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Six to Seven days tour
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Epirus and Vikos Gorge Tour
Meteora, Metsovo, Ioannina,
Vikos Gorge, Dodoni, Nafpactos,
Delphi
Let Us Take You To Hidden & Known
Places...
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1st
day:
Leave Athens at 8.00 a.m. for
Meteora through Thermopylae (short stop to visit
Leonidas' monument) via Lamia to Trikala and Kastraki
(overnight). Visit Meteora,
among striking scenery, perched on top of huge
rocks which seem to be suspended in Mid - Air,
stand ageless Monasteries, where you can see
exquisite specimens of Byzantine Art.
Of the 24 monasteries that
grew up between the 13th and
16th centuries only six are still inhabited:
The Great Meteoron, Agia Triad, Agios Nikolaos
and Varlaam by monks: Agios
Stephanos and Roussanou by nuns.
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2nd day:
Arrive in Metsovo (overnight), which is admirably situated in a mountain comb
just below the highest road pass in Greece (alt 1705m/5594ft)
which marks the borders between Epirus (west) and Thessaly (east). Brown bears and wolves survive
in the surrounding ancient forests of beech and pine trees. The
traditional town is not only a summer resort offering the
benefits of bracing mountain air but also a winter sports centre
with skiing on the slopes of Mount Karakoli (ski
lift). Metsovo is famous for its trout, its wine and its cheese
as well as for its embroidered cloth and wood carvings.
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 3rd day:
Depart for Ioannina, a modern town except for the old district near the lake
which dates from the Turkish occupation.
Local craftsmanship
produce embroidery and silverwork, there are shops in Odos
Averoff, Gastronomic specialties include eels, frogs, trout
and crayfish from the lake, cheese from Dodoni and
sparkling white wine from the region of Zitsa.
Visit the island in the middle of the lake, access by boat (15
min).
Continue for Vikos Gorge (overnight in Monodedri in
restored traditional houses)
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4th day: Visit the Zagoria Country, "the land beyond the mountains" which follows the
renowned trout stream, the River Voidomatis, as it
flows north into Albania. It is a region of Forests (conifers,
oaks chestnuts) and pasture, the traditional habitat has not
been disturbed, there are many houses of beautiful grey stone,
with projecting upper storey and wooden balconies, roofed with
stone.
In these wild mountains, where bears
and wolves still roam, Greek troops defied the advancing Italian
forces when they invaded from Albania in November 1940.
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5th day: Vikos Gorge,
the grey
stone buildings of the Monastery of Agia Paraskevi cling to the
rocks directly above a precipitous drop into the bottom of the
gorge 1000m/3281ft below, which the river Voidomatis has
created.
A path starting from the monastery winds down the face
of the cliff past some terraces once cultivated by the monks and
some caves which provided shelter for Klephts and Hermits, it
reaches a platform overlooking the confluence of the Voidomatis
and a neighboring mountain stream, the atmosphere is oppressive
and wild.
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6th day: Visit Dodoni. Ancient
Dodoni grew out of a sanctuary dedicated to Zeus where a famous
oracle flourished from the second millennium BC until the 4th C BC.
this oracle made known its pronouncements through the whispering
of the breeze, known as Helloi or Selloi. We'll visit the theatre one of the largest
(130m/427ft broad by 22m/72ft high) and one of the best
preserved of ancient Greece. It was originally constructed in
the late 3rd C BC, destroyed in 219 BC and rebuilt in the reign of
Phillip V of Macedon (221 - 179 BC). Under the Romans it was
transformed into an arena for gladiatorial and animal combats,
at this time the arena was separated from the public by a wall
which is still in place.
Continue for Delphi through Arta,
Agrinio, Nafpactos (This
charming little city at the northwest end of the Gulf of Corinth
was fortified by the Venetians in the 15C. Under its medieval
name of Lepando it recalls the famous naval battle which took
place in 1571 between the Christian fleet from Spain, Genoa,
Naples, Malta and Venice with the Turkish fleet of Sultan
Selim.- short stop.
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7th day:
Last day, further visit of archaeological
area of Delphi. Return to
Athens from the east side of Mount Parnassos, through small
mountain villages, the ancient town of Chaeroneia
(where in 338 BC the battle between the southern
Greek cities and King of Greek Macedonians Phillip took place, in which
Alexander then 18 years of age, was making his debut in battle)
and Levadia.
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DEPARTURE |
PRICE |
HIGHLIGHTS |
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Daily:
Six to Seven day tour.
All year round. However high periods such as Christmas,
New Years Day, Easter and the middle of August are
extremely busy and are best avoided.
Comment:
See the
main cultural and archaeological,
historical and religious highlights of
Greece. Time is allowed for gentle walks, swimming
and coastal relaxation. Most of the
driving is on mountain and coastal roads.
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The longest Suspension bridge in Rio/ Antirio -
Delphi,
- Arachova, - Levadia, -
Meteora -
Pass of
Thermopylae. -
Zagoria,
-Vikos Gorge
Closed on Holidays January
1st., March 25th, May 1st, Easter Sunday, Christmas Day
and Boxing Day. On Good Friday, the sites are open
12.00- 17.00. |
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