This tour offers a unique cultural experience and a great opportunity to discover sites with great history, which belong to the cultural heritage of Greece. Our tour begins from Athens early in the morning, heading to the Mountain Parnassos. Our first stop will be Hosios Loukas, which is one of the most significant monuments of Middle Byzantine art and architecture and it’s included in the World Heritage list of UNESCO. Afterwatds, we will visit the ancient sanctuary of Delphi, also known as the center of the world and dedicated to the god Apollo. At the site, we will see the Temple of Apollo where the ancient oracle, Pythia, gave advice about important decisions during the classical ages. Afterwards, we will have lunch and we will head towards Arachova. The village is a very popular and picturesque winter resort, as it is very close to the Parnassus ski resort. After taking a walk in the beautiful village and shopping famous traditional products, we will return back to Athens.
Inclusions & Exclusions
✔ On-board WiFi
✔ In-vehicle air conditioning
✔ Transfer in new, luxury non-smoking cars
✔ Hotel pick-up and drop off
✔ Luggage service
✖ Lunch
✖ Snacks
✖ Admission ticket for museums & attractions
✖ Guided Tours (only upon request)
Departure & Return
Return: End right where it started.
Itinerary
1
Monastery of Hosios Loukas
Hosios Loukas is a historic monastery located near the town of Distomo in Boeotia, Greece. It was founded in the early 10th century AD by the hermit Venerable (in Greek: Hosios) Luke of Steiris (in Greek: Lukas). His relics, which had been stolen in the 13th Century and kept in the Vatican for centuries, are exhibited in the Catholicon, the main church of the monastery. The tomb of Hosios Loukas is placed at the juncture of the two churches and it is said that pilgrims used to sleep by the side of the tomb hoping to be healed from the healing powers of the Saint. The two churches of the monastic complex are built next to each other. The older church is the Virgin Mary, which is one of the masterpieces of Byzantine architecture in Greece. The second church, which is the largest, is dedicated to the founder. The interior of the church of Hosios Loukas, is an astounding combination of marble and mosaics, with iconography done by Michael Damaskinos, the 16th-century Cretan painter.
Duration: 60 minutes
2
Delphi
Delphi is an ancient sanctuary, also known with the Homeric name Pytho, the place where the most important oracle of the ancient Greek world was located. The ancient oracle Pythia, seated in the Temple of Apollo, inspired by gods, gave oracles to people about important decisions. Delphi is now a large archaeological site with major significance and has a small modern town nearby. It is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site as having great influence in the ancient world. In antiquity, Delphi was considered to be the center of the world. Zeus launched two eagles from the two ends of the world and the point where their paths crossed was Delphi, and this is how it became the center of the world, the omphalos –navel of the earth. Every four years, Delphi held one of the four Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece, the Pythian Games, to honor god Apollo. They were held at the Temple of Apollo two years after each Olympic Games, and between Nemean and Isthmian Games. The Pythian Games were founded in the 6th century BC and featured competitions for art and dance. The independent Amphictyonic Council −a council with representatives from various nearby city-states managed the games. The temple of Apollo is a Doric structured sanctuary and its ruins date from the 4th century BC. The ancient theater of Delphi was built further up the hill from the Temple of Apollo providing spectators a view of the entire sanctuary and the valley below. It was built in the 4th century BC but was reconstructed in 160-159 BC.
Duration: 3 hours
3
Arachova
The history of Arachova goes back to the ancient years and it is full of ancient settlements dating from 1200BC. Arachova was first mentioned in Homer’s Iliad. The current village of Arachova, as we know it today, was built by King Philip II of Macedonia in 334 BC. During the Greek Revolution in 1826, Greek rebels under Georgios Karaiskakis defeated the Ottomans at the Battle of Arachova. The village of Arachova is an ideal winter get away. It is popular for its local customs and traditional products such, as formaela cheese, which has been designated as a Protected Designation of Origin from European Union.
Duration: 60 minutes
Additional info
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Specialized infant seats are available
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
