Grand Peloponnese, Self-drive

On your arrival at Athens airport or Piraeus port, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for check in. The afternoon is free at leisure. Take the opportunity to rest and recover after the flight or head out into the city for your first glimpse of life in Greece´s sprawling capital. You may visit Syntagma Square and get into the city’s vibe or go shopping in one of the most popular streets of the city in the Kolonaki area or Ermou. Take a pleasant walk at the beautiful alleys of Plaka (the old district) where you can also find a big number of small shops selling souvenirs and other local artefacts. 

Overnight in Athens.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and then head out to the center! Today is for you to explore and discover this awe-inspiring city on your own. 

Overnight in Athens.

Enjoy your breakfast, then pick up your car from the down town Athens office after 09:00 am and leave driving towards to Nemea village. Short stop at Corinth canal which divides the mainland from the Peloponnese. While arriving at Nemea area you can stop to visit one of the local wineries and taste delightful and sensuous wines of different styles or continue to Malandreni village to visit one of the most important wineries in Greece, the “Skouras” winery. Degustation of the most awarded wine labels that the domain produces and wine making procedure will give you a glimpse of the wine tradition in Greece. Continue to “Silo Art” gallery where you will meet an artist who will guide you around his exhibition. Do not miss to get some pictures of the “Trojan” horse. Next stop is ancient Mycenae – the city of the legendary king Agamemnon. Walk through this impressive archaeological site and visit the Tomb of Agamemnon. To wrap up your first day continue to Nafplion for exploration of this marvellous city and then onto your hotel for overnight.

Overnight in Nafplion.

Breakfast at the hotel is followed by another exciting exploration. Today you will visit two castles of the Nafplion city (Akronafplia and Palamidi island castle/jail). Afterwards proceed to Sparta town where you will have the chance to visit the Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil that highlight the culture and technology of the olive production, which is inextricably linked with the Greek and Mediterranean identity. Unique in Greece, it is located in the heart of Laconia, one of the main olive oil producing locations in Greece. Check in to your hotel in Sparta and the rest of the day spend at leisure, discovering legendary stories about the greatest triumph over Athens of this Greek city. 

Overnight in Sparta.

After breakfast in the hotel and before you will leave Sparta, make a visit to the Byzantine castle of the city of Mystras. Mystras, the 'Wonder of the Morea' was built as an amphitheatre around the fortress in 1249 by the prince of Achaia, William of Villehardouin. Reconquered by the Byzantines, then occupied by the Turks and the Venetians, the city was abandoned in 1832, leaving only the breath-taking medieval ruins, standing in a beautiful landscape. Follow to Monemvasiam, a massive rock island off the east coast of the Peloponnese, and visit the castles, fortress´s ruins and the Church of Agia Sophia perches on the edge of a sheer cliff. Once in Monemvasia, check-in to your hotel and the rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight in Monemvasia.

Enjoy breakfast in the hotel and after stroll down the paved streets of the Monemvasia castle town. You will feel like back in ancient times! Walk around elegant stone mansions up to the castle, breath taking sea view from its top will be a deserved pleasure after this short hike. Afterward drive towards village Pyrgos Dirou and visit the spectacular cave complex hidden in the depths of the earth offering the opportunity to travel back to the Neolithic era. The magic of the colour, and the beautiful shapes, formed by the stalactites and stalagmites makes this place to be a unique spectacle. The tour follows a circular route and the wet area, 2.800 meters in length, takes place solely by boat. You will be amazed by the passage of the largest and most famous sea cave in Greece! 

Overnight in Gytheio or Areopolis Area.

After breakfast at the hotel, drive towards Kalamata, passing the fascinating virgin Stoupa beach. Stoupa is a peaceful retreat in a quiet corner of Greece. Hugging a sweeping bay, this town is made for rest and leisure sunbathing on its long white-sandy beaches. Perhaps stop for a swim in its crystal clear waters and unwind surrounded by this tranquil landscape, before you´ll continue driving to Kalamata. Kalamata is an energetic city, in 2021 it was short-listed as European Capital of Culture. Give it a chance and discover a long white beach, decent restaurants, good shopping, lively nightlife and some excellent museums. Whether you walk along the main promenade with the palm trees or along the hip alley of Amfia with its tiny shops, you´ll fell in love with the unique vibe of this picturesque town, emphasized by the romantic sunsets over the sea level. 

Overnight in Kalamata.

Today marks the end of your adventure. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the hotel and before leaving Kalamata, visiting Nestor’s palace, one of the best preserved Mycenean palaces in Greece, and walk around these ancient walls towards the most important compartments of the palace, the big “throne room”, with its circular heath, a room with a clay bath tube, and stores with numerous storage jars. Admire the beautiful decoration of the palace and get amazed by its unique frescos, adorning its walls and after, a bid farewell to Greece! Drive back to Athens International Airport, where you’ll drop off the car to the rental car office and catch your flight back home (We recommend you to book a later evening flight or add a post stay night in Athens).