Classical Athens & The Peloponnese

Itinerary

• Day 1 - Fly to Athens

  We fly to Athens and transfer to our centrally located hotel, Athens Plaza, for a four night stay.

• Day 2 - Acropolis

  We begin our tour with a visit to the Acropolis complex crowned by the majestic Parthenon. We will also see other architectural masterpieces including the Temple of Athena Nike, the Propylaea, the Erechtheion and the Theatre of Dionysus where the dramas of Sophocles and Euripides were first performed. This afternoon is dedicated to the superb Acropolis museum which houses an array of finds from the hill of the Acropolis and its surrounding slopes.

• Day 3 - Cape Sounion

  Today we go to two important ancient sites. First we visit the magical Sanctuary of Poseidon, at Cape Sounion, located 70 meters on a clifftop at the end of the Athens Peninsula. We then continue to Vravrona to see the great Sanctuary of Artemis, dedicated to the goddess of the hunt.

• Day 4 - Archaeological Museum

  This morning is dedicated to the Archaeological Museum of Athens, which houses many of the greatest treasures of ancient Greek art. There are over 11,000 exhibits in the museum, tracing the history of Greece from the Minoan to the Hellenistic period, and highlights include the bronze statue of Poseidon and the so-called golden mask of Agamemnon. In the afternoon we will visit the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Temple of Hephaistos before returning to the hotel.

• Day 5 - Corinth Canal and Nafplio

  We depart Athens for Corinth to see the famous Corinth Canal here before reaching the Fountain of Peirene and the earliest Doric temples on the mainland. We will then continue to Nafplio where will stay at the Amphitryon Hotel for the remainder of the tour.

• Day 6 - Epidaurus and Mycenae

  Today we visit the ancient site of Epidaurus, centre of worship to Asclepios, god of medicine. Here we see the finest theatre in Greece, seating an audience of up to 14,000 people. In the afternoon we continue to the hilltop site of Mycenae, home of the legendary King Agamemnon whose tomb was discovered in 1876. We also visit the great Mycenaean hillfort of Tiryns including the remains of the palace and Cyclopean walls.

• Day 7 - Nemea

  We travel to the site of Nemea where the mythical Hercules fought the Nemean lion. We will see the Temple of Zeus and the ancient stadium before travelling to a local vineyard to enjoy wine-tasting and a light lunch.

• Day 8 - Flight to London

  We drive to Athens for the flight back to London.