Epidavrus

 

 

 

 

zagori bridge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TREASURES OF THE PELOPONNESE

Explore famous sights and less well known villages, escape from busy resorts and experience the freedom of the road on one of our fly drive holidays.

Suggested Itinerary:

Day 1: ATHENS

Arrive at Athens Spata Airport and collect rental car, drive to your hotel in Athens.

Overnight in Athens.   

Day 2: ATHENS - CORINTH CANAL - MYCENAE - EPIDAVROS - NAFPLION

In the morning leave for the Peloponnese. Drive along the coastal road of the Saronic Gulf to the Corinth Canal which connects the Ionian with the Aegean. This is a good place to stop for some excellent photos of the canal - if you are fortunate there even may be a ship passing through! Then drive on to Mycenae, the Homeric city of the Atreidae - the city "rich in gold" of the ancient poets. Here you will see the famous Lion's Gate, the Royal Tombs and the Cyclopean Walls before moving on to Nafplion. This small picturesque town nestles at the foot of a cliff crowned by the mighty ramparts of the Palamidi Fortress. In the afternoon you can visit Epidavros, the ancient centre of worship to Asclepios, god of Medicine. Don't miss the theatre here which seated 14,000 people in its heyday and its acoustics are so perfect that the merest whisper can be heard in the last row.

Overnight in Nafplion.   

Day 3: NAFPLION - MONEMVASSIA - GYTHION

In the morning drive to Southern Laconia to the former Byzantine-Venetian fortress-state of Monemvassia. It stands on a rocky promontory and from afar it looks as if it could be an island. In Greek, Monemvassia means "one entrance" - the long causeway joining it to the mainland was, and still is, the only access to the rock. Time stopped here in the Middle Ages and you will see castles and ramparts, old mansions, little houses, narrow lanes paved with stone slabs, churches with crumbling facades, old low archways and semi destroyed stairways. Every little detail conjures up memories of Byzantium and the Venetians. After absorbing the intense history at Monemvassia continue your journey to Gythion.

Overnight in Gythion.

Day 4: GYTHION - MANI - AREOPOLIS

In the morning drive down to Mani - a barren land of rocks and stones, walls and prickly pears, hard stones, bare hillsides, bays and coves torn by the sea and the wind. Every so often at the edge of the sea a small hamlet sprouts up with a series of mountain villages higher up. The towers of the Mani are well-known and are in abundance. There are also plenty of beautiful deserted beaches in this area. Your journey will take you down to Vathia, packed with grey towers and full of tradition. Driving up to Areopolis you will pass the typical small villages of Gerolimena, Alika and Mezapos. The village of Areopolis takes its name from Ares (Mars) god of war. The courage of the Maniots is legendary and ancestral glory echoes through the cobbled alleys of the city.

Overnight in Arepolis

Day 5: AREOPOLIS - DIROS CAVES - KALAMATA

In the morning start your journey with a visit to the Diros Caves with their abundance of stalactites and stalagmites. Drive on to Kalamata, capital of the Messinia district, dominated by the 13th century castle built by G. de Villehardouin. On the way why not stop in Kastania, Stoupa and Kardamili - all small typical villages of the area?

Overnight in Kalamata

Day 6: KALAMATA - KORONI - METHONI - PYLOS

Today your drive takes you through the province of Messinia. Your journey takes you first to Koroni which has mediaeval atmosphere imprinted in its old mansions, churches and castles; opposite is the little island of Venetiko with its enchanting beaches. From here you drive now to Methoni passing by little villages such as Finikounda. Homer called Methoni "rich in vines" and tradition maintains that the town is so called because the donkeys (onoi) carrying its wine used to get drunk (methoun), from the heady aroma. Your journey today ends in Pylos, a pretty little town built on a hill on the south coast of the bay of Navarino.

Overnight in Pylos

Day 7: PYLOS - MYSTRA - SPARTI

In the morning drive first to Nestor's Palace. Nestor took part in the Trojan War and his town was the second largest in the Mycenaean world. Built in the 13th century BC, the palace was destroyed by fire a century later. Excavations have revealed the remains of a luxurious two-storey central building and two other auxiliary buildings. The buildings were divided into formal apartments, storage areas for wine and oil, toolsheds and workshops. The central apartments, the throne room with stuccoed-clay ceremonial hearth and the queen's quarters were richly decorated with frescoes.

Archaeologists discovered thousands of clay pots, a bathroom with  a terracotta bathtub and 1250 clay tablets with inscriptions in Linear B. Several beehive tombs also have been discovered in the area surrounding the palace. In the afternoon you drive up to the lovely countryside of Laconia - via Kalamata - to Mystra. As you approach you feel as though you are making a pilgrimage to Byzantine Greece. Going up the hill you will enter through the castle gate which welcomes you to wander for a while through the narrow lanes of this once invincible fortress. The castle of Mystra was built by the Franks in 1249 and later on G. de Villehardouin erected bastions for his knights. As time went by, houses were built on the hillside under the Frankish castle, and a town was born whose fate was to become the centre of civilization and the cradle of the last dynasty of the Byzantine Emperor.

During the two centuries of Mystra's existence as the Byzantine capital of Peloponnese many churches and monasteries with domes and chapels were erected, representing all the painting trends of the capital. The most important monument you meet on your way up is the cathedral of Aghios Dimitrios. Also on the northern corner stand the two most impressive churches, Aghii Theodori and Panaghia Odigitria. Near the highest gate you can see the 15th century Monastery of Pantanassa with its impressive church. Pantanassa today is a hospitable convent looked after by nuns, the only living beings in Mystra.

See also the Monastery Perivlepto, leading down to the dead city with its winding stairways, arcades, courtyards and crumbling facades. Your journey ends in Sparti, a simple town built in the middle of the Evrotas river valley, on the same site where the ancient city stood.

Overnight in Sparti

Day 8: SPARTI - TRIPOLIS - NEMEA - ATHENS

In the morning take the National highway back to Athens via the towns of Tripolis, Nemea and Corinth.

Overnight in Athens

Day 9: ATHENS

Leisure time depending on flight departure time. Drive to Athens Spata Airport and drop off rental car.

 

Prices include:

* 8 days car rental with unlimited mileage, CDW, insurance, taxes, delivery and airport drop off.

* 6 nights on tour and 2 nights in Athens in mostly 3* hotels (4* and 5* hotels available on request). Bed and breakfast basis throughout.

All customers on fly-drive and off the beaten track holidays will receive a welcome pack on arrival in Athens which contains maps, hotel vouchers, a detailed programme with all hotel information and confirmation of emergency contact details.

If you would like to visit these wonderful places without driving then we can supply a private driver for the duration of the tour.

Please contact us if you would like a completely tailor made fly drive itinerary. All we would need to know are approximate dates of travel, what standard of hotel you would prefer, and if there are any particular areas or classical sites which you would like us to include (or to exclude!) in your itinerary . Your fly drive can be as active or leisurely as you please. Staying one night at each stop allows the maximum amount of sightseeing; two or more nights will allow you to do side trips, whilst staying in one place will give you the opportunity to relax and explore the local area.

 

Formalities

1. Driver's licence: International, EU or UK - held at least 1 year

2. Driver's age: minimum 23 years old

3. Holder of a credit card

     

Holiday Prices

- please call or email for a full quote - all our holidays are tailor-made.