Five days private tour from Athens to Argolis, Olympia, Delphi, Meteora

Day 1: Experience a Full-Day Private Tour in Athens, a city that reconciles past and present in a unique way. Your private chauffeur will drive by the Monument to the Unknown Soldier in front of the House of Parliament on the Constitution (Syntagma) Square, the Panathenaic Stadium (site of the first modern Olympic Games that were held in 1896), the Presidential Palace (ex Royal Palace) and several government buildings. The tour will continue along Panepistimiou Avenue, past the Catholic Cathedral as well as a collection of buildings often quoted as the “Neoclassical Trilogy”, that is the Academy, the University and the National Library, landmarks of neoclassical architecture. In addition I will take you to the colossal Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch, the Acropolis with its many monuments including the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike and the Erechtheion with its Porch of Maidens (Caryatids). We will drive by the feet of Acropolis through the historical neighborhood of Plaka (old Athens), we will also visit the Greek and Roman ancient agora, and if time allows, we will have lunch in a typical Greek restaurant. After lunch we will visit some of the most important museums in Athens, either the new Acropolis Museum, or the National Archaeological Museum, both of which are showcasing masterpieces of the ancient Greek civilization. The tour will end of Tolo or Nafplio. Overnight

Day 2: Mycenae, Nafplion, Epidaurus, Olympia The first destination is Mycenae to visit the archaeological site which includes the Acropolis of Mycenae with the massive fortification walls, the Lion Gate and the famous tomb of Agamemnon or Treasury of Atreus. You will then head towards Nafplion which used to be the first capital of Greece back in the 19th century. The picturesque seaside town with the historic centre and the Palamidi castle on top of the hill is a popular destination for the Greeks, as well. After lunch, you will visit Epidaurus and the ancient theatre, famous for its exceptional acoustics. The theatre, built in the 4th century BC, is one of the best preserved theatres in Greece and is still used nowadays as it hosts the Epidaurus Festival every summer. Right next to the theatre you can visit Asclepieion, which was the most celebrated healing center of the Classical world, the place where ill people went in the hope of being cured by the God of medicine Asclepius. Later in the afternoon, i will take you to Olympia. You will stay overnight in the town of ancient Olympia.

Day 3: Olympia, Antirio, Nafpaktos, Delphi In the morning I will take you to the city of ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games that took place in 776 BC. You will visit the archaeological site, where you will have the opportunity to see the original stadium of the Olympic Games and the sanctuary of God Zeus, among several other structures and archaeological remains. Ancient Olympia has been the Centre of attention during the ancient years, and still today is the starting point of the Olympic Flame that is born here, every four years prior to the new festival. In addition, you will visit the Archaeological Museum as well as the Museum of the Olympic Games that showcase impressive collections of ancient Greek artefacts and items related to both ancient and modern Games. Later in the afternoon you will cross the Corinthian bay and reach the town of Antirion via the new bridge, which is the world's longest multi-span cable-stayed bridge. Passing through the quaint town of Nafpaktos. The final destination for the day will be the town of Delphi, where you will stay overnight.

Day 4: Delphi, Meteora, Kalampaka In the morning i will take you to Delphi, one of the most significant archaeological sites in Greece. Its importance, as well as the idyllic landscape that surrounds it, make Delphi one of the most visited sites in the country. Highlights of the archaeological site include the temple of God Apollo with the renowned ancient oracle (the priestess Pythia would deliver her prophecies to people travelling from all over the ancient world to consult her), the stadium where the Pythian Games were held every four years in the same manner as the Olympic Games and an ancient theatre that is still used occasionally. You will also visit the Delphi Museum, located within the archaeological site. The Museum houses a series of remarkable artefacts that were recovered from the excavations on site. After lunch you will be depart for Meteora, one of the most striking sights in Greece. Driving through Central Greece via the cities of Amphissa, Lamia and Trikala, you will reach Kalampaka, a town that lies under the imposing rocks of Meteora. You will spend the night either in Kalampaka or in the beautiful village of Kastraki, located nearby.

Day 5: Meteora, Thermopylae, Athens In the morning you will visit Meteora, a series of 24 Greek Orthodox monasteries that are spectacularly perched on top of rocky pinnacles that rise over 400m above the ground. The name Meteora means ‘suspended in the air’ and it perfectly describes the monks’ settlements that were built from the 11th century onwards under impossible conditions. Access to the monasteries was extremely difficult and it required climbing a long ladder which was drawn up whenever the monks felt threatened. The monasteries flourished until the 17th century, but only 6 survive today. Aghios Stephanos, Aghia Trias, Varlaam and Meteoron Monastery are those that still host religious communities and are accessible by staircases cut into the gigantic rock formations. After lunch, we will drive pass through Thermopylae, the city where the famous battle took place back in 480 BC. During the battle of Thermopylae, the king of Sparta Leonidas & 300 Spartan soldiers fought against king Xerxes of Persia who wanted to invade Greece. Even though the Greeks were outnumbered by the vast Persian force, Leonidas and his soldiers refused to surrender and were sacrificed in order to defend the country. After Thermopylae, you will head back to Athens.