Fly & Drive Grand Peloponnese - 2020 Summer

Breakfast at hotel. Meeting with your English speaking guide and departure with a private car for a Half day Sightseeing tour in Athens. This tour gives you an opportunity to observe the striking contrasts that make Athens such a fascinating city. You will see the Panathenaic Stadium where the first Olympic Games of modern times were held in 1896 (short stop). Continue and pass by the Prime Minister's residence (ex-Royal Palace) guarded by the Euzones in their colorful uniform, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Hadrian's Arch, the Parliament and the memorial to the Unknown Soldier, the Academy, the University, the National Library, the Constitution Square (Syntagma). On the Acropolis visit the Architectural Masterpieces of the Golden Age of Athens: The Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and finally "the harmony between material and spirit", the monument that "puts order in the mind", the Parthenon. Continue and visit the place where at last the statues found their home and admire the wonders of the classical era: The new Acropolis museum. End of tour and drop off at your hotel. In the afternoon, you have the possibility to visit by your car the Cape Sounion. Drive along the coastal road, passing the wonderful beaches of Glyfada, Vouliagmeni & Varkiza to the most Southern point of Attica, Cape Sounion, where the white marble pillars of the Temple of Poseidon stand. On the way, you have a splendid view of the Saronic Gulf and the little islands offshore. After visiting the Temple of Poseidon, you have time to walk at leisure on the rocky promontory of Sounion. Late in the evening you will enjoy a WINE TASTING in Chocolat Royal Restaurant in Thissio. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES: -ATHENS MARKET SHOPPING & COOKING CLASS 85€ per pax Overnight in Athens.

Breakfast at hotel and drive by the coastal road along the Saronic Gulf to the Corinth Canal, which connects the Aegean Sea with the Ionian Sea. Drive to Mycenae, the Homeric city of Atreides, the city “rich in gold” of the ancient poets. Visit the Lion’s Gate, the Cyclopean Walls, and the Royal Tombs e.t.c. In Mycenae you will have the opportunity to have CERAMIC LESSONS in Silo Art. Continue to Epidaurus and visit the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus which represents the finest and best-preserved example of a classical Greek theatre. Even by today's standards, this monument stands out as a unique artistic achievement through its admirable integration into the landscape and above all the perfection of its proportions and incomparable acoustics. Every summer cultural events take place in the theatre, under the title of "Musical July" but better known as a part of the much bigger annual "Athens-Epidauros Festival". Depart for Nafplion through the fertile plain of Argolis, the picturesque town nestling at the foot of a cliff crowned by the mighty ramparts of the Palamidi Fortress. Nafplion, was the first capital of the newly born Greek state between 1823 and 1834. You can admire the Venetian fortress of Palamidi, the Acronafplia with its stunning vista of the Argolic gulf and the fortified islet of Bourtzi. See also the Cathedral and the square of Saint Spiridon where Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first Governor of Greece, was murdered. Also, Syntagma Square, the heart of the city, and explore its historic buildings from different periods such as the Archaeological Museum, the Vouleftikon that housed the first parliament of the free Greek state and the Old Mosque. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES: -COOKING LESSONS IN THE MOST ROMANTIC GREEK TOWN 90€ per pax

Breakfast at hotel. Leave Nafplion for a nice trip through South Peloponnese and Sparti. Sparti is a small town with famous history. Ancient Sparta was mostly a military city-state. The inhabitants believed that their only purpose in life was to become strong soldiers and protect their homeland even with their lives. Visit the Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil in Sparti. Mystras, the ‘wonder of the Morea’, lies in the southeast of the Peloponnese. The town developed down the hillside from the fortress built in 1249 by the prince of Achaia, William II of Villehardouin, at the top of a 620 m high hill overlooking Sparta. The Franks surrendered the castle to the Byzantines in 1262, it was the center of Byzantine power in southern Greece, first as the base of the military governor and from 1348 as the seat of the Despotate of Morea. Captured by the Turks in 1460, it was occupied thereafter by them and the Venetians. After 1834 the inhabitants of Mystras gradually started to move to the modern town of Sparta leaving only the breath-taking medieval ruins, standing in a beautiful landscape. Continue to Monemvasia, approx 66 kms from Gythio. Monemvasia is a lively castle of the Middle Ages! It is a town located on a small island connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land, a bridge that coexists with the sea element of Myrtoo Pelagos. Entering the rock from the entrance, begins the journey to the past, from the 6th century that was inhabited until today. The old city of Monemvasia is a lively medieval settlement, preserved in impeccable way. It is a world-renowned monument and a base station for every traveler in the Peloponnese. The atmosphere is magical, full of romance and history. Monuments and churches are scattered in the Castle and an important archaeological collection is housed in the Old Mosque at Elkomenas Christos Square. The Byzantine fortress of Monemvasia, the poet Ritsos' stone ship, lies at the southeastern edge of the Laconian land, transferring visitors to a dream journey in time and history. Castles and walls, old mansions, narrow cobbled streets, churches, old low arches, arches, coats of arms, marble imperial thrones, Byzantine icons give the impression of a fantastic city that did not touch it over time. The town walls and many Byzantine churches remain from the medieval period. The town's name derives from two Greek words, mone and emvasia, meaning "single entrance". Monemvasia's nickname is the Gibraltar of the East or The Rock. In Monemvasia, the medieval buildings have been restored, and many of them are converted to hotels. Continue your journey to Gythio, which is in the middle south of Peloponnese at the center of the Laconian Gulf. It is a lively, charming little harbor town. The most of its houses are two- or three-storey neo-classical mansions, stuck to the steep side of the Mt. "Koumaros". A long sea-side promenade, colorful fishing boats, narrow streets and stairways produce the typical Greek environment fascinate every visitor. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES: -HIKING IN MYSTRAS, MONEMVASIA & GYTHIO approximately 80-100€ per pax -SPARTA YOGA SHALA price on request Overnight in Gythio area.

Breakfast at hotel. Discover Mani, which is the peninsula of Lakonia extending as far as Cape Teinaro. Its terrain impresses the visitor with its wild nature, steep mountains, inaccessible beaches and sparse vegetation. Oitilo, Karavostasi, Limeni are famous places to visit. Areopoli is a picturesque town in the center of Mani. It has been declared a preserved settlement and will impress you with its architecture and the peculiarity of the Mani landscape. Stone narrow alleys and well-kept tower-houses adorn the scenic town of Areopoli. Diros Caves: Cave Glyfada of Diros is one of the finest caves in the world. It is located on the west coast of Laconia Peninsula, in the bay of Diros. Its existence has been known to the locals since around 1900. But no one suspected the miracle hidden inside until 1949, when the founders of the Hellenic Speleological Society, John and Anna Petrohillo, began to explore it systematically. Until 1960, 1,600 meters have been explored and mapped, while today the known length of the cave is over 15 kilometers. In th 1970s underwent the first underwater exploration. At a point in the cave the depth reaches 100 meters. There is also a museum of Neolithic civilization at Diros with findings from the cave, proving the existence of a large dynamic Neolithic community that lived and prospered inside the cave from 5300 till 3200 B.C.. The bastion of Vathia : is one of the most impressive traditional settlements of Mani, built on the top of a hill. It is a monument to the architectural tradition of Mani in the 18th and 19th centuries. The famous towers of two or three floors, stone buildings with characteristic small windows. These openings, of course, were loopholes behind which the family and defenders of the tower resisted invaders like the Turks or even pirates. Continue to Kalamata, through the neighboring seaside villages towards Messinian Mani. Enjoy idyllic landscapes of rolling hills, olive groves and cypress trees next to the clear blue waters. Mantineia, Kitries, Kardamyli are lovely places to see. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES: - TOUR TO DIROS CAVES 15€ per ticket - MANI ROAD BIKE TOUR IN KARDAMILI 80€ per pax - PRIVATE SUNSET SAILING CRUISE FROM KALAMATA, KORONI, KARDAMILI OR STOUPA FOR 3 HOURS approximately 550€ Overnight in Kalamata.

After breakfast, visit Pylos, which is a small picturesque seaside town, approx 55 km from the city of Kalamata. Pylos is built amphitheatrically in the southern opening of the bay of Navarino, where the historic battle took place, and is defined by the Isle Sfaktiria. It is the largest natural harbor in Peloponnese and simultaneously one of the most interesting tourist destinations of Messinia, thanks to the glorious history and rich natural beauty of the area. There are many historical and natural attractions. Among them, Paleokastro, Niokastro, the cave of Nestor, the lagoon of Gialova, the area of Voidokilia etc. Swim at Voidokilia beach: It is arguably the most popular beach of the whole Messinia! This is a beach consisting of fine sand, which forms an almost perfectly round bay enclosing inside the crystal-clear turquoise waters. Because the bay of Voidokilia is considered as an archaeological site, the area is untouched by tourism infrastructure. In the evening, arrive in Athens. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES: - SEA KAYAKING IN NAVARINO BAY 80€ per pax - COOKING LESSONS IN A VILLAGE HOME IN THE SCENIC TOWN OF PYLOS 90€ per pax Overnight in Athens.

Breakfast at hotel. Free time until your departure to the Athens International Airport. Deliver the car and take the flight for your return.