(Dec. 20, 2024 – Jan. 4, 2025)
As a first-timer, we decided to join a 5-day Classical Greece Group Tour, in order to visit all the famous spots in a short time. As the public transportation outside of Athens seem uneasy. Although there are regular buses and trains running through all the main cities, they are not frequent, especially winter.
4 Day Classical Greece Tour~~ with G.O.TOURS
This was the Itinerary of our “4-day Classical Greece Tour” with G.O TOURS (booked online at Fantasy Travel).
- Day 1 – Atherns to Nafplion via the Corinth Canal, stay at Hotel Amalia Nafplion
- Day 2 – Olympia to Delphi, stay at stay at Hotel Amalia Delpi
The 2nd day morning, we went to visit the extensive archeological site of Olpmpia. Prior to this visit, I knew nothing about it except for the Olympic Games started from Greece.
Hearing the explanation of different sites and stories from our guide, I were able to picture how the Olympic players lived their lives in the ancient past. The site included hotels, baths, drinking place, training area… extremely detailed and efficient. There were also engravement in Greek everywhere. Most of the structures were already hardly recognizable, but staring at the model inside its museum, the realistic sculptures of the players, I could only admire the knowledges, art and cultures of the ancient Greeks.
- Day 3 – Delphi to Kalambaka, stay at Grand Hotel Meteroa
- Day 4 – Visit Meteora and return to Athens
The last day I drove a long way till rocky mountains to visit the Meteora Monasteries. It was never-ending windy roads that I almost got carsick, and it was a huge valley of many columns of stony peaks.
On some of the peaks, several monasteries of different sizes and shape could be seen from afar. They were built around 13th to 15th centuries, really looked like floating on the air. We visited only 2 of the monasteries, but they totally looked & felt different inside.
The bigger one required to pass a wooden bridge between 2 peaks, and long stairs to reach. It has a garden, multiple buildings, several rooms and even winery. The chapel was not so big, but very complicated structured with colorful hand-paintings all over the walls and ceilings.
The smaller monastery only required long stair to reach, and it only have a tiny chapel, which had only 2 chairs inside and could house no more than 20 people, but it was also hand-painted with Christian saints and stories all over the walls and ceilings. There were not an inch of empty space, or any repeated character inside all these paintings.
I was very impressed by that, wondered what kind of life these monks lived in the past, how they were able to transport enough materials to build such delicate monasteries on top of these stony peaks, while there were absolutely nothing around, probably no roads at that time. They had such strong beliefs in their god, that they dedicated their whole life, just to build these monasteries and to serve their god. It is hard to imagine, from modern world.
G.O TOURS
It was a group tour, about 12 people in the first 2 days, and about 40 people in the last 2 days. I read about horrifying stories that some people were being leftover by group tours… so I was really woried. However, on the 1st day, a huge travel bus with big G.O TOURS logo (impossible to miss!) arrived right on time to greet us. We felt so relieved.
Also, our tour guide, Antony, was surprisingly skillful, humorous and attentive. He gave us in-depth explanation of history or details in many sight-seeing points and museums. I was really impressed of his memory, even though it was his job.
Antony the guide constantly tried to comfort our driver, who repeatedly got upset by the terrible driving conditions. The park conditions in Greece really is the worst that I have even seen… Parking lots seem almost non-existent, so cars were forced to park on both sides of the roads all the time. It was extremely difficult for huge tour buses like ours to pass.
We stayed at gorgeous hotels every night, buffet breakfast and dinner everyday, stay & ate much better than when we travelled by ourselves. I think we made a good choice. Although it was a bit pricy, but we were well-rested, well-fed, and well-guided all these 5 days.
I was really excited to cross the Rio-Antirrio Bridge by bus. It is 2.38km long, between Greek mainland and Peloponnese, looked like a dinasour from afar.
The Corinth Canal was also very impressive. I had never seen such a huge yet narrow gap in my life.
Over the days, we had visited many ruins. Many of them were badly damaged, but still can still can see the carefully structured walls and impressive sculptures, marble stairs along the mountain landscape. Churches built on top of the mountains. We also occasionally passed by or spent time in some adorable old-style towns.
We also visited many museums. I was very impressed by the complicated designs on the ancient potteries and accessories, which the Cretans were famous for.
On the streets everywhere, I always see many aged broken un-occupied buildings. They were so lack of maintenance that it looked like they may fall apart any seconds, or part of the buildings already collapsed, but I can still the expensive-looking sophisticated designs on their metal fences and balconies. Their wooden doors were also sophisticatedly sculptured. Some of them even have marble doorsteps and columns. I always wonder why these buildings looked like when they were first built.
Delphi is a huge site built around 500-600 B.C. along the mountainous areas. We had to climb many stairs all the way from the gate to the top, in order to visit all the structures. It was surrounded by such beautiful and peaceful that felt like you were in a different world.
Staring at the models of the ruins that I had visited, I also wonder how all these palaces and castles looked like at their glorious times.
