Athens/Meteora
Your road trip begins
Your driver will meet you at the lobby of your Hotel.
Your drive will begin heading towards the North. Before you reach the final destination of the day, Meteora; you will make a short stop at Thermopylae.
Thermopylae, the battlefield of mighty Leonidas
Finally, the time to head back to Athens has come. On your way, you will have a short stop at the site of Thermopylae battlefield where Leonidas and his 300 Spartan warriors fought against the thousands of troops of the Persian army for 5 days.
‘Thermopylae’ literally means ‘Hot Gates’, probably due to the natural narrowing of the coastal road that connected Southern to Northern Greece at the point where the mountain masses that form the Pindos range meet the sea. In Greek mythology, it was a passage to Hades, the land of the dead. Thermopylae is world-famous for the battle that took place there between the Greek forces and the invading Persian forces. In 480 BC, 300 Spartans under King Leonidas, along with 700 Thespians, delayed the vast army of Xerxes in a legendary last stand, following the betrayal by Ephialtes, who showed the Persians how to outflank the Greek forces.
Today, you can see the famous monument depicting Leonidas in full armor opposite the historic hill of Kolonos, and the hot springs of Thermopylae, an important spa resort in Central Greece.
Meteora sunset tour
Meteora Sunset tour begins with a visit to a monastery of Meteora, Agios Stefanos, or Holy Trinity. Then it takes you to the Byzantine church of the Virgin Mary located in the old town of Kalabaka telling the town’s long history of 27 centuries. Visit the thousand years old hermitages of Bandovas, learn the stories and the legends, and enjoy great views from the most panoramic spots of Meteora.
And as the sun begins to descent, getting ready to touch the mountain ridges we’ll bring you to a magical spot to enjoy the most captivating sunset views. Sitting on the edges of cliffs you will feel the evening cool breeze blowing through giant cliffs rising above the valley. Allow your senses to explore moment by moment the dimming of the light as the sun sinks behind the mountains. It will be a perfect way to end a beautiful day at Meteora with an awe-inspiring tour to be remembered forever!