CHAT TOURS: Delphi & Meteora Three Day Tour
Depart 8:45am/Return 7:00pm
Departures: Apr. 1 – Oct. 29,2016-Every Sun., Tues. & Wed, and Fri (departures on select dates)
Day 1: Drive to Delphi through Levadia and Arachova. (famous for its bright multi colored carpets) and arrive in the town of Delphi.
At the foot of Mount Parnassos,within an angle formed by the twin rocks of the Phaedriades, lies the Pan-Hellenic sanctuary of Delphi,which had the most famous oracle of ancient Greece.Delphi was regarded as the center of the world.According to mythology, it is said that two eagles were sent out by Zeus from the ends of the universe to find the navel of the world and met in Delphi.The sanctuary of Delphi is the set in spectacular landscape.It was,for centuries,the cultural and religious center and symbol of unity for Hellenic world and seat of the Pythian Games,the second most important games in Greece after the Olympics,which were held every four years.Visit of the archaeological site and the museum.Dinner &overnight in Delphi (D).
Day 2:Morning at leisure.In the afternoon depart for Kalambaka crossing the plains of Thessalia,the “granary of Greece”.After arrival,enjoy short tour of the village-Dinner &overnight in Kalambaka (D).
Day 3:Today,visit one of the most amazing places in Greece-Meteora!-Meaning ‘suspended in air’.The name Meteora soon came to encompass the entire rock community of 24 monasteries,the biggest and most important group of monasteries in Greece after those in Mount Athos,there were no steps at the time and the main access to the monasteries was by means of a net that was hitched over a hook and hoisted up by rope and a hand cranked pulley.Monks descended in the nets or on retractable wooden ladders up to 130 feet long to the fertile valleys below to grow grapes, corn and potatoes.Each community developed its own resources and by the end of the 14th century,the Grand Meteoron emerged as the dominant community.The rock monasteries have been names a world heritage site by UNESCO.
After the visit,drive back to Athens passing through the ancient battle ground site of Thermopylae and stop for some photos.(Date and time for the stop in Thermopylae is subject to change).