A picturesque Private Greece tour to central Greece Amphisa, Lamia, Trikala, Thermopylae, Kalambaka, Meteora, byzantine monasteries of Meteora
Highlights of 2 days private tour to incredible Meteora and Thermopylae
- The high rocks of Meteora
- The unique 6 byzantine monasteries
- Kalambaka at the foot of Meteora
- Homemade Greek food
- An expert English speaking tour driver
Description of Meteora tours; two days Meteora and Thermopylae private tour in Greece
Day 1: Itinerary of Meteora tours; two days Meteora and Thermopylae private tour in Greece:
Athens – Amphisa – Lamia – Trikala – Kalambaka – Kastraki – Meteora Our Athens taxi tours driver will collect you and drive you through the fertile plain of Beotia, passing through THERMOPYLAE, about 220 km from Athens, the place where a famous ancient battle place during the Persian Wars, in which the Spartan King Leonidas together with 300 Spartan warriors fell defending the pass against an overwhelmingly larger force. There is a modern memorial to King Leonidas on one side of the highway that shows the Spartan King on the top of a memorial wall with the words “Molon Labe” written under the statue. The phrase means “Come and get it” this is the phrase that Leonidas said to the Persian king Xerxes when he told Leonidas to hand over his weapons. The phrase has become a slogan of defiance all over the world. Shortly After the battle, the ancient memorial was placed just across the highway from the modern memorial. It is a small carved stone plaque that says, “Stranger, tell the Spartans that we lay here obedient to their laws”. We will visit this ancient memorial situated on the small hill across the national road opposite the modern memorial, and KAMENA VOURLA. Continuing our Athens taxi private tour we’ll be crossing the Thessalian plain, the granary of GREECE, to reach KALAMBAKA late in the afternoon after a long drive (about 4-1/2 hours). We will visit some of the monasteries in Meteora and overnight in Kastraki.
Day 2: Itinerary of Meteora tours; two days Meteora and Thermopylae private tour in Greece:
Meteora, Trikala, Kalambaka, Kastraki, Amphisa, Lamia, Athens Breakfast in the hotel and Athens taxi tours will drive you to the breathtaking METEORA and its monasteries built on the top of high rocks standing between earth wind, and sky. Meteora is the biggest and most important group of monasteries in Greece second only to those in Mount Athos. The rock monasteries have been characterized by UNESCO as a unique phenomenon of cultural heritage and they constitute one of the most important landmarks on the cultural map of Greece. They belong to a region of almost inaccessible sandstone peaks. On these ‘columns of the sky’ monks have settled from the 11th century onwards where twenty-four of these monasteries were built, despite incredible difficulties, at the time of the great revival of the eremitic ideal in the 15th century. Their 16th-century frescoes mark a key stage in the development of post-Byzantine painting.
The most important monasteries of Meteora are:
- The Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron. It is the biggest of the Meteorite monasteries.
- The Holy Monastery of Varlaam is the second largest monastery after the Great Meteoro.
- The Holy Monastery of Rousanou. It is dedicated to ‘The Transfiguration’ but consecrated to Saint Barbara.
- The Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas. It is the first we will come across on our way from Kastraki to Meteora.
- The Holy Monastery of St. Stephen. It is one of the most easily accessible, as one does not have to climb innumerable steps to reach it.
- The Monastery of the Holy Trinity is very difficult to reach. The visitor has to cross the valley and continue high up through the rock before we arrive outside the entrance.
After lunch, Athens taxi tours will start the drive back to ATHENS. You can customize this private tour at any time, either on the way together with your private chauffeur or in advance by contacting our Athens Taxi Tours team.
Highly recommended for cruise travelers visiting Athens & Greece with Celebrity Cruises, Carnival Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Princess Cruises, Holland America Cruises, Norwegian Cruises, Costa Cruises, and all cruise companies traveling to Greece.
