Low Intermediate , History and Culture, 23 - 30 Sep 2018 (Sun - Sun)

Stunning walks, ancient ruins, beautiful turquoise sea, and breathtaking mountains…this holiday in Greece has it all! This two centre holiday explores some of the impressive Ancient and Byzantine sites of the Peloponnese region of Greece. This week will be a delight for walkers, photographers and those wanting to experience the glory of Ancient Greece. Our first stop is , one of the most beautiful small towns of Messinia, where we stay for 4 nights. Pylos is an unspoilt seaside town with a harbour and castle on the edge of the beautiful Navarino Bay. It has a picturesque central square lined with cafes and tavernas. Our hotel is in an exceptional location beneath the 13th century castle and right on the stunning bay. You can even swim from the hotel’s terrace. From our base at Pylos we will head to Sfaktiria, an uninhabited island with amazing rock formations and also explore the mythical Nestor’s Cave set above a lovely sandy cove. We will visit the substantial ruins at Ancient – one of the country’s major historical attractions. We will also spend time at historic Methoni with its stunning castle ruins, bordered on three sides by the turquoise sea. A picture postcard location if ever there was one! For the second half of the week we will stay in a charming guesthouse in the mountain village of Mystras near to Sparta. Here we visit the UNESCO world heritage site of the Byzantine town where we will find the substantial ruins of this 13th Century town with many beautiful churches. We will also walk in the foothills of the Taygetos mountains with time to savour its scenery, churches and villages.

Price includes: 7 nights bed and breakfast accommodation; entrance fees to 4 sites; transport to walks; airport transfer from/to at certain times. Single rooms are available if you book early – £15 per night supplement. Not included: flight, lunch and dinner.

Itinerary Please note that the itinerary is subject to change

Sunday: Arrive at Kalamata Airport in the heart of the Peloponnese, where we will meet for a taxi transfer to the charming town of Pylos (1 hour). We will meet in the early evening for a holiday briefing followed by a stroll around 13th Century Pylos castle directly above our hotel. Our walk around the town will end with dinner at a harbour side taverna.

Monday: Our first full day sees us exploring the spectacular Navarino Bay. We get a water taxi to the island of Sfaktira (20 mins) where we can discover the integral role the island and the bay played in the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Having picnicked on the island, we get a further boat across the lagoon to Paleokastro Castle and the beautiful Gialova Lagoon. Here Golden Beach stretches for a mile in a perfect arc. Bring your swimming gear for a dip after exploring the ruins of the castle. The beach is actually a narrow sand bar separating the seawaters of the bay from the waters of Gialova Lagoon, a Natura 2000 site of major importance. It is the only location in Europe where the African chameleon is found so maybe we'll be lucky! We walk the length of the beach and, after a cool drink in the village, we get taxis back to the hotel (15 mins) before meeting again in the evening for dinner in a local taverna.

Tuesday: The theme of day three is Ancient Greece and we take a fascinating walk around Mt Ithome, the old walls of the city and then explore the extensive and impressive archaeological site of Ancient Messine, 300BC. The site is imposing, and has within it a theatre, market place, temples and a huge stadium. The site is still being excavated and new discoveries continue to be made. Although this site is equal in status to others in Greece it is less visited and so we can walk peacefully among the colossal columns and remains.

WalkingWomen Tel: 0114 241 2774 Email: [email protected] Website: www.walkingwomen.com Address: WalkingWomen, Scotia Works, Leadmill Road, Sheffield S1 4SE Travel to the site takes about 40 mins. In the in evening we will meet again for a group dinner in a local taverna

Wednesday For our walk on Tuesday we make a short journey by local bus (11km) to the wonderful seaside town of Methoni. Methoni Castle dates from the 13th Century and juts out dramatically into the sea. The immense castle walls have created a protected habitat where amazing flora has taken hold. It has become a beautiful wild self-seeded garden. As well as exploring the castle and having lunch by the harbour, we will walk amongst the pretty olive groves in the hills above the town. After returning to Pylos we will have a group dinner in local taverna.

Thursday: Today you have a free morning to relax, swim or shop in the town. At midday we depart for our second base for the week, Mystras. The coach journey takes 2 1/2 hours and is through the spectacular scenery of the Langada mountain pass which joins the coast at Kalamata through the Taygetos mountains to the plain of Sparta. We will stop at breathtaking viewpoints en route and reach a height of 1400m before dropping down again to our destination, Mystras. Here we settle in to our rustic, charming guesthouse before having dinner on the square.

Friday: After breakfast at our guesthouse we will walk up to the Byzantine site of Mystras (13th Century). This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it truly deserves the status. Scattered over the hillside, the site has frescoed churches, city streets, Despots Palace, museum and monastery. History bursts out of every stone as well as wildflowers which have taken root in the ruins. Group dinner in local taverna in Mystras.

Saturday: Our last walking day sees us striding off into the foothills of the Taygetos Mountains along sections of the stunning E4 long distance path. We will have spectacular views down onto the plain of Sparta. The walk will be through wooded hillsides, with the towering wall of the Taygetos range rising behind us. For our last evening meal together we will enjoy the hospitality of our hosts at the guesthouse.

Sunday: Today we will take our transfer back to Kalamata airport (1 ¼ hours) for our return flight.

Accommodation: 4 nights Pylos The Karalis Beach Hotel http://karalisbeach.gr/ This hotel is in the most fantastic position, beneath the castle in Pylos and right on the stunning Navarino Bay. There is swimming from the hotel. The website does not do justice to the exceptional position. 3 nights Mystras, at the Mystras Inn http://www.mystrasinn.gr/ipiresiesen.html This is a charming family run inn and restaurant in the heart of the village and will be an interesting contrast to Pylos.

Flights & Transfers – Flight to Kalamata is not included We believe that this gives maximum flexibility and the best chance of getting a good price as well as the option to extend your stay. Flights must fit with the transfer below otherwise you will be responsible for your own transfer. To find suitable flights try www.skyscanner.net

Thomas Cook from London Gatwick

CHECK DATE FLIGHT AIRPORT COUNTRY DEPART ARRIVE AIRPORT COUNTRY IN London 23/09/2087 MT1826 UK 07:10 09:10 14:35 Kalamata Greece Gatwick 30/09/2018 MT1827 Kalamata Greece 13:35 15:35 17:20 London UK

Thomas Cook from Manchester

CHECK DATE FLIGHT AIRPORT COUNTRY DEPART ARRIVE AIRPORT COUNTRY IN

WalkingWomen Tel: 0114 241 2774 Email: [email protected] Website: www.walkingwomen.com Address: WalkingWomen, Scotia Works, Leadmill Road, Sheffield S1 4SE 23/09/2087 MT11776 Manchester UK 04:00 06:00 12:00 Kalamata Greece

30/09/2018 MT1177 Kalamata Greece 11:00 13:00 15:05 Manchester UK

Meeting up arrangements at Kalamata Airport Your guide will meet you at the airport in Kalamata. Detailed meeting up arrangements will be sent out by email approximately 2 weeks before the start of the holiday. The transfer will depart once the listed flight has landed.

Is your passport in date? Please check at this stage that your passport has plenty of time before it expires. It is not too late to renew it now.

Foreign currency There are ATM machines in Pylos only and not at Kalamata airport. You will need Euro cash with you for the holiday.

What to bring

 Walking boots - leather or waterproof fabric, broken in and comfy, with sufficient tread for good grip.  Several pairs of walking socks. If your feet blister easily, try 2 thin pairs of coolmax to reduce how hot your feet get.  Waterproof jacket. It can rain!  Extra fleece or sweater to put on during a stop or if it’s windy.  Trousers &/or shorts - loose enough not to restrict your movement (Jeans are not advisable). Zip off trousers may be useful as some of the paths may be overgrown and prickly!  Daypack - to carry spare gear, waterproofs, packed lunch, water & other bits and pieces.  Water flask or strong plastic water bottle - 1.5 litres. Platypus water system (or similar) is very effective.  Sun screen, lip salve, sun hat  Swimming costume & swimming towel. Lightweight towels available at walking shops.  Large plastic bag to keep the contents of your rucksack dry if it rains.  Walking poles – not essential, but very good if you have troublesome knees or difficulty with uneven ground.  Flip flops or plastic sandals for the sea  Cash in Euro, up to date Passport & flight booking reference, insurance details, this holiday sheet for contact details

Non-essential, but they may be important to you!

Camera, spare memory card & battery, charger; plug adaptor; flask for hot drinks, maybe binoculars, a mat to sit on during a drink stop. Mobile & charger. Phrase book. Spare bootlaces. Mediterranean flower book. Zinc Oxide tape to prevent blister - and Compeed in case you didn’t put the zinc oxide tape on in time!

WalkingWomen Tel: 0114 241 2774 Email: [email protected] Website: www.walkingwomen.com Address: WalkingWomen, Scotia Works, Leadmill Road, Sheffield S1 4SE