5 Days Private Tour: Delphi - Olympia - Sparta & Argolida

This day we will visit one of the best examples of Byzantine Art, Hosios Loukas Monastery, cross Arachova, a mountainous village that is a must, and arrrive to Delphi, the centre of the world, where we will overnight.

Setting off with a drive along the national highway heading towards northern Greece and coming across the plane of Thieves and the city of Levadia. Soon after we will be on the slopes of Mount Parnassus before reaching the mythical Delphi.  Our first stop is going to be the peaceful monastery of Hosios Loukas, representing the second golden age of Byzantine art (11th -12th century). Of special importance is its golden mosaic decoration and fine architecture which are protected by UNESCO.   

Aráchova is a mountainous village nestling picturesquely at the foot of Mt. Parnassós in Viotia, Southern Greece. It is the most cosmopolitan winter destination in Greece, a great favorite for passionate ski lovers and celebrities, or just first-time visitors who wish to relax in a dreamy mountainous setting with modern tourism facilities. Its modern ski resort, its close proximity to Athens, and its breathtaking mountainous landscape are the strongest reason why. Apart from the mountain activities, Aráchova is also famous for its bustling nightlife and as the favorite mountain resort of Athenians.  

Then we will leave for the site of Delphi, an ancient Greek sanctuary with a PanHellenic character devoted to the god Apollo. It acted as an Oracle and was thought to be ‘the naval’ the center of the world and continues to be a symbol of Greek cultural unity. The extraordinary location allows you to view the Greek mountains and two more sites, the Gymnasium and the secondary sanctuary of Athena Pronea. After visiting the site we will have lunch and overnight here.

Called the centre of the world, Delphi was the most famous ancient Greek sanctuary with a Pan Hellenic character dedicated to the God Apollo. At the site you will visit the temple of Apollo where Pytheia spoke to the oracles, the theater, and the stadium, while a little farther lies the temple of Athena Pronea and the Gymnasium.  

In the museum you will be able to see some splendid findings such as the famous charioteer and Gold Ivory statues. 

After leaving Delphi, we will drive to Nafpaktos, a picturesque town with a little venetian port, we will cross the Rio - Antirio Bridge, that is a miracle of technology and we will arrive to the birthplace of the Olympic Games to overnight.

Nafpaktos, is a small town by the Olympic Rings sea having a view towards the battlefield where the naval battle of Lepanto took place in 1571 between the Ottoman Empire and the united western powers.

We will visit the archaeological site and the museum of Ancient Olympia. This is one of the largest sites in Greece, the birthplace of the Olympic Games and the Sanctuary of Olympian Zeus. Walking through the site you will pass by the Gymnasium, the Palaistra, the workshop of Phidias, the Temple of Zeus and you will end up at the Stadium where for every four years the Greeks competed for glory and for spiritual elevation honoring their cities.

The museum is also quite unique as it includes the renowned statue “Hermes of Praxiteles” with its perfect analogies and tools that belonged to Phidias himself. With the tools he created one of the seven wonders of the world “the gold ivory statue of Zeus”.Apart from ancient art, the visitor has the possibility of detailed information through the rich visual material.

The Museum of the History of the Ancient Olympic Games hosts 463 ancient works, from the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, and other museums in the Greek territory. The exhibits cover a wide chronological range, from the 2nd millennium BC until the 5th century AD. Ancient exposed in thematic units and through them yperchilietis shows the history of the Olympic games, the longest ancient institution.

After breakfast we will head to Mystras, the ghost city that will travel you in Byzantine era and to Sparta, where Leonidas reigned, where we will overnight.

We will head towards Mystras driving into the southern Peloponnese peninsula through the mountainous landscape of the Greek country side. Reaching Mystras you will automatically understand why this location stands so unique within the Greek sites. Known as the ghost city, fortified on a citadel, Mystras is one of the two locations in Greece that preserves not only medieval churches but also ordinary houses, mansions and palaces of the Byzantine Empire in combination with Frankish elements. 

Walking in the site on the upper point you will reach the citadel and enjoy a magnificent view of the surrounding areas while walking down hill you will meet the palaces and the Royal courtyards. Although known as the ghost city most of the monasteries are still in use and the monks will gladly show you around their small society. Before you exit you will come across the chapel of St. Demetrios, on its floor survives a plaque depicting a two head eagle (the symbol of Byzantium). It was on this very plaque that Konstantine Palaiologos kneeled before he was crowned the last emperor of the Byzantium.   

Following that we will spend the rest of our time in Sparta known as the eternal rival city of the Athenian Democracy. Sparta revolved around a different Cosmo theory for the ancient Greek standards. Initially known as the birth place of Helen of Troy and the Kingdom of Menelaus (in Mycenaean period), Sparta was organized as a purely military society in the ancient Greek period. It was the city of the two Kings were a few aristocrats ruled and of course the city where Leonidas and his 300 Spartans marched from to face the Persian army Thermopylae in 480 BCE.  

Continuing we will pass in front of the stadium where the statue of King Leonidas stands marking the ending point of Spartathlon race (Athens – Sparta 245,3 km). 

We will visit the museum of (olive and) olive oil and learn interesting things about Greek olives and olive oil.  

This day we will visit Argolida Region that is full of hidden treasures date back to the 2nd millenium B.C. We will end to Nafplio, maybe the most beautiful town of Greece, to overnight.

Nemea is mainly known for the Nemean Games, its ancient Greek stadium and the Temple of Zeus but, it is also famous for its vineyards. Nemea has the most wineries in Greece as grape growing has been a tradition here since ancient times. Back at the site apart from the museum and the sanctuary, the stadium makes the difference. Nemea has one of the best preserved stadiums found so far and it is located on a higher level. Of special interest is the tunnel through which the athletes entered the stadium.  

Next we will visit one of the Unesco protected monuments. Mycenae (dated to the 2nd millennium B.C.E) represents the era of Achilles, Agamemnon and Helen of Troy. You will visit the cyclopean walls, the burial circle A and the remains of Agamemnon’s Palace. This citadel gave its name to a whole era!  

In the site, you will see the renowned Lions' Gate, the oldest architectural sculpture in Europe.

Worth visiting is also the museum exhibiting the findings of the “City of Gold".  

Just before leaving the site we will make a small stop at the treasury of Atreus, the best preserved Tholos tomb found and one of the finest examples of the Mycenaean architecture.

Tiryns is a Mycenaean archaeological site protected by Unesco along with Mycenae, and the location from which mythical hero Hercules (Heracles) performed his 12 labors.  

We will move towards a more recent history of Greece and the city of Nafplion. Considered as the most scenic city, Nafplion functioned as the capital of Greece until 1834. This romantic city offers you an outstanding combination of fortresses and castles (Palamidi, Bourtzi), a huge harbour open to the Aegean Sea and the unique architecture of the old city of Nafplion revealing Venetian, neoclassical and oriental elements.  After walking around the picturesque old city we will stop for lunch at a traditional tavern by the sea.   

We’ll drive up until the castle of Acronafplia for a panoramic view of Nafplio. 

Bourtzi is a little islet with a fortress in a huge port opened to the Aegean Sea. 

First stop, the most famous healing centre of Ancient Greece with its unique theatre, Epidaurus. After that we will head to Ancient Corinth, one of the wealthiest cities in antiquity, before we return to Athens.

After just a short drive you will be able to visit one of the most important ancient sanctuaries dedicated to the God Asclepius, the god of healing and medicine, located in an ideal environment and spread over a hilly area.

The highest point is the theater of Epidaurus. The best preserved ancient Greek theater dated 4th century B.C.E. It is proof of what fantastic miracles the ancient Greek minds could create. You can test the acoustics, great even today. Climb up until the upper seats just to close your eyes and dream you attended an ancient Greek tragedy.  

Ancient Corinth, located at the foot of the hill includes the Roman Agora, the temple of God Apollo and a small museum. Apart from its archaeological and historical interest though the site is also one of the most popular religious destinations in Greece. In this amazing place Apostle Paul preached Christianity, was judged by the tribunal in the Agora and established the best organized Christian church of that period.  

The temple of Apollo is one of the earliest Doric temples in the Peloponnese and the Greek mainland. Built around 560 B.C.E., of local monolithic limestone on top of an imposing, rocky hill to the north of Acrocorinth, the Archaic temple was an emblem for the Greek city of Corinth, reflecting its growth and prosperity.   

Ancient Corinth is dominated by the hill of Acrocorinth, the oldest and largest castle in southern Greece. A quick stop for some photos of the breathtaking view.

Our next stop is the Corinth Canal. Opened in 1892 separating the Peloponnese peninsula from the rest of Greece and connecting the Saronic Gulf to the Corinthian Sea. You will have time to walk across on a pedestrian bridge to admire the canal closer, (if you’re game,) on some days bungee jumping is an option. 

We will drive back to Athens driving along the coast, on the way you will view some Greek seaside villages and the island of Salamis (where the historical naval battle took place between the Athenians and the Persians).