Tag Archive : best classical tour

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.

Pick-up/drop-off from your hotel 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: Organizing tours throughout Greece since 1958 we have secured the best deals in all aspects of travel. Our prices are not matched.

Price p.p. in double room
3* hotel: Half-board360.00 + entry fees
4* hotel : Half-board400.00 + 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. We shall get back asap.

The tour services include:
– Modern air-conditioned buses,
– 3-night hotel with 3 breakfasts , and 3 dinners
– Pick up/drop off near your hotel (See the list of hotels at the footer),
– The services of the tour guide throughout the tour.
– All taxes except the “city tax” (5.00 € per room, per night). This tax is paid by the client to the hotel.

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 6972 778899.
Send a message to: sales@astoriatravel.gr