4-Day Private Tour Mycenae, Olympia, Delphi, Meteora
Discover the roots of ancient Greece on a 4-day private tour from Athens, journeying through some of the country's most remarkable historical landscapes. From the Bronze Age citadel of Mycenae to Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic Games, onward to Delphi, home of the famous Oracle, and finally to the extraordinary monasteries of Meteora, this classical Greece tour visits four UNESCO World Heritage Sites at a pace entirely your own.
Traveling with a private driver means you explore without the constraints of group travel, free to linger where your interests lead. We have been arranging this route since 2010, which is how we know which viewpoint catches the best light at Meteora and which monasteries are open on which day.
The Experience
- Explore the remains of powerful ancient kingdoms in the Peloponnese, from the Lion Gate at Mycenae to the theatre of Epidaurus, and stand in the stadium where the first Olympic Games were held.
- Follow the paths once taken by pilgrims beneath Mount Parnassus before continuing north to the Meteora monasteries, where centuries-old religious communities rise above the Thessalian plain.
- Beyond the archaeological sites, you'll experience the changing landscapes of mainland Greece, stop in traditional towns like Nafplio and Arachova, enjoy panoramic viewpoints, and pause whenever you wish for local cuisine, photographs, or simply to take in the scenery.
Epidaurus, Mycenae, Olympia, Delphi and Meteora lie hundreds of kilometers apart, and seeing them on day trips from Athens means long drives and little time at each site. Our private 4 day classical Greece tour from Athens links them in one loop, with overnights in Olympia, Delphi and Kalambaka. Taste local honey in the hills of Olympia, reach Delphi at opening time and watch the sunset over Meteora. Your own driver, an optional licensed guide, and no group to wait for.
Day 1: Athens - Corinth Canal - Epidaurus - Mycenae - Nafplio - Olympia
- 08:30 Pick-up: Your private driver meets you at your Athens hotel, apartment, port or the airport. This is the longest day of the tour, with five stops in the Peloponnese. First is the Corinth Canal (approx. 1 hour), 6.4 km long and cut up to 90 meters deep through solid rock.
Continue to Epidaurus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its 4th century BC theater seats about 14,000 people, with acoustics so precise that a coin dropped in the orchestra can be heard from the top row. Beside it lies the Sanctuary of Asklepios, the most famous healing center of the ancient Greek world.
Next is Mycenae, the citadel of Agamemnon and the heart of Mycenaean Greece. Walk through the Lion Gate, built around 1250 BC, see Grave Circle A, where the gold Mask of Agamemnon was found in 1876, and step inside the beehive-shaped Treasury of Atreus.
Stop for lunch in Nafplio, the first capital of modern Greece until 1834. Walk the old town below the Palamidi Fortress and look out to the Bourtzi castle in the bay. In the afternoon, drive across the Peloponnese to Olympia (approx. 2.5 hours). Dinner and overnight in Olympia.
Day 2: Ancient Olympia - Honey and Olive Oil Tasting - Nafpaktos - Delphi
- 09:00 Olympia: On your private Ancient Olympia tour, walk through the sanctuary where the Games were held for almost twelve centuries, from 776 BC. See the Temple of Hera, where the Olympic flame is still lit today, the gymnasium, the workshop of Pheidias and the Temple of Zeus, home of his gold and ivory statue, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Pass through the vaulted tunnel into the original stadium. In the museum, see the Hermes of Praxiteles and the Nike of Paionios. Allow about 2 hours for the site and museum.
Then taste local olive oil and wine at the open-air producers’ market in Olympia, with the different varieties explained as you go. Continue to a family estate in the hills for an introduction to local honey production and a honey tasting. Travelers tell us this is the part of the day they remember most.
Cross the Gulf of Corinth on the Rio-Antirrio bridge, the longest fully suspended multi-span cable-stayed bridge in the world, to Nafpaktos (approx. 2 hours). Have lunch by the Venetian harbor, or try home-style cooking at Apiko Mageirio.
Continue along the coast and up Mount Parnassus to Delphi (approx. 2 hours), with free time in the village before dinner. Overnight in Delphi.
Day 3: Delphi - Arachova - Meteora and Sunset around the Rocks
- 08:30 Delphi: Be at the gates at opening time, before the day trip coaches from Athens. On your private Delphi tour, walk the Sacred Way past the Treasury of the Athenians to the Temple of Apollo, where the Oracle advised kings and city states for over a thousand years, then up to the theater and the stadium.
In the Delphi Museum, see the bronze Charioteer, cast around 475 BC, and the Sphinx of the Naxians. Allow about 2 hours for the site and museum.
Stop in the stone-built village of Arachova on Mount Parnassus, known for formaela cheese, handwoven rugs and local wine. Then cross the plains of Thessaly north to Meteora (approx. 3 hours).
Arrive in the late afternoon for sunset around the rocks. Your driver takes you to viewpoints such as Psaropetra and the road above Holy Trinity Monastery, chosen for the season and the light. Dinner in Kalambaka or Kastraki, and overnight at the foot of the rocks.
Day 4: Meteora Monasteries - Thermopylae - Athens
- 09:00 Meteora: The Meteora monasteries, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, sit on rock pillars rising up to 400 meters above the plain. Until the 1920s, monks and supplies were hauled up in rope nets. Six monasteries are still active today. You visit the interiors of two, with photo stops at the others.
Options include the Great Meteoron, the largest, Varlaam with its 16th century frescoes by Frangos Katelanos, St. Stephen, Roussanou, St. Nicholas Anapafsas and Holy Trinity, seen in the 1981 James Bond film For Your Eyes Only. Each monastery closes on a different day, so we confirm the combination for your dates. Shoulders must be covered and women wear a skirt, with wraps provided at the entrance.
On the drive back, stop at Thermopylae (approx. 2 hours 15 minutes), where King Leonidas, his 300 Spartans and their Greek allies held the pass against the Persian army in 480 BC. See the Leonidas monument, the memorial to the Thespians and the hill of Kolonos.
Arrive back in Athens (approx. 2 hours) in the early evening, with drop-off at your hotel, the port or the airport.
Accommodation in Olympia, Delphi & Meteora
- 3-star hotels: included in the starting price
Olympia: Neda Hotel or similar
Delphi: Acropole Hotel or similar
Meteora: Alexiou Hotel or similar
4-star or boutique hotels: upgrade available at checkout
Olympia: Bacchus Hotel, Europa Hotel or similar
Delphi: Nidimos Hotel, Kastalia or similar
Meteora: Doupiani House, Iridanos House, Meteora Hotel or similar
The additional cost for your selected upgrade is displayed before payment. All accommodation is subject to availability.
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