7-day land tour to Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nafplion, Olympia, Delphi, Meteora & Northern Greece - Macedonia

Departure: 8:30 am
Return: 7:00 pm on the seventh day
Highlights:

1^st day: Leave Athens by the coastal road to the Corinth Canal (short stop). Drive on and visit the Theatre of Epidauros famous for its remarkable acoustics. Then proceed to the Town of Nafplion (short stop) drive on to Mycenae and visit the Archaeological Site and the Tomb of Agamemnon. Then depart for Olympia through Central Peloponnesus and the towns of Tripolis and Megalopolis. Overnight in Olympia, the cradle of the Olympic Games.
2^nd day: In the morning visit the Archaeological Site with the sanctuary of Olympian Zeus, the Ancient Stadium and the archaeological Museum. Then drive on through the plains of Elia and Achaia until the magnificent bridge which is crossing the Corinthian Bay from Rion to Antirion. Pass by the picturesque Towns of Nafpaktos (Lepanto) and Itea, arrive in Delphi. Overnight.
3^rd day: In the morning visit the archaeological Site and the Museum. Depart for Kalambaka, a small Town situated at the foot of the astonishing complex of Meteora, gigantic rocks. Overnight.
4^th day: Visit Meteora, among striking scenery, perched on top of huge rocks which seem to be suspended in mid-air, stand ageless Monasteries, where you can see exquisite specimens of Byzantine Art. Depart from Kalambaka, drive through the plain of Thessaly and the valley of Tempi, arrive and visit the Archaeological Site of Dion. Admire also the gigantic figure of Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece and home of the 12 Gods of Mythology. After the visit depart for Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece. Dinner and overnight.
5^th day: Depart in the morning for an unique approach to historical Macedonia. First stop at Veria (Biblical Beroea) to visit Saint Paul’s Vema, and then stroll through the old Jewish neighbourhood and the colourful market area. A walk in the city where past is present and around. Then proceed to Naoussa, to a site of exceptional beauty and importance: Aristotle’s School, the impressive scenery where the great philosopher taught the doctrines of morals and politics’ to Alexander and the Macedonian youths. In only a few miles away is picturesque Edessa, where we see the town’s famous landmark, the waterfalls. Then, proceed to Pella, the capital of Alexander the Great. See the exquisite floor mosaics of the 4th century B.C villas in situ as well as the local museum. Return to Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight.
6^th day: See in the morning Thessaloniki, the city that throughout the era of the Byzantine Empire was the "co-reigning" city, second in population and prestige only to Constantinople (Istanbul). Visit unique monuments and feel the glorious Byzantine past in some of the oldest and most characteristic churches of the Christian world as well as in the museum of Byzantine Culture, awarded with the Council of Europe's Museum Prize for the year 2005. Rest of the day at leisure, to enjoy time in the lively centre of the city. Dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.
7^th day: Drive to Vergina, to live the experience of a visit to the unique museum, created in the Great Tumulus covering the royal tombs of Macedonia. See the astonishing findings form the tomb of King Phillip II, Alexander's father, and feel the thrill of one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century. After the visit we will start driving south through Thessaly, Lamia, Thermopylae (see the Leonida's monument) and Thebes. Arrive in Athens late in the afternoon.