Greece Guided Walking in Delphi, Meteora & the Aegean Coast for 8 Days

Greece Guided Walking in Delphi, Meteora & the Aegean Coast for 8 Days 8 Days

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Greece Guided Walking in Delphi, Meteora & the Aegean Coast for 8 Days
Greece Guided Walking in Delphi, Meteora & the Aegean Coast for 8 Days
Greece Guided Walking in Delphi, Meteora & the Aegean Coast for 8 Days
Greece Guided Walking in Delphi, Meteora & the Aegean Coast for 8 Days
Greece Guided Walking in Delphi, Meteora & the Aegean Coast for 8 Days
Greece Guided Walking in Delphi, Meteora & the Aegean Coast for 8 Days
Greece Guided Walking in Delphi, Meteora & the Aegean Coast for 8 Days
Greece Guided Walking in Delphi, Meteora & the Aegean Coast for 8 Days
Greece Guided Walking in Delphi, Meteora & the Aegean Coast for 8 Days
Greece Guided Walking in Delphi, Meteora & the Aegean Coast for 8 Days
Greece Guided Walking in Delphi, Meteora & the Aegean Coast for 8 Days
Greece Guided Walking in Delphi, Meteora & the Aegean Coast for 8 Days

Overview
Itinerary
Nuts & Bolts
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Overview

Highlights

Duration: 8 Days
Comfort: 66.6666666666667%
Language: English
Rating: 60.0%
Trip ID: 125959
Start Location: Arachova, Greece
End Location: Ntamouchari, Greece

Guaranteed:
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Primary Activities: Walking Tour
Other Activities: Monuments, museum, Swimming, castle, sightseeing, national parks, buildings, monastery, Local Culture, Local Food, Food
Activity Level: Intermediate, Basic

On this journey into the cradle of Western civilization, you’ll continually move between worlds—from the myths and history of earliest memory to the modern traditions of today’s Greek lifestyle. Expert resident guides with encyclopedic knowledge of Greek history, legends, and culture will take you to Thermopylae, site of the infamous battle in 480 BC between 300 Spartans and Xerxes’s Persian army.With a private museum interpreter, tour the Delphic Oracle and the vast Temple of Apollo—perhaps Greece’s most impressive ruins. Then walk to the remote mountain village of Agios Prokopios, which straddles the “spine of Greece,” and Milies, where you’ll meet local residents on cobblestoned streets. The coastal town of Tsargarada, situated on two hillsides divided by a ravine, offers traditional taverna meals of zucchini fritters, spanakopita, octopus salad, and grilled prawns. It’s a journey across the ages on trails through farmland, over mountains, and down to the warm waters and secluded beaches of the shimmering Aegean Sea.

Itinerary

Day 1: Parnassos National Park; 5 miles, easy to moderate

You meet your guide(s) and group in Athens in the morning for an orientation meeting and then depart on a scenic drive northwards. After approximately 2 hours, you turn off the highway near the Mycenean citadel of Gla and head west, through the village of Orchomenos and past the Schist Crossroads, identified by the ancient travel writer Pausanias as the place where Oedipus unwittingly murdered his father.Your lunch stop is in the beautiful town of Arachova, which is a ski resort in winter. Taste your first authentic Greek fare in a traditional taverna with great views over the valley below. This delicious lunch is followed by a walk in Parnassos National Park, which was the second national park to be established in Greece, after Olympus. Just like the Olympus National Park, Parnassos is linked to Greek Mythology. Mount Parnassos was Apollo’s sacred mountain and the home of muses and Corycian nymphs. Walk along trails where you can see Mediterranean flora and fauna and among pine forests. The park is at its best in the spring and fall when the wildflowers are in bloom. It is also the site of a ski area in the winter.Return to Arachova to relax and check in to your stunningly located hotel. Later a festive dinner in a nearby taverna consisting of local specialties such as zucchini fritters, salad with pomegranate, lamb chops, or grilled fish welcomes you to the natural beauty and ancient wonders of Greece.

Lodging: Hotel Likoria
Description: An intimate four-star boutique hotel situated at over 3,000 feet. It offers spacious, plush rooms, all with fabulous views over the Delphi Valley.

Day 2: Delphi Sanctuary and Archaeological Museum; Transfer to Agrafa region via Thermopylae

After breakfast you drive a short distance to the archaeological site of Delphi. In antiquity, for over a thousand years, a steady stream of pilgrims wound their way up dangerous mountain passes to seek guidance from the Delphic Oracle; this afternoon you are amongst the present-day visitors to this most impressive of all ancient Greek monuments. You meet your private guide outside the museum, where you receive an excellent introduction to the history of this fascinating place. You then enter the site via the Sacred Precinct and make your way past the foundations of memorials and treasuries and the remarkable Polygonal Wall, up to the impressive remains of the Temple of Apollo, which dominates the whole sanctuary.The morning concludes with an optional walk continuing up to the Delphi Theatre and Stadium at the highest point of the Sanctuary. You then walk into the village of Delphi where you enjoy lunch in a local taverna which consists of delicious and unusual salads and mezethedes (appetizers).After lunch you depart Delphi and drive north towards the Pindos Mountains and the Agrafa region. After driving approximately one-and-a-half hours, the first stop this morning en route to your destination is Thermopylae, site of the momentous battle of 480 B.C. between the 300 Spartans and the mighty Persian army led by Xerxes. The recent diversion of highway away from this area has added great poignancy to the monument to King Leonidas of Sparta and the gravemound of the fallen Spartans.Driving farther northward across the Plain of Thessaly you arrive at your home for the next three nights, a spa hotel located on a forested hill near the city of Mouzaki overlooking the plain of Thessaly, one of the regions comprising northern Greece. After checking in, you may choose to relax in the pool or use the spa facilities before gathering for dinner at a nearby taverna.

Lodging: Mouzaki Hotel and Spa
Description: A new resort located in the countryside and surrounded by manicured grounds. Large comfortable rooms, as well as outdoor and indoor pools, Jacuzzi, and spa services available.

Day 3: Agios Prokopios to Petrochori; From Pili along the Portaikos River

Today’s walk takes you to two unknown and little-visited mountain communities just a short distance from your hotel. The mountain range known as the “spine of Greece,” the Pindos stretch over one hundred miles from northern Greece and southern Albania through the heart of Macedonia. The highest point is Mount Smolikas at just over 8,000 feet.You drive first through Pili, the southeastern gateway to the Pindos mountains and soon arrive in the village of Agios Prokopios. The trail climbs steeply out of the village, following the road to a monastery of the same name. An approximate 45-minute climb takes you along terrain that includes a paved road as well as hard-packed gravel. You then ascend gradually to emerge high on a ridge between two valleys. Your exertions are rewarded with unrivalled mountain views, which are your focus as you descend to Petrochori. Here you receive a warm welcome in the simple village taverna as you enjoy a well-deserved lunch. Afterwards it is just a short walk down to the road and close to the dramatic location of the Megalo Kastro (great castle) on a seemingly invincible outcrop of rock. You return to the outskirts of Pili where you conclude the afternoon with a short walk over the imposing single-arched bridge, dated 1514, along the bank of the Portaikos River and past the beautiful Byzantine church of the Porta Panagia, founded in 1287.Dinner this evening is at a wonderful family-run restaurant and may feature eggplant parmesan, roasted peppers, and grilled trout.

Lodging: Mouzaki Hotel and Spa
Description: A new resort located in the countryside and surrounded by manicured grounds. Large comfortable rooms, as well as outdoor and indoor pools, Jacuzzi, and spa services available.

Day 4: Kalambaka and Meteora; Afternoon optional visit to the Grand Meteora or Ipapandis Trail

After breakfast you drive approximately one hour to the town of Kalambaka, dramatically located in the shadow of the spectacular rocks of the Meteora, one of the largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries. Meteora means “suspended in the heavens” and, indeed, the collection of monasteries are perched incredibly high on naturally sculpted sandstone pillars and can be reached only by a series of steep stairways. You begin today’s walk in this fantastic landscape at the beautiful 12th-century church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, one of the few buildings in the old town not destroyed by the German army in the 1940s. From here a dirt trail leads you to the village of Kastraki and your first, stunning, close-up view of the monasteries. You visit the Varlaam Monastery which has superb 16th-century frescoes by a famous Cretan painter. You can also visit the tower which contains the old windlass and rope basket from 1536. This basket used to transport monks and supplies to the monastery. It was used as recently as 1961-63, when the refectory was renovated into a museum of religious artifacts. After this visit enjoy a simple but delicious picnic lunch just outside the monastery grounds.After lunch you may choose to visit the nearby Great Meteoron (“Monastery of the Transfiguration”). Founded in 1362, this is the largest and loftiest of the Meteora monasteries. Here you have the option of visiting inside this monastery (unaccompanied), or taking the Ipapandis walk. Those who choose to visit inside this monastery will reconnect with the group later this afternoon.For those who wish to join the remainder of the scenic afternoon walk, you leave the main cluster of monasteries behind, and head for the solitude of Ipapandis, an abandoned 14th-century cave monastery set in beautiful woodland. On your walk you may encounter a herd of goats and their shepherd, which is still a traditional form of living in this area. From here a peaceful track leads you back to the outskirts of Kastraki where your transport awaits to take you back to your hotel. Here you have time to relax before a dinner of local specialties.

Lodging: Mouzaki Hotel and Spa
Description: A new resort located in the countryside and surrounded by manicured grounds. Large comfortable rooms, as well as outdoor and indoor pools, Jacuzzi, and spa services available.

Day 5: Transfer to Pelion. Anilio to Agios Ioannis

This morning you depart Mouzaki for your final destination: the small seaside resort of Agios Ioannis on the wooded eastern slopes of Mount Pelion. This mountain is situated on a hook-like peninsula in the Aegean Sea; its forests of beech, chestnut, and oak crisscrossed by a network of hiking trails that lead down to numerous beaches of varying size. In Greek mythology, it was the homeland of Chiron the Centaur as well as Achilles.After an approximate two-hour drive, you find yourself high in the village of Hania, a few miles east of Volos, still very much a welcome resting place on the journey over the mountains. A short distance farther brings you to Anilio, home to a flourishing apple packaging and export business. En route view the traditional Greek houses on the hillsides. This is quite an affluent area, due to people from Athens and Thessalonika making this area their weekend or vacation getaway. Here you are treated to a delicious lunch in the local taverna which may include spanakopita (spinach pie), Greek salad (made out of the freshest ingredients), grilled lamb kebabs, and yoghurt topped with local preserves for dessert. From here you take your first walk in the magical Pelion area. Following the quiet road through the village past the main square and the church of Agios Athanasios, you then take the old constructed pathway that leads steeply down through woods and olive groves to the coast, where you catch your first glimpse of the crystal clear waters of the Aegean Sea. The final part of your walk is along the sands of the beautiful and secluded Plaka beach and the waterfront of Agios Ioannis.After settling into your hotel, dinner in a local restaurant is included. Enjoy the fresh seafood, including sardines and calamari, and other grilled, local fish.

Lodging: Boutique Hotel Kentrikon
Description: Located in the heart of the peaceful village of Agios Ioannis, this is a family owned and run property. It consists of a recently refurbished central building and five tiers of individual bungalows each with its own private entrance and a panoramic view of the Aegean Sea.

Day 6: Tsagarada to Milie (with several short steep climbs on traditional paths)

This morning you set off on the finest walk in the area in the heart of the Pelion, a full-day traverse from the eastern side of the peninsula to the village of Milies. Until the building of the winding asphalt road in 1938, your route was the principal link between the villages of the Tsagarada region and the end of the narrow gauge railway in Milies, the westerly access point.You begin your walk just outside Tsagarada, where a narrow path takes you steeply up above the village of Ksourichti and on to the chapel of Agios Dimitrios. From here your well-marked route is an agricultural road and then an old path, which leads you up through an enchanting beech forest to emerge at a wayside shelter high on a ridge. After a welcome rest and a simple picnic lunch of fresh bread, olives, cheese, and fruit, your resume your walk, now on a trail which descends gradually towards Milies and offers expansive views over the whole area. A series of old paths brings you into the traditional mountain village of Milies with its stone houses and cobbled streets. Here a welcome drink awaits you in the sleepy village square before you return to your hotel. In the late afternoon, you ma

Lodging: Boutique Hotel Kentrikon
Description: Located in the heart of the peaceful village of Agios Ioannis, this is a family owned and run property. It consists of a recently refurbished central building and five tiers of individual bungalows each with its own private entrance and a panoramic view of the Aegean Sea.

Day 7: Lambinou and Tsagarada; 5 miles, easy with moderate sections

This morning’s walk begins on an old trail just below the village of Lambinou. Taking a narrow pathway you pass a deserted olive oil factory set in a shady grotto and soon afterward come out onto the road to reach the recently restored monastery of the Panagia Lambidhona. From here it is just a few minutes walk down to the sea, where your route becomes an agricultural track and then a local path through olive groves, which, surprisingly, are a rare sight in this region. The route descends steeply to the shore at Limnionas Bay and then climbs above the coastline to emerge at Milopotamos, one of the most beautiful beaches in the Pelion area, blessed with crystal clear water and gleaming white sand. Here you have a chance to take a dip before a delicious lunch of fresh seafood (octopus salad, grilled prawns, and calamari) at the nearby taverna.After lunch you take a short transfer back up to the fascinating village of Tsagarada, which is divided by a ravine into two separate neighborhoods. This is the heart of the traditional Pelion, its stone-built mansions and impressive public schools testifying to its wealth in previous centuries. You begin in the neighborhood of Agios Taxiarchis, where you see the church dating from 1746 and the 150-foot diameter plane tree (known more commonly in the U.S. as a sycamore). You then follow winding village paths to the distant square of Agia Paraskevi with another enormous plane tree and cold springs. Tonight at your farewell dinner, you toast your adventures in the heart of Greece’s storied mountains.

Lodging: Boutique Hotel Kentrikon
Description: ocated in the heart of the peaceful village of Agios Ioannis, this is a family owned and run property. It consists of a recently refurbished central building and five tiers of individual bungalows each with its own private entrance and a panoramic view of the Aegean Sea.

Day 8: Dhamoukhari to Papa Nero; 1.5 miles, easy to moderate. Transfer to Athens

On your final morning a short transfer brings you to to the hamlet of Dhamoukhari. This tiny settlement is still a hidden gem, despite its recent fame as the location for the port scenes in the hit movie “Mamma Mia.” You return to Papa Nero on foot, enjoying a short walk along the coast. Then board your private coach and drive back over the summit of Mount Pelion to Volos where you eat your final lunch. It was here where Jason, the leader of the Argonauts, set sail on his quest for the Golden Fleece. Reluctantly you now turn southwards for your return journey to Athens (from Volos an approximate four-hour drive) where you say goodbye to your new-found friends.

Nuts & Bolts

Trip Includes

Two expert, local guides (for groups of 8 or more), with you 24/7
All meals included except 1 dinner; local wine or beer included with dinners
All accommodations (with private baths) while on tour Transportation from the meeting to the departure point Entrance fees and special events as noted in the itinerary
Basic travel insurance coverage (see Travel Insurance section that follows)
The exclusive ease of a mobile phone rental with our Cellhire partnership. Receive preferred calling rates, free phone rental, and complimentary shipping of mobile phones
The unbeatable and cumulative experience of the Country Walkers staff

Trip Excludes

Trip ID#: 125959

CANCELLATIONS: 20% cancellation fee applied if cancelled 60 days prior to departure. Cancellations within 60 days are 100% non-cancelable

Operator

For the specifics on this tour operator, please contact AdventureLink directly.

Reviews (3)

- M. Suby, Massachusetts

Our Greek tour was marvelous from the moment it began till the moment it ended! We had wonderful weather, which helped, and the walks were all a delight—each one introducing us to new and wonderful (sometimes magical) sights. Antonis regaled us with history and mythology, and Ruth ordered meals with mouthwatering success.
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- C. Hussey, Florida

This is the best way to travel and get a personal feel for the area being visited.
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- L. Baar Montgomery, New Jersey

Ruth's meticulous research and attention to detail are tremendous assets. George's perspectives on Greek customs and Greek history, both ancient and modern, are always interesting and fun. Our guide in Delphi made the site come alive.
- Overall Rating
  70%
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