Touring Mainland Greece

On our way to Delphi we had a stop at a coffee shop in the seaside town of Nafpaktos.This port city is absolutely beautiful with ancient forts, small marina and the typical European narrow cobblestone streets. We sat by the water with our ‘Freddo’ iced chocolate and took in the view.  All the coffee shops and restaurants have outdoor settings but were not busy as it was Greek siesta time, so the tourist buses were the cliental. We all agreed that this really is the true Greek experience.

In Delphi, the ancient Greeks chose the site for their most sacred and famed oracle, Apollo.  The area comprises an ancient theatre, a Stadium and a Museum which houses numerous statues from the area. The weather was cloudy with a few drops of rain but still quite humid. We saw the Treasury of the Athenians and the Temple Of Apollo. We walked to the top to see the Stadium, which was well preserved and actually looked like a stadium. It is just amazing to think of the history involved in this site. 

There are 24 monasteries at Meteora on the summits but only 6 monasteries are inhabited - four monasteries are for monks and two monasteries for nuns. The views down to Kalambaka and the surrounding vertical rocks were real Kodak moments. The visit to Meteora left us with an unforgettable impression of natural beauty and history. The morning was definitely the highlight of the trip.

Touring the Greek Peninsula

Nafplion was stunning and a real picture postcard town. The population is about 30,000 but the old town area is a mix of outdoor restaurants, boutique shops in narrow streets which is obviously very popular with tourists and locals. We walked from the port area into the old town for a 45 minute stop and loved every minute. This is the sort of place you could stay a week enjoying the boating, shops and the beach on the other side.

Athens First Day

Finally arrived after 30+ hours flight & airport time. Our first day has been great, the Parthenon & the Acropolis site are iconic & the weather was just perfect. Spent the day sightseeing the ruins, the museum and dining in the Plaka. Our first Greek beer was a  real thirst quencher as it is hot here. Dinner in Pirisi tonight, should be fun. The tour is so well booked that they have added an extra coach so we have 80 people travelling all up. Bring it on.....

Tour 3 - Jewels of the Nile, Lake Nasser and Abu Simbel - we'll view the Pyramids Karnak, Egyptian Museum and the Temples of Abu Simbel

Tour 2 - We will see the Blue Mosque and Basilica of St. Sophia, Anzac Cove, The Trojan Horse of Troy - 11 days of The Wonders of Turkey.

Tour 1 - Glories of Greece - 7 Days on the mainland
Wow - We'll see the Acropolis, Parthenon and the Temples of Zeus and much much more.

2010 - Greece, Turkey, Egypt and Dubai

Countdown starts - picked up our travel documents from Maria, it's all 'go'. Trip of a lifetime (one of many!!!!!)  is just a few weeks away. Maintaining a travel blog will be interesting and hopefully entertaining to those who view. Will keep you posted.