Every tour starts and ends at your Athens hotel and runs in one of our own Mercedes vehicles with a professional driver, with a licensed archaeological guide available as an option. You choose the length, from 2-day trips to Delphi and Meteora up to a 13-day journey through the whole classical and Byzantine mainland, and we adjust the pace to your group.
What's Included in Every Classical Tour
- Pick-up and drop-off at your Athens hotel, Piraeus port or Athens Airport
- Private Mercedes vehicle with a professional English-speaking driver
- Fuel, tolls, parking and your driver's accommodation
- Hotels with breakfast, in 3-star or, as an option, 4-star and boutique hotels
- Licensed archaeological guides and entrance tickets (if option selected)
- Bottled water in the vehicle
Why a Multi-Day Tour Beats a Day Trip
Delphi, Olympia and Meteora can each be reached on a day trip from Athens, but the drive takes up most of the day and you arrive with the coach groups. When you stay overnight, you reach Delphi when the gates open, see the bronze Charioteer in the museum before the crowds, and visit the Meteora monasteries in the quiet early hours.
The same is true of the Peloponnese. Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nafplio, Mystras and Olympia are spread across the peninsula, and together they tell the story of Greece from the Bronze Age to Byzantium. To see them without rushing, plan at least four days.
Driving Times from Athens to the Classical Sites
| Route | Distance | Driving time |
|---|---|---|
| Athens to Mycenae | about 120 km | 1 hour 45 minutes |
| Athens to Nafplio | about 140 km | 2 hours |
| Athens to Delphi | about 180 km | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Athens to Ancient Olympia | about 300 km | 3 hours 30 minutes |
| Athens to Meteora | about 350 km | 4 hours |
| Delphi to Meteora | about 230 km | 3 hours |
| Delphi to Olympia, via the Rio-Antirrio Bridge | about 230 km | 3 hours 30 minutes |
Times are without stops and can be longer in summer traffic. This is why our multi-day tours split the longer drives across several days, so you never spend a whole day in the car.
Who These Tours Are For
Our classical Greece tours suit travelers who have seen Athens and want to explore the mainland, first-time visitors with three to five days who want the essential ancient sites, and repeat visitors who have done the islands. They also work well for families with older children, who remember Greek myths better when they stand where the stories took place.
Our Classical Greece Tour Packages
2-Day Delphi and Meteora Private Tour
The two places most visitors to Greece put on their list, in one private trip. See the Sacred Way and the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, then the monasteries of Meteora, built on rock pillars from the 14th century onward. See the 2-day Delphi and Meteora tour.
2-Day Delphi, Nafpaktos and Ancient Olympia Private Tour
The two great sanctuaries of ancient Greece, connected by the coast road and the Rio-Antirrio Bridge, with a night by the Venetian harbor of Nafpaktos. See the 2-day Delphi and Olympia tour.
3-Day Olympia, Delphi and Meteora Private Tour
Olympia for the Games, Delphi for the oracle and Meteora for the monasteries, with overnight stays so you visit each site in the morning. See the 3-day Olympia, Delphi and Meteora tour.
4-Day Mycenae, Epidaurus, Olympia, Delphi and Meteora Tour
Our most requested itinerary and the most complete introduction to mainland Greece: five UNESCO World Heritage Sites in four days, with a honey farm near Olympia and sunset at Meteora. See the 4-day classical Greece tour.
5-Day Classical Greece Tours
Five days let you add local food or a different region to the classical sites. Choose the 5-day classical Greece tour with olive oil, honey and wine tastings, the 5-day Peloponnese and Delphi tour with a night in the mountain village of Dimitsana, the 5-day Peloponnese tour from Nafplio with Spetses, Mystras and the wineries of Nemea, or the 5-day tour with Zakynthos, which adds a boat trip to the Blue Caves and Shipwreck Beach.
6-Day Greece Heritage and Peloponnese Tours
The 6-day Greece Heritage Tour covers Meteora, Delphi, Olympia, Byzantine Mystras, Monemvasia and the tower villages of the Mani. The 6-day Peloponnese and Saronic Islands tour skips Meteora for the Mani coast, local food tastings and a cruise to Hydra, Poros and Aegina.
9-Day Peloponnese, Delphi, Olympia and Meteora Private Tour
Nine days from the Bronze Age to the Byzantine monasteries: Mycenae, Epidaurus, Ancient Corinth, Nafplio, Sparta and the Mani, then Olympia, Delphi and Meteora. See the 9-day Peloponnese tour.
13-Day Classical Heritage Tour of Greece
Our longest classical journey reaches places most itineraries leave out, from Monemvasia, the rock town entered by a single causeway, to Vergina, where the tomb of Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, was found unlooted in 1977. See the 13-day classical heritage tour.
What Our Guests Say
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Frequently Asked Questions about Classical Tours in Greece
What does a classical Greece tour include?
Our classical tours cover the ancient and Byzantine sites of the Greek mainland, such as Delphi, Olympia, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Meteora and the Peloponnese. Each tour includes hotel pick-up in Athens, a private vehicle with driver and hotels with breakfast. Licensed guides and entrance tickets are available as options at checkout.
How many days do I need?
Two days are enough for one pair of sites, such as Delphi and Meteora or Delphi and Olympia. Four days cover the five essential sites from Mycenae to Meteora. Five to nine days let you add the Peloponnese, local food or an island, and 13 days take you as far north as Vergina.
Is Olympia worth visiting from Athens?
Yes, but not as a day trip. The drive is about 3.5 hours each way, which leaves little time at the site and the museum. Olympia works best as part of a 2-day or longer tour, combined with Delphi or the Peloponnese.
Are the tours private?
Yes. All driving and site visits are private, just your group, your driver and your vehicle. The only shared parts are the boat cruises in the tours that include one, such as the Zakynthos and Saronic Islands cruises, and we say so clearly on those tours.
When is the best time for a classical tour of Greece?
April to June and September to October are the most comfortable months, with mild weather and fewer visitors. The tours run all year. In summer we start early to visit the sites before the heat, and in winter, when sites close earlier, we adjust the timing.
What should I wear?
Wear flat walking shoes with good grip, because the ancient sites have uneven stone paths. For the Meteora monasteries, men need long trousers and women a skirt below the knee, with shoulders covered. Wraps are usually provided at the entrance. Bring a hat and sunscreen from May to October.
Are the tours suitable for travelers with limited mobility?
Most ancient sites have slopes, steps and uneven ground, and some monasteries are reached by stairs. Tell us about your needs when you book, and we will suggest the sites and the order that work best, with your driver dropping you as close to each entrance as possible.
Is a guide included?
A licensed archaeological guide is available as an option at checkout. Your driver knows the routes and the sites well, but at Delphi, Mycenae and Olympia a licensed guide adds the depth that most travelers come for.
Can I change the itinerary?
Yes. The tours on this page are starting points. You can add a site, an extra night or an island, and we will adjust the route and the price to your dates.
More Ways to Explore Greece Privately
Private Day Trips from Athens: Delphi, Cape Sounion, Corinth and Mycenae in one day, if you only have a day to spare.
Private Acropolis and Athens Tours: start or end your classical tour with the Acropolis and its museum.
Private Boat Tours to the Saronic Islands: a day on the water to Aegina, Poros or Hydra after the ancient sites.
Our Athens team has planned and run private tours across Greece since 2010. Tell us your dates and interests, and we will suggest the classical tour that fits them best.
