GREECE TOUR BEST OF PELOPONNESE

Peloponnese where myth meets history
This Peloponnese road trip gets you to places where Myth meets history. Monuments from every period of the eventful history, great archeological sites; ancient Olympia, Epidaurus, Mycenae and Tiryns, the Temple of Epicurius Apollo, Byzantine churches and Monasteries. Explore unique villages and alluring castles amidst stunning natural beauty, mountains and forests, rivers and caves, lovely beaches, sandy and smooth coasts on the western part – rocky and lacy on its easternmost side. It travels you to the best of Peloponnese places and combines them with Hydra and Spetses islands, the gems of Saronic islands

TOUR DETAILS

Tour Code: GEOpel_08
Duration: 8 days / 7 nights
Season: All the year round
Location: Greece, Peloponnese and Hydra & Spetses islands
Style: GEO tour – Nature – History – Photography

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Ancient open theater of Epidaurus.
  • Corinth canal
  • Nafplio the first capital of Greece
  • Mycenae the Homeric town 1600 B.C
  • The Tsakonian area with the Doric dialect 
  • The stunning Panagia Elonis monastery
  • The mountain village of Kosmas
  • Monemvasia
  • Inner Mani villages
  • Vathia abandoned village with castle towers
  • Dyros cave
  • Outer Mani villages
  • Sparta and Byzantine Mystras
  • Taygetos mountain
  • Pylos cattle and Navarino bay
  • Ancient Olympia
  • Traditional villages of Stemnitsa, Dimitsana, Lagkadia
  • Ladonas lake
  • Planitero and Aroanios river Sprigs
  • Kalavryta
  • Ag. Lavra monastery
  • Voraikos gorge crossing with Rack railway
  • Corinthian / Nemea winery visit and wine testing
  • Cruise Hydra & Spetses islands

INCLUDED

  • Luxury bus or minivan
  • Experienced En speaking driver
  • Hotels 3*, 4*, 5* or traditional guesthouses
  • Meals Breakfast(B,_,_)
  • Official En speaking local guides
  • Entrance tickets to Archeological sites and museums
  • Hydra – Spetses cruise
  • Dyros cave ticket
  • Kalavryta Rack Railway ticket
  • Meet & Greet on the arrival at the airport

NOT INCLUDED

  • Flight ticket
  • Accommodation tax (0.5€ per room per day (prpg) for guesthouses -1.5€ prpd for 3* hotels – 3€ prpd for 4* hotels – 4€ prpd for 5* hotels) paid directly by the clients to hotel. 
  •  Greek night with bouzouki music upon request
  • NOTE: The tour is also available on Flight and  Drive mode with detailed itinerary instructions                                                                              

*All packages are flexible and dynamic for any changes according to any personal needs and desires upon request.

*Conduct us for more available packages in the area

Day 1: Athens – Corinth canal – Epidaurus – Nafplio (_,_,_)

Morning drive to Peloponnese. Short photo stop at Corinth canal with the stunning views. Continue to Epidaurus ancient open theater (4th century B.C.) famous for its acoustic. Next is the beautiful Nafplio, the first capital of Greece in its modern history after Greece liberation from Turkish occupation in 1821. Walk around in the picturesque squares and climb the 999 steps of the Castle of Palamidi (or let the bus drive you to it) and admire the wide view of the region along with the endless beauty of the Argolic Gulf and the beautiful sunset

Day 2: Hydra and Spetses cruise  (B,_,_)

Early departure from hotel to Tolo (10km). Embark on boat (08.30 boat departure) for the picturesque island of Hydra (3 hrs) with its unique singularity, the absence of cars and the presence of approximately 700 donkeys on the island for transportation. Continue to beautiful island of Spetses (2hrs) its many trees, bays and beaches. Enjoy the islands, the sun and the sea. Return to Tolo (aprox.19.15 end of the cruise) and get the bus back to Nafplio

Day 3: Nafplio – Mycenae – Astros – Leonidio – Kosmas – Monemvasia (B_,_)
Short drive to Mycenae. Guided visit of Homeric Mycenae (1300 B.C), home place of King Agamemnon, leader of Greeks in Trojian war, to see the Lions Gate, Cyclopean Walls and Royal Tomb. Then drive on east side of Peloponnese and we arrive to Astros with its Frankish Castle, built in 1256. Continue driving to Livadi beach and Leonidio. A big “Kaour ekokiate”=welcome, in Tsakonian local dialect that evolved from the Doric dialect of the ancient Greek, tell us that we are in the Tsakonian area. Worth to visit Tsikaliotis Tower that hosts a small but interesting exhibition about the Tsakonian architecture. Continue to Moni Elonis, the majestic and imposing monastery of Panagia Elonis stands on a huge rocky crag of Mount Parnon, then drive up to Parnon mountaineer Kosmas village, surrounded by forests of chestnut trees and pine, for coffee or lunch at the large platanos square. Continue to Monemvasia, the castle town, constructed in the Medieval Ages and has been continuously inhabited since then. Wander around its narrow cobbled streets, and admire the beautifully restored stone buildings and Byzantine churches. Taste culinary delights at a fine restaurant on the roof of a tower house, and spend a romantic night at a stone-built tower.

Day 4: Monemvasia – Gytheio – Vathia – Dyros cave – Sparti (B,_,_)
Today we explore the deep Mani. It is a wild, rocky, barren scenery with medieval villages perched on hilltops and stone towers hanging on steep cliffs. The fortified mansions and towers of Mani are a beautiful sight with their tiled roofs and raw walls. After breakfast drive to picturesque Gytheio and to Areopoli. Continue south with a stop to Kitta settlement, which is characterized as the birthplace of Maniot architecture, we pass Gerolimenas and we arrive to Vathia, the large traditional settlement of Mani, sitting up on top of a hill, with the abandoned stone towers,  that look almost like small fortresses. Vathia epitomizes the Mani tower-village. Walk around and enjoy the amazing scenery and the fortress-towers. On the way back we visit the Dyros caves. We get a boat tour to 1200m Dyros cave (1 hr) with the amazing stalactites – stalagmites. Continue driving through the outer Mani villages of Stupa and Kardamili we arrive to Sparta for overnight

Day 5: Sparta – Mystras – Taygetos mountain – Kalamata – Pylos – Olympia (B,_,_)

Short drive from Sparta to Mystras. Guided visit to Byzantine Mystras, home place of last Byzantium emperor. We’ll visit the churches and monasteries feature impressive murals, and a small museum with sculptures, paintings and various relics. Continue our trip to Kalamata crossing Mountain Taygetos (2407m) forests and meadows, steep slopes with early wild flowers and the strong scent of the herbs. We’ll stop at a small tavern at the top for coffee and open vistas views. The zig – zag road continues until near Kalamata. Pass by Kalamata we arrive to picturesque Pylos for a visit to its castle with stunning views of Navarino bay. Driving on the west side of Peloponnese finally we arrive to Olympia.

Day 6: Ancient Olympia – Stemnitsa – Moni Timiou Prodromou – Dimitsana (B,_,_)

Guided visit to ancient Olympia site, home of the ancient Olympic Games, with the stadium where the first Olympic games took place in 776 B.B, temple of Zeus, the temple of Hera, the Prytaneion, the Bouleuterion, the Olympic Altar and the museum with the amazing sculpture of Hermes of Praxiteles. Then drive through the central Peloponnese and next to rivers Erymanthos and Alfeios we arrive to the traditional settlement of Stemnitsa, built by the gorge of Loussios River and in the fir forest of Mainalo, well-known for its silversmiths and goldsmiths too. Walk around and optional visit its folklore museum and later the Moni of Timiou Prodromou the Monastery of St, John (10min walk). Return to Dimitsana.

Day 7: Dimitsana – Lagkadia – Ladonas Lake – Planitero – Aroanios Springs – Kalavryta (B,_,_) 

After a morning walk in the village, visit the Open Air Water Power Museum and the impressive Clock Tower of Dimitsana, built with hewn stone and marble from Doliania, 27 meters high. We continue our trip to traditional village of Lagkadia, for coffee and photos, to Ladonas lake and we arrive to Planitero village amidst plane trees and walnut trees. The village is known for its natural springs and waterfalls that run from the Aroanios river and also the mouth watering trout, served at local food joints. We need here a relax break for lunch or coffee before we continue our driving to historical Kalavryta for overnight.

Day 8: Kalavryta – Agia Lavra monastery – Voraikos gorge Rack railway – Corinth Winery visit – Departure (B,_,_)

After breakfast visit Agia Lavra Monastery. At mid-day we get the Rack railway from Kalavryta and cross Vouraikos gorge ( 22.4km – 1 hr with maximum inclination in some parts 17.5%. ) to Diakopto. The route is really amazing, the train moves parallel to the river, with water falls, tunnels carved into the rock, bridges over Voraikos river and cavities with stalagmite figures that form what is called the “Courts” (“Dikastiria”). From Diakopto taking the high way we return to Athens airport for your departure with a stop at a winery at Corinth for wine testing.