Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus
Gaia Wine Barrels

Greece Wine & Classical Sites Tour
17-25 April 2021

From: £1,580.00

Greece Wine Tour

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 17th 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 18th April
Attiki Wine Region: We head back towards the airport and the wine region of Attiki (the province where Athens is situated) for visits and tastings at two wineries including lunch at one. On our shortlist are Megapanos, Mylonas and Papagianakos. Late afternoon we return to our hotel in the city and this evening is free to explore the bustling Plaka area and try one of the many tavernas.

Day 3: Monday 19th April
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 the family estate of Bizios where husband and wife team Elias and Areti make a small range of stunning wines.

We continue further south into Nemea to Domaine Skouras, who make one of Greece’s best known red wines Megas Oenos, literally ‘Big Wine’. Here we will have a tasting followed by a buffet lunch.

Late afternoon we drive to Nafplion and check into the boutique Hotel Grand Bretagne, near the seafront, which will be our base for the next three nights. The 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 20th April
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. The afternoon is free for swimming and sightseeing.

The evening meal will be a BYO group dinner at a local taverna.

Day 5: Wednesday 21st April
Nemea Part 2 and Mycenae: Today we visit two more Nemea wineries, on our shortlist are Gaia, Semeli and Palivos, with lunch at one. Late afternoon we will have a private guided tour of the ancient site of Mycenae, made famous by King Agamemnon.

The evening is free to try another of the many restaurants in Nafplion.

Day 6: Thursday 22nd April
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 – Spiropoulos and Troupis. For lunch today we plan to go to Archontiko Kalteziotis, 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 two nights. This evening is free to explore the town or to relax at the hotel.

Day 7: Friday 23rd April
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 the historic wine estate of Domaine Mercouri where we will have a tour and tasting.

In the afternoon we will head to the coastal area of Katokalon and Agios Andreas beach for some lunch and downtime. Evening dinner is included in our hotel price.

Day 8: Saturday 24th April
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 our final winery visit will be at Tetramythos for a tasting and lunch. Late afternoon we drive back to Athens and check-in again at Hotel Central.

There is nothing officially planned for the final evening although we may go to a local wine bar to try a few more Greek wines from other parts of Greece!

Day 9: Sunday 25th April
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 Stanstead and Luton with Ryanair.

If you plan to arrive on the first day of the tour (Saturday 17th April) we recommend that you book a flight which arrives in Athens no later than 4pm. The tour officially ends after breakfast on Sunday 25th April 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 19th April when we check out of the hotel and leave Athens and also on 24th April 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: Hotel Grand Bretagne (3 nights) is the Grande Dame of Nafplio, a boutique hotel boasting a long-standing history and neoclassical architecture. The rooms and suites provide luxurious accommodation, blending the timeless elegance of handpicked furnishings, draped curtains and antiques, along with modern facilities and services. Very centrally located right in the heart of Nafplio the hotel is within walking distance of all the attractions in the area, and it overlooks the Argolic Gulf and the iconic water castle of Bourtzi.

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.

    Participant One Details

    Details of Person Making the Booking.

    Postal Address

    • 300 £

    Participant Two Details

    Details of Participant

    • 300 £
A deposit of £395.00 per person is required to secure your booking.

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