NOVEMBER-MARCH The tour is organized only on Mondays.
APRIL-OCTOBER: The tour is organized on Mon, Tue, Sat & selected Thursdays.

Highlights: Corinth canal-Epidaurus-Mycenae-Olympia(o/n)-Delphi(o/n)-Thermopylae-Kalambaka(o/n) and a short photo stop in Nafplion.

Free pick-up/drop-off service is included (See the link in the footer of this website).
The pick-up starts at 07:30 am brings the people to the terminal and departs at 08:30.
The tour returns on Thursday evening +/- at 19:30

PRICES: The guided tours are organized by 3 big tour operators and are offered by travel agencies at different prices. People tell us that our prices are the best. Organizing tours throughout Greece since 1958 we have secured the best deals in all aspects of travel. Our prices are not matched.

Three choices	Price in double room	Price in single room
Option 1: 3* hotel with breakfast	320.00 + entry fees	385.00 + entry fees
Option 2: 3* hotel with half-board	375.00 + entry fees	440.00 + entry fees
Option 3: 4* hotel, 3 dinners + 3 breakfasts	435.00 + entry fees	530.00 + entry fees and arrival transfer offer

* ENTRANCE FEES to be added: NOV-MARCH + 24 euro | APR-OCT + 48 euro
* Child (4 – 12 y.o.) pays 75% of the tour price (Entrance fees depend on Nationality.)
* E.U. Nationalities under 25 y.o. enter free. Other Nationalities pay full entrance fees.
* Infants up to 4 y.o. travel free of charge when they share the parents’ double bed

HOTELS at Olympia: NEDA, KRONION, or similar (3*) OLYMPIC VILLAGE, EUROPA, ARTY GRAND (4*)
HOTELS in Delphi: FEDRIADES, HERMES, PARNASSOS (3*) and AMALIA (4*)
HOTELS in Kalambaka: Hotel KOSTA FAMISSI, ALEXIOU, ORFEAS (3*), Hotel GRAND METEORA or AMALIA (4*)

* If our offers sound interesting read the “4 steps to book” in the footer.
* Submit the booking request and start the communication. We shall get back asap.

The tour services include:
– Modern air-conditioned buses, with ample storage space for your luggage
– 3-night hotel accommodation with 3 breakfasts
– 3 dinners (if you choose 4* hotels)
– Pick up/drop off near your hotel (See the list of hotels at the footer),
– The services of the tour guide throughout the tour.
– Complimentary arrival airport transfer wherever it is offered.
– The applicable entrances to sites and museums visited.
– All taxes except the “city tax” (1.50 – 3.00 € per room, per night). This small tax is paid by the client to the hotel.

Special discounts: (One option of 5% discount is applicable).
* Persuade a friend, share a triple room with your friend, and save 5%
* Persuade your friends, make a team of 5 or more adults and save 5%
* Combine it with the 1-day cruise and pay a discounted price for the package.

WRITE A REVIEW ON OUR SERVICES. Your feedback helps us offer a better service.

Copied from a client’s Blogspot:
The tour which I joined was organized by G.O. TOURS. However, I did not book through their website. I booked it through ASTORIA TRAVEL
After browsing through the web, I found that ASTORIA TRAVEL offers the cheapest tour packages in Athens. Initially, I was quite skeptical. How can this tour agent offer such a low price (20% cheaper) compared to the travel company’s price? Is this a scam? Well, believe it! It was not a scam. I even booked my first two nights in Athens at Hotel Arethusa (next to Syntagma Square) at a very cheap price through ASTORIA TRAVEL. Read more in the testimonials section….

Visit Epidaurus, Mycenae, Olympia, Delphi, and Kalambaka

This tour includes nearly all of the most important archaeological sites, ­and museums in mainland Greece. It gives a complete picture of ancient Greek civilization beginning with the Mycenaean, the Greek Bronze Age, the Archaic, Classical, the Hellenistic, and Roman Greece. It also provides a glimpse of Byzantine art and architecture.

It is a full itinerary, but the pace is manageable. Plenty of time is available on the sites and in the museums, allowing time both for adequate exposition by the tour guide and time for further exploration on your own.

The Amazing open THEATRE OF EPIDAURUS The priests of the sanctuary of God Asclepius were excellent doctors. The administration of the Asklepion, in order to entertain the patients, decided to build a theatre. The small museum displays the instruments and tools used by the priests, and excellent surgeons, to perform even brain operations.

NAFPLION – “The town of the Venetians” in Greece. (Short photo stop). Modern architecture hasn’t spoiled the old town of Nafplion, which is a feast for the eye with the Venetian influence everywhere. Nafplion was the capital of the new Greek state in the early 1830s. Here, is the first palace of the Bavarian Prince, Otto, the first king after the revolution against the Turks. The old town is beautiful, with mansions and paved roads. The two fortresses, the Palamidi and the Akronafplia played a key role during the war of independence.

MYCENAE – “the city in gold”, the kingdom of Agamemnon controlled the land and sea routes. Myths related to history have inspired poets and writers over the centuries from Homer and the Greek tragedies of the classical period.
The site was uncovered in 1874 by Heinrich Schlieman, who also excavated the site of Troy.
You enter the citadel through the impressive Lions’ Gate.

OLYMPIA & the OLYMPIC GAMES The site of Olympia, was the location of the ancient Olympic Games, with the first recorded win in 776 BC. In addition to the numerous temples and sanctuaries, there are remains of sporting structures, such as the ancient Stadium, the Gymnasium, the Palestra, and others.

DELPHI – The famous “temple bank”. The Pan-Hellenic sanctuary of Delphi, location on the oracle of Apollo, was the spiritual centre of the Greek world. Situated in a spectacular natural setting on the mountain of Parnassus, it was the symbol of Greek cultural unity from the 8th century BC onwards.

Driving from Delphi to Kalambaka you take a short stop at Thermopylae, the place where Leonidas and the 300 Spartans fought the Persians. Overnight in Kalambaka.

KALAMBAKA – The unique “ART OF NATURE”. Travel on the rocks of Meteora and visit 2 monasteries that are open on the day that you visit Meteora. Return to Kalambaka for lunch and after lunch start the return and arrive in Athens at +/- 19:30

Day 1
08:30 The pick-up starts at 07.30 am and the bus departs from the terminal at 08:30.
10:00 Arrival at Corinth canal. 20 min. shortstop for photos
11:15 Arrival at the sanctuary of Epidaurus. Visit the museum & the theatre
12:30 Proceed to restaurant for lunch. Lunch is optional. It’s not included in the price.
13:45 Drive on to Nafplion. Short photo stop.
15:15 Arrival at legendary Mycenae. Visit ancient sites & museum
18:30 Arrival at modern Olympia town. Check-in the hotel of your choice

Day 2
09:15 Visit the museum & the site of ancient Olympia. Departure and drive towards Patras
13:00 Stop for lunch at a local restaurant. Lunch is optional.
14:30 Drive to Delphi. Cross the Rio – Antirio bridge to the mainland
18:15 Arrival and check into the hotel of your choice in Delphi.

Day 3
09:00 After breakfast visit the museum and the site. Optional lunch at a local restaurant.
15:15 Depart for Kalambaka. Shortstop at Thermopylae. Arrive in Kalambaka at 19.00

Day 4
08:30 Drive to Meteora and visit 2 monasteries. Return to Kalambaka at 12:30. Optional lunch
14:00 Departure for Athens with a short stop near Lamia. Arrival in Athens center at 19.30

Short photo stop at Corinth canal
Visit the sanctuary of Asclepius and the Epidaurus Theatre
Visit the Mycenae Archaeological site & Tomb of Atreus
Visit the Olympia Archaeological site & Museum
Visit the Delphi Archaeological site & Museum
Visit 2 of the Meteora monasteries that are open on the day you visit Meteora
Shortstop at Nafplion town

More info & Map
– These tours are organized by 3 Tour Operators. All the Travel Agents sell the same tours at discounted rates.
– Start the communication, and choose the travel agent that suits your budget.

* In the footer of the website find the “4 steps 2 book” and we look forward to receive your request.
* When we receive the message from the bank that the money has been deposited, we’ll send you the voucher.
* There is a deadline and the bookings are canceled if they are not paid on time.

MAP – ROUTE OF THE TOUR

ESP4525, Bozeman, Montana, 62 Reviewed November 26, 2017
wonderful Athens’s experience
Just completed a 4-day 3-night tour of the major archaeological sites in Greece that we booked through Astoria travel. We could not have been happier with the service they provided. The personal service we received from Kostas was more than we could have hoped for. We will definitely use them again if we get the opportunity.
___________________________________________________________________________
From: https://travelbunny8.blogspot.com/2016/07/greece-4-days-classical-greece-tour.html
(Visit the excellent blog site, read the description and comments)

If you wish to see the major sights of mainland Ancient Greece including UNESCO-listed ancient sites of Mycenae, Epidaurus, Olympia, Delphi, and Meteora monasteries, then I recommend you to join a 4 Day Classical Greece Tour.
The tour departs from Athens and returns to Athens. You visit 5 UNESCO World Heritage Site in 4 days. I have to warn you that 4 out of the 5 World Heritage Sites are in ruins. The tour which I joined was organized by G.O. TOURS. Information about the tour can be found at their website at http://www.gotours.com.gr/en/

However, I did not book through their website. I booked it through ASTORIA TRAVEL http://www.astoria.gr/price-tours-classical-4day.html that can be contacted at athens@astoriatravel.gr. I e-mailed Kosta and since I booked the tour through him in 4-star hotels, I got a free arrival transfer offer to my hotel. Actually, Kosta himself came to the airport and took us to the hotel.

After browsing the web, I found that Astoria Travel offers the cheapest tour packages in Athens. Initially, I was quite skeptical. How can this tour agent offer such a low price (20% cheaper) compared to the travel company’s price? Is this a scam? Well, believe it! I even book my first two nights in Athens at Hotel Arethusa (very near Syntagma Square) at a very cheap price through Astoria Travel.

I took the First-Class package as the price difference was not much compared to the Tourist Class package and the complimentary airport transfer sounded attractive. During the tour, some of my fellow travelers took the Tourist Class package. Frankly, I don’t think there was much of a difference compared to the First-Class hotels. In fact, the Tourist Class hotels were located nearer to the town center while the First-Class hotels were located at quieter locations outside the towns providing small luxuries (swimming pools, good dinners, breakfasts, etc.)

The tour includes visits to two of the six monasteries of Meteora.

As the tour group was small, we got to know each other pretty quickly.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Emo, San Juan, Puerto…, 41 posts, 35 reviews, Re: Astoria Travel Meteora trip Reviews

At the end of April, we joined the G.O. Tour for the Classic 4 days tour in Greece. Due to unexpected medical reasons, we decided not to commit until we had gotten an okay from our doctor.
Finally, we confirmed the tour one day before we flew to Athens. We booked with Kosta. He was nice and very prompt. And he has one of the best rates on the internet.

On the morning of the tour day, Kosta even came to the main bus pick-up point to make sure we made it. We had a good time on the tour and made friends with several families and couples from different countries. We compared the prices we had paid and our price was the best.
Remember to print the voucher at home or hotel. The tour operators keep the printed copy. Thank you, Kosta!!! : )

Astoria Travel (est. 1958)
48 Stadiou street, Athens 10564, Greece.
Tel. +30 210 3250380, +30 6932888585.
Send a message to: bookings@astoriatravel.gr

PRICES Nov-Mar: These tours are organized by 3 big tour operators and are offered by travel agencies at different prices. We secured the best deals in all aspects of travel.

Three choices	Double room	Single room
Option 1: 3* hotel with breakfast	275.00 + entrance fees	+ entrance fees
Option 2: 3* hotel – dinners & breakfasts	+ entrance fees	+ entrance fees
Option 3: 4* hotel – dinners & breakfasts	+ entrance fees	+ entrance fees includes transfer bonus

* Entrance fees to be added: Nov-Mar = 24€. Apr-Nov = 48 €
* Child (4 – 12 y.o.) pay 75% of the tour price (No entrance fees apply)
* Infants up to 4 y.o. travel free of charge when they share the parents’ double bed.

* If our offers sound interesting read the “4 steps to book” in the footer and start communication.
* Fill the booking request and start the communication. We shall get back asap.

The tour services include:
– Modern air-conditioned buses
– Entrance fees to sites and museums visited
– 2 nights hotel accommodation
– 2 breakfasts (Olympia + Delphi)
– 2 dinners in the 4* hotels
– Pick-up/drop-off from or near your hotel (See the list in the footer of the website), and
– The services of the professional tour guide.
– All taxes except the “city tax” (1.50 – 3.00 € per room, per night).
– The arrival airport transfer wherever mentioned.

Special discounts: (One option of 5% discount is applicable).
* Persuade a friend, share a triple room with your friend and save 5%
* Persuade your friends, make a team of 5 or more adults and save 5%
* Take advantage of our PAY IN ADVANCE 5% discount (see in the footer)
* Combine it with the 1-day cruise and pay a special price for the package. See our combo prices in the footer.

WRITE A REVIEW ON OUR SERVICES. Your feedback helps us offer a better service.

Copied from a client’s blogspot:
The tour which I joined was organized by G.O.TOURS. Information about the tour can be found at their website at http://www.gotours.com.gr/en/
However I did not book through their website. I booked it through ASTORIA TRAVEL https://astoriatravel.gr/
After browsing through the web, I found that ASTORIA TRAVEL offers the cheapest tour packages in Athens. Initially I was quite skeptical. How can this tour agent offer such a low price (20% cheaper) compared to the travel company’s price? Is this a scam? Well, believe it! It was not a scam. I even booked my first two nights in Athens at Hotel Arethusa (next to Syntagma Square) at a very cheap price through ASTORIA TRAVEL. Read more details in the testimonials section…

Visit Epidaurus, Nafplion, Mycenae, Olympia & Delphi

The Amazing open THEATRE OF EPIDAURUS
The priests of the sanctuary of god Asclepius were excellent surgeons. On the ground of the sanctuary, the administration of the Asclipieion, in order to entertain the patients, decided to build a theatre. Today, next to the sanctuary of Asclepius, there is a small museum, displaying the instruments and tools used by the priests, excellent surgeons, to perform even brain operations.

NAFPLION – “The town of the Venetians” in Greece. (Short photo stop).
Modern architecture hasn’t spoiled the old town of Nafplion, which is a feast for the eye. The town was in the hands of the Venetians for 200 years and when they gave it back to the Greeks they also left their signature on the old charming town. Nafplion was the capital of the Greek state in the early 1830s. Here, is the first residential palace for the young Bavarian Prince, Otto, the first king of the new country after the revolution against the Turks. The old town is beautiful, with old mansions and paved roads. The town’s fortresses, the Palamidi and the Akronafplia, played a key role during the war of independence. The Venetian influence is everywhere justifying the town’s name as the “Greek Venice”.

MYCENAE – “City in gold”
Mycenae, the city that controlled both the land and sea routes, was the kingdom of mythic Agamemnon. Myths related to history have inspired poets and writers over the centuries from Homer and the Greek tragedies of the classical period to contemporary literary and artistic creations. The site was uncovered in 1874 by Heinrich Schlieman, who also excavated the site of Troy. You enter the citadel through the impressive Lions’ Gate.

OLYMPIA & the OLYMPIC GAMES
The site of Olympia, was the location of the ancient Olympic Games, with the first recorded win in 776 BC. In addition to the numerous temples and sanctuaries, there are remains of sporting structures, such as the ancient Olympic stadium, the Gymnasium, the Palaestra, and others. See the Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Hera, the altar of the Olympic flame, the seven echo stoa, and the archaeological Museum where between the other exhibits you will see the statue of Nike and the beautiful Hermes of Praxiteles.

DELPHI – The famous “temple bank”.
The pan-Hellenic sanctuary of Delphi, location on the oracle of Apollo, was the spiritual centre of the Greek world. Situated in a spectacular natural setting on the mountain of Parnassus, it was the symbol of Greek cultural unity from the 8th century BC onwards.

Short photo stop at Corinth canal
Visit the sanctuary of Asclepius and the Epidaurus Theatre
Short photo stop in Nafplion town
Visit the Mycenae Archaeological site & Tomb of Atreus
Visit the Olympia Archaeological site & Museum
Visit the Delphi Archaeological site & Museum

* Read the 4 steps to book that you find in the footer and we look forward to receiving your request.
* When we receive the message from the bank that the money have been deposited, we’ll send you the voucher.

MAP – ROUTE OF THE TOUR

From Trip advisor comments on Astoria Travel Athens.

rnohr, Boston, Massachusetts 3116, Reviewed October 15, 2017
Underrated travel agent service
I don’t know if people know about this gem of a service, but I would HIGHLY recommend using it for booking tours in all of Greece. Kosta is extremely serviceable and offers a GREAT deal on the tour.
I booked a 3-day classical Greece tour with Kosta and he was able to arrange it for a price that was cheaper than what the tour agency actually offered. He always responded promptly to emails and got back to me within 24 hours. Everything was arranged as it would be expected.
Would recommend using this company for any needs before other people find out how great of a gem this is.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Re: Astoria Travel Meteora trip Reviews.
Hi SomeGirl111. All the bus tours in Greece are organized by three Tour operators. The travel agents do not organize, they sell these guided tours at discounted rates. So, whoever you decide to buy your tour from, you will end up sitting in one of the T.O. buses. All three T.Os. use modern, air-conditioned buses., and knowledgeable professional tour guides. You travel in the same bus with visitors that paid the full brochure price. Astoria Travel was established in 1958 and is still operating and prospering. So, your question should be: is the price that they sell the tours organized by G.O.Tours, CHAT, or KEY Tours, good? What differs between the travel agents, is how fast they reply to you, and the way they answer your request. Being in the travel trade for such a long time, I am sure that they know the way to satisfy their clients.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: https://travelbunny8.blogspot.com/2016/07/greece-4-days-classical-greece-tour.html
(Visit the excellent blog site, read the description and comments)

If you wish to see the major sights of mainland Ancient Greece including UNESCO-listed ancient sites of Mycenae, Epidaurus, Olympia, Delphi, and Meteora monasteries, then I recommend you to join a 4 Day Classical Greece Tour.
The tour departs from Athens and returns to Athens.

5 UNESCO World Heritage Site in 4 days. I have to warn you that 4 out of the 5 World Heritage Site are in ruins. The tour which I joined was organized by G.O.TOURS. Information about the tour can be found at their website at http://www.gotours.com.gr/en/

However I did not book through their website. I booked it through ASTORIA TRAVEL http://www.astoria.gr/price-tours-classical-4day.html that can be contacted at athens@astoriatravel.gr. I e-mailed Mr. Kosta and since I booked the tour through him in 4-star hotels, I got a free arrival transfer offer to my hotel. Actually, Kosta himself, came to the airport and took us to the hotel.

After browsing through the web, I found that Astoria Travel offers the cheapest tour packages in Athens. Initially I was quite skeptical. How can this tour agent offer such a low price (20% cheaper) compared to the travel company’s price? Is this a scam? Well, believe it! I even book my first two nights in Athens at Hotel Arethusa (very near Syntagma Square) at a very cheap price through Astoria Travel.

I took the First Class package as the price difference was not much compared to the Tourist Class package and the complimentary airport transfer sounded attractive. During the tour, some of my fellow travelers took the Tourist Class package. Frankly, I don’t think there was much of a difference compared to the First Class hotels. In fact, the Tourist Class hotels were located nearer to the town center while the First Class hotels were located at quieter locations outside the towns providing small luxuries (swimming pools, good dinners, and breakfasts, etc.)

The tour includes visits to two of the six monasteries of Meteora.

As the tour group was small, we got to know each other pretty quickly.

Astoria Travel (est. 1958)
48 Stadiou street, Athens 10564, Greece.
Tel. +30 210 3250380, +30 6932 888585.
Click here and send us a message

April-October, the tour operates Monday-Tuesday-Saturday & selected Thursdays. CLICK and see which Thursdays.
November-March, the tour operates ONLY on Mondays. CLICK and READ details and prices of tours in low season.

Pick up / drop off from or near your hotel starts at 07:30, departs from the terminal at 08:30, and returns at 18:30

HOTELS at Olympia: (3*) NEDA, KRONION, or similar | (4*) OLYMPIC VILLAGE or EUROPA or ARTY GRAND
HOTELS in Delphi: (3*) FEDRIADES or HERMES or PARNASSOS and (4*) AMALIA or APPOLONIA

PRICES: In Greece the guided tours are organized by 3 big Greek tour operators and are offered by travel agencies at different prices. We believe that our prices cannot be matched. We have secured the best deals in all aspects of travel.

Three choices	Double room	Single room
Option 1: 3* hotel with breakfast	225.00 + 48.00 entrance fees = 273.00 €	285.00 + 48.00 entrance fees = 333.00 €
Option 2: 3* hotel – half board	265.00 + 48.00 entrance fees = 313.00 €	325.00 + 48.00 entrance fees = 373.00 €
Option 3: 4* hotel – half board	320.00 + 48.00 entrance fees = 368.00 € includes complimentary arrival transfer	395.00 + 48.00 entrance fees = 443.00 € includes complimentary arrival transfer

* Child (4 – 12 y.o.) pays 75% of the tour price (No entrance fees apply)
* Infants up to 4 y.o. travel free of charge when they share the parents’ double bed

NOVEMBER – MARCH, the entrance fees drop from 48.00 to 24.00 €

The tour services include:
– transportation on modern air-conditioned buses with ample storage space for your luggage.
– entrance fees to sites and museums visited
– 1-night hotel accommodation at Olympia, and 1 in Delphi
– 1 breakfast in both, Olympia and Delphi
– 1 dinner at Olympia, and 1 in Delphi (if you choose to pay half board)
– Pick up/drop off from/near your hotel (See the list of hotels at the foot of the website)
– The services of a professional tour guide.
– All taxes except the “hotel overnight tax” (1.50 – 3.00 € per room, per night).
– If you choose to pay the 4-star price, an arrival airport transfer is included.

Special discounts: (One option of 5% discount is applicable).
* Persuade a friend, share a triple room with your friend, and save 5%
* Persuade your friends, make a team of 5 or more adults and save 5%

WRITE A REVIEW ON OUR SERVICES. Your feedback helps us offer a better service.

Copied from a client’s blogspot:
The tour which I joined was organized by G.O.TOURS. Information about the tour can be found at their website at http://www.gotours.com.gr/en/
However, I did not book through their website. I booked it through ASTORIA TRAVEL https://astoriatravel.gr/
After browsing through the web, I found that ASTORIA TRAVEL offers the cheapest tour packages in Athens. Initially, I was quite skeptical. How can this tour agent offer such a low price (20% cheaper) compared to the travel company’s price? Is this a scam? Well, believe it! It was not a scam. I even booked my first two nights in Athens at Hotel Arethusa (next to Syntagma Square) at a very cheap price through ASTORIA TRAVEL. Read more details in the testimonials section…

Visit Epidaurus, Nafplion, Mycenae, Olympia & Delphi

The Amazing open THEATRE OF EPIDAURUS
The priests of the sanctuary of God Asclepius were excellent surgeons. On the grounds of the sanctuary, the administration of the Asklepion, in order to entertain the patients, decided to build a theatre. Today, next to the sanctuary of Asclepius, there is a small museum, displaying the instruments and tools used by the priests, and excellent surgeons, to perform even brain operations.

NAFPLION – “The town of the Venetians” in Greece. (Short photo stop).
Modern architecture hasn’t spoiled the old town of Nafplion, which is a feast for the eye. The town was in the hands of the Venetians for 200 years and when they gave it back to the Greeks, they also left their signature on the old charming town. Nafplion was the capital of the Greek state in the early 1830s. Here, is the first palace for the young Bavarian Prince, Otto, the first king of the new country after the revolution against the Turks. The old town is beautiful, with old mansions and paved roads. The town’s fortresses, the Palamidi and the Akronafplia played a key role during the war of independence. The Venetian influence is everywhere justifying the town’s name as the “Greek Venice”.

MYCENAE – “City in gold”
Mycenae, the city that controlled both the land and sea routes, was the kingdom of the mythic Agamemnon. Myths related to history have inspired poets and writers over the centuries from Homer and the Greek tragedies of the classical period to contemporary literary and artistic creations. The site was uncovered in 1874 by Heinrich Schlieman, who also excavated the site of Troy. You enter the citadel through the impressive Lions’ Gate.

OLYMPIA & the OLYMPIC GAMES
The site of Olympia was the location of the ancient Olympic Games, with the first recorded win in 776 BC. In addition to the numerous temples and sanctuaries, there are remains of sporting structures, such as the ancient Olympic stadium, the Gymnasium, the Palestra, and others. See the Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Hera, the altar of the Olympic flame, the seven-echo stoa, and the archaeological Museum where among the other exhibits you will see the statue of Nike and the beautiful Hermes of Praxiteles.

DELPHI – The famous “temple bank”.
The Pan-Hellenic sanctuary of Delphi, location on the oracle of Apollo, was the spiritual centre of the Greek world. Situated in a spectacular natural setting on the mountain of Parnassus, it was the symbol of Greek cultural unity from the 8th century BC onwards.

Short photo stop at Corinth canal
Visit the sanctuary of Asclepius and the Epidaurus Theatre
Visit the Mycenae Archaeological site & Tomb of Atreus
Visit the Olympia Archaeological site & Museum
Visit the Delphi Archaeological site & Museum
A short stop at Nafplion town

* Read the 4 steps 2 book that you find in the footer and we look forward to receiving your request.
* When we receive the message from the bank that the money has been deposited, we’ll send you the voucher.

MAP – ROUTE OF THE TOUR

From Trip advisor comments on Astoria Travel Athens.

rnohr, Boston, Massachusetts 3116, Reviewed October 15, 2017
Underrated travel agent service
I don’t know if people know about this gem of a service, but I would HIGHLY recommend using it for booking tours in all of Greece. Kosta is extremely serviceable and offers a GREAT deal on the tour.
I booked a 3-day classical Greece tour with Kosta and he was able to arrange it for a price that was cheaper than what the tour agency actually offered. He always responded promptly to emails and got back to me within 24 hours. Everything was arranged as would be expected.
I would recommend using this company for any needs before other people find out how great of a gem this is.
________________________________________________________________________

Re: Astoria Travel Meteora trip Reviews.
Hi SomeGirl111. All the bus tours in Greece are organized by three Tour operators. The travel agents do not organize, they sell these guided tours at discounted rates. So, whoever you decide to buy your tour from, you will end up sitting in one of the T.O. buses. All three T.Os. use modern, air-conditioned buses, and knowledgeable professional tour guides. You travel on the same bus as visitors that paid the full brochure price. Astoria Travel was established in 1958 and is still operating and prospering. So, your question should be: is the price of the tours organized by G.O. Tours, CHAT, or KEY Tours, good? What differs between the travel agents is how fast they reply to you, and the way they answer your request. Being in the travel trade for such a long time, I am sure that they know the way to satisfy their clients.
________________________________________________________________________
From: https://travelbunny8.blogspot.com/2016/07/greece-4-days-classical-greece-tour.html
(Visit the excellent blog site, read the description and comments)

If you wish to see the major sights of mainland Ancient Greece including UNESCO-listed ancient sites of Mycenae, Epidaurus, Olympia, Delphi, and Meteora monasteries, then I recommend you to join a 4-Day Classical Greece Tour.
The tour departs from Athens and returns to Athens.

5 UNESCO World Heritage Site in 4 days. I have to warn you that 4 out of the 5 World Heritage Sites are in ruins. The tour which I joined was organized by G.O. TOURS. Information about the tour can be found on their website at http://www.gotours.com.gr/en/

However, I did not book through their website. I booked it through ASTORIA TRAVEL http://www.astoria.gr/price-tours-classical-4day.html that can be contacted at athens@astoriatravel.gr. I e-mailed Mr. Kosta and since I booked the tour through him in 4-star hotels, I got a free arrival transfer offer to my hotel. Actually, Kosta himself came to the airport and took us to the hotel.

After browsing through the web, I found that Astoria Travel offers the cheapest tour packages in Athens. Initially, I was quite skeptical. How can this tour agent offer such a low price (20% cheaper) compared to the travel company’s price? Is this a scam? Well, believe it! I even book my first two nights in Athens at Hotel Arethusa (very near Syntagma Square) at a very cheap price through Astoria Travel.

I took the First-Class package as the price difference was not much compared to the Tourist Class package and the complimentary airport transfer sounded attractive. During the tour, some of my fellow travelers took the Tourist Class package. Frankly, I don’t think there was much of a difference compared to the First-Class hotels. In fact, the Tourist Class hotels were located nearer to the town center while the First-Class hotels were located at quieter locations outside the towns providing small luxuries (swimming pools, good dinners, breakfasts, etc.)

The tour includes visits to two of the six monasteries of Meteora.

As the tour group was small, we got to know each other pretty quickly.

The only way to visit Ancient Olympia in a day is by hiring a self-driven car, hiring a taxi, or, taking our day trip.
With the extra expense of a local tour guide, experience a 3 hours guided tour in the ancient site and the archaeological museum, and, on your own, in the museum of the ancient Olympic Games.

– Starting from your lodging at 06.45 am, we stop at Corinth canal (photo-stop), and arrive at Olympia at 10.45 am.
– Meet the tour guide (recommended) and with her, visit the archaeological museum, and the  ancient site.
– When you finish the sightseeing, relax having lunch in the peaceful setting of the modern Olympia town, and
– At +/- 16.00 start the return trip and arrive in Athens before 20.00.

In the ancient site, the stadium, and the Olympia Museum, there is so much to see, that visitors should give themselves at least half a day to explore and experience ancient Olympia.
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Prices in euro, per person

The trip is costly and this is the reason that there is no price for 2 passengers. Persuade one or more friends to join you and share the cost of this day trip.
The price includes: transportation and tolls. The entrance fees and the lunch mentioned are not included and are paid locally.
A local professional tour guide can be arranged for an extra fee.

• Bookings 3 -1 days before departure CAN BE DONE ONLY IN OUR OFFICE (48 Stadiou str. near Omonia square).
• In order to book the tour you must fill and submit the booking form found in the top menu of this website.
• Plan a 2-day trip combining ancient Olympia with the Venetian town of Nafplion, Homer’s Mycenae and the sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidaurus, or, with the lakes of Polylimnio, Navarino, and Ancient Messene, an archaeological site generally accepted as the most beautiful site in Greece. We suggest hotels for you to choose.

Visit a similar One-day tour to Olympia and compare services and prices.

The minibus seats 9 passengers in 3 rows of seats.

Listen to Prof. Hale’s excellent lecture, and include Olympia in your itinerary.

Olympia became the most important religious and athletic center in Greece and must be included in everybody’s itinerary. The only way to visit Ancient Olympia on a day trip is by hiring a self-driven car or a taxi, or by taking our private day trip, preferably with the extra expense of a local guide.

Ancient Olympia, the Acropolis of Athens, and the Oracle of Delphi are 3 sites that the services of a professional tour guide are appreciated. There are a lot of myths and interesting stories about Olympia and the Olympic Games that the tour guide will talk about.
The professional tour guide will speak about:
* The four Pan-Hellenic Games, (the Games at Olympia were one of them. The other three were, the Isthmian, the Pythian, and the Nemean Games).
* Ancient Olympia was not a city as such. It was only the sanctuary, the stadium, the sports facilities, the VIP hostel, and the administration buildings,
* The city that was responsible for the organization of the ancient Olympic Games was ILIS, +/- 30kms from Olympia,
* The temple of Zeus, that housed one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world, the statue of Zeus, made by the Pheidias.
* The structures in the “sacred” sanctuary were dedicated to the gods, except the Philippeion and the villa of Nero.
* The Zannes, being the statues of the cheaters. (Emperor Nero was the biggest cheater of the ancient Olympic Games).
* The amazing organization of the ancient Olympic Games, similar and even better than today’s organization.
* The females had their own Games. They called them Heraia Games and were organized in favour of goddess Hera, Zeus’ wife, and sister.
* Learn the story of Kallipateira, the mother that disguised herself as a man in order to watch her son competing and winning in the Games.
* The story of Kinishka, the tomboy Spartan princess, a chariot owner, that became the first female Olympic winner.
* The lighting of the Olympic flame and the torch relay celebrated every year (summer, winter, youth Olympics, etc.).
* Following the Baron’s last wish, his heart was buried at Olympia, at the base of the monument in the I.O.A. grounds.
* The emblems (the five Olympic rings) of the modern Olympic Games, revived by Baron Pierre De Coubertin.

The ancient Olympic Games started about 3000 years ago, when Hippodamia, daughter of the local King, Oenomaus, fell in love and married Pelops. Pelops, a local hero, decided to name the whole peninsula after his name and called it Peloponnesus (= Pelop’s island). However only in 776 BC, the first Olympic Games win was recorded, and that year marks the first Olympiad. Since then, every four years the Olympic Games were held attracting athletes of Greek origin from all the Greek city States. A month before the opening ceremony, until a month after the closing day of the games, the Olympic truce was in effect and all hostilities were suspended, for the spectators to visit Olympia and return safely from Olympia to their city-states. At Olympia, the victors’ prize was an olive branch wreath.

The first recorded win in the ancient Olympic Games was in 776 B.C. and since then, the Games were held, between August 6 and September 19, every four years for over 1000 years, devoted to Zeus. The four years period between two Olympic Games was called an Olympiad and was used as a meter of chronology. The spirit of sport and friendly rivalry was the ideal of these Olympic games. The “Olympic truce”, that is the ceasing of fighting in the whole Greek world for as long as the Olympic games were on, was strictly observed with one or two exceptions. The Spartans in 420 BC were excluded from the games on the ground of truce breaking. In 426 BC emperor Theodosius II ordered the destruction of the temples and the Altis was burnt.
Taking part in the Games was a great honour for the athlete and his native city. The athletes were men of Greek origin that had not committed the crime of sacrilege(had done something unholy). The athletes competed nude. Women were forbidden to watch the games, with the exception of the priestess of goddess Demeter. Violation of this rule was punishable by death. According to Pausanias, the only time this rule was broken and the death sentence was not carried out, was the case of Kallipateira, daughter of the Olympic winner Diagoras of Rhodes, who came to the stadium disguised as the trainer to encourage her son Peisidorus who was taking part in the games. In her enthusiasm for his victory jumping over the trainers’ enclosure wall, her chiton fell down revealing her feminity. The Hellanodikai spared her life out of respect to her family, the Diagorides, who had three generations of Olympic winners: her father Diagoras, her brothers Eukleas and Kallianaktas nad her son Peisidorus. This incident was the reason for passing the law, which compelled the trainers to attend the stadium naked, like the athletes.

Organization of the Games.
The highest dignitaries of the Games were the 12 Hellanodikai (umpires), responsible for organizing the games and application of the rules. They had the authority to disqualify individuals because of violation of the rules and to impose fines and punish those concerned. They were helped by the alytai( a kind of policeman), the mastigophoroi (whippers), and the ravdouchoi(staff bearers). All of them answered the alytarch(chief of police). Being part of religious ceremonies, there was also, the theokoloi, who conducted the sacrifices, the spondoforoi, assigned to travel throughout the Greek world to announce the Games and the celebrations, the seers that gave prophecies and had special prestige, the priests for special sacrifices, the flute players, the dancers and the head of ceremonies.
Ten months before the beginning of the Games, the Hellanodikai stayed in a special building where they were informed of their duties and learned the rules of the Games. The athletes had to announce to them their participation one year before the Games began. One month before the Games they had to come to Olympia with their trainers in order to prepare themselves.
The Games lasted five days. On the first day, the opening ceremony was carried out. The athletes registered and in front of the Zeus Orkios, they and their trainers took a vow(orkos). They vowed that “they compete fairly and without violating the rules”. The Hellanodikai also took a vow to be honest and fair in their judgments. The second day included horse and chariot races in the hippodrome and the pentathlon. The third day was the most important. It included glorious rites devoted to the worship of Zeus in the morning. There was a large festive procession of priests, athletes, the Hellanodikai, and notables of Ellis and of the other Greek cities. In the afternoon the foot races were held. On the fourth day the so-called heavy events – wrestling, boxing, pankration, and the race in full armour took place. On the fifth and last day, the festive awarding of the prizes was carried out in front of the statue of Zeus. The crowning of the winners took place among the applause, the hymns and songs of the friends and relatives and the celebrations would last until the next morning. The Olympic winner received as a prize an olive tree crown as well as other important prizes in kind and money and the victory gave the athlete great fame during his lifetime and posthumously. A victory ode was written especially for him as well as a statue of the athlete was made. The statue portrayed the ideal of the “good and honest” man. His native city participated in his victory and his proud fellow citizens knocked down part of the city walls through which he made his entry.
The Events: The Olympic Games consisted of 10 events: running, pentathlon, jumping, discus, javelin, wrestling, boxing, pankration, chariot, and horse racing.
The foot – race is the oldest contest that took place in Olympia. The athletes were running nude, in an area around 600 feet (192.27m), called one Stadion. This distance gave its name to the area used for the performance of the event. The stadiums were situated on hillsides or in small valleys, thus enabling the spectators to follow the events. Later and as the crowd of spectators grew, artificial slopes were built and the spectators sat on the ground. The stadium at Olympia had a capacity of 45,000 spectators. There are no records of the achievements of the athletes during Archaic times as there were no means of keeping time.
Pentathlon The pentathlon was a combination of events. It included jumping, running, javelin, discus, and wrestling. The athlete had to combine many qualities and skills of the body.
Jumping Similar to the long jump. The athlete jumped into a pit holding halters in his hands.
Discus An event loved by the Greeks most and known from Homeric poems. A moment of discus throwing is captured in the famous statue of the Discus-thrower, opposite the Panathenaic Stadium, in Athens.
Javelin One of the favorite events of many mythical heroes. We find the “ekevolon” javelin throwing which was judged by the distance the javelin was thrown and the “stohastikon” javelin throwing where the javelin was thrown at a specific target.
Wrestling It is referred to for the first time in Homer’s Labours for Patroclus. One of the pentathlon events but also independent in the Pan-Hellenic games. Even today it is called Greek-Roman wrestling.
Boxing One of the oldest events, as shown by the early reference to the event by Homer and the representation of two children boxing on the mural from Akrotiri in Santorini.
The Pankration A combination of wrestling and boxing, it was considered as the most worthy event for men in the games.
The horse & chariot races Took place in the hippodrome, a space used for the horse races. The horse races comprised of various events and were conducted with horses, chariots, and a quadriga. The most spectacular event was the quadriga race, an event in which the most prominent historic personalities had competed.

Independently of the Olympic games, the HERAIA GAMES, foot races for women only in honour of goddess Hera, was also taking place in Olympia. These games were also held every four years. The women ran having their hair loose, dressed in short tunics. There is a perfect image of a statue in the Athens Archaeological Museum of a girl taking part in the games.

Olympia is still in our lives with the lighting of the flame and the torch relay, ceremonies that every year will bring back memories of this tour.

Despite the damage by the earthquakes and the floods, the site is worth your visit. The setting is magical, making it the most beautiful major site in the Peloponnese. Both, the archaeological museum and the museum of the ancient Games are among the finest in Greece, making your visit to Olympia a must. There is no modern equivalent for ancient Olympia – a religious and at the same time an athletic centre. Men travelled from every part of the ancient World to compete in these Games and the winners became legends. Over 50,000 spectators came to watch the Games every four years and support the athletes.
The area was buried under the alluvial deposits of the two rivers until its discovery in 1852. Since then, millions of people visit Olympia every year and admire its wealth and importance in antiquity. A visit to the original site of the Olympic Games is a moving experience. Running in the original stadium is an unforgettable one.
If your visit to Greece is short and does not allow you to join a longer tour, take our ONE DAY TOUR TO OLYMPIA and visit the huge, but walkable, sacred ancient site.

Ancient Olympia has cultivated ideals. The importance of taking part in the Olympics was a great honour, being an Olympic winner was even greater.
The ancient Greeks visited the sanctuary of Olympia every 4 years. Join one of our tours and visit it once in your lifetime.

The whole region of Olympia is filled with history and beauty, and it is not difficult to imagine the atmosphere of the ancient games so many years ago.
With the Archaeological Museum exhibiting findings from the area, Olympia is generally accepted as one of the most interesting and educational sites you will find in the Peloponnese.

The archaeological site of Ancient Olympia is one of the most popular sites to visit in the Peloponnese. Birthplace to the Olympic Games, and home of the Olympic Flame, Olympia is a site that every visitor to Greece should include in his itinerary.

Join one of the tours below and visit the sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia:

• 2 days Argolis (Mycenae, Nafplion, Epidaurus & Olympia)
• 3 days classical tour to Epidaurus, Mycenae, Olympia & Delphi
• 4-day Monday’s special classical tour, o/night in Nafplion
• 5 days Classical tour as above & an extra day to visit Meteora
• 5-day Monday’s special classical tour & Meteora, o/night in Nafplion
• 7-day Grand tour of Greece
• Visit Olympia on the Intercity bus

thetis2017, Grantham, United Kingdom. “One day trip to the archaeological site at Olympia”

Kosta gives excellent value for money. He is highly knowledgeable, caring, and courteous. We shall definitely book another trip with him next year.
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GDS_10 Grand Rapids… Re: Astoria Travel

I can highly recommend Astoria Travel and Kosta in particular. He went out of his way to assist my wife and me during our visit to Athens in early May.
First, he got us rates in Athens’s hotels that were significantly lower than any we could book on the web. He gave us excellent advice about what would be open and what would be closed during a national strike on May 7 and booked us for a wonderful one-day cruise that day (at a rate lower than that advertised by other agents).
I had trouble finding someone to take us on a one-day trip to Olympia, Kosta volunteered and drove us there and back. He also accommodated my request to visit the site of the Marathon battlefield-again, driving us personally, explaining the vicinity and the history, and recommending a cafe and several special Greek dishes for lunch.
His English is excellent, he is knowledgeable, highly experienced, and extremely helpful.

Free pick up service starts at 07:30 am and is included in the price. (See the list of hotels in the footer).

Day 1: Drive from Athens to Corinth Canal (short stop). Visit Epidaurus and the famous Theatre. Short stop in Nafplio (photo stop) and proceed to Mycenae. Visit the Tomb of Agamemnon and the Archaeological Site and drive on to Olympia. Dinner & overnight.

Day 2: OLYMPIA. Visit the Archaeological Site with the Sanctuary of Olympian Zeus. See the temple of Zeus, the temple of Hera, the spot where the torch of the modern Olympic Games is lit, the Stadium, and the Archaeological Museum.
Continue to Delphi crossing the Corinthian Bay, driving on the bridge to Antirion. Drive by the beautiful towns of Nafpaktos(famous Lepanto for the Spaniards), Galaxidi and the port of Itea. Dinner and overnight in Delphi.

Day 3: Visit the famous oracle and see the Temple of Apollo, the Treasury of Athenians and the Museum with great sculptures such as the Sphinx monster, the athlete Aghias and the bronze Charioteer.
After lunch depart for Kalambaka the town at the foot of the gigantic sandstone rocks of Meteora.

Day 4: METEORA, meaning “suspended in the air”. You will visit 2 Monasteries and see unique specimens of Byzantine art.
Depart from Kalampaka to Thessaloniki, the second largest city of Greece (dinner & overnight).

Day 5: THESSALONIKI. In the morning explore the city that during the Byzantine Empire was the “co-reigning” city. Visit the Museum of Byzantine Culture and the most characteristic churches of the Christian world. The rest of the day you are free to see more of the city. Dinner & overnight.

Day 6: Departure for the historical Greek Macedonia. Visit Edessa, the city with the waterfalls. Second stop at Naoussa where Aristotle, the great philosopher, taught morals and politics to Great Alexander.
Continue to Vergina (ancient Aigai). Visit the royal tombs of King Philip, Alexander’s father, and the unique museum.
Last stop is Veria (Biblical Berea). See the Bema of St Paul. Stroll through the old Jewish neighbourhood and the market area and return to Thessaloniki for dinner & overnight.

Day 7: Today you visit Pella, the birthplace of Great Alexander. In the museum you see the exquisite floor mosaics of the 4th c.
Next stop is in the Archaeological Park of Dion, at the foot of Mt Olympus, residence of the 12 Olympian Gods. Return to Athens arriving late in the afternoon.

All travel agents, in Greece and worldwide, offer the same tour at different prices. We are sure that our price is not matched. After 62 years of organising tours throughout Greece we have secured the best deals in all aspects of travel.
Our prices are:
Sharing a double/twin bedroom, 930.00 € per adult, 650.00 € per child.
Single travellers in a single 4* star hotel bedroom is 1160.00 €.

The price includes:

* 6 nights accommodation in 4 star hotels
* 6 Dinners & 6 breakfasts
* The services of the professional tour guide throughout the tour
* Entrance Fees to the sites and the museums visited
* Pick-up service from or near your hotel (see the list of hotels in the footer)
* Transportation by modern air-conditioned coach
* All taxes except the hotel overnight tax

If you are 3 persons sharing a triple room you save 5% per person.

Astoria Travel,
48 Stadiou street, Athens 10564, Greece.
Tel. +302103250380, +306932888585.
Click here and send us a message

The only way to visit Olympia in a day trip is by hiring a self-driven car or hiring a taxi, or, taking our private day trip, preferably with the extra expense of a local guide.

– Starting from your hotel at 06.45 am, we stop at Corinth canal for a short photo-stop, and arrive at Olympia at 10.45 am.
– Meet the tour guide (recommended) and spend 3 hours with her, visiting the archaeological museum, and the ancient site. (The suggested guided tour is longer than any other guided tour, but it’s the size and the history of Olympia that makes it long).
– When you finish with the sightseeing, relax having lunch in the peaceful setting of the modern Olympia town, and
– At +/- 16.00 start the return trip and arrive in Athens before 20.00. An enjoyable and memorable full-day tour.

Comprising of the ancient site, the stadium, and the Olympia museum, there is so much to see, that visitors should give themselves at least half a day to explore and experience ancient Olympia.
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Follow the link and see the prices for the 1-day trip to Olympia