Easter in Poros & Classical Greece

Duration: 12 Days / 11 Nights

Destinations:

The iconic clock tower in the main port of Poros

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If you want to be steeped in Greek tradition and customs then look no further than here! This package affords you the opportunity of experience an authentic Orthodox Easter, complete with guided tours, cooking demonstrations, traditional meals & celebrations on the island of Poros, before spending 5 days hopping around the Greek mainland to archaeological sites that up until now you could only read about in history books! You will be able to explore the Oracle of Delphi where Pythia once prophesied the futures of the Greek city-states. You will walk through the stadiums of ancient Olympia where the first Olympic Games were held. You will climb the stairs of the Theater of Epidaurus where plays by Aeschylus, Euripides, Sophocles and Aristophanes have been performed. In Mycenae you will stroll among the Tombs of Kings which ruled ancient Greece and held in their hands the fate of the world. The religious harmony of Easter in Poros is complemented by the numinous and transcendent feeling that will overcome you in Meteora. Pious Byzantine Monasteries stand humbly and yet prominently above the valley of Meteora on top of gigantic rock pillars.

Make this spring special with a uniquely spiritual experience in Greece!

Arrival in Athens: April 30^th, 2024

4 night hotel accommodation in Athens
4 night hotel accommodation in Poros
4 Days Classical Tour to Delphi, Olympia & Meteora
Athens Half-day Sightseeing Tour
Entrance fees during guided sightseeing
Easter Package services in Poros
High speed ferry tickets Piraeus - Poros - Piraeus (economy class)
Transfer service as per itinerary
Total meals: 11 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 4 dinners
VAT for all services

NOT INCLUDED:

International and domestic airfare
Personal expenses, meals not indicated in the itinerary, beverages etc.
Customary tips to your drivers, guides and escorts
VISA expenses (if applicable)
Stayover hotel tax (to be paid directly to the hotels)

Optional: You can upgrade the Athens sightseeing into a private tour at additional cost

Holy Tuesday (April 30^th) - Arrival in Athens
On arrival at the Athens International Airport, our representative will be waiting to welcome you to Athens! After answering any questions you may have regarding your trip, you will be escorted to your car and transferred to your hotel by your personal driver. Take a load off and in the evening start your exploration of the city that effortlessly combines ancient monuments with modern comforts! For a really picturesque side of old Athens we recommend taking a walk in the neighborhood of Plaka!
Overnight: Athens
Meals: -
Holy Wednesday (May 1^st) - Athens Half Day Sightseeing Tour
Our collaborator will meet with you at the lobby of your hotel or someplace nearby, to start the morning half day Athens sightseeing tour, an experience we can't help but recommend to every visitor as it affords you the chance to see the most important historical sites in Athens in just a few hours. Starting in Syntagma Square you will see important sites of Classical Greece such as the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian's Arch the Acropolis and its accompanying Museum as well as neoclassical marvels like the Academy of Athens and the National Library among others! The Holy Week that is just getting started so take the remainder of the day to walk through the streets of Athens as it is preparing for the celebrations ahead!
Overnight: Athens
Meals: Breakfast
Maundy Thursday (May 2^nd) - Arrival in Poros
In the morning, your driver will transfer you from your hotel to the Piraeus port to catch the ferry boat to the island of Poros, just off the coast of Peloponnese. Once you reach your destination, our local collaborator will pick you up and drive you to your hotel. In the afternoon, you will enjoy a demonstration of the dyeing of the red eggs, an Orthodox Easter tradition, learning about the custom's significance in the process. Time permitting, there will be a demonstration of baking of the traditional Tsoureki (Easter bread) and Koulourakia (Easter biscuits).
Overnight: Poros
Meals: Breakfast
Good Friday (May 3^rd) - Epitaphios procession
One of the more unique aspects of Orthodox Easter is Epitaphios, a liturgical symbol typically consisting of a large, embroidered and often richly adorned cloth and decorated with flowers. In the morning you will take a tour to various churches and see the different designs of Epitaphioi for yourself. In the evening, these Epitaphioi are paraded through the town and you will join one of those processions that end up in the waterfront. Good Friday in Poros is quite special in fact, as each church has its own procession starting at the same time and they all end up at the waterfront one after the other, as candles illuminate the night.
Overnight: Poros
Meals: Breakfast
Holy Saturday (May 4^th) - Easter Celebration
In the evening you will be escorted to one of the churches you previously visited in order to attend part of the first Resurrection Service -since the service usually goes on until well after midnight. Afterwards you will be visit a nearby restaurant to try Mageiritsa, a traditional soup served everywhere in Greece during the Holy Week only. Since it is an acquired taste, alternative options will be provided for the less daring among you. However we do recommend you give it a try!
Overnight: Poros
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Easter Sunday (May 5^th) - Traditional Easter Feast
The high point of the celebrations surrounding the Holy Week is none other than the feast on Easter Sunday! Wine will flow unlimitedly as the traditional barbeque or Souvla is being prepared for you. This process takes hours during which drinks, dances and general merriment fills the air. Once the Souvla is ready to be served and everyone joins the table, you will get a taste -both literally and figuratively- of why Greeks adore Easter!
Overnight: Poros
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Renewal Monday (May 6^th) - Return to Athens
Our local collaborator will escort you from your hotel to the port of Poros in order to board the boat to Piraeus. On arrival your driver will be waiting to transfer you to your selected hotel for the night. Get a head start on your souvenir shopping in Ermou and its surrounding streets until you are ready to sit in a nearby tavern and enjoy a traditional dinner with some ouzo.
Overnight: Athens
Meals: Breakfast
Bright Tuesday (May 7^th) - Athens to Olympia via Nafplion
After a fulfilling breakfast we will pick you up from your hotel or nearby and start on an adventure to the Greek mainland. Our journey through the picturesque roads will take us through the Corinth Canal, a feat of engineering, where we will take a short stop for pictures. We'll keep on driving until we reach the famous Theater of Epidaurus, a cultural center for the ancient world. Renowned for its remarkable acoustics, this testament to the dramatic arts is still hosting theatrical plays to this day. Another short stop for pictures will come in the town of Nafplion, the first capital of modern Greece and one of the most charming towns in all of Greece. We'll hit the road once again and reach Mycenae where we will visit the archaeological site which includes Tomb of Kings and the Lion's Gate. Then it's off to Olympia, the cradle of the Olympic Games, through the towns of Tripolis and Megalopolis and the scenic routes of Central Peloponnese. It is there that we will stop for the night for some very well-earned rest.
Overnight: Olympia
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Bright Wednesday (May 8^th) - Olympia to Delphi
In the morning we will explore the real reason to visit Olympia! A visit to the Sanctuary of Olympian Zeus, the Ancient Stadium and the Archaeological Museum is a good start to make our acquaintance with the birthplace of the Olympic Games and the historical and spiritual significance that the Games held in ancient Greece. Afterwards, we will drive through the plains of Ilia and Achaia in Western Peloponnese, through the bridge of Rio-Antirio which connects the two sides of the Corinthian Bay and arrive in Delphi, passing picturesque towns like Nafpaktos and Itea along the way.
Overnight: Delphi
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Bright Thursday (May 9^th) - Delphi to Kalambaka
Early in the morning we will visit the archaeological site of Delphi, where the famous Oracle once stood. Many prominent sites exist in the premises including the Temple of Apollo, the Temple of Athena, the Treasuries of both the Athenians and the Sifnians, the ancient stadium which hosted the Pythian Games, the amphitheater and of course the 'navel of Delphi' which marked the center of the ancient world. Leaving the site, we will continue to the Museum of Delphi which houses many exhibits from the Bronze Age, with the Charioteer being the most famous among them! In the afternoon we will drive through Central Greece until we reach Kalambaka, a town on the foot of the valley of Meteora in Southern Thessaly.
Overnight: Athens
Meals: Breakfast
Bright Friday (May 10^th) - Return to Athens
After you've had your breakfast you will visit Meteora, a truly unique sight which is sure to evoke feelings of transcendence in you. The gigantic rock pillars rising up from the valley of Meteora would be enough to inspire awe to every cynic in existence, even before you start to notice the Byzantine Monasteries perched on top of them. Built up there to avoid pillaging from invaders, the seclusion of the monasteries has brought forth numerous hermetic experiences to those willing to isolate themselves there throughout the centuries. Afterwards you will make your way back via Trikala, Lamia and Thermopylae (where a short stop to see Leonidas' Monument across the road is in order) and finally arrive at Athens early in the evening.
Overnight: Athens
Meals: Breakfast
Bright Saturday (May 11^th)- Departure from Athens
After breakfast, our assistant will meet you at your hotel and after you bid farewell to a profoundly spiritual week, your personal driver will transfer you to the Athens International Airport to catch your flight back home.
Overnight: -
Meals: Breakfast

Holy Tuesday (April 30^th) - Arrival in Athens
On arrival at the Athens International Airport, our representative will be waiting to welcome you to Athens! After answering any questions you may have regarding your trip, you will be escorted to your car and transferred to your hotel by your personal driver. Take a load off and in the evening start your exploration of the city that effortlessly combines ancient monuments with modern comforts! For a really picturesque side of old Athens we recommend taking a walk in the neighborhood of Plaka!
Overnight: Athens
Meals: -
Holy Wednesday (May 1^st) - Athens Half Day Sightseeing Tour
Our collaborator will meet with you at the lobby of your hotel or someplace nearby, to start the morning half day Athens sightseeing tour, an experience we can't help but recommend to every visitor as it affords you the chance to see the most important historical sites in Athens in just a few hours. Starting in Syntagma Square you will see important sites of Classical Greece such as the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian's Arch the Acropolis and its accompanying Museum as well as neoclassical marvels like the Academy of Athens and the National Library among others! The Holy Week that is just getting started so take the remainder of the day to walk through the streets of Athens as it is preparing for the celebrations ahead!
Overnight: Athens
Meals: Breakfast
Maundy Thursday (May 2^nd) - Arrival in Poros
In the morning, your driver will transfer you from your hotel to the Piraeus port to catch the ferry boat to the island of Poros, just off the coast of Peloponnese. Once you reach your destination, our local collaborator will pick you up and drive you to your hotel. In the afternoon, you will enjoy a demonstration of the dyeing of the red eggs, an Orthodox Easter tradition, learning about the custom's significance in the process. Time permitting, there will be a demonstration of baking of the traditional Tsoureki (Easter bread) and Koulourakia (Easter biscuits).
Overnight: Poros
Meals: Breakfast
Good Friday (May 3^rd) - Epitaphios procession
One of the more unique aspects of Orthodox Easter is Epitaphios, a liturgical symbol typically consisting of a large, embroidered and often richly adorned cloth and decorated with flowers. In the morning you will take a tour to various churches and see the different designs of Epitaphioi for yourself. In the evening, these Epitaphioi are paraded through the town and you will join one of those processions that end up in the waterfront. Good Friday in Poros is quite special in fact, as each church has its own procession starting at the same time and they all end up at the waterfront one after the other, as candles illuminate the night.
Overnight: Poros
Meals: Breakfast
Holy Saturday (May 4^th) - Easter Celebration
In the evening you will be escorted to one of the churches you previously visited in order to attend part of the first Resurrection Service -since the service usually goes on until well after midnight. Afterwards you will be visit a nearby restaurant to try Mageiritsa, a traditional soup served everywhere in Greece during the Holy Week only. Since it is an acquired taste, alternative options will be provided for the less daring among you. However we do recommend you give it a try!
Overnight: Poros
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Easter Sunday (May 5^th) - Traditional Easter Feast
The high point of the celebrations surrounding the Holy Week is none other than the feast on Easter Sunday! Wine will flow unlimitedly as the traditional barbeque or Souvla is being prepared for you. This process takes hours during which drinks, dances and general merriment fills the air. Once the Souvla is ready to be served and everyone joins the table, you will get a taste -both literally and figuratively- of why Greeks adore Easter!
Overnight: Poros
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Renewal Monday (May 6^th) - Return to Athens
Our local collaborator will escort you from your hotel to the port of Poros in order to board the boat to Piraeus. On arrival your driver will be waiting to transfer you to your selected hotel for the night. Get a head start on your souvenir shopping in Ermou and its surrounding streets until you are ready to sit in a nearby tavern and enjoy a traditional dinner with some ouzo.
Overnight: Athens
Meals: Breakfast
Bright Tuesday (May 7^th) - Athens to Olympia via Nafplion
After a fulfilling breakfast we will pick you up from your hotel or nearby and start on an adventure to the Greek mainland. Our journey through the picturesque roads will take us through the Corinth Canal, a feat of engineering, where we will take a short stop for pictures. We'll keep on driving until we reach the famous Theater of Epidaurus, a cultural center for the ancient world. Renowned for its remarkable acoustics, this testament to the dramatic arts is still hosting theatrical plays to this day. Another short stop for pictures will come in the town of Nafplion, the first capital of modern Greece and one of the most charming towns in all of Greece. We'll hit the road once again and reach Mycenae where we will visit the archaeological site which includes Tomb of Kings and the Lion's Gate. Then it's off to Olympia, the cradle of the Olympic Games, through the towns of Tripolis and Megalopolis and the scenic routes of Central Peloponnese. It is there that we will stop for the night for some very well-earned rest.
Overnight: Olympia
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Bright Wednesday (May 8^th) - Olympia to Delphi
In the morning we will explore the real reason to visit Olympia! A visit to the Sanctuary of Olympian Zeus, the Ancient Stadium and the Archaeological Museum is a good start to make our acquaintance with the birthplace of the Olympic Games and the historical and spiritual significance that the Games held in ancient Greece. Afterwards, we will drive through the plains of Ilia and Achaia in Western Peloponnese, through the bridge of Rio-Antirio which connects the two sides of the Corinthian Bay and arrive in Delphi, passing picturesque towns like Nafpaktos and Itea along the way.
Overnight: Delphi
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Bright Thursday (May 9^th) - Delphi to Kalambaka
Early in the morning we will visit the archaeological site of Delphi, where the famous Oracle once stood. Many prominent sites exist in the premises including the Temple of Apollo, the Temple of Athena, the Treasuries of both the Athenians and the Sifnians, the ancient stadium which hosted the Pythian Games, the amphitheater and of course the 'navel of Delphi' which marked the center of the ancient world. Leaving the site, we will continue to the Museum of Delphi which houses many exhibits from the Bronze Age, with the Charioteer being the most famous among them! In the afternoon we will drive through Central Greece until we reach Kalambaka, a town on the foot of the valley of Meteora in Southern Thessaly.
Overnight: Athens
Meals: Breakfast
Bright Friday (May 10^th) - Return to Athens
After you've had your breakfast you will visit Meteora, a truly unique sight which is sure to evoke feelings of transcendence in you. The gigantic rock pillars rising up from the valley of Meteora would be enough to inspire awe to every cynic in existence, even before you start to notice the Byzantine Monasteries perched on top of them. Built up there to avoid pillaging from invaders, the seclusion of the monasteries has brought forth numerous hermetic experiences to those willing to isolate themselves there throughout the centuries. Afterwards you will make your way back via Trikala, Lamia and Thermopylae (where a short stop to see Leonidas' Monument across the road is in order) and finally arrive at Athens early in the evening.
Overnight: Athens
Meals: Breakfast
Bright Saturday (May 11^th)- Departure from Athens
After breakfast, our assistant will meet you at your hotel and after you bid farewell to a profoundly spiritual week, your personal driver will transfer you to the Athens International Airport to catch your flight back home.
Overnight: -
Meals: Breakfast

Contents of the red egg demonstration are tentative and depend on the participants
To ensure the safety of our guests, all transfers will be private and in line with health protocols.
The hotels included in our vacation programs comply with the mandatory health and safety protocols instituted by the Greek National Health Organization in collaboration with the Greek Government.

Easter in Poros & Classical Greece

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