Arrive at Athens International Airport and transfer to your hotel for check in. The remainder of the day at leisure to enjoy your first taste of Athens and rest after your flight. Discover Plaka, the oldest district of Athens, located under the Acropolis, the only district where you may see the Greek capital as it was 100 years ago or enjoy a spot of shopping at Ermou, Kolonaki and Voukourestiou streets.
Athens City Tour & Acropolis Museum (S.I.C.) – 5.0H: From the Acropolis to Omonia Square, with the half-day sightseeing and Acropolis museum tour you’ll see all the famous sites of ancient and modern Athens on this comprehensive morning tour. Hear insightful commentary from your guide and pass top Athens attractions including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Greek Parliament building and Presidential Palace. Offering a perfect overview of the modern city, this guided half-day tour will help you get your bearings if this is your first visit to Athens. Begin your carbon-neutral Athens half-day tour with a photo stop at Panathinaiko Stadium where the first Olympic Games took place in 1896. It is the only stadium built out of white marble. Proceed, passing by Zappeion and Temple of Olympian Zeus. You will then pass the Athens Trilogy which includes the University of Athens, the Academy of Athens, and the National Library. Continue passing by National Garden, Hadrian’s Arc, St. Paul’s Church, Parliament, Tomb of the Unknown soldier, Schliemann’s House (Numismatic Museum), Catholic Cathedral, Old Parliament, Constitution Square ,Russian Orthodox Church, and finally ACROPOLIS (visit Propylae the gateway, Temple of Athena Nike, Parthenon, Erechtheion with its Porch of Maidens). Stroll up to the UNESCO-listed site that served as the ancient citadel, and tour the buildings as you hear how they reflected Athens’ prosperity in the 5th century BC. Continue the expert guided Athens sightseeing and museum tour with a pleasant short walk passing by Herodion and Dionysos Theater, in order to visit the ACROPOLIS museum. Avoid and skip the lines of the new museum. Main attractions such as votives, artifacts of every day life, statues from archaic period, Caryatids, and of course the Parthenon hall with the metopes, the pediments and the frieze will impress you.
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Mani Peninsula & Diros Caves: Drive south into the storied Mani, a land of stone towers and dramatic capes. Pause in elegant Kardamyli, immortalized by Patrick Leigh Fermor, then continue to Areopoli with its stone‑paved streets and tower houses. Highlight the day with a boat ride inside the Diros Caves, gliding through subterranean chambers of stalactites and mirrored waters. Return to Kalamata by sunset along coastal roads framed by olive groves and sea. Overnight in Kalamata.
The Fortress City of Monemvasia: Dedicate the day to exploring Monemvasia at a gentle pace. Wander the Lower Town’s labyrinth before ascending to the atmospheric Upper Town for panoramic views that sweep across the Myrtoan Sea. Visit the cliff‑perched Church of Agia Sofia, one of the fortress’s most photogenic landmarks, and break for coffee in a vaulted café. In the afternoon, browse local cellars for Laconian wines and artisanal products, then linger for sunset gilding the stone walls. Overnight in Monemvasia.
Day Trip to Elafonisos (drive + ferry ~1.5 hrs each way): Set off early for the small ferry from Pounta to Elafonisos Island, famed for Simos Beach—twin crescents of fine sand and luminous turquoise waters that rank among Greece’s most stunning. Spend an unrushed day swimming, relaxing on the dunes, and sampling island specialties at beachside tavernas before returning to Monemvasia in the golden hour. Overnight in Monemvasia.
