Olympia-Delphi-Meteora 3 or 4 Days

Day 1

We depart from Athens in the morning and follow the coastal National Highway and make a short stop at the Corinth Canal.  We continue our four hour drive until we reach Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games (8^th century AD).  Explore the archeological treasures, monuments and temples of Olympia, including the ancient Gymnasium where athletes trained, the Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Hera, the statues of Nike and Hermes of Praxiteles, and the altar where the Olympic torch is ignited for the modern Olympic Games.   Visit the Archaeological Museum which exhibits important excavation findings from the Prehistoric times to the Early Christian Period.  Following, take a lunch break at a traditional tavern in Olympia before we depart towards Delphi.

As we cross the Gulf of Corinth over the Rio-Antirrio Bridge, we arrive in Delphi, where we will spend the night.

Day 2

Following breakfast, explore Delphi, the cultural and religious center of Greece, also known in the ancient years as the “Navel of Earth.”  You will have the opportunity to visit the Sanctuary of Delphi (4th century BC).   Here is where according to mythology, the priestess Pythia was believed to deliver oracles to humans while the priests of Apollo translated her prophecies.  Visit the Temple dedicated to Apollo, the Castallian Spring, the Treasury of the Athenians, the Archaeological Museum and Ancient Stadium that hosted the Pythian Games.

We stop for lunch at a traditional tavern before we leave Delphi.  We continue our journey to Kalabaka and to our next destination, Meteora.  Overnight stay in Kalabaka.

Day 3

We begin our morning with a visit of the Meteora Monasteries, characterized by UNESCO as a unique phenomenon of cultural heritage.  The second most important monastic site in Orthodox Christianity where you will feel the natural beauty of the landscape combined with the historical and spiritual context of the area.   Admire ageless Monasteries containing historical and religious treasures.  In a region of almost inaccessible sandstone peaks, monasteries were built by monks who were previously hermits in the area and who settled on these “columns of the sky” from the 11th century onwards.  You will have the opportunity to visit 2 or 3 of these monasteries.  Following, we take a lunch break at a traditional tavern in Kalabaka.

As we conclude our journey and begin our return trip to Athens, we will make a short stop at Thermopylae, where one of the most memorable battles of all times took place.  In 480 BC, 300 Spartan warriors led by King Leonidas battled against the Persian army of Xerxes.  Here the statue of Leonidas was erected as a symbol of his bravery.