10 Day Land Performance Program
DAY 1
Arrive at the airport of Athens, where you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel for check-in. Enjoy free time in Athens for a
firsthand look at the beauty and culture of this famous city dating back to 1200 B.C. An orientation briefing will follow before dinner. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 2
After your breakfast, follow your guide to the world renowned Acropolis to see the architectural miracles of the Golden Age of Pericles: the Propylea, the
Erechtheum, and, above all, the Parthenon (temple of Athena, goddess of wisdom). Have a panoramic view of the city and observe the Agora
(marketplace), where many ancient philosophers spent their time. Continue with a bus tour of the center of Athens and admire the Old Olympic Stadium,
the University Of Athens, the Academy, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Constitution Square with the House of Parliament, the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier and much more. You will also visit the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, one of the finest in the world. Its superb collections of
sculptures, ceramics, jewelry and frescoes really stand out and are not to be missed. You can learn more about mythology, ancient religion, art and
representations of divinities and various social groups like priests, soldiers or philosophers.
PERFORMANCE: Your first Greek performance tonight at the Mikis Theodorakis amphitheatre (indoor) or the American College of Athens Performing
Centre (indoor). Possibility to co-perform with Greek Choir/Band. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 3
Start your 5-day tour by traveling to scenic Delphi, one of the most beautiful places on the face of the earth, according to a poet. Drive through beautiful
countryside, pass the cities of Thiva (Thebes) and Livadia and see the town of Arachova, well-known for its local industry of rugs, carpets and leather
goods. Arrive in Delphi and explore the archaeological site which was once believed to be the “navel” (omphalos) of the world. Walk on the Sacred Way to
see the Athenian Treasury, the Temple of Apollo, where the oracle delivered her ambiguous prophecies, and the Theater. Also visit the Museum with its
splendid collection of ancient works of art including the Sphinx of the Naxians, the Silver Bull, the Column of the Dancers, the “Omphalos” and the pride
of the museum, the 5 th c. B.C. bronze “Charioteer”. Dinner and overnight in Delphi.
DAY 4
Drive on the new “hanging” bridge, which connects the Peloponnese to the region of Continental Greece, in order to reach Olympia. Spend your afternoon
in Olympia, admiring the splendors of this unique place, where the ancient Greek ideas of unity, peace, and fair play flourished. See the impressive ruins of
Hera and Zeus’s Temples, the Leonidaion, the Workshop of the sculptor Pheidias and of course, the famous Stadium where the Olympic Games were
held. Also visit the Museum, with its new display of amazing pieces of sculpture and pottery and the architectural remains of the ancient edifices. Don’t
miss the pride of this museum, the “Hermes” of Praxiteles, one of the most wonderful ancient statues ever made. Continue to Kalamata for dinner and
overnight.
DAY 5
Today you enjoy a tour of Kalamata, the capital and chief port of the prefecture of Messinia. Built in the heart of the Messinian Gulf near the ancient city
of Farai mentioned by Homer, 238 km from Athens, it is the land of the Kalamatianos dance and the silk kerchief. It is the land of succulent dark olives,
honey-eyed figs and the honey covered sesame sweet called "pastelli". Visit the castle built in the 13 th century by Geoffrey de Villehardouin. On the north
side of the citadel there is a small Byzantine church, dedicated to the Virgin of Kalomata (of the good eye), from which the town may have acquired its
name. There are many churches in town, the oldest being the historic church of Agii Apostoli (13 th c.), where the Greek Revolution against the Turks was
formally declared on March 23, 1821. In the afternoon you can enjoy some free time to swim and relax at the beach.
DAY 6
After your breakfast, travel north to visit Epidaurus, the site of the most popular Sanctuary of Asclepius in ancient Greece. Nowadays it is visited by
thousands of people who want to admire the spectacular Theater and test its astonishing acoustics. This amazing Theater is preserved in an almost perfect
condition, while the other remaining beautiful edifices of the Sanctuary, where the healings used to take place in a mystical manner, lie in ruins at a small
distance from the Theater. In the small Museum nearby find a number of stelae with medical records of the Sanctuary and also a collection of surgical
instruments which were used by the physicians-priests of Asclepius. You then continue to Nafplion, one of the most attractive towns in the country. Dinner
and overnight in Nauplion area.
DAY 7
In the morning, get acquainted with the lovely town of Nauplion, the first capital of Greece. Stroll around the promenade and explore the narrow streets
and picturesque squares of Nafplion. PERFORMANCE: Performance in the picturesque village of Tolon. Back to the hotel for dinner overnight.
DAY 8
After breakfast you drive back to Athens. PERFORMANCE: Performance in the Cultural Centre of Estia – Nea Smyrni or in a Catholic church in Athens.
Dinner and overnight.
DAY 9
Today experience the charm of the Greek islands by visiting three of the most attractive isles near Athens. Aegina has a lovely town full of neoclassical
buildings and a well-preserved classical temple dedicated to the local goddess Afea. Poros is a small green island closer to the Peloponnese than to Attica,
which offers a pleasant walk on the promenade near the little shops. Finally, Hydra is an extremely picturesque place because of the unique architecture
of its fortress mansions, which belonged to the ship-owners of the island during the Ottoman Rule period. Return to Athens for overnight.
DAY 10
Fly back home full of wonderful memories from your journey.
