Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus
Gaia Wine Barrels

Greece Wine & Classical Sites Tour
30 April - 08 May 2022

£1,580.00

Greece Wine Tour

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This fascinating Wine and Classical Sites Tour to Athens and the Peloponnese features three of Greece’s major wine regions, Attiki, Nemea and Mantinea, as well as three of the most important classical sites, Mycenae, Epidaurus and Olympia.

There will be wine tastings at several of Greece’s best producers, delicious group meals, scenic drives through the mountains of the Peloponnese, legendary classical sites and a ride on a famous cog railway. Accommodation will be in three centres, Athens (much improved since the Olympics in 2004); Nafplion, one of the loveliest towns in all of Greece with a beautiful setting by the sea; and Olympia, home of the original Olympic Games.

Itinerary

Day 1: Saturday 30th April
Arrival and Welcome Dinner: This evening congregate at our hotel, Central Hotel in Plaka, for a briefing about the tour and to meet your fellow travellers. We will have dinner together at a nearby local restaurant.

Day 2: Sunday 1st May
Attiki Wine Region: This morning we head back towards the airport and the wine region of Attiki (the province where Athens is situated) to visit two contrasting wineries – one which has a stunning modern winery and the other which is more low-key and where we hope to get out into their vineyard. We will have a late lunch at a taverna in the resort of Porto Rafti overlooking the Aegean Sea. Late afternoon we return to our hotel in the city and this evening is free to explore the bustling Plaka area.

Day 3: Monday 2nd May
Corinth Canal, Nemea and the Peloponnese: Checking out of our hotel we drive west towards the Corinth canal. After a brief stop at this engineering marvel we continue to the Nemea region, one of the most important in Greece for red wine. We visit one of the leading wineries in the region where we will have a tour, tasting and lunch. We continue up into the hills to visit a family estate and taste their range of stunning wines.

Late afternoon we drive to Nafplion and check into the boutique Hotel Ippoliti, near the seafront, which will be our base for the next three nights. This evening is free to explore this beautiful town, which was the first capital of modern Greece, and try one of the many fine restaurants.

Day 4: Tuesday 3rd May
Epidaurus and Nafplion: Today is our first ‘cultural’ day. We drive to the ancient site of Epidaurus where a private guide will give us a tour of the museum and the majestic ancient theatre. We return to Nafplion at lunchtime and there will be the option to be dropped off at Palamidi castle which overlooks the town. This afternoon is free for swimming and sightseeing. In the evening we will meet up for a BYO group dinner at a local taverna.

Day 5: Wednesday 4th May
Nemea Part 2 and Mycenae: Today we visit two more important Nemea wineries. In the morning at one of the top wineries of the region we will have an extensive tasting. Afterwards we continue to one of the pioneers of the modern Greek wine scene where we will have a tour, tasting and buffet lunch. Late afternoon we will have a private guided tour of the ancient site of Mycenae, made famous by King Agamemnon. This evening is free to try another of the many restaurants in Nafplion.

Day 6: Thursday 5th May
Mantinea: Checking out of our hotel we drive south towards Tripoli and the wine region of Mantinea where we will visit two wineries for tastings. Lunch today will be at a beautiful boutique hotel converted from a family mansion.

After lunch we continue west to Olympia and check into Hotel Asty, our base for the next 2 nights. This evening is free to explore the town or to relax at the hotel.  

Day 7: Friday 6th May
Ancient Olympia and Beach: This morning we will have a private guided tour of the ancient site of Olympia and its museum. Late morning we visit a historic wine estate where we will have a tour and tasting. This afternoon we will head to the coastal area of Katokalon and Agios Andreas beach for some lunch and downtime. This evening dinner is included in our hotel.

Day 8: Saturday 7th May
Cog Railway and Kalavrita: Checking out of our hotel we have an early start as we drive north towards Diakofto in the Northern Peloponnese to take the scenic ride on the famous Cog Railway to Kalavrita. Afterwards we drive back down towards the Gulf of Corinth, stopping at a winery where we will have a tasting and lunch whilst enjoy the stunning views. Late afternoon we drive back to Athens and check-in again at Hotel Central.

This evening there is nothing officially planned though we may go to a local wine bar to try a few more Greek wines from other parts of Greece!

Day 9: Sunday 8th May
Farewell: after breakfast – TOUR ENDS.

For those returning to London on a late flight there will be time for sightseeing – maybe a visit to the Acropolis and its excellent new museum or the National Archaeological Museum.

TRAVEL

Please note that flights are not included in the cost of the tour so you will need to book your own travel to/from Athens.

There are many direct/non-stop flights from London – from Heathrow with British Airways and Aegean Airlines, from Gatwick with Easyjet and from Stansted and Luton with Ryanair.

If you plan to arrive on the first day of the tour, Saturday 30th April, we recommend that you book a flight which arrives in Athens no later than 4pm. The tour officially ends after breakfast on Sunday 8th May and if departing that day you can book any flight.

Travel throughout the tour will be in a comfortable, air-conditioned coach.

ACCOMMODATION

Athens: Hotel Central (3 nights total). Centrally located in the Plaka District, rooms are compact but there are spacious public areas and a roof terrace and bar with sensational views of the Acropolis.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Taxis can pull up outside this hotel but buses are not able to as the road is quite narrow. On 2nd May when we check out of the hotel and leave Athens and also on 7th May when we return to Athens from the Peloponnese, we will have to walk for 5 minutes with our luggage to/from our tour bus and the hotel.

Nafplion: Ippoliti Hotel (3 nights). Located in the centre of town, a stone’s throw from the waterfront and bustling harbour, this boutique hotel originally a neo-classical 19th century mansion has been renovated thoroughly to combine the tradition of Nafplio with modern amenities. There are just 18 rooms and we may have exclusive use of the whole hotel. There is a small swimming pool.

Olympia: Hotel Asty (2 nights). Set above the town the hotel enjoys fabulous views over the countryside, a large outdoor swimming pool and spacious rooms. The town is just a few minutes’ walk away and Ancient Olympia 2kms away.

PRICING INFORMATION

Price Includes:

  • £1,580 per person sharing a double or twin room.
  • 8 nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation
  • Air-conditioned coach transport throughout the tour
  • Tastings at 10 different wineries
  • 8 lunches or dinners at wineries or local restaurants with wine (BYO at one dinner)
  • Entrance tickets to Epidaurus, Mycenae and Olympia (with private guided tours)
  • Ticket for the Cog Railway
  • Services of tour/wine guide Christos Ioannou

Supplements:

  • Single occupancy of a double/twin room (limited number of single rooms available): £300

A non-refundable deposit of £395 per person is payable when booking. The remaining balance is due eight weeks before the start of the tour. Your money will be held in a secure Client Deposit Account and is fully protected.

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