overnight Dimitsana |
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| Dimitsana at leisure |
Today enjoy the beautiful village of Dimitsana.
Dimitsana, beautifully set on two hills, and at the beginning of the Lousios Gorge is considered one of the prettiest of Greek villages.
It offers really good hiking and exploring options from spring to autumn – even rafting the Lousios river is a day tour option.
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| Dimitsana to Olympia |
A drive of approximately 2 hours, traversing the Peloponnese from East to West.
Passing scenery which is typically Greek; through mountainous terrain and small villages.
As the drive time is short it is best if you set off from Dimitsana in the afternoon so you have more time to explore the Lousios Gorge.
Note: An interesting option when in the area of Olympia is to extend your stay in the western Peloponnese for a couple of day and drive south to the very picturesque area of Pylos. From here you can visit the spectacular beach of Voidokilia. Beyond its natural allure, Voidokilia Beach is steeped in history and mythology. It is believed to be the legendary "sandy Pylos" mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey, associated with the kingdom of Nestor, the wise king of Pylos. Overlooking the beach is the Paleokastro of Pylos, a medieval fortress offering stunning panoramic views, and the Cave of Nestor.
The area is well worth the extra miles and could be very interesting extension to the trip. ( in general the western Peloponnese is very beautiful, with stunning sandy beaches and wonderful small villages and towns )
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| Day 6 |
Overnight island of Zakinthos |
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| Olympia to Zakynthos |
| Optional sightSeeing |
| In the morning visit the ancient Olympic stadium and the Temples of Zeus king of the Gods and Hera's temple - wife of Zeus, goddess of marriage and birth in Greek mythology. |
Drive from Olympia to Zakynthos.
The route from Olympia to the island of Zakynthos is via the small port of Kilini. Ferry boats have regular daily schedules and the boat ride is about one hour.
Beautiful Zakynthos, also known as Zante, is one of the prettiest of the Ionian island. Once you leave the long sandy beaches of those regions behind, however, and set off to explore the rest of the island, you'll discover plenty of forested wilderness and traditional rural villages.
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| Day 7 |
Overnight island of Zakinthos |
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| Zakynthos at leisure |
A full day to explore Zakynthos which offers so many different options to experience.
From some of the most amazing beaches to the beautiful inland there is a huge offering of things to do on the island.
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| Zakynthos to Arachova |
Set off from Zakynthos to the mainland of Greece; your destination being the picturesque village of Arachova.
You will take the Ferry from Zakynthos to Kilini and from there set off towards Arachova.
Crossing the new suspension bridge connecting the Peloponnese peninsula to the mainland.
With many beautiful villages (Nafpaktos, Galaxidi, Itea) on the way should take the opportunity to stop for lunch in one of them before reaching Arachova for your overnight.
Depending of the ferry schedule for departure from Zakynthos, you can delay and set off later in the day so you have the morning to take in more of Zakynthos! Keep in mind that from Kilini to Arachova it is about 4 hours driving.
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| Arachova to Athens |
| Optional sightSeeing |
| Spend your morning walking along the Sacred Way lined by the treasuries of the ancient city states to the Temple of Apollo dating back to the 4th century B.C. And then climbing even higher on to the ancient stadium, here every four years athletes competed in the Pythian Games also a precursor of the modern Olympic Games. |
Don't miss the opportunity to have lunch in Delphi or Arachova - both offer very good options for dining, and definitely taste the locally produced cheese the area is known for.
A pleasant drive (about 2 and a half hours) brings you back to Athens in the early evening.
On your last night in Athens, definitely walk in the Plaka area (old Athens), or alternatively you could drive to the Attica Riviera to see the areas of Glyfada and Vouliagmeni (good upmarket dining options).
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| Day 10 |
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| Departure from Athens |
As your tour ends, say farewell to the vibrant city of Athens.
Enjoy a nice breakfast at the hotel.
Time at leisure until your flight.
You will leave the car at the Athens airport.
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