Reasons to go there

The area of Olympia Greece is one of the most popular and touristy destination.

The site of the ruins is spectacular and on a fairly large scale.

The Olympia Archaeological Museum, opened in 1982, is one of the most important museums in Greece.  The many galleries are arranged chronologically with separate galleries for the pediment and metope sculptures from the Zeus temple, and artifacts from the Olympic games.

Helpful Tips

The ancient site of Olympia lies half a kilometre from the town itself.

Make shure to bring something to drink, as the little shops are far overpriced.

How to get there

Take the train south from Patras. Since all the station signs are in Greek, pick up a translation card at any train station.

You can also take a bus from Athens, as well as from Kalamata and Kyllini. Olympia is about a five hour bus ride from capital city Athens.

Additional Infos

Olympia is connected to many gods and myths, and there are different versions on how the Olympic Games got started. According to one version, this was where Zeus struggled with his father Cronus, finally beating him and seizing the throne.

The Olympic flame of the modern-day Olympic Games is lit by reflection of sunlight in a parabolic mirror at the restored Olympia stadium and then transported by a torch to the place where the games are held. When the modern Olympics came to Athens in 2004, the men’s and women’s shot put competition was held at the restored stadium.

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Hotel overview

5 Star Hotels in Olympia

• Olympia Riviera Thalasso

4 Star Hotels in Olympia

• Olympion Asty Hotel Olympia
• Niriides Villas Hotel
• Kalamaki h3each Hotel
• Karellion Hotel Olympia
• King Minos
• Ilion Anex
• Palace Hotel Olympia
• Porto Heli

3 Star Hotels in Olympia

• Olympic Torch Hotel Olympia
• Olympic Village Olympia
• Nea Hotel Olympia
• Neda Hotel Olympia
• New Hotel Olympia
• Knossos Hotel Olympia
• Ilis Hotel Olympia
• Villa Elkaza
• Vytina Mountain View Hotel
• Dioscouri Hotel Olympia
• Pelops Hotel Olympia

2 Star Hotels in Olympia

• Park Hotel Olympia

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Reasons to go there

Thessaloniki or Salonica is the second largest city in the country. Especially it is a city with a continuous 3000-year history, preserving relics of its Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman past and of its formerly dominant Jewish population. Its Byzantine churches are included in UNESCO’s World Heritage list.

It also has a very active nightlife, as a 2007 New York Times article calls it “Seattle of the Balkans”.

Visit the The White Tower (Lefkos Pyrgos) is widely regarded as the symbol of Thessaloniki. The rest of the walls are in the picturesque old town (Upper Town) which offers a spectacular view over the bay, especially in the late afternoon.

Take a walk along the enormous seafront promenade. Plentiful cafés, restaurants and shops line the waterfront.

Helpful Tips

The taverns are the perfect place to experience authentic Greek cooking where an assortment of ‘mezedes’ includes coleslaw, aubergine salad, domades (stuffed vine leaves), cheese pie and lamb liver stuffed with rice and herbs.

I recommend to compare hotel prices very well in Thessaloniki. Different booking sites have totally different prices for the same hotel. Maybe this site helps you. Once you picked a hotel, this site compares more than 30 bookings sites at once.

How to get there

By car you get there from Athens about 5 hours (Highway), from Istanbul about 8 hours and from Belgrade about 7 hours.

By nighttrain from Athens (Larissa station), about 6 h. Costs 20 Euros -31 Euros (depending on the train).

Daily trains from Athens take 4h 15 min (intercity express trains), 6h (normal trains) cost about 50 Euros first class. A very good option are the 500/501/502/503 trains, delivering excellent quality of travel at a low price, costing about 14 Euros (11 for students and people up to 26) and take only 5h 45min.

When you are under 26, you get a discount for 25 % on most trains.

By plane you arrive at Thessaloniki’s International airport called “Makedonia”.The Bus 78 or at night 78N connects the airport with the bus station (”Ktel”), passing by the train station (”OSE”) and a ticket costs 0.50€ if you buy it from the kiosk (0.60 if you buy it from the automatic ticket vendor, exact change needed). It’s about a 25 minute ride.

Additional Infos

Thessaloniki is Greece’s second major economic, industrial, commercial and political centre, and a major transportation hub for the rest of southeastern Europe; its commercial port is also of great importance for Greece and its southeast European hinterland. It has been traditional for the country’s Prime Minister to set out his government’s policies for each coming year in a speech at the annual Thessaloniki International Trade Fair.

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Reasons to go there

Old Nafplion is one of the most beautiful towns in Greece. Nafplio looks like an Italian city because of its architecture and the colourful houses.

It’s a pleasure to wander along the harbour, watch fishing boats unloading their day’s catch, go up and down the stepped side streets, explore their small churches, gaze in wonder at the balconies overflowing with bouganvillias and just take in all that Nafplio has to offer.

There are three museums: the war museum, the archeological museum and the folk museum.

There are two castles, one “Palamidi Castle” is free and is located on the mountain. The easiest way to reach it is by car but you can also climb the 999 stairs. From the castle you will have a magnificent view of the town. The castle is really big for Greek castles and the atmosphere is beautiful too.

Helpful Tips

Visit the Palamidi Castle right before sunset - that’s a great experience.

Take your time! The old town of Nafplio is filled with narrow cobblestoned streets. It is a perfect place for strollers.

I recommend to compare hotel prices very well in Nafplion. Different booking sites have totally different prices for the same hotel. Maybe this site helps you. Once you picked a hotel, this site compares more than 30 bookings sites at once.

How to get there

From Athens, there are 12 to 15 daily buses. The buses leave in Athens from Terminal A. The journey takes about 2.5 hours and the price is about 11 Euros in one direction.

There is a train connection, but it is not the best way to travel. There are two daily trains to Athens, you have to change at Argos.

Additional Infos

Nafplion is a favourite weekend destination for many Athenians, and no wonder because it is not only a lovely city, but exudes a cool and relaxed atmosphere.

As is the case with many Greek names, there is more than one possible Latin transliteration. Currently, the most commonly used English spelling is “Nafplion” (or sometimes “Nafplio” like the Modern Greek way of saying it).

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Ancient Corinth

The ruins of ancient Corinth, a short drive from the modern city of Corinth, are spread around the base of the rock of Acrocorinth, which forms a natural acropolis for the city. Most of the surviving buildings are Roman rather than Greek, dating from the city’s prosperous age after Caesar sacked and rebuilt much of the original Greek city. Much of the city has been toppled by recurring earthquakes over the centuries.

On the Acrocorinth itself are ruins of the Temple of Aphrodite, of which little remains. The Temple of Aphrodite had more than 1,000 sacred prostitutes at one time, exemplifying the ancient city’s reputation for luxury and vice. Also on Acrocorinth are the ruins of a stone minaret and ancient defensive walls.

Corinth Canal

The isthmus connecting the Peloponnese and mainland Greece is four miles wide and as early as the 6th century B.C., work was begun to dig a canal connecting the Corinthian and Saronic gulfs. This project failed but a paved road (the diolkos) was constructed about 600 B.C. to allow light ships to be hauled overland. The canal is 6.3 kilometre in length and was built between 1881 and 1893.

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Reasons to go there

Delphi is a charming village with impressive scenery and the dramatic even remains of ancient Delphi within the boundaries of the modern town.

Highlights of the archaeological site of Delphi include the Temple of Apollo, the Tholos, the theater, the stadium, and the treasuries of the Athenians and the Syphnias.

The temple of Apollo appears in ruinous state in the center of the sanctuary. The Tholos is supposed to be one of the most-photographed monuments of Greece, and it has become the trademark image that represents Delphi in many people’s minds.

Helpful Tips

Modern Delphi is situated immediately west of the archaeological site and hence is a popular tourist destination. It is on a major highway linking Amfissa along with Itea and Arachova. There are many hotels and guest houses in the town, and many taverns and bars.

I recommend to compare hotel prices very well in Delphi. Prices for one single hotel can vary between different booking sites. Compare!

How to get there

There are many daily buses from Athens, Terminal B Bus Station. Journey takes about 3 hours. Daily times to Delphi from Athens are: 07.30, 10.30, 13.00, 15.30, 17.30, 20.00 Return: 05.30 , 09.00, 11.00, 13.30, 16.00, 18.00 Fares in EURO: 13,00 (One way)

By car, to reach Delphi from Athens it takes about one hour and thirty minutes.

Additional Infos

In ancient times it was the site of the most important oracle of the god Apollo. Delphi was revered throughout the Greek world as the site of the omphalos stone, the centre of the universe.

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Reasons to go there

The town, on the southeastern coast of the Peloponnese, is a massive walled fortress that once housed about 50,000 Byzantine Greeks.

The town is unique. Inside the island town there are no cars, as the roads would be too narrow.

Tips

I recommend to compare hotel prices very well in Monemvassia. Different booking sites have totally
different prices for the same hotel. Maybe this site helps you. Once you picked a hotel, this site
compares more than 30 bookings sites at once.

Additional Infos

The rock is 300 m tall and 1.8 km long. The village is situated on the southeastern side of the rock, which overlooks the Palaia Monemvasia bay. A small hamlet with about 10 houses lies to the northwest. A field of grass covers the northwest and top, accessed by a rocky, zig-zagging pathway. The fortress lies on the north side of the colorful rock, which ranges from grey to peach melon and pink.

In more recent history, the town has seen a continuing resurgence in its importance with increasing
levels of tourists visiting the site and the region.

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I recommend to compare hotel prices very well in Monemvasia. Different booking sites have totally different prices for the same hotel. Maybe this site helps you. Once you picked a hotel, this site compares more than 30 bookings sites at once.

Hotel overview

4 Star Hotels in Monemvasia

• Xenon Kellia
• Vyzantino Hotel Monemvasia
• Gialos Apts
• Goulas Hotel Monemvasia

3 Star Hotels in Monemvasia

• Xifoupolis Hotel
• Venetia Hotel Monemvasia
• Glyfada Apts
• Panorama Hotel Monemvasia
• Panos Hotel Monemvasia

2 Star Hotels in Monemvasia

• Kate S Cottages
• Palazzo Hotel Monemvasia
• Pramataris Hotel Monemvasia

Other Hotels in Monemvasia

• Quattro Hotels
• Kontorinis House
• Glyfada Rooms

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Reasons to go there

The ancient city lies on the slope of a hill with the fortress at its top.

Its fortifications and churches, its palaces and mansions, its roads and fountains, charm thousands of visitors daily and offers them valuable insights in the evolution and culture of the Byzantines.

The ruins of most of the buildings are still visible. A few churches have been totally reconstructed. Several buildings stood without a roofs, exposing beautiful frescos to the elements.

Helpful Tips

Nowadays, only the churches stand, reminiscent of the old glorious times. The Palaces and other buildings are quite damaged.

I recommend to compare hotel prices very well in Sparta. Different booking sites have totally different prices for the same hotel. Maybe this site helps you. Once you picked a hotel, this site compares more than 30 bookings sites at once for hotels in Sparta.

How to get there

Some 10 minute’s drive from Sparta by car or by bus. You also can walk: it takes one hour and a quarter to promenade there from Sparta.

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Reasons to go there

First of all: the landscape is breathtaking. The scenery changes every hour, depeding on the location of the sun.

The main reason for visiting Meteora is to experience the unique landscape and to visit the Byzantine monasteries that house priceless artifacts and wall paintings.

All of the monasteries are perched on high cliffs and accessible by staircases cut into the rock formations. They were created to serve monks and nuns.

The monasteries which are accessible for tourist are:

• Agiou Nikolaou monastery (St. Nickolas Anapausas, Agios Nikolaos)
• Agias Varvaras Rousanou monastery (St. Barbara, Roussanou)
• Varlaam monastery
• Megalou Meteorou monastery (Great Meteoron)
• Agias Triados monastery (Holy Trinity, Agia Triada)
• Agiou Stefanou monastery (St. Stephen, the only monastery for women, Agios Stephanos)

Meteora is also a great destination for outdoor activities. Many visitors choose to combine their visit to the monasteries with hiking.

The steep rock formations of Meteora are an irresistible destination for rock climbers who travel from around the world for the experience. Mountaineers will find about fifty massive rocks and even more peaks worth climbing. The highest wall facing Kalampaka rises to the greatest height - well over 300 meters.

Helpful Tips

View sunset and sunrise on top of a rock. You will never forget this experience!

An entrance fee is expected by some monasteries which might be about € 2.

Women are required to wear skirts covering the knees and have the shoulders covered, too. Men are required to wear trousers covering the knees.

I recommend to compare hotel prices very well in Kalambaka. Different booking sites have totally different prices for the same hotel. Maybe this site helps you. Once you picked a hotel, this site compares more than 30 bookings sites at once.

How to get there

From Athens you can take the train servicing the northern part of Greece at the Larissa station. You can get the schedule from OSC website. You can hire a taxi right at the train station to take you to all the monasteries.

There are buses up to Varlaam from Kalambaka. The buses leave early about 8.20am from Kalambaka. Also, there are agencies in town who do daily tours for about 50 Euros.

Additional Infos

The formation of Meteora is lost in geological time and over millions of years earth has used an array of forces to sculpt a unique and dramatic landscape that became a spiritual place for humans in recent history.

The name “Meteora” means “suspended in mid-air”, and the name was coined by monk Athanasios in the 14th century CE. Athanasios came from Mt. Athos and founded the first monastery on a rock he named the Megalo Meteoron (Great Meteoron).

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