greece: the grand tour 10 DAYS
athens - olympia - delphi - kalambaka - thessaloniki - dion - athens

itinerarY, prices & Inclusions

Day 1 Arrive Athens
Arrival at the Athens airport, welcome assistance and transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Athens. Polis Grand Hotel or Golden Age Hotel or Zafolia Hotel or Titania Hotel or Stanley Hotel or Athenian Callirhoe Hotel or Amalia Hotel or Hilton garden Inn Hotel.

Day 2 City tour / Athens (B)
A morning panoramic tour will take you around to the most important monuments and landmarks of the city including: Panathinaikon stadium, Zappeion, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian's Arch, Syntagma square, Parliament, tomb of the unknown soldier, Schliemann's house, Academy, University, National Library, and old Parliament. You will then visit the Acropolis, including the Propylaea, the temple of Athena Nike, the Parthenon, and the Erechtheion; and the Acropolis Museum where findings from the area, like the Caryatides, have found their home. Afternoon at leisure to explore Plaka, and the historical center at your own pace.

Day 3 Corinth canal, Epidaurus, Nafplion, Mycenae / Olympia (BD)
Today you will depart on a 3-Day tour, heading first towards the Peloponnese. You will admire the impressive Corinth canal, and visit Epidaurus, the most important healing center in antiquity and today famous for the best-preserved ancient theater with the unique acoustics. You will then pass by Nafplio, and continue with visiting Mycenae, «rich in gold» as Homer mentions, with the Cyclopean walls, and the tomb of Agamemnon with the famous Lion’s Gate. The day will conclude in Olympia for overnight. Europa Hotel or Amalia Olympia Hotel or Olympic Village Hotel.

Day 4 Olympia / Delphi (BD)
Built on the banks of the River Alfios, Olympia is beautiful, green, and placid. We will enjoy a tour through the remains of the Ancient Olympia Complex (home of the original Olympic Games), including the Temple of Zeus, the Palaestra, and Phidias’s Workshop; and visit the local museum, with the impressive statue of Hermes of Praxitelis. In the afternoon, you continue your journey, to central Greece, driving over the impressive Rio-Antirio bridge, to Delphi for overnight. Amalia Delphi Hotel or Apollonia Hotel or V-Hotel Hotel.

Day 5 Delphi / Kalambaka (BD)
Built on the slopes of mount Parnassos overlooking the vast olive groves and the Corinthian gulf, Delphi used to be the most sacred spot in the world and a pilgrimage center for many centuries in antiquity. You will admire the Sanctuary of Apollo, walk the Sacred way, see the temple of Apollo, home of Pythia (the oracle), and visit the local museum with the famous bronze statue of the Charioteer, before continuing your drive to Kalambaka for overnight. Grand Meteora Hotel or Amalia Hotel or Kosta Famissi Hotel.

Day 6 Meteora / Thessaloniki (BD)
This morning, you will be visiting Meteora, one of the most beautiful areas of mainland Greece and part of UNESCO’s list of world heritage monuments. Amazing rock formations, like towers of sandstone, stand ageless, and have provided sacred retreat for monks over the centuries. A number of monasteries are hidden on top of Meteora and the view over the plain is breathtaking. In the afternoon, we continue our journey to the north, through the plain of Thessaly and the valley of Tempi, under the shade of mount Olympus, to Thessaloniki for overnight. Grand Hotel Palace.

Day 7 Thessaloniki (BD)
You will explore Thessaloniki this morning, seeing the most important landmarks and monuments of the city, including the White Tower, the Roman Forum, the church of St. Demetrius, Galerius Arch, the Rotunda and the Theodosian Walls. Afternoon at leisure to explore more of the city on your own.

Day 8 Edessa, Aristotle’s school, Vergina, Veria / Thessaloniki (BD)
Today you will explore the historical sites of Macedonia. First stop will be to the town of Edessa with its beautiful waterfalls. Then you will visit Aristotle’s school, a site of great historical importance. You continue with a visit to the Macedonian Royal tombs at Aigai (the village of Vergina), including this of King Phillip II, father of Alexander the Great. Last stop for today will be to Veria with the Bema of St. Paul, the colorful market and the Jewish neighborhood, before returning to Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight.

Day 9 Pella, Dion / Athens (B)
You will depart from Thessaloniki this morning and head to Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia, and birthplace of Alexander the Great. You will visit the ancient site with the exquisite floor mosaics, and continue to the archaeological park of Dion, to visit the sacred place of ancient Macedonia under the shade of mount Olympos. You will then continue the drive back to Athens, stopping on the way at Thermopylae, to see the statue of Leonidas, commemorating the battle of the 300, against the Persians. Polis Grand Hotel or Golden Age Hotel or Zafolia Hotel or Titania Hotel or Stanley Hotel or Athenian Callirhoe Hotel or Amalia Hotel or Hilton garden Inn Hotel.

Day 10 Depart Athens (B)
Breakfast and at the appropriate time, transfer to the airport for your departure flight.

INCLUSIONS

• Accommodation on bed & breakfast basis, 3 nights in Athens.

• Athens city tour with Acropolis and Acropolis museum, on shared basis, including English speaking guide.

• The 7-day Northern Greece tour on shared basis, on half-board basis (breakfast and dinner).

• All transfers

• Meet & Greet service for tour briefing and orientation by an English-speaking representative

• All entrance/admission fees to sites and museums

• All taxes and our services

  
  Note: Additionally to the above rates,  I would like to inform you that the clients have to pay directly to the hotel upon arrival the daily room overnight tax which is :
  5 star hotels: The amount is EUR 4 - EUR 10 per room per night (depending on travel months).
  4 star hotels: The amount is EUR 3 - EUR 7 per room per night (depending on travel months).
  3 star hotels: The amount is EUR 1.50 - EUR 3 per room per night (depending on travel months).
  
  EXCLUSIONS

• Any meals other than those mentioned above

• Any drinks during included meals

• Any personal expenses

• Any tips

• Any porterage at hotels.

• Anything else not specifically mentioned in the inclusions.