Argolis-Sparta-Olympia-Delphi & Meteora Five Day Tour

The Corinth Canal connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland, arguably making the peninsula an island. The canal was dug through the Isthmus at sea level and has no locks. It is 6.4 kilometers (4 miles) in length and only 21.4 meters (70 ft) wide at its base, making it impassable for most modern ships. Nowadays it has little economic importance and is mainly a tourist attraction. The canal was initially proposed in classical times and a failed effort was made to build it in the 1st century AD. Construction started in 1881 but was hampered by geological and financial problems that bankrupted the original builders. It was completed in 1893 but, due to the canal's narrowness, navigational problems and periodic closures to repair landslides from its steep walls, it failed to attract the level of traffic expected by its operators.

At Ancient Corinth the traveler has the potentiality to visit: The temple of Apollo This temple is one of the earliest Doric temples in the Peloponnese and the Greek mainland. Built around 560 B.C.E., of local oolithic 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. The St. Paul's Step During Paul s stay in Corinth, he was brought for judgment before the proconsul Lucius Junius Gallio Annaeanus on the accusation of conducting illegal teachings. According to tradition, the site of Paul s trial was the Bema, a large elevated rostrum standing prominently in the centre of the Roman Forum of ancient Corinth and from where the city's officials addressed the public. Probably because of the monument's connection to Saint Paul, the Bema was transformed into a Christian church during the Byzantine period.

In the museum galleries are exhibited: Finds dated to the Prehistoric Period from the area of Ancient Corinth, the Korakou Hill and the site of Zygouries (Prehistoric Gallery) Finds from the Geometric, Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic City of Corinth (Classical Gallery - under reconstruction - accessible to the public in 2016) Finds from the Roman, Byzantine and Frankish City. Finds from the Sanctuary of Asklepios and the Early Christian cemetery (Asklepieion Gallery) A selection of statues, sculpture, Greek and Latin inscriptions, as well as finds related to the presence of the Jewish community in the area can also be seen (Atrium). A new (East) gallery currently under construction, will be added to the Museum in 2016, hosting finds from the komai (smaller settlements) and the sanctuaries of Corinth, as well as the twin Kouroi found in the cemetery of ancient Tenea.

Epidaurus (3rd Century B.C) is a spiritual place worth visiting for its sites such as the Sanctuary of Aesculapius and the ancient Theater with its unique acoustics. The Sanctuary of Aesculapius was a healing and culture center of ancient times and the Theater of Epidaurus is one of the very few that retains its original circular Orchestra and it is a rare aesthetic sight, still used in our days.

Tolon is a sea town, 7 kilometers (4 miles) east of Nafplion. You will enjoy your lunch at a traditional family owned restaurant enjoying the view of the Saronic gulf.

Nafplio is a seaport town in the Peloponnese in Greece that has expanded up the hillsides near the north end of the Argolic Gulf. The town was an important seaport held under a succession of royal houses in the Middle Ages as part of the lordship of Argos and Nafplia, held initially by the de la Roche following the Fourth Crusade before coming under the Republic of Venice and, lastly, the Ottoman Empire. The town was the capital of the First Hellenic Republic and of the Kingdom of Greece, from the start of the Greek Revolution in 1821 until 1834. Nafplio is now the capital of the regional unit of Argolis.

Mycenae was the center of power in the Late Bronze age from 16th century B.C. to 11th century B.C. The Acropolis of Mycenae protected the royal families inside the famous Cyclopean walls. The Lion Gates, followed by a steep path through ancient buildings and pathways, will lead you to the Palace of the mighty leader of the Greeks against the Trojans, Agamemnon who was murdered by his wife Clytemnestra and her lover after he had returned victorious from the Trojan War. Leaving the Acropolis of Mycenae we make a short stop on another hill opposite the Palace, visiting an impressive monument, the Treasury of Atreus also known as the Tomb of Agamemnon.

We will conclude the first day of our tour by driving back to Nafplion in order to spend the first night. We will spend the night at a local hotel.

Continuing with a 2-hour drive through the mountains, in central Peloponnese, arriving at Sparta, a prominent city-state in Ancient Greece, situated on the banks of Eurotas River in Laconia, in the southeastern Peloponnese. The most significant monuments of this archeological site include: The Temple of Athena Chalkioikos The ancient theater of Sparta on the south side of the Acropolis The so-called Circular Building of Unknown Destination, a circular structure built of hewn blocks and smaller stones. Concluding the visit at the archaeological site of Sparta the traveler will continue with a visit at the archaeological museum of Sparta. The museum hosts thousands of findings from the province of Lacedaemon, along with those coming from other areas of the Laconian prefecture,which are not included in the archaeological collections of Gytheion and Neapolis Vion. (Every Tuesday the museum remains closed).

The Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil, in Sparta (Peloponnese), transports you to the culture, history and technology of the olive and olive oil production in the Greek realm, from prehistoric times to the early 20th century. The Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil offers you the opportunity to see the very first testimonies about the presence of the olive tree and the production of olive oil in Greece. For each historical period the visitor will discover the contribution of the olive and olive oil to the economy and to everyday life: nutrition, body care, but also now outdated uses, such as lighting. (Every Tuesday the museum remains closed).

Mystras, the ‘wonder of the Morea’, developed down the hillside from the fortress built in 1249 by the prince of Achaia, William II of Villehardouin, at the top of a 620 m high hill overlooking Sparta. The Franks surrendered the castle to the Byzantines in 1262, it was the centre of Byzantine power in southern Greece, first as the base of the military governor and from 1348 as the seat of the Despotate of Morea. Under the Despots, Mystras reached its zenith with the building of churches, outstanding examples of Late Byzantine church architecture. The city was a major piece on the political chessboard of the time and was developed and beautified as befitted its role as a centre of power and culture. The city’s complex history is clearly evident in its fortifications, palaces, churches, convents, houses, streets and public squares.

After the conclusion of the Sparta tour, we will continue driving through the mountains, in central Peloponnese, reaching the village of Olympia, and stay for the night. Olympia is well known for the Olympic Games, held every four years to honor God Zeus, beginning in 776 B.C. We will spend the night at a local hotel.

The next morning after breakfast we will visit: The Temple of Zeus The massive temple of Zeus, the most important building in the Altis, standing in its very centre, is the largest temple in the Peloponnese, considered by many to be the perfect example of Doric architecture. The Temple of Hera The temple of Hera, one of the oldest monumental temples in Greece, stands in the north-west corner of the sacred precinct of the Altis, on the south slopes of Kronios hill, protected by a powerful terrace wall. This temple is the place where the Olympic Flame lights every four years. The workshop of Phedias West of the sacred enclosure, directly opposite to the temple of Zeus, was the workshop of Pheidias where the great sculptor crafted the gigantic chryselephantine statue of Zeus, listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Ancient Stadium of Olympia This is the place which hosted the ancient Olympic Games and the Heraia, the women's games in honour of Hera.

The Archaeological Museum of Olympia, one of the most important museums in Greece, presents the long history of the most celebrated sanctuary of antiquity, the sanctuary of Zeus, father of both gods and men, where the Olympic games were born. The museum's permanent exhibition contains finds from the excavations in the sacred precinct of the Altis dating from prehistoric times to the Early Christian period. Among the many precious exhibits the sculpture collection, for which the museum is most famous, the bronze collection, the richest collection of its type in the world, and the large terracottas collection, are especially noteworthy.

Concluding our visit at Olympia, we will continue driving towards Delphi. En route we will find the Charilaos Trikoupis bridge, one of the world's longest multi-span cable-stayed bridges and longest of the fully suspended type. It crosses the Gulf of Corinth near Patras, linking the town of Rio on the Peloponnese peninsula to Antirrio on mainland Greece by road. It opened one day before the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics, on 12 August 2004, and was used to transport the Olympic Flame.

Nafpaktos, also known as Lepanto, is a seaside village situated on a bay on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth. We will make a short stop for pictures or we may enjoy our coffee by the sea.

The next picturesque village that we find on the way to Delphi is Galaxidi. Little Galaxidi curves around a seafront hillock, with narrow cobblestone streets connecting the well-sheltered harbours to either side. The older harbour was a major shipbuilding centre during the 19th century, a prosperous era when the town acquired its fine crop of stone mansions. It’s known locally as Hirolakas, or 'Widows' Port', remembering the wives who waited in vain for seamen husbands whose ships never came home.

Itea is a new town founded in 1830 and probably owes its name due to the many willows that grew in the region. Itea is an important resort and the most important and biggest port of Fokida prefecture. In its commercial port are being loaded the bauxites from the bauxite mines operating in the region.

Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town on the southwestern slope of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis. In Greek mythology, it was the navel of the earth, the site of the Delphic Oracle and a major site for the worship of god Apollo after he slew the Python, a dragon who protected the navel of the earth. We will spend the night at a local hotel.

The next morning, we will visit Castalia spring, the ancient Sanctuary of Apollo, the Treasury of the Athenians, the ancient Stadium, the ancient Theatre, the unique bronze Charioteer, the Temple of Athena Pronea and the Gymnasium.

The Archaeological Museum of Delphi, one of the most important in Greece, exhibits the history of the Delphic sanctuary, site of the most famous ancient Greek oracle. Its rich collections are comprised primarily of architectural sculpture, statues and minor objects donated to the sanctuary. These reflect its religious, political and artistic activities from its early years in the eight century BC to its decline in Late Antiquity. The museum is housed in a two-storey building with a total surface area of 2270 square metres, with fourteen exhibition rooms, 558 square metres of storerooms and conservation laboratories for pottery, metal objects and mosaics.

The traditional town of Arachova is located just 10km from Delphi. A visit in Arachova, reveals the charming combining of the old with the new, at the holy grounds of the mountain of Apollo.

We will continue driving through the mountains of central Greece, arriving at Kalambaka, an important town well known due to the second largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox Monasteries in Greece after Mount Athos, Meteora. We will spend the night in a hotel at Kalambaka. Time allowed, we will watch the awesome sunset from the rock of Meteora. We will spend the night at a local hotel.

The next morning, we will visit three from the six suspended in the air Monasteries, built on natural sand stone rock pillars. The Meteora Monasteries date back to the 11th century and are included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites. The James Bond movie for your eyes only was filmed at the Monastery of Holy Trinity.

The Thermopylae or else the Hot Gates is an important town well known for the battle among the Greek forces including the 300 Spartans and their leader King Leonidas and the Persians in 480 BC, commemorated by Simonides in the famous epitaph, "Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, That here obedient to their laws we lie." The monument of King Leonidas was erected by the battlefield reminding all of us of the sacrifice of those patriots for a free country.