Category Archive : Tours visiting Delphi

Sacred site of Delphi

Stay in Athens and visit famous Greek cultural sites!

Delphi is Greece’s premier tourist attraction.

The sheer magnificence and grandeur of the location strike you. Below the site, a valley ringed by mountains provides breathtaking views from any location within the site. Delphi was the most sacred place in the ancient world. A temple dedicated to the god Apollo was built there in the 7th c BC. and housed the Oracle of Delphi, the greatest source of income for a thousand years. Delphi became a religious center. Kings and common people came to consult the priestess called PYTHIA. In a secret room below the tripod of the Pythia, the priests of Apollo interpreted her vague and wild cries and put them into ordered language. The marketing idea was: build a treasury house for your city-state. Bring your votives and valuable gifts and we shall keep them in it for you. It was a matter of convincing everybody that Apollo, Zeus, and the rest of the gods controlled their lives.

Today the archaeological site with the treasuries, the ancient temples, and the shrines, is one of the best in Greece, making Delphi one of Greece’s premier tourist attractions. It is a 2.30-hour drive from Athens making the visit to Delphi a comfortable 1-day trip.

The museum in Delphi houses impressive statues, jewelry, and other wares that have been unearthed from the site.

Unless you are a history guy you need a full hour to explore the ancient site. The Sacred Way starts at the ticket booth, winds up past a number of Treasuries and leads to the Temple of Apollo, where the Oracle was sitting.

For mobile users visit: https://www.toursingreece.info

dates & prices


NOV-MAR the tour to Delphi is organized Wed, Fri + Sun
APR-OCT the 1-day Tour to Delphi is organized daily

PRICES: Organizing tours throughout Greece since 1958 we have secured the best deals in all aspects of travel.
We offer our tours at low prices without compromising the quality of our service.

For the One-day tour to Delphi without lunch:
ENTRANCE FEES: NOV-MAR you add 8 €, APR-OCT you add 15 €

DISCOUNTS:
– E.U. juniors under 26 and E.U. students do not pay entrance fees.

Lunch (3-course menu) is served in a restaurant outside the Delphi village and costs 10 € for everybody.
– Clients who take the tour without lunch may spend the lunch hour in modern Delphi village.
Fill in the booking request and start the communication. We shall reply asap.
Bookings during the last 24 hours can ONLY be made in our premises, Stadiou 48, in the centre of Athens.

The tour services include:
– transportation on modern air-conditioned buses, with ample storage space for your luggage.
– the services of the professional tour guide all along the tour
– Pick up/drop off from or near your hotel (See the list of hotels at the foot of this website).
– Shortstop in the picturesque village of Arachova in Greece.

Copied from a client’s Blogspot:
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 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.

 

POPULAR TOURS: Afternoon to Sounion 33 € | 1 day Argolis 59 € | 2 days Delphi-Meteora 120 € | 4 day classical & Meteora | 1 day cruise
 

If our offer sounds interesting, please send us the booking form.

 

HOW TO BOOK A TOUR | BOOKING FORM | PAY ONLINE | CONTACT US

 

Itinerary

Time Tour Plan Services
7:30 Start the free pick up service, bring the people to the terminal and put them in the different buses to the destinations. Depart from the terminal at +/- 08.30
11:30 Arrival in modern Delphi village On the way, 25 mins break near Levadia
11:45 Visit the ancient site & the museum Entrance fees – See the price you paid
14:00 Drive to a restaurant 3 kl outside modern Delphi Lunch, is optional – See the price you paid.
15:30 Start the return towards Athens Stop at the village of Arachova
18:30 Arrival in the centre of Athens Hotel drop off by 19.30

History

If there is a site to visit in Greece then Delphi is this place. The sheer magnificence and grandeur of the location strike you. God Apollo had chosen the best spot to build his temple. Below the site, a valley ringed by mountains provides breathtaking views from any location within the site.

Delphi was considered to be one of the most important cities of ancient Greece. It was believed to be home to the goddess Gaia, or Earth, and later to Apollo after slaying Gaia’s son, the snake Python. The Pythian games—similar to the Olympic Games—were held here every four years to honour Apollo’s slaying of the Python dragon.

According to the myth, Zeus released two eagles. The one flew east and the other one flew west. They both met over Delphi, determining that the centre of the world was there. A temple dedicated to the god Apollo was built there in the 7th c BC. The Temple of Apollo housed the great Oracle of Delphi, the world’s greatest source of income for a thousand years. The Oracle was the most eminent feature of Delphi, and some of the most important people from all over Greece—including demigods, according to Greek mythology—visited her to seek advice. The oracle of Apollo became a religious center where common people and kings alike, came to consult “Pythia”, the priestess of the sanctuary. In a room, below the Pythia, the priests listened and interpreted her vague and wild cries, and put them into ordered language.

Above the entrance to the temple of Apollo, the visitor reads ‘Know Thyself’ and ‘Nothing in Excess’. These sayings were read and pondered upon by all of the great kings, warriors, and noblemen who came here for advice. The true wisdom of the Oracle lies not within the words of the Oracle’s priestess, but within the walls of the temple itself.

The Pythian Games held in Delphi were one of four Panhellenic games held in ancient Greece, and they attracted competitors from all over the Greek world. Founded in the 6th c. BC and held in honour of Apollo the Games originally centered around the talents the god exemplified – music and poetry. However soon, athletic competitions were added as well. The best known was a great chariot race, held in the stadium of Delphi. The winners of the Pythian Games received a laurel wreath.

The 6th c. BC saw the political rise of Delphi ushering in a golden age that lasted until the arrival of the Romans in 191 BC. Numerous treasuries were built in the Sanctuary of Apollo to house votive offerings of grateful pilgrims. In the 4th century BC, a theater accommodating 5,000 spectators was constructed nearby. It was restored in 159 by king Eumenes II and later by the Romans.

The oracle of Delphi was abolished in 393 AD by Theodosius of Byzantium, the emperor who made Christianity the official religion of the Byzantine Empire. No longer used, the temples fell into disrepair and their materials were plundered for new buildings.

Site & Museum


Delphi was the most sacred place in the ancient world and thousands of pilgrims visited here, from kings and philosophers to common people to hear the prophecies of the Oracle and to watch and compete in the ancient games held here, the Pythian Games, similar to the Olympics.
The archaeological site is one of the best in Greece with ancient temples and shrines placed along the sacred way, making Delphi one of the best places to visit all year round. The site consists of the temple of Apollo, the treasury houses of the City-States, the ancient theatre, the stadium at the top of the hill, the gymnasium, and hippodrome. The sanctuary was built in an imposing location, on the slopes of Mt. Parnassus. The Temple of Apollo, the treasury house of the Athenians, the Polygonal wall, the treasury houses of the different city States — where treasures from all over Greece were kept, and the Theatre are some of the most important buildings. It is a vigorous hike to the highest parts of the complex, to the theater and the stadium.

The remaining part of the ancient site, bellow the road, with the temple of Athena Pronaia, the Tholos (a circular structure with 3 of its original 20 Doric columns restored), the gymnasium and the sports facilities, used for training for the athletes that took part in the “Pythian or Delphian Games”, is not included in the guided tours. Select the tour option without lunch and while the group is having lunch you can visit them on your own, without the tour guide. The bus will pick you up on the way back to Athens.

Today, next to the archaeological site, there is an impressive museum, displaying hundreds of votive offerings and findings from the local excavations, that started in 1892, masterpieces of Ancient Greek sculpture. The highlights are offerings by the oracle visitors, such as the famous bronze statue of the Charioteer, the statue of Antinoos, the famous athlete Aghias, the two “kouros” statues, the Roman “omphalos”, being the sculptured stone that represented the navel of the world, and many others.

When you finish with the sightseeing, you proceed to a local restaurant for lunch (optional). Finding parking for the bus in the Delphi village is not possible. The restaurant with ample parking space is +/- 3km from the village. After lunch returning to Athens, the driver stops for 40 minutes at the nearby(10 km) traditional village of Arachova. The bus finally arrives in the centre of Athens at +/- 18.30.

Testimonials


By Provoensis, United States, 11 posts, 38 reviews. Re: Astoria Travel, Jul 31

My experiences with Astoria Travel have been varied in scope, but ALWAYS extraordinarily positive. I cannot praise Kosta and his team highly enough. From small-scale arrangements for my wife and me to multi-day academic tours for groups of 30+ university students, our experience has always been top-notch.
I regularly travel with a university group to Greece, and other colleagues from my university (in the USA) have been booking arrangements through Astoria Travel since 2003, sometimes 2 – 3 groups per year. Kosta’s heartfelt inclination to provide a high-quality academic experience for our students really shows. Above all, his reliability and his determination to help us provide an affordable program for them are apparent from beginning to end. On each program, he has been constantly calculating how we can shave down costs to the students’ advantage. He really tends to the smallest details.
Trustworthiness may be the most important aspect of a travel agent’s involvement with a group. In the many facets of our several tours arranged by Astoria, I have yet to be surprised by any bill or expenditure. Everything has been transparent and anticipated.
I recommend to all my colleagues at my university to work their Greek travel arrangements through Astoria Travel. For us Greece means Kosta.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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 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.

ALL THE GUIDED TOURS that start from Athens. Detailed information.

 

Meteora monasteries

Appropriate clothing is required for everybody that visits the monasteries.

Organized on... + prices

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 360.00 + entry fees 430.00 + entry fees
Option 2: 3* hotel with half-board 420.00 + entry fees 490.00 + entry fees
Option 3: 4* hotel, 3 dinners + 3 breakfasts 490.00 + entry fees 590.00 + entry fees

* 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” on 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%

Trip advisor review us 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….

Description


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

Itinerary

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

Highlights


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

Testimonials


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!!! : )

contact us

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


In the footer of this website you find the “4 steps to make a booking”. If our offer looks interesting, please send us the booking form.

CLICK here and see ALL THE GUIDED TOURS that start from Athens. Detailed information on each tour is included.

 

https://astoriatravel.gr/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Delphi_by_Albert_Tournaire.jpg
The ancient Delphi site with the treasuries and the temple of Apollo. Photo by Albert Tournaire

We want you to have a memorable time in Greece! Let a local tour expert organize your tours and make your dream come true.

Delphi is one of Greece’s most important tourist attractions. Easy to visit on a One day tour from Athens all year round.

The sheer magnificence and grandeur of the location strike you. Below the site, a valley ringed by mountains provides breathtaking views from any location within the site. Delphi was the most sacred place in the ancient world. A temple dedicated to the god Apollo was built in the 7th c BC. and housed the Oracle of Delphi, the greatest source of income for a thousand years. Delphi became a religious centre. Kings and common people came to consult the priestess called PYTHIA. In a secret room below the tripod of the Pythia, the priests of Apollo interpreted her vague and wild cries and put them into ordered language. The idea was: build a treasury house for your city-state, bring your valuables and we shall keep them for you in it.

The archaeological site today with the treasuries, the ancient temples, and the shrines, is one of the best in Greece, making Delphi one of Greece’s premier tourist attractions. It is a 2.30-hour drive from Athens making the one-day tour to Delphi a comfortable trip.

The Delphi museum houses impressive statues, jewelry, and other wares unearthed from the site.

Unless you are a history guy you need a full hour to explore the ancient site. The Sacred Way starts at the ticket booth. It winds up past a number of Treasuries and leads to the Temple of Apollo, where the Oracle was sitting.

Mobile users visit www.toursingreece.info

Days & prices


NOV- MARCH the tour operates 4 times per week; every Mon-Wed-Fri + Sun
Apr- October the tour operates; every Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun

PRICES: Our discounted prices are not matched. The price of the tour services without lunch are:
1) Nov-Mar: The adult price for the tour = 69.00 € + 8.00 € entrance fees
Apr-Oct : The adult price for the tour = 69.00 € + 15.00 € entrance fees
2) The child’s price for the tour = 55.00 € (no entrance fees apply)

Lunch(3 course menu) is served in a restaurant outside modern Delphi and costs 15.00 € extra for everybody.
Send the booking request.

The tour services include:
– transportation on modern air-conditioned buses
– the services of the professional tour guide all along, and
– Pick up/drop off from or near your hotel (See the list of hotels in the footer of this website).
– Shortstop in the picturesque village of Arachova, a popular winter destination in Greece.

The ONE DAY DELPHI TOUR can be organized as a private excursion:

In this private tour a) entrance fees, lunch, and drinks are not included in the price, plus
b) a local professional tour guide, can be arranged to meet you in Delphi at an extra cost.

Trip advisor review us WRITE A REVIEW ON OUR SERVICES. Your feedback helps us get better service.

Copied from a client’s blogpost:
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.

 

POPULAR TOURS: 1 day Argolis | 2 days Delphi-Meteora | 3 day explore Meteora | 4 day classical & Meteora | 5 day explore Meteora | 1 day cruise

 

HOW TO BOOK A TOUR | BOOKING FORM | PAY ONLINE | CONTACT US

 

Itinerary

Time Tour Plan Services
7:30 Start the pick up service and come to the terminal Depart from the terminal at 08.30
11:30 Arrival in modern Delphi village On the way, 20 mins break near Levadia
11:45 Visit the ancient site & the museum Entrance fees – See the price you paid
14:30 Drive to a local restaurant 3 km from Delphi Lunch, is optional – See the price you paid.
15:30 Start the return towards Athens Stop at the village of Arachova
18:30 Arrival in the centre of Athens Hotel drop off by 19.30

History

If there is a site to visit in Greece then Delphi is this place. The sheer magnificence and grandeur of the location strike you. God Apollo had chosen the best spot to build his temple. Below the site, a valley ringed by mountains provides breathtaking views from any location within the site.

Delphi was considered to be one of the most important cities of ancient Greece. It was believed to be home to the goddess Gaia, or Earth, and later to Apollo after slaying Gaia’s son, the snake Python. The Pythian games—similar to the Olympic Games—were held here every four years to honor Apollo’s slaying of the Python dragon.

According to the myth, Zeus released two eagles. The one flew east and the other one flew west. They both met over Delphi, determining that the centre of the world was there. A temple dedicated to the god Apollo was built there in the 7th c BC. The Temple of Apollo housed the great Oracle of Delphi, the world’s greatest source of income for a thousand years. The Oracle was the most eminent feature of Delphi, and some of the most important people from all over Greece—including demigods, according to Greek mythology—visited her to seek advice. The oracle of Apollo became a religious centre where common people and kings alike, came to consult “Pythia”, the priestess of the sanctuary. In a room, below the Pythia, the priests listened and interpreted her vague and wild cries, and put them into ordered language.

Above the entrance to the temple of Apollo, the visitor reads ‘Know Thyself’ and ‘Nothing in Excess’. These sayings were read and pondered upon by all of the great kings, warriors, and noblemen who came here for advice. The true wisdom of the Oracle lies not within the words of the Oracle’s priestess, but within the walls of the temple itself.

The Pythian Games held in Delphi were one of four Panhellenic games held in ancient Greece, and they attracted competitors from all over the Greek world. Founded in the 6th c. BC and held in honour of Apollo the Games originally centered around the talents the god exemplified – music and poetry. However soon, athletic competitions were added as well. The best known was a great chariot race, held in the stadium of Delphi. The winners of the Pythian Games received a laurel wreath.

The 6th c. BC saw the political rise of Delphi ushering in a golden age that lasted until the arrival of the Romans in 191 BC. Numerous treasuries were built in the Sanctuary of Apollo to house votive offerings of grateful pilgrims. In the 4th century BC, a theater accommodating 5,000 spectators was constructed nearby. It was restored in 159 by king Eumenes II and later by the Romans.

The oracle of Delphi was abolished in 393 AD by Theodosius of Byzantium, the emperor who made Christianity the official religion of the Byzantine Empire. No longer used, the temples fell into disrepair and their materials were plundered for new buildings.

Site & Museum


Delphi was the most sacred place in the ancient world and thousands of pilgrims visited here, from kings and philosophers to common people to hear the prophecies of the Oracle and to watch and compete in the ancient games held here, the Pythian Games, similar to the Olympics.
The archaeological site is one of the best in Greece with ancient temples and shrines placed along the sacred way, making Delphi one of the best places to visit all year round. The site consists of the temple of Apollo, the treasury houses of the City-States, the ancient theatre, the stadium at the top of the hill, the gymnasium, and hippodrome. The sanctuary was built in an imposing location, on the slopes of Mt. Parnassus. The Temple of Apollo, the treasury house of the Athenians, the Polygonal wall, the treasury houses of the different city States — where treasures from all over Greece were kept, and the Theatre are some of the most important buildings.

The remaining part of the ancient site, bellow the road, with the temple of Athena Pronaia, the Tholos (a circular structure with 3 of its original 20 doric columns restored), the gymnasium, and the sports facilities, used for training for the athletes that took part in the “Pythian or Delphian Games”, is not visited in the guided tours. Choose the tour without lunch and when the group is having lunch you can visit them on your own, without the tour guide.

Today, next to the archaeological site, there is an impressive museum, displaying findings from the local excavations, that started in 1892, masterpieces of Ancient Greek sculpture. The highlights are offerings by the oracle visitors, such as the famous bronze statue of the Charioteer, the statue of Antinoos, the famous athlete Aghias, the two “kouros” statues, the Roman “omphalos”, being the sculptured stone that represented the navel of the world, and many others.

When you finish with the sightseeing, you proceed to a local restaurant for lunch (optional), and after lunch, the driver stops for 40 minutes at the nearby traditional village of Arachova. The bus arrives in the center of Athens at +/- 18.30.

Testimonials


By Provoensis, United States, 11 posts, 38 reviews. Re: Astoria Travel, Jul 31

My experiences with Astoria Travel have been varied in scope, but ALWAYS extraordinarily positive. I cannot praise Kosta and his team highly enough. From small-scale arrangements for my wife and me to multi-day academic tours for groups of 30+ university students, our experience has always been top-notch.
I regularly travel with a university group to Greece, and other colleagues from my university (in the USA) have been booking arrangements through Astoria Travel since 2003, sometimes 2 – 3 groups per year. Kosta’s heartfelt inclination to provide a high-quality academic experience for our students really shows. Above all, his reliability and his determination to help us provide an affordable program for them is apparent from beginning to end. On each program, he has been constantly calculating how we can shave down costs to the students’ advantage. He really tends to the smallest details.
Trustworthiness may be the most important aspect of a travel agent’s involvement with a group. In the many facets of our several tours arranged by Astoria, I have yet to be surprised by any bill or expenditure. Everything has been transparent and anticipated.
I recommend to all my colleagues at my university to work their Greek travel arrangements through Astoria Travel. For us Greece means Kosta.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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 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.


In the footer of this website you find the “4 steps to make a booking”. If our offer sounds interesting, please send us the booking form.

Olympia stadium

Days & prices


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%

Trip advisor review us 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…

Description


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.

Highlights


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

More info & Map


* 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

Testimonials


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.


In the footer of this website, you find the “4 steps to make a booking”. If our offer looks interesting, please send us the booking form.

CLICK here and see ALL THE GUIDED TOURS that start from Athens. Detailed information on each tour is included.

 


Athens City Sightseeing Tour with Acropolis and the New Acropolis Museum from 38.00 €
Daily 08:45 – 13:00
A comprehensive tour of Athens. Drive through the centre of Athens, past the Academy, the University and the Parliament with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and see Hadrian’s Arch and the stadium where the first modern Olympics took place in 1896. Continue to the Acropolis for a visit to the ancient hilltop complex that was once the Cradle of Western civilization and today overlooks the sprawling city below. Along our journey into antiquity we’ll explore the Acropolis with its treasures. We’ll admire the Parthenon, dedicated to the goddess Athena, and the Temple of Zeus. We’ll see remarkable displays of an ancient world during the visit to the Acropolis Museum, containing antiquities giving visitors insight into the lives of Athenians centuries ago

Cape Sounion in the Afternoon from 33.00 €
Daily 15:00 – 19:15
Drive along the scenic coastal road past the beach resorts to the most southern point of Attica to Cape Sounion where the white marble pillars of the Temple of Poseidon stand. En-route there is an extraordinary view of the Saronic Gulf and the little islands offshore.

Athens By Night
Every Tue., Wed., Thu. & Sat 20:00 – Midnight
An evening drive past the illuminated Acropolis and stop for a drink at a nearby cafe to enjoy the view. Dinner at a typical Athenian taverna with bouzouki music and Greek folk dancing.

Ancient Corinth from 51.00 €
April -October on Mon. & Fri 08:15 – 14:00
Drive south to the Corinth Canal that connects Aegean and Ionian Seas. Visit the ancient town of Corinth where St. Paul lived and preached for almost two years. The remains of the city which include the Agora and the Temple of Apollo (6th c. B.C.) clearly show how rich and important Corinth was in ancient times. With the professional tour guide you will explore an ancient city that several empires fought over throughout the centuries. Before returning to Athens stop at the site of the ancient port Kechries where St. Paul disembarked.

One day Tour to Delphi (with / without lunch) from 49.00 €
Daily 08:30 – 18:30
Home of the Sanctuary of Apollo, Delphi is the most famous site in Classical Greece. On the slopes of Mount Parnassus, hear thee myths about the oracle and tour the excavations. Walk the Sacred Way to the 4th century Temple of Apollo and view the statues immortalising the strength of the athletes who once competed in the Pythian Games held in honour of Apollo and the Arts. A visit to the museum to admire the bronze Charioteer is included.

Full Day Tour to Argolis (with / without lunch) from 49.00 €
Every Mon, Tue., Wed., Thu., Sat.08:00 – 18:30
After a short stop on the bridge crossing the Corinth Canal continue to Mycenae where 19th century excavations described by Homer can be seen. Visit the Beehive Tomb and the Lion’s Gate – Europe’s oldest known monument. On to Epidaurus via the port town of Nauplion to see the 2,000 year old amphitheatre known for its perfect acoustics.

One Day Saronic Island Cruise (with lunch) at discounted price.
Daily 08:00 a.m. – 20:00
Pick up from Athens center and transfer to the port for embarkation. Visit the beautiful islands of the Saronic Gulf; Aegina, Hydra and Poros.

Two Day Tour to Delphi
Daily
Day 1 – Depart Athens driving through the towns of Thebes and Levadia and the quaint village of Arachova, famous for its colourful carpets, to Delphi. Visit the Sanctuary of Apollo situated on the slopes of Mt. Parnassus, the Treasury of the Athenians, the Temple of Apollo and the museum containing the ancient Greek bronze sculpture “the Charioteer” and many other masterpieces. Dinner and overnight in Delphi.

Day 2 – Breakfast at the hotel. Morning at leisure in Delphi. Enjoy the scenery, return to the museum. Afternoon departure for Athens.

Two Day Tour to Argolis
April – October on Tue. & Wed.
Day 1 – After short stop at the bridge crossing the Corinth Canal continue to Mycenae where 19th century excavations described by Homer can be seen. Visit the Beehive Tomb and the Lion’s Gate – Europe’s oldest known monument. Continue to the lovely port town of Nafplion. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight in Nauplion.
Day 2 – Breakfast at hotel and morning at leisure in Nafplion. Depart for Epidaurus to visit the 4th century B.C. theatre famous for its perfect acoustics. Return to Athens early this evening.

Three Day Delphi & Meteora Tour
April – October on Tue., Wed. & Sun.
Day 1 – Depart Athens driving through the towns of Thebes and Levadia to Delphi. Visit the Sanctuary of Apollo situated on the slopes of Mt. Parnassus, the Treasury of the Athenians, the Temple of Apollo and the museum. Overnight in Delphi.
Day 2 – After breakfast, depart Delphi and enjoy an interesting drive through Central Greece, Thermopylae, famous for the heroic defence by Leonidas and his brave 300 Spartans against the invading Persians. (short stop) and the town of Lamia before reaching Kalambaka. Overnight in Kalambaka.
Day 3 – The breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage monasteries of Meteora are our first stop today. Following breakfast set out for Meteora to visit the ageless monasteries containing priceless historical and religious treasures, which appear to be suspended in air on top of huge granite rocks. With the professional tour guide visit two of the six Eastern Orthodox monasteries that cling impressively to immense, rounded rock towers overlooking the town. Return to Athens via the towns of Trikala, Lamia.

Three Day Classical Tour
April – October on Mon., Tue., Thu & Sat.
Day 1 – Drive South on the coastal road to Corinth Canal. Continue to Epidaurus to visit the theatre with its perfect acoustics and proceed to Mycenae to see the Lions’ Gate and Beehive Tomb. O/n Olympia.
Day 2 – This morning visit the Sanctuary of the Olympian Zeus and the museum. Drive to Delphi for o/n.
Day 3 – Walk on the sacred way and visit the Castalia Spring, the Sanctuary of Apollo and the museum. Return to Athens stopping at the picturesque village of Arachova.

Four Day Classical Tour (with Meteora)
April – October on Mon., Tue. Thu & Sat.
Day 1 – Drive via the coastal road stopping at the Corinth Canal and on to Epidaurus to visit the amphitheatre with its perfect acoustics and proceed to Mycenae to see the Lions Gate and Beehive Tomb. Overnight at Olympia.
Day 2 – This morning visit the site of the first Olympic Games; the Sanctuary of the Olympian Zeus and the museum. Drive on to Delphi for overnight.
Day 3 – After the visit at the Sanctuary of Apollo and the museum, depart for Kalambaka passing through numerous picturesque villages and typical towns of Central Greece and a short stop in Thermopylae. Overnight in Kalambaka.
Day 4 – Visit Meteora this morning and among striking scenery, perched on top of huge rocks which seem to be suspended in mid-air, stand ageless monasteries where there are exquisite specimens of Byzantine art. Return to Athens via Trikala, Lamia.

SEE ALL THE TOURS that visit Meteora in guided tours or independent train trips.

Following the State’s COVID 19 measures the monasteries do not provide wrappings anymore.
Appropriate clothing is required for everybody that visits the monasteries.
For men: Sleeveless clothing and shorts over the knees are not allowed, and
For ladies: Skirts bellow the knees are required.

Furthermore following the Covid-19 measures the train runs in 50% capacity
resulting in a surcharge of 25 € p.p. that must be added to all prices.

The 3 Day Tour from Athens to Meteora and Delphi gives you the chance to visit Meteora, and Delphi, independently and on your own pace!
For more details on this tour, check the above section and read about the tour itinerary, see photos and videos or read the FAQ! If you wish to modify this tour according to your own needs, like adding an extra overnight, feel free to contact us!
Why book with us? The tour departs daily, 365 days a year and you may travel on your own or in a small group. Traveling by train is incredibly scenic. Let us do the organizing for you. You will go to spots that other travelers will never experience. You will learn about the history of the place from a local’s perspective.
The 3 days/2 nights trip includes:
Train tickets from Athens to Meteora
3* hotel with breakfast in Kalambaka
Train tickets from Meteora to Levadia
Taxi transfer from Levadia to Delphi
3* hotel with breakfast in Delphi
Bus tickets from Delphi to Athens.
Join the Meteora Sunset Tour
Choose the second day’s tour
Pick-up from Kalampaka train station to the hotel
English speaking tour leader on the tours
Map and Bottle of water on the tours
Free wifi onboard the tour bus

NOT INCLUDED:
Entrance fees to the monasteries
Entrance fees to the archeological site in Delphi
Tour guide in Delphi

Meteora by train

SEE ALL THE TOURS that visit Meteora guided or independent.

Following the State’s COVID 19 measures the monasteries do not provide wrappings anymore.
Appropriate clothing is required for everybody that visits the monasteries.

Tour details


Join this independent tour and visit Meteora and Delphi in 3 days at your own pace.
Travel from Athens and back combining train, taxi, and public bus.
We have built a reliable team of partners and offer a well-organized tour.
Enjoy unique landscapes and visit monuments of great historical importance.
At Meteora join the local tours organized by our local partner and learn the history of the unique area.
Choose between:
a) the Meteora Sunset Tour, and
b) either the morning Half-Day Tour, or
c) the midday tour to Meteora (12:00-17:00), or
d) the morning Meteora Hiking Tour

The train tickets are offered in B class. Upgrading to A class costs 15.00 € p.p. extra

Departures daily, traveling on your own or in small teams.

See the alternative tours:
1-day Meteora by train. Train and local bus tour 94 €
2 days Meteora package Tarin and hotel 95 €
2 days Meteora “special” Train, hotel and 2 local tours 135 €
2 days guided tour to Delphi and Meteora from 120 €
3 days guided tour to Delphi and an extra day in Kalambaka for 148 €
5 days guided classical tour of Greece staying an extra day in Kalambaka.

Itinerary


Day 1. Travel from Athens to Kalambaka. In the afternoon, visit Meteora.

* Collect your tickets and settle the account, at least a day before departure
* Be at Athens’ LARISA Railway station at 06:50.
* 07.20 – Depart from Athens and travel straight to Kalambaka.
* 11.30 – Arrive in Kalambaka and check in at the Hotel KOSTA FAMISSI.
* 15.30 – Optional Sunset tour and overnight in Kalambaka

Day 2. Explore Meteora in the morning, return to Kalambaka and at 16:15 take the train and travel to Delphi.

* Go for an early walk and experience the flora and the fauna of the area.
* 08.00 – Have a good breakfast at Hotel Kosta Famissi.
* 09.00 – Optional 4 hrs. tour. Visit at least 2 monasteries
* 13.00 – After the tour, explore the old town, see the Byzantine church of the Dormition of Mother Mary, have a light lunch, and return to the hotel to take your luggage and walk to the train station.
* 17.00 – Board the train and travel to Levadia.
* 20.00 – Get off at Levadia, meet our driver, and drive to Delphi.
* 21.00 – Arrive in Delphi and check in at the Hotel LEFAS.

Day 3. In the morning, explore Delphi and return to Athens.

* 08.00 – After breakfast walk to the bus ticket office and validate your bus ticket.
* 08.30 – Visit the nearby archaeological museum.
* 11.00 – Explore the sanctuary and the temple of Athena Pronaia.
* 13.30 – Return to the town of modern Delphi and have lunch.
* 16.00 – Board the bus and depart for Athens. Arrive in Athens at 19.15. (Liossion street terminal).

To secure a booking, please, read the terms and conditions and deposit
50 € p.p. for a B-class ticket, or, 60 € p.p. for an A-class ticket.

Price


Our price is:
€ 163 p.p. in a double room, € 156 p.p. in a triple room with breakfast
– This package is not organized for single travelers.

INCLUDED:
* Train ticket from Athens to Kalambaka
* Train ticket from Kalambaka to Levadia Railway station
* 1-night stay in Hotel Kosta FAMISSI with breakfast in Kalambaka
* Transfer by taxi from Levadia railway station to Delphi
* 1-night stay in Hotel LEFAS with breakfast in Delphi
* Intercity Bus ticket from Delphi to Athens

NOT INCLUDED:
# Optional Meteora Sunset Tour. English-speaking tour leader included.
# Optional second day’s tour. English-speaking tour leader included.
# Pick up /drop off in Athens. You catch the train at Athens’ LARISIS Railway station.
# The € 3.00 p.p. to each monastery, and the entrance fee to the museum and site of Delphi.
# All meals and drinks, except the 2 breakfasts.
# The hotel overnight tax = 1.50 € per room, per night.
# Services of a professional tour guide.

The tours in Kalambaka are optional.
———————————————————————–
EXTRAS:
# Extra night in the double bedroom: € 24.00 p.p., per hotel.
# Upgrade your train ticket to A-class,
# 4 hours morning tour of Meteora
# 3.30 hours Sunset tour of Meteora
# 4 hours morning hiking tour

CLICK and see all the options to visit Meteora, guided tours and independent trips.

Testimonials


Client’s comments about the tour and our services
Yan_RN, Houston, Texas, Dec 15,
I booked 2 trips, One-day Mycenae-Nafplion-Epidaurus and the 3 DAYS/2 NIGHTS – METEORA & DELPHI TRIP (no guide), from Astoria travel and was very satisfied with their service. Kosta, a very reliable gentleman, tried his best to arrange every detail for our trips. He accompanied us until we were seated on the train at departure. He booked the same seat number for our departure and return train for us to be convenient to remember. It is important that I don’t think I paid more for this 5-star service. I paid less for the one-day tour and for the train ticket compared with what others paid. I highly recommend Astoria travel for Greece travel.

contact us

Astoria Travel (Est. 1958)
48 Stadiou street, Athens 10564, Greece.
Tel. +302103250380, +306932888585.
Click here and send us a message

In the footer of this website, you find the “4 steps to make a booking”. If our offer sounds interesting, please, send us the booking form.

CLICK here and see ALL THE GUIDED TOURS that start from Athens with detailed information.

 

Daily from April till October – Departs 08.30 & Returns +/- 18.30

1st day: Drive through the the plain of Beotia, crossing the towns of Thebes, Levadia and Arachova to arrive in Delphi, the center of the Ancient World. On the slopes of Mount Parnassus, in a landscape of great beauty and majesty, lie the ruins of the Sanctuary of Apollo Pythios. Visit the Treasury of the Athenians, the Temple of Apollo and the Museum containing such masterpieces of Ancient Greek sculpture as the bronze Charioteer. Afternoon free. Dinner. Overnight.

2nd day: Morning free for you to enjoy the ragged grandeur of Delphi and take photographs to remind you of its beauty. Return to Athens at +/- 18:30.

Price:
Half board 4* hotel 170,00 € per person | Single Supplement in 4* hotel 36,00 €
Half board 3* hotel 146,00 € per person | Single Supplement in 3* hotel 29,00 €

The tour includes:
– 1 night in Delphi & 1 in Kalambaka in double room.
– 2 breakfasts & 2 dinners
– The services of the professional Guide
– The entrance fees to Delphi site and the archaelogical museum are not included.
– Pick-up service from your hotel (see the list of hotels in the footer)
– Transportation with modern air-conditioned coach
– Taxes, except the hotel overnight tax.

NOT INCLUDED: The “CITY TAX” for hotel overnights. The Tax is payable by the clients before check-out: 4* hotel: 3,00 € | 3* hotel: 1,50 € per night, per room.

In the footer of this website you find the “4 steps to make a booking”. If our offer looks interesting, please send us the booking form.

CLICK here and see ALL THE GUIDED TOURS that start from Athens. Detailed information on each tour is included.

 

VISIT DELPHI BY BUS

To help the people that want to take a side trip to Delphi, we offer the “One Day tour to Delphi” for 59.00 euro (2016 price). Students pay 49.00 euro, cash in our office. We call it “enabler’s tour to Delphi” and includes: transportation, pick up / drop off from your hotel, and the services of the professional tour guide, during the tour. The entrance tickets to the museum and site (12.00 euro for adults or 6.00 euro discounted) as well as lunch is not included. You pay for them, on the spot. For information and bookings, please, contact us at: tours@astoriatravel.gr mentioning the enabler’s tours.

If you still prefer to do the trip on your own, Delphi can be reached from Athens only by bus. There are no trains connecting Athens and Delphi.
However, Delphi, Olympia and the Acropolis of Athens are 3 places that a professional tour guide is needed. Without a tour guide, you leave from Delphi, with the feeling that you visited the oracle of Delphi, but you missed something.
In Delphi, the local professional tour guide that I recommend without a second thought is Penny (Pagona) Kolomvotsou. Her e-mail is: kpagona@hotmail.com, her Greek cell phone: 69 446 444 27 and she is the lady that is talking to Rick Steves about the importance of the Delphi sanctuary in my www.toursingreece.info/One-day-tour-Delphi.htm (Click and listen to her). She is extremely knowledgeable and graduated with a B.A, and M.A. degree in museum studies. She speaks German & English, fluently, and she is a pure Delphian lady, born and grown in Delphi. Her family owns the Hotel LETO DELPHI.

– F.Y.I. The entrance fees to the museum and the ancient site of Delphi cost 12.00 euro per adult.
– To get to Delphi by local bus, you depart from the bus terminal, located at 216 Liossion street. Go to the Attiki metro stop, and get a bus travelling along Liossion street. A taxi from your hotel should cost +/- 10.00 euro.

Call the bus station (++30 210 8317096) and check the timetables. Be at the terminal 30 minutes before the bus departure, get your ticket and find your bus. A single ticket costs 15.10 euros one way (Jan 2015). You cannot book in advance your bus tickets. You book your return seat at the bus station in Delphi when you get there.
Keep your ticket on you at all times. There are numerous inspections during the trip and a large fine applies if you don’t present a ticket.

SEE also:
1) All the options to visit Meteora (train and shared bus guided tours),
2) All the options to visit Olympia (Intercity bus and shared bus guided tours).

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Greek people in majority are well manored, smiling, helpful, and optimistic personalities. English language is widely spoken.
It’s very likely you’ll be as charmed by the Greek people as you will be, by Greece’s beautiful landscape.

A guided tour is the best way to see places

We offer the tours without the entrance fees, caring for clients that are allowed to enter to sites & museums f.o.c. or by paying discounted entrances.
Our final prices are not matched by any other company. After 60 years of organizing tours throughout Greece, we have secured the best deals.
CLICK on the links of every tour and see all the information. To help you choose what tour to take detailed information is included on each tour with descriptions, itineraries, prices and what is included, location details, operating days, admission rates, maps and facilities. We do hope that you find the time to explore the rich heritage of Greece and that your visit will be a rewarding and enjoyable one.

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* Morning city sightseeing tour including Acropolis and the New Acropolis Museum, 38 €
* Morning walking tour of Athens historic centre, 35 €
* Afternoon tour to Sounion, cape with the temple of Poseidon, 33 €
* Full day Athens. Morning city tour, lunch + afternoon Sounion. Apr-Oct 80 €
* Morning tour to Corinth. St Paul lived here for 18 months. Apr-Oct 51 €
* One day Delphi. Visit museum + sanctuary… adults 69 €
* One day Argolis. Mycenae, Nafplion & Epidaurus, adults 69 €
* One day cruise to Hydra-Poros & Aegina. Best Price
* Two days to Delphi + Meteora. from 135 €.
* 3 days Classical tour – Mycenae, Epidaurus, Olympia & Delphi.
* 4 days Classical with Meteora monasteries tour.
* 4 days Monday’s special Classical tour. First night in Nafplio. Apr – Oct.
* 4 days Classical tour with Nafplio. Apr – Oct on Sun – Mon-Fri and selected Wed.
* 5 days Monday’s Classical & Meteora. First night in Nafplio. April – October.
* 5 days tour of Northern Greece. April – October
* 7 days Grand tour of Greece. April – October

All options to visit

* Olympia from Athens
* Nafplion from Athens
* Delphi from Athens

Other services that we offer:

* Private transfer services from Athens’ airport,
* Car, minibus, and motorcycle, rental services,