Journey to Olympia

Upon arrival at Athens International Airport, transfer by private car to the Athens Capital Center Hotel, centrally located in the stylish Kolonaki district with stunning views of the city and Acropolis.

Begin our journey together with a symbolic opening ceremony at the Panathenaic Stadium used in the 2004 Olympics and meet with Maria Polyzou, a marathoner in the 1996 Olympics who is now a coach, speaker, and author. Next, visit the Athens Olympic Museum for an overview of the history of the Olympics, the values it represents, and its purpose in the modern era. Enjoy lunch and the afternoon on our own, then gather this evening for a welcome dinner with Acropolis views on the rooftop of our hotel.

Enjoy an in-depth introduction to the ancient sites of Athens today. Begin at the Acropolis, the rocky promontory whose monuments represent the ultimate expression of classical Greek civilization. There, visit the Agora, the gathering place at the former heart of Athens, as well as the magnificent and architecturally unique Parthenon. After a group lunch, continue to the Acropolis Museum to view artifacts discovered on the slopes of its namesake site. Dinner tonight is at a local restaurant, where we will be joined by members of the Hellenic Olympic Academy.

Depart the hotel this morning and travel northwest to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Delphi, considered the center of the world in ancient Greek religion and mythology. Here the "Oracle of Delphi" is believed to have first proclaimed the ancient Games as a way to honor Zeus. In Delphi we visit our first ancient stadium of the Panhellenic Games, originally built in the 5th century B.C.E. Continue to the Temple of Apollo, the impressive amphitheater, and the Delphi Archaeological Museum, then drive to picturesque Arachova and check in to our hotel for the night. Take some time to rest and wander the charming town. Dinner tonight is on our own.

We depart Arachova this morning bound for Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympics and where the Games took place every four years for over 1,100 years, until their abolition by Emperor Theodosius I in C.E. 393. After lunch on arrival, tour the tree-shaded ruins in the Archaeological Site of Olympia and reflect on your connection to this special, ancient place. Continue to our hotel, check in, and meet for a group dinner at a local restaurant.

This morning, visit the Museum of the History of the Olympic Games and the International Olympic Academy (IOA), which aims to study, enrich, and promote Olympic ideals and values and integrate them into modern life. Discuss learnings over lunch, then spend the afternoon hiking amid beautiful Foloi Oak Forest. Return the hotel after the hike and spend the rest of the day and dinner on our own.

Today we drive to the eastern side of the Peloponnese. Stop at a winery in Nemea for a tour and lunch with wine pairings before continuing to the historic city of Nafplio. Named as the first capital of Greece in 1829, the seaside town is known as one of Greece’s most romantic cities, with picturesque alleyways, large squares with elegant mansions, and a seaside promenade. Check in to our hotel, then gather for a group dinner at a local resaturant.

Venture to ancient Mycenae this morning. The ancient kingdom dates back to the 2nd millennium B.C.E.; it was here that King Agamemnon spearheaded the Trojan War. Continue to Nemea for lunch and a tour of the remnants of the stadium at Nemea, where the biennial Nemean Games were held in honor of Zeus starting in 573 B.C.E. in turn with the Olympic Games and the other great Panhellenic festivals. Return to Nafplio and enjoy dinner at leisure tonight, perhaps in one of the many charming tavernas.

Enjoy a leisurely morning, then gather at a seaside beach club for lunch and a swim in the tranquil, turquoise waters of the Argolic Gulf. Return to the hotel to freshen up, then attend a farewell dinner and closing ceremonies at a gorgeous private estate.

Depart together for Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos, where we will say our goodbyes and board individual flights onward.