Tour in Ancient & Byzantine Greece 10Days - 9 Nights (03 nts Athens + 01 nt Ancient Olympia + 1 nt Meteora + 4 nts Thessaloniki) A few words about the destination… Greece means light, sun, culture. It is a magical place, full of history, wonderful landscapes and amazing people. Experience the ultimate travel experience by combining a tour program, entertainment, fun and relaxation. High quality accommodation, rich gastronomy, amazing beaches and Greek hospitality are waiting for you for a life experience. Useful information… Best Time to visit: The entire year Language: Greek , English Currency: Euro (EUR) / (1 EUR) (86 INR) Time Difference : Greece is 2 hours and 30 mins behind from India from April to October and 3 hours and 30 mins behind India from November to March . Excursion schedule… Day 1 Arrive – Athens – Hotel – Athens by night (optional) On arrival at Athens International Airport you will be transferred to the hotel. Check in to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel. (optional)Get to experience the city when the day goes and lights turn on with this athens night tour! Picking you up just before dusk, on this Athens photography tour you will have the opportunity to see the sunset on top of the Lycabettus hill and Athens lighting up beneath you. Highlights Proceed to Acropolis to admire the Parthenon lit up in all its glory, from as close as possible, a quite different sight than one gets when visiting the Acropolis hill under the bright Greek sun! Don’t miss a drive to the entrance of Roman Agora, right beneath the Acropolis hill to admire the gate of Athena Archegetis! View the Arch of Hadrian and Panathenaic Stadium and head to the beautiful neoclassical building of the Academy. Day 2 Athens – City tour – Museum of Acropolis – Sounio (optional) 80klm x 2 Breakfast at our hotel and we start for a visit and tour of the capital of Greece, Athens, the birthplace of Western culture, philosophy and democracy. First stop, in one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, The Acropolis, Greece’s most famous UNESCO site, has always been the fortress of Athens and the absolute symbol of the grandeur of the Greek civilization. Highlights Admire the Parthenon, the Erechthion, the Odeon of Herodes (Herodion), the Temple of Athena Nike, the Propylea, the Theatre of Dionysus. Visit Acropolis Museum. The most impressive museum in Greece and one of the top museums in the world, the Acropolis Museum houses the classical masterpieces from the nearby fortress combining an archaeological site that is open and visible right under your feet. Walk for our tour of the Historic Center of Athens. Roam, among other things, on the pedestrian street of Apostolou Pavlou Street where the Ancient Agora is located, known as the 'birthplace of Democracy'. Observe the parliament of the Athenian Democracy, the best-preserved temple in Greece and the place where Socrates taught and was executed in the 5th century BC, the Tower of the Winds & Roman Market, considered the world's first meteorological station, this simple- looking building was a marvel of Ancient Greek engineering, now surrounded by remains of various conquerors, including the Romans and the Turks. Wander in Thiseio, Monastiraki square, Plaka, Anafiotika and the pedestrian street of Ermou street. You can’t say that you’ve seen Athens without walking in this beautiful meandering streets of the old town, which are scattered with wonderful ancient and neoclassical buildings, shops, cafés and restaurants. Free time for coffee, food and shopping. In the afternoon we suggest an excursion to Sounio. Sounio is the southernmost edge of the area surrounding Athens and is famous for its 5th century BC Temple of Poseidon, god of the sea. The temple, which still retains its original white color, is perched on a cliff overlooking the Aegean Sea and offers breathtaking views as well as one of the most popular sunsets in the world! Day 3 Athens – Mycenae - Epidaurus – Nafplio – Ancient Olympia 350klm Breakfast at our hotel and we start our trip to get to know important parts of the ancient and modern history of Greece. Our first stop is the impressive Corinth Canal, which connects the Aegean and the Ionian Sea. Bungee jumping is also available here! One of the biggest rivals of Athens, Corinth was once completely destroyed by the Romans. When it was re-inhabited, it became Greece's largest city, which St. Paul visited and wrote some of his most famous epistles to. It houses one of the oldest Greek temples, as well as a beautiful museum. Second stop is Mycenae. Highlights Admire the massive walls 'built by giants'. Mycenae is an important UNESCO Site: the 'golden city', as Homer described it. This is where legendary King Agamemnon ruled during the Trojan War. For 1,500 years, one of its vaulted tombs held the record for the biggest dome in the world! Nest stop Epidaurus, another UNESCO Site. Discover the best-preserved ancient theatre in Greece and hosts the country's most prestigious festival, where the audience can watch 2,500-year-old tragedies and comedies that shaped theatre! Later we will reach Nafplio, the capital of Greece before Athens, is a picturesque town with imposing fortresses that Turks and Italians fought over for centuries. Now it's an ideal place for relaxed strolls and a lunch during the tour. In the afternoon transfer to the area of Ancient Olympia and overnight. Day 4 Ancient Olympia – Delphi – Meteora 475klm Breakfast at our hotel and we start our excursion to the most important spiritual and religious center and the symbol of the unity of ancient Hellenism. Delphi, a UNESCO site, was the sanctuary of the God of light and music Apollo. Built on a mountain slope with a view to a valley, the most important oracle of ancient times was believed to be the very centre of the world! Highlights Admire the Treasury of the Atheneans, the Temple of Apollo, the Theatre and the Stadium (a 15' uphill climb and sometimes closed to the public). Discover one of the most popular Greek museums, the DAM houses 6th cent BC marble statues, offerings made of gold as well as the first bronze statue to be found in modern Greece. Our last stop is the area of Kalampaka and Meteora, where we will spend the night. Day 5 Meteora – Vergina – Pella - Thessaloniki 280klm Breakfast at our hotel and we start our tour in Meteora, this fascinating complex of huge steep rocks of pennant, arising close to the first elevations of the longest sierra in Greece, Pindos (the “spine” of Greece). Highlights Discover the monasteries which are built οn the peak of the huge rocks, and form the second most important complex of monasteries after Mt. Athos. In the past, there were twenty four monasteries but today only the six of them operate properly. In 1988, Meteora joined the list of the World Heritage sites of UNESCO.For your convenience, the bus stops in front of the entrance of the Holy Monasteries. During our visits to the monasteries we make a short stop to admire the stunning panoramic view of the Holy Monasteries from up high and capture the mystique of the landscape. The wild unapproachable area with the sandstones of more than 65 million years old is majestic and at the same time unearthly and divine as until today their origin cannot be explained. The monasteries have strict dress rules prohibiting entry to male visitors wearing shorts and women visitors with sleeveless sweatshirts. Next stop Ancient Aigai. We reach Vergina where we visit the Museum of the Royal Tombs of Aigai, situated in the borders of the village. Admire the characteristic Golden Larnax (funerary casket), an urn with the cremated remains of Phillip II is marked with a 16-rayed sun, the symbol of Macedonia. The Sun of Vergina (or Star of Vergina), which is characteristic symbol of the Argead Dynasty (of the King Phillip II and Alexander the Great) was found together with the excavations that brought back to light his father’s Royal Tomb. 4 of the sun rays represent of the 4 classical elements and the other 12 sun rays represent the 12 Olympian Gods. Observe the golden oak wreath that Phillip II had during his funeral pyre, military armors, various grave goods, the other tombs that were brought back to light and a small sanctuary, the Heroon. Next stop Pella. Get to know the imperial capital, the ancient city where Alexander the Great was born and raised and where the great philosopher and tutor Aristoteles was invited to educate him. The archaeological treasures of the glorious Macedonian Kingdom of Alexander the Great and his father Phillip II, as detailed by Herodotus, invite you to a unique roadtrip to history. Transfer to Thessaloniki, where we will spend the night. Day 6 Thessaloniki – City Tour Today we discover the Byzantine aspect of Thessaloniki and learn about the Byzantine art and history of the «co-reigning» capital during the Byzantine Empire in a tour full of images, aromas and flavors of tradition. We start our tour at the Upper Town (Ano Poli). Highlights Visit the Old Monastery of Vlatadon. The unique Byzantine Monastery that remains in operation in Thessaloniki and offers a wonderful panoramic view of “The Bride of Thermaikos Gulf”. Discover the church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos, a particular graphic church with exceptional mural paintings of the 14th century. The church is located at a beautiful spot surrounded by structures of distinct architecture that denote the city’s rich history. Admire the glorious Rotunda, one of the most ancient and most impressive monuments of the city.