Highlights of Greece

Our tour of Greece's history starts in Athens. Combining the ancient and modern world, the centre of Athens is surprisingly compact. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you might like to visit one of the cafes in the colourful Psyrri district which offer traditional Greek cuisine such as scrumptious aubergines, tomatoes and cheese washed down with ouzo or raki. There are traditional rustic tavernas in the well-known Plaka area at the foot of the Acropolis, too. For those arriving in time our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception at 7pm and for those that wish, there'll be the chance to go out for dinner. Due to a number of flights arriving into Athens later in the evening, our welcome meeting will take place on day two - details will be left in the hotel reception. There are no other activities planned today, so you\ re free to arrive in Athens at any time. If you\ d like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Athens International Airport (ATH), which is about a one-hour drive from the hotel.

This morning, our tour leader will hold a welcome meeting before we head out to explore the capital. We'll take a short walk to Monastiraki Square and walk along Ermou Street to Syntagma, home of the Hellenic parliament where we'll watch the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier. From the crowds of Syntagma Square, we'll head into the green oasis of the National Gardens for a stroll through the pristine park down to the Temple of Olympian Zeus, a former vast temple complex with well-preserved columns and great views of the Acropolis behind it. We'll then head to the vibrant Plaka quarter (one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Athens) and the markets around Monastiraki. The streets are brimming with atmospheric tavernas, their tables spilling out onto the narrow, cobbled streets, and small traders selling all kinds of specialties. It's the perfect place to break for lunch with a wide choice of eating spots offering traditional Greek fare including Tiropita, Kolokithopita or Spanakopita (a delicious spinach and feta-filled snack). We'll continue our tour and head for a guided tour of the Acropolis, deservedly named one of the wonders of the ancient world. Climbing up from Plaka to the Acropolis, we'll pass through the Anafiotika district, where the architecture is more in keeping with Cycladic islands than the Greek capital. We'll have a guided tour of the site including the Temple of Athena Nike, Pericles and the Parthenon Tower and the Erechtheion. Making our way back to our hotel, the evening is free to further explore the city and our tour leader can make recommendations for dining spots. For those wishing to see more of Athens, it is well worth visiting the highly acclaimed Acropolis Museum to see the layers of history painstakingly excavated right beneath your feet. It's now possible to see the ruins of the ancient Athenian neighbourhood that stood on this very site millennium ago, following a comprehensive refurbishment of the museum in 2019.

A scenic drive northwest of Athens this morning takes us through the largest olive grove in Greece to reach Delphi. Perched on the rocky slopes of sacred Mount Parnassos, Delphi was the perfect setting for mystery and religious prophecy and was known throughout the ancient Greek world as the sanctuary of Apollo. We'll make a brief stop before Arahova for photos and also stop in Delphi for lunch. Eventually, we'll descend to Chrysso where the coach will pick us up at the Café Pinakothiki in the village center. In the late afternoon, we'll make the short 15-minute drive into Delphi to visit its acclaimed museum and archaeological site accompanied by a guide. The museum contains the 'charioteer', widely regarded as one of the finest Bronze sculptures in the ancient world. Tonight, we'll have dinner at the hotel.

Continuing our journey, we'll have a quick stop in the beautiful town of Nafpaktos, known for the Lepanto battle. Next, we'll cross the impressive Rion-Antirion Bridge, that spans the Gulf of Corinth, into the Peloponnese peninsular and onto Diakofto, where we'll board the historic rack railway to Kalavryta. Travelling across the dramatic Vouraikos Gorge through tunnels, over heady ravines and past rushing waterfalls, it's a train ride to remember. Our destination is Kalavryta, a small village with a gigantic history; it was here that the Greek revolution began in 1821. In more recent times, it was the setting of one of Greece's most tragic encounters in WWII. On December 13th, 1943, in retaliation against the Greek resistance guerrillas who had been fighting around the area, the German troops invaded Kalavryta. After looting and setting fire to much of the village, they rounded up the town's entire male population of 451 men and boys and executed them. Only 13 survived, after hiding under the bodies of the dead. This tragedy is still very much alive in Kalavryta's collective memory, and on arrival we'll take a walk to the poignant site of the town's WWII holocaust memorial. Please note that in the event of bad weather, we may not be able to take the train through the Vouraikos Gorge. If this happens, the tour leader will arrange an alternative activity.

Our destination today is the monuments of ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic games and one of Greece's most renowned historical sites. We'll learn about the site and its history with a guided tour. The site lies in an enchanting valley setting close to the modern-day town of Nea Olympia. The first monuments to be constructed were in the Altis, or sacred grove, and date back to the 10th - 9th century BC. Estimates indicate the games first began in 776 BC, after the worship of Zeus was established. Initially, all the principal Greek cities took part in the Olympiads, which were held every four years. As well as wandering through the remains of the gymnasium, wrestling school, stadium, and the Temple of Zeus, we'll visit the excellent Archaeological Museum which has many remarkable exhibits on view. Our hotel for today is on the outskirts of Olympia, offering fine views of Alfeios River and Kiparissia Bay and featuring a large terrace and swimming pool. Dinner is included tonight.

Taking the scenic coastal road, we'll travel to Nafplion, the first capital of modern Greece and one of the most beautiful coastal towns in the Peloponnese. Guarded by two imposing Venetian castles, the old town of Nafplion is a jumble of red-roofed houses overlooking its expansive bay. After checking in to our centrally located hotel, we'll head out for an orientation walking tour of this charming town including the first Greek parliament and fine examples of Byzantine and Venetian churches and buildings. There'll also be ample time for a leisurely lunch. Later in the day, we'll visit a family-run ouzo distillery to learn about the liquor most closely associated with Greece. Now in their fourth generation, the Karonis family have proudly produced ouzo for 145 years with ingredients produced locally, they also produce a lemon liquor sourced from produce in the Arcadia region. After our distillery tour, we'll have the chance to taste some of the produce. Ouzo tested, we'll head to our hotel in Nafplion, which is ideally located within close walking distance to the town waterfront promenade. You might like to enjoy a late afternoon stroll and watch the sunset followed by dinner at one of the many harbourfront restaurants.

We have more ancient greats to tick off today, starting with Epidavros, home to one of the greatest and best preserved of all ancient Greek theatres. With its backdrop of rolling hills, this 14,000-seat arena merges perfectly into the landscape, so much so that it was rediscovered and unearthed only in the last century. The acoustics of the amphitheatre are so incredible, it's said that even those sat on the highest tier will hear a coin drop on stage. Dedicated to Asclepius, the healing god and legendary son of Apollo, the sanctuary here was one of the most important of the ancient world, and it remained a site of pilgrimage from the sixth century BC to Roman times. Our next stop is the mighty ruins of ancient Mycenae. Perched on a hilltop overlooking the valley of Argos, Mycenae is connected to the legend of King Agamemnon who commanded the ten-year-long expedition against Troy. The site was unearthed by the archaeologist Schliemann in the 1870s and is prized for its Lion Gate and Royal Tombs. Equally impressive are the 'beehive tombs' which include the Treasury of Atreus, the lintel over the monumental Atreus door weighs over 120 tons. Inside, the structure is impressive. The principal chamber dates from about 1350 BC and emulates the grandeur of the Egyptian pharaohs. We'll round the day off with a visit to a Greek winery near Argos, set amongst rolling hills the Skouras winery boasts a cellar of over 1000 barrels. The tour starts by heading out into the vineyard to learn about the different types of vines used and the yearly rhythm of production, we'll then head back into the winery to see the grape pressing and bottling area, finishing the tour with a tasting session. After a tipple, we'll finally head back to Nafplion to enjoy our last night on the Peloponnese peninsular.

After breakfast this morning, we'll drive back to the capital where our trip ends at Athens International Airport (ATH). There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Athens any time after 1.30pm. If your flight is departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at the airport. It's a 60-minute journey to the city by metro (line 3) and the cost of a return ticket to Syntagma Square is €18 return. If you haven't had your fill of ouzo and ancient sites, why not extend your trip with a week in the beautiful Cycladic islands? This tour is designed to synchronise with our eight-day Highlights of the Greek Islands trip. Alternatively, it's possible to extend your stay in Athens by booking additional nights\ accommodation.