Athens - Helmos Mountain - Diakofto - Kalavrita - Ancient Olympia - Cave of the Lakes
Athens - Helmos Mountain - Diakofto - Kalavrita - Ancient Olympia - Cave of the Lakes
*Guided tour on the Acropolis Hill with our expert official guide *Trip with the Odondotos rack train through the Vouraikos gorge *Cooking lesson experience under the shadow of Helmos Mount *Olive oil lesson & gastronomy experience in Ancient Olympia *Trout's tasting experience in the protected area of Planitero *Wine tasting experience in the beautiful area of Aegialia
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ITINERARY
Day 1
ALL DAY IN ATHENS: Dear guests, this is your first day in Athens. You already had a hard day in the international airports. Today, you are free to enjoy the historic center of the Greek capital. You can have some creative time by walking between ancient Greek monuments in the mansion pederstrian street of Dionysiou Areopagitou or have some fun without fatigue in a traditional tavern of the city center or even enjoy a glass of wine while listening good music in a cozy bar of the old town. We want you to relax and enjoy your first acquaintance with our city. Athens is an alternative, charming and unexpected European capital, which looks like no other. It combines the old with the new, the history with the modern life, the amazing ancient monuments with the joyful nightlife. This first day just feel the city; you don't need to know anything! Tomorrow you will learn, what makes this city so great and unique all over the world. FIRST OVERNIGHT STAY IN ATHENS.
Day 2
ALL DAY IN ATHENS: Today we enjoy together a beautiful stroll by foot in the old town of Athens. Starting from the Syntagma Square, we see the House of the Greek Parliament and the Monument of the Unknown Soldier. We continue through Ermou, the central commercial pedestrian street of Athens, down to the Monastiraki and Thiseio. Afterwards, we visit the scenic Plaka, the oldest Athenian neighborhood! After tasting a delicious koulouri, the Greek bun flavored with roasted sesame, it's time to marvel at all the ancient masterpieces of the Sacred Rock of the Acropolis from up close. Our official Acropolis guide is waiting for you. You visit together the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, the beautiful Caryatids and finally the Parthenon, the masterpiece of the classical perfection, the monument that "puts mind in order", as the Greek philosophers have told. After the Acropolis tour, we leave you. It's time for you to enjoy a magnificent Greek light meal, visit the unique in the world Acropolis Museum or go for shopping in the beautiful small shops of Plaka. The evening is free to enjoy the historic city center. As the night falls this part of Athens, which is very dear to young people, becomes more and more joyful and alive. Enjoy an idyllic walk, passing through the mansion pederstrian street of D. Areopagitou, between the Hill of the Nymphs, the Hill of Pnyx and the Acropolis Hill. This walk will be to you unforgettable, as at that hour all the Athenian monuments are enlightened under the night sky of Attica. Afterwards you can enjoy delicious traditional dishes of the Greek cuisine in a high-standard Athenian restaurant. We are here to offer you amazing suggestions about your dinner. We are specialists on restaurants and food. The rest of the night is yours to live it, as the Athenians do. SECOND OVERNIGHT STAY IN ATHENS.
Day 3
ATHENS - CORINTH CANAL - DIAKOFTO - KALAVRITA: We depart from Athens in the morning. After a short stop at the famous Corinth Canal, we continue for the mountainous Achaia and its picturesque town of Kalavrita, a resort for all seasons. From Diakofto, the beautiful village in the coast of the Corinthian bay, we take Odontotos, the famous rack train, which has been going up to Kalavrita and crossing the Vouraikos gorge. After a one hour trip through a wild landscape with old stone bridges, small rivers and waterfalls, we reach Kalavrita, which are situated under the shadow of Helmos Mountain. Getting out of the station, we will been hosted in a traditional restaurant, where the owners will cook with us delicious recipes of the Peloponnesian cuisine, using local high quality products of the area. After preparing the dishes, we will taste them all together, enjoying an unforgettable experience. After the meal we drive to the hotel, which is located on the slopes of Helmos Mountain, overlooking the scenic town of Kalavrita. The rest of the day is yours. Relax in the traditional coffee shops of the area, buy honey, herbs and homemade jams. FIRST OVERNIGHT STAY IN KALAVRITA. (The cooking lesson and the meal in Kalavrita is included in the price).
Day 4
KALAVRITA - ANCIENT OLYMPIA - KALAVRITA: In the morning we head towards Ancient Olympia, the holy place where the first Olympic Games took place. Reaching the famous village, we visit the Archaeological Site Here we will marvel at the Sanctuary of Olympian Zeus, the Ancient Stadium, the spot, where the torch of the modern Olympic Games is lit and finally the Archaeological Museum. We return to modern times with a visit to an agricultural art farm, where we will be having a lesson in olive oil in the garden of the farm and immediately after that we will enjoy a magnificent Greek lunch in a unique atmosphere! After the meal, we return to Kalavrita. Reaching the hotel, the rest of the day is yours; you can relax or enjoy a walk in the countryside around the hotel. SECOND OVERNIGHT STAY IN KALAVRITA. NOTE: The daily excursion to Ancient Olympia is optional and it is not included in the price. If you do not want to participate, you can stay in Kalavrita and enjoy the mountain's magic, by visiting the ski resort of Helmos. You can also enjoy a beautiful walk around the mountainous landscape around the hotel or even visit by foot Kalavrita's center, enjoying a coffee or shopping the local products of the region.
Day 5
KALAVRITA - CAVE OF THE LAKES - PLANITERO - KALAVRITA: In the morning we are going to discover the treasures of the mountainous land of Helmos. We start with the mythical Cave of the Lakes, a rare creation of nature, a stone forest full of surprises. The Cave of the Lakes, that is well known for its mysterious galleries is a beautiful cave, that is located at a distance of 17 kilometers from Kalavrita. Reaching the cave, we will marvel at the strange stalactite formations and the small and larger lakes follow one another. We continue with the dazzling forest of Planitero and the Aroan river springs. This is a protected enchanting area, that is listed in the Natura 2000 network. The village of Planitero stands out for its magnificent plane tree forest, but it is also well known for its trout's farms. Amidst the plane trees, almost on the riverbed, in a rustic atmosphere, we are going to taste trout's dishes, made in 9 different ways. We return to Kalavrita. The rest of the day is yours. THIRD OVERNIGHT STAY IN KALAVRITA.
Day 6
KALAVRITA - HELMOS MOUNTAIN - KALAVRITA: The day is dedicated to the mountain and its magic. The ski resort of Helmos Mountain is waiting for us. At an altitude of 2.340 meters, we find the most important ski resort in Peloponnese. Being the second largest ski resort in Greece, it is located in a breathtaking fiery alpine landscape. Due to its close proximity to Athens and to its first-class facilities, many skiers visit it throughout the ski season. Here, the famous black and red runs of Styga challenge even the most expert skiers. In the afternoon we return to Kalavrita. The rest of the day is yours. FOURTH OVERNIGHT STAY IN KALAVRITA.
Day 7
KALAVRITA - ANO DIAKOFTO - ATHENS: This is our last day in the amazing mountainous land of Helmos. Today, we are going to visit the Holy Monastery of Mega Spileo. It is built on the slopes of a steep side of a rocky hill, providing great views from its balcony. Continuing our route back to Athens, we will make a stop at Ano Diakofto. Here, in an area of high quality wine production, an attractive winery is looking forward to our visit. This area is renowned since antiquity for the excellent organic quality of its grapes and wine. Notably Pausanias refers to the villages of Aegialia, as ideal for the growing of vineyards. In the winery we will enjoy a wine tasting and learn more about the local wine varieties. It's time for us to return to Athens. We arrive at our hotel in Athens. LAST OVERNIGHT STAY IN ATHENS.
Day 8
Dear friends, your day of departure from our homeland has arrived! We would be glad to see you again soon..... NOTE: To this last day, we could add one more night in Athens, before you leave from our country and return back home. Please let us know, so that we do the reservation. (The additional night is not included in the price)