FULL DAY TOUR DELPHI, ARACHOVA & ST. LOUKAS MONASTERY

Meet and greet at your hotel to start an amazing "Classical and Modern Greece" tour. At about 1,5 - 2 hours later, we will stop a few kilometers before Delphi, at  the wonderful Byzantine Monastery of St. Luke (Hosios Loukas), a monastery with great history since 11th Century! The Monastery is located on a picturesque slope on the western foothills of Mount Helikon, not far away from Delphi and consists of two large churches, its Crypt, belfry, the cells and the others buildings dedicated to miraculous local saint Loukas (856 - 953 AD).

We continue to visit the unique site and museum of Delphi! As per Unesco's World Heritage Center ''The pan-Hellenic sanctuary of Delphi, where the oracle of Apollo spoke, was the site of the omphalos, the 'navel of the world'. Blending harmoniously with the superb landscape and charged with sacred meaning, Delphi in the 6th century B.C. was indeed the religious centre and symbol of unity of the ancient Greek world''. You will visit the Temple of Apollo and the Ancient Oracle, the Ancient Stadium, the Ancient Theatre where could seat more than 5000 spectators,  the Sacred Way, and of course The Tholos of the sanctuary of Goddess Athena, that is perhaps the most characteristic monument at Delphi and a masterpiece of Classical architecture!

Next, we will visit the Museum of Delphi, where you can admire the "Charioteer", one of the best pieces of the classical art sculpted in bronze! Here you will also see the sacred symbol of Delphi, the omphalos (navel) that signified the center of the earth, was kept in Apollo's temple and may other masterpieces from the excavations in the sanctuary of Delphi!

After that unique visit you can enjoy lunch either at the town of Delphi, either at the traditional village of Arachova (at 1000 meters altitude), the best winter resort of Greece. We go back in Athens and at your Hotel late in the afternoon. (approx. 10 -11 hours tour)