Athens Trip Overview
Enjoy 7 days touring one of the most beautiful locations in Greece on a journey through the olive groves, orchards, and blue Aegean views with our Peloponnese Small-Group Tour. Travel in style as we visit every highlight in this unique region including the Medieval cities of Nafplion & Monemvasia, UNESCO sites, such as Ancient Mycenae, and explore the off-the-beaten-path sites, such as the timeless rugged Mani Peninsula with its tower-house villages. Apart from the highlights, our tour is also packed with well-chosen accommodation & some of the best cuisine Greece has to offer, with professional guides and lunches included.
Additional Info
Duration: 7 days
Starts: Athens, Greece
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Athens Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Athens, Attica, Greece
Enjoy 7 days touring one of the most beautiful locations in Greece on a journey through the olive groves, orchards, and blue Aegean views with our Peloponnese Small-Group Tour. Travel in style as we visit every highlight in this unique region including the Medieval cities of Nafplion & Monemvasia, UNESCO sites, such as Ancient Mycenae, and explore the off-the-beaten-path sites, such as the timeless rugged Mani Peninsula with its tower-house villages. Apart from the highlights, our tour is also packed with well-chosen accommodation & some of the best cuisine Greece has to offer, with professional guides and lunches included.
Itinerary
Day 1: ANCIENT ARGOLIS
Stop At: Ancient Corinth (Archaia Korinthos), Argous 105 Ancient Korinthos village, Corinth 200 07 Greece
08:00 Hotel Pickup. Your personal driver, assistant, and licensed archaeological guide will be at your hotel to meet you and start your tour. Our first day focuses on the classical sites of Argolis in the northern Peloponnese.
After leaving Athens we travel to the Peloponnese for our first main stop to explore the beautifully preserved remains of Ancient Corinth, one of Greece’s most powerful and influential city-states of Antiquity. You will have time to stroll through the streets, temples, markets, and fountains in the footsteps of the Classical Greeks, Ancient Romans & St. Paul before you. Our expert licensed archaeological guide will be on hand to take you through all the sites of the day. Refreshments and rest stops are available, as required.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Mycenae, Mycenae, Argolis Region, Peloponnese
After a short onward drive we come to the imposing remains of Ancient Mycenae, one of the most important sites in the development of Ancient Greece. Home to the citadel of the legendary Agamemnon, leader of the Greeks during the Trojan War. The ‘Mycenaean period,’ from 1600 to 1100 BC, references this ancient city, indicating its importance in Greek civilization. Pass through the 20-foot-wide city walls, enter the Lion’s Gate to Agamemnon’s throne room, and explore the very buildings of his palace. We will also have a short stop nearby for the awe-inspiring treasury of Atreus and ample time to visit the modern on-site museum housing the many precious artifacts uncovered from the site.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: The Great Theatre of Epidaurus, Ethniki Odos Isthmou Archaias Epidavrou, Epidavros 210 52 Greece
Our next stop is at the UNESCO-listed Sanctuary of Asklepios, the first healing center of the Ancient World. You will also see the impressive Great Theatre of Epidaurus, one of the most visited ancient sites in Greece. The temple and theatre date from the 4th century and feature masterpieces of classical Greek architecture. Join the other visitors who test its world-famous acoustics with a poem or a song in the center circle!
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Nafplio, Nafplio, Argolis Region, Peloponnese
After the sites of the morning, we enjoy lunch in the beautiful medieval & historical port city of Nafplio by the sea with views of the Venetian castle of Bourtzi in the bay.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Meals included:
• Lunch: A 3-course lunch is provided in one of the top local traditional restaurants.
Accommodation included: Overnight – Nafplion or Tolo. 4-star or Boutique-Style centrally located Hotel
Day 2: MYSTRAS & MONEMVASIA
Stop At: Mystras, Mystras, Sparta Municipality, Laconia Region, Peloponnese
After a leisurely breakfast, we wind our way down towards Mystras. Lying in the southeast Peloponnese we visit the 800-year-old ruins of the Medieval city & UNESCO site. Once the seat of Byzantine power in the region the city was abandoned rather than being destroyed and consequently its palaces, residences, mansions, churches, monasteries, water & drainage works, commercial workshops, extensive streets & fortifications all remain to explore.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil, 129 Othonos Amalias Street, Sparta, Sparta Municipality 231 00 Greece
From fossilized olive leaves to oil presses from Santorini, if you want to deepen your knowledge of this important aspect of Greek & Mediterranean Culture the Museum of the Olive is the place for an immersive experience.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Monemvasia, Monemvasia, Monemvasia Municipality, Laconia Region, Peloponnese
Originally separated from the mainland by an earthquake, this Gibraltar-like rock was an ideal inaccessible natural fortress for settlement in the 6th century by the local inhabitants seeking protection from Slavic invaders in the 6th century. Monemvasia sits on a plateau 100 meters above sea level you will find a remarkable walled city, constructed and added to by the Byzantines, Venetians, and Ottomans until its liberation in the Greek War of Independence in the early 19th century. Originally only reachable by ship, we can now traverse the long narrow causeway onto the rock & up to the imposing walled entrance where we must continue on foot into the old and well-preserved city.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Meals included:
• Lunch: A 3-course lunch is provided in one of the top local traditional restaurants.
Accommodation included: Overnight. Monemvasia – 4-star or Boutique-Style centrally located Hotel
Day 3: THE MANI PENINSULA
Stop At: Mani Peninsula, Mani Peninsula, Laconia Region, Peloponnese
The Mani Peninsula
Today’s tour is dedicated to touring the Mani Peninsula, famous for its tower houses built to protect the local population from piracy & dangerous times during medieval life up to the nineteenth century. Its inhabitants are the descendants of the Ancient Spartans & this combination of geography & hardy people kept the region independent to develop its own character from the rest of Greece. Our tour chooses several of the most beautiful routes of the peninsula stopping as appropriate at some of the distinct villages like Githeo and its quintessential village of Vathia, as well as its charming capital Kardymili.
Duration: 5 hours
Stop At: Caves of Diros, Diros 230 62 Greece
At this extensive cave system, you will descend to the underground shores of the lake where special guides navigate you in a kayak through the Caves main chambers until finally emerging close to the sea where your driver will be waiting for you to continue.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Lunch: A 3-course lunch is provided in one of the top local traditional restaurants.
Accommodation included: Overnight Kardamyli. – 4-star or Boutique-Style centrally located Hotel
Day 4: METHONI
Stop At: Messene 240 02, Greece
Ancient Messene was founded in 371 BC after the Theban general Epaminondas defeated Sparta at the Battle of Leuctra. The Messenians were freed from 350 years of Spartan rule and built a new capital and stronghold enclosed by a 9km wall. An extensive city, the Archaeological site is still under excavation but contains a well-preserved theatre, marketplace, Sanctuary of Asclepius, and large stadium.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Methoni Castle, Methoni, Pylos-Nestor 240 06 Greece
Methoni Castle, an extensive & well-preserved ruin that is Game of Thrones worthy along with stunning sea views from its battlements & promontories.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Palace of Nestor, Ethnki Odos Kiparissias Pylou, Chora, Pylos-Nestor 246 00 Greece
Next, we visit the Palace of Nestor set in a beautifully excavated building with displays providing a good reconstruction of the original two-story Mycenaean palace constructed over 3000 years ago & mentioned in Homer’s Iliad. There are also some amazing items from the site in the nearby museum which is the next stop
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Meals included:
• Lunch: A 3-course lunch is provided in one of the top local traditional restaurants.
Accommodation included: Overnight Pylos. 4-star or Boutique-Style centrally located Hotel
Day 5: ANCIENT OLYMPIA
Stop At: Archaeological Site of Olympia, Archea Olympia, Olympia 27065 Greece
Our morning is dedicated to Ancient Olympia, and one of the most magical locations in Greece. After transfer to the site, you will meet our expert Licenced Guide who will take you through all the history as high points along with the stories & mythology of the pieces in the museum. Famous for its Olympic Games of antiquity you will see the places where the original athletes trained, taught, and go through the tunnel to emerge in the stadium in which they competed. The site is still home to the Temple of Zeus and Hera where the Olympic Flame is lit, the workshop of Phidias.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Archaeological Museum of Olympia, Archaia Olympia, Olympia 27 065 Greece
Not to be missed is the local museum housing many of the masterpieces uncovered from the Archaeological site from the very drinking cup of Phidaus to the sculptures that adorned the Pediment of the Temple of Zeus.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Lunch: A 3-course lunch is provided in one of the top local traditional restaurants.
Accommodation included: Overnight – . 4-star or Boutique-Style centrally located Hotel
Day 6: DIMITSANA
Stop At: Offshore Hydropower Museum, Kefalari Ai-Yianni, Dimitsana 220 07 Greece
Your view of Greece and understanding of its local culture will be forever changed & enriched by your visit to the water power museum which provides an amazing window into the society of past generations and moreover, a world of lost sustainability. You will not only learn about the integral value of these watermills which were spread all over pre-industrial Greece but see many skills & crafts brought to life again before your eyes in this working facility & Museum. Such mills were a hub of life. Most simply in the production of flour & bread, they also provided everything from a point of trade where people met to exchange ideas & culture, to a place where local artisans produced leather & textiles, where clothes & other household items were carried for washing & grapes were processed into spirits such as ‘raki’. This particular Mill also played a key Historical role in gunpowder production in the 1821 war of independence.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: The Holy Monastery of the Philosopher, Dimitsana 220 07 Greece
The Lousios Gorge is also known as the ‘Mount Athos’ of the Peloponnese” due to the many Monasteries that can be found hidden high up in the sides of its steep cliffs. On our tour, we take time to visit one of the most beautifully located and largest, the Philosophers Monastery, which can be reached after a 10-minute walk from the road along a stone path & where you can ascend to be welcomed by the local monks with a Traditional Greek Coffee & sweet they produce. On entering you will have the impression that nothing has changed in the hundreds of years since this Monastery was founded as you gaze at its rock frescos from as far back as the 16th Century and learn more about the role of Greek life & History, or just enjoy the peaceful panoramic views over the Gorge below in this isolated place of nature & peace.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Stemnitsa, Stemnitsa, Arkadia Region, Peloponnese
For our lunch stop, we visit Stemnitsa, one of the most beautiful villages of the Peloponnese with its stone-built houses & mansions & find a sense of timelessness amongst the mountain views. With many local arts & craft shops, this is also an ideal place to just wander through & pick up some local ‘Mountain tea’ forest Honey, or a souvenir of your time.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Meals included:
• Lunch: A 3-course lunch is provided in one of the top local traditional restaurants.
Accommodation included: Overnight Stemnitsa or Dimitsana – 4-star or Boutique-Style centrally located Hotel
Day 7: KALAVRITA
Stop At: Kastria Cave of the Lakes, Kastria Greece
The Cave of Lakes is an increasingly popular draw for visitors to this area due to its extensive multicolor galleries & stalactite formations with cascading lakes that form three different levels within its mouth. The caves are almost 2km long and the remains of an old subterranean river.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Kalamata Municipal Railway Park, Kalamata Old Railroad Station, Kalamata 241 00 Greece
ONTOTOS RAILWAY & KALAVRITA. Built over 100 years ago, the little train starts at the seaside village of Diakopto and climbs alongside the Vouraikos River Gorge to the village of Kalavrita as it traverses bridges and tunnels allowing you to dive deep into the local scenery. Enjoy lunch with a view & a wonderful location to reflect on your days in the Peloponnese before returning to Athens
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
• Lunch: A 3-course lunch is provided in one of the top local traditional restaurants.
No accommodation included on this day.
