Delphi and Thermopylae 10-hour tour

Pass By: After your Best Greece Tours private driver will pick you up from your cruise ship or your Athens hotel will drive you through the fertile plain of Beotia, passing through THERMOPYLAE (hot gates) about 220 km from Athens, the place that the battle of the 300Spartans and LEONIDES took place.

• Duration: 150 Minutes

Stop At King Leonidas Memorial:

The modern memorial to King Leonidas on one side of the highway shows the Spartan King on the top of a memorial wall with the words “Molon Lavei” 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. The battle that followed has gone down in history as the mother of all last stands.

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”. This ancient memorial is on a small hill across the national road from the modern one and KAMENA VOURLA.

Apollonius of Cappadocia

In the 1st century AD, the neo-Pythagorean philosopher and leading mystic of antiquity, Apollonius of Cappadocia, visited Thermopylae to pay tribute to the famous site. He was then asked what the highest mountain was, and disarmingly replied, “The highest mountain is Kolonos because in it the faith in the law and the noble self-sacrifice erected a monument of human virtue whose pedestal is here and the top in the stars.”

• Duration: 45 Minutes
• Admission Ticket Not Included

Pass By: Thereafter arrive at Delphi, passing from the mountain line of Bralos, Amfissa , the olive tree field, driving up to Parnassus mount!

• Duration: 95 Minutes

Stop At Delphi:

Arrive at Delphi, the center of Ancient World – the «Omphalos» (Navel of Earth) – whose prestige extended far beyond the boundaries of the Hellenic World. On the slopes of Mount Parnassus, in a landscape of unparalleled beauty and majesty, lie the ruins of the Sanctuary of Apollo Pythios. Our private tour continues visiting Delphi’s Treasury of the Athenians, the Temple of Apollo, and the Delphi Museum containing such masterpieces of Ancient Greek sculpture as the bronze Charioteer and the famous athlete Aghias.

Legends, have it that in Delphi Alexander the Great was cried “you are invincible”! Here Socrates was declared as the wisest of men! But, let’s see what is the essence of Delphi; The name Delphi comes from the word “delphys” which means womb and has indications of the archaic veneration of Gaia at the site. It is believed that in the beginning, Apollo came to Delphi in the form of a dolphin, carrying the Cretan priests on his back.

The Homeric name of the oracle is Pytho. Another belief around the area is that Apollo came walking from the north and stopped at Tempe, to pick laurel (Bay Tree) which he considered to be a sacred plant. In celebration of this legend, the winners of the Pythian Games received a wreath of laurel picked in the temple. Delphi became the site of a major temple to Apollo, as well as the Pythian Games and the prehistoric Oracle.

Delphi is famous for four main reasons;

1. The Oracle of Delphi
2. The Pythian Games
3. The Temple of Apollo
4. The Omphalos (The Navel).

• Duration: 100 Minutes
• Admission Ticket Free

Stop At: Lunch in Delphi for lunch (not included) in a traditional Greek restaurant to enjoy the famous Greek cuisine overlooking the spectacular view of Itea and the Corinthian golf!

• Duration: 60 Minutes

Pass By: After lunch, we will start traveling back to ATHENS passing through the famous winter resort Arachova and the picturesque Levadia following the high way.

• Duration: 150 Minutes
• Admission Ticket Free

More Day Tours In Greece Here…

• Transfer offerd; Travelers pickup/drop off is offered.
• Pick up from; We will pick you up from any hotel or apartment in Athens center and Piraeus cruise port at the cruise ship pier!
• Info needed When booking make sure to include the address of your accommodation, or the name of the cruise line and the cruise ship!
• Pick up time; We propose to pick you up at 8 am in order to avoid traffic and crowed at the Acropolis.
• Drop off; We will drop you off at the same place we have picked you up or at any hotel in Athens center or cruise ship pier!

What is Included

• Professional driver with good knowledge of history and culture in Greece
• Transport by air-conditioned vehicle appropriate for the size of your group
• Accommodation is based according to availability (for multiple day tours only)
• Flexible pick up time on request (proposed 08:00AM)
• Free Pick-up from and return to your hotel
• Free Pick-up & drop off from Piraeus cruise port
• Athens Airport transfers or pickup locations outside Athens: arranged on request with surcharge
• First class transport: By Mercedes E-Class or similar; Mercedes minivan or Mercedes minibus according to the size of your party. All new models come with full leather and A/C.
• Road tolls and local taxes
• Our terminal: Leof. Andrea Siggrou 37, 117 43 Athina, Greece.
• Official licensed tour guide for guiding in archeological sites. Available on request with surcharge
• The private tour is 100% exclusive for your party

What is Excluded

• Entrance fees to the archaeological sites and museum
• Wine tasting fee (wine tours)
• Athens Airport transfer: arranged on request with a surcharge
• Gratuities (optional)
• Food and beverage
• Your private chauffeur/guide will discuss a program best suited to your interest and mobile abilities. Option for a professional tour guide with a state license at an extra cost.

Tour Type

• Private tour - Shore Excursion
• Activity level: Moderate
• Departures: Daily

Restrictions

• Due to the high complexity and uncertainty of contemporary transportation, as well as unexpected situations, the planned itinerary can change at any moment and our choices may be affected by any social, economic or environmental phenomena!

Guaranteed Departures

• Best Greece Tours is proud to be the first in the industry to offer Guaranteed Departures . A guaranteed departure means; There is no minimum number of bookings required on a trip to run and that the tour will definitely operate on the day it is scheduled and will not be cancelled. All guaranteed departures will run except in the event of a natural disaster or other similarly disruptive event that is beyond our control. Our current collection of tours can take you to exciting places in Athens and around the world.

How will we use the information you wll give us about you!

• Passenger Detail; We need basic contact details so we can send appropriate booking information to you as well as make sure the supplier can contact you should they need to.
• Flight Details; We will need to know your exact travel details so they can track flight time as well as make sure they get you to and from your destination with no delay.
• Accommodation Details; We need to know your pick-up and drop-off address to ensure the right price and that we know exactly where to meet you or take you.
• Payment Details; We will pass your payment details to our secure payment provider, but we do not see or store any of these details on our website payment details.

Importantant information!

• Dress: religious and memorial sites: shoulders and knee must be covered.
• Terms & Conditions, F.A.Q , Privacy policy & Cookies
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• A voucher will be emailed to you with our contact numbers and all necessary information for your tour.
• This is your ticket and proof of purchase. On the day of tour please present a paper voucher in order to redeem your tour/activity.
• Itinerary (break-down)Due to the high complexity and uncertainty of contemporary transportation, as well as unexpected situations, the planned itinerary can change at any moment and our choices may be affected by any social, economic or environmental phenomena!

Persons with Disabilities

• Due to uneven surfaces, certain sites are not recommended for persons with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair. Such sites are the Acropolis, the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion, Mycenae, Delphi and Meteora.
• In all cases, we recommend comfortable flat-solid walking shoes, sunglasses and sunscreen.
• For guests who are full-time wheelchair users a ramp vehicle will be needed. Guests may remain in their wheelchair or scooter for the duration of the excursion. Wheelchair or scooter dimensions are required in order to confirm the correct vehicle!
• Wheelchair or small scooter folding type only. (Please note that disabled passengers must be able to board the vehicle independently or with the assistance of those in their party.)

Opening hours & Admission fees

• Opening Hours: Summer April 1st to October 31st from 08:00 AM to 07:30 PM
• Winter: November 1st to March 31st from 08:30 AM to 03:00 PM
• Free admission fees: Children under 18 & Students from E.U.
• Reduced admission fees: Citizens of the E.U. aged over 65 & Students from countries outside the E.U.

Free admission days

• March 6: In memory of deceased Minister of Tourism & visionary Melina Mercouri
• June 5: Environment international day
• April 18 : International monuments day
• May 18: International museums day
• September 27: International tourism day
• The last weekend of September annually (European Heritage Days)
• National Holidays
• Sundays in the period between 1 November and 31 March
• The first Sunday of every month, except for July, August and September
• NOTE: If the first Sunday is a holiday then the second is the free admission day

Holidays in Greece

• January 1: closed
• January 6: 08:30 AM - 03:00 PM
• Shrove Monday: 08:30AM - 03:00 PM
• March 25: closed
• Good Friday: 12:00 PM - 03:00 PM
• Holy Saturday: 08:30 AM - 03:00 PM
• Easter Sunday: closed
• Easter Monday: 08:30 AM - 03:00 PM
• May 1: closed
• Holy Spirit Day: 08:30 AM - 03:00 PM
• 15 August 15: 08:30 AM - 03:00 PM
• October 28: 08:30 AM- 03:00 PM
• December 25 & 26: closed

• Sedans; Within 24 hrs of travel 100% fee will apply. Outside of 24 hrs a €2 per person cancellation charge will apply.
• Minivan; Within 36 hrs of travel 100% fee will apply. Outside of 36 hrs a €2 per person cancellation charge will apply.
• Minibus 10-20 seats; Within 96 hrs of travel 100% fee will apply. Outside of 96 hrs a €2 per person cancellation charge will apply.
• For all vehicles; No show mean, no refund