Our Visit to Greece

We will be arriving at the port of Piraeus on Monday morning.  Greece is considered to be the birthplace of democracy, the Olympic Games, Western literature and drama, (including both tragedy and comedy) and major  scientific and mathematical principles. The cultural and technological achievements of Greece have had a great influence on the rest of the world. Greece is a country very rich in history and our tour guide will be sharing many stories as we travel around Athens and Delphi.  The country of Greece has beautiful beaches, mountain ranges,  fertile valleys known for their vineyards and olive groves and lush forests in the north.   The climate is very temperate and hopefully we will be treated to lots of sunshine and warm weather when we are visiting Greece. The majority of the people  belong to the Greek Orthodox religion.

We can look forward to sampling many delicious dishes when we are in Greece.  There are many similarities between Greek, Turkish and Italian cuisine but each country has items that are unique to the country and/or region.  Olives and olive oil, vegetables and grains, various meats, vegetables such as eggplant and zucchini and yogurt and cheese are widely used in cooking. Many food items are wrapped in filo pastry.

 Athens is the capital city of Greece.  The population of the city is approximately 3.7 million.  The city of Athens is bounded on three sides by mountains and inside the city of Athens are twelve hills.  The Acropolis and Lykavittos are the most prominent hills in Athens.  From the hills we will see amazing views of the city.

We will begin our tour with a visit to the Acropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The Acropolis is built on a rocky hill that towers about the city and consists of a cluster of ancient buildings that once acted as a fortress.  Each building was created to show the splendour and wealth of Athens during the 5th century.  Some of the highlights of the Acropolis include the Parthenon. The Parthenon is a temple  dedicated to the maiden Goddess Athena. It is the most important surviving building of Classical Greece.  We will also see the Propylaea gateway and the Temple of Athena Nike, a monument built to represent Athens' ambition as the most powerful Greek city.

Acropolis

We will continue with a walking tour of  the historical district of Athens  and a visit of the Plaka District. Narrow, paved streets nestle into the northeastern slope of the Acropolis and are filled with traditional Greek restaurants and souvenir shops.

Plaka District

We will also visit the Temple of Olympian Zeus, which has been ruin almost since it was built.   The Temple was dedicated to the worship of Zeus, king of the gods of Mount Olympus, and once contained a huge statue of the god.  Only 15 of the original 104 columns still remain.  Much of the marble has been recycled or stolen for other temples over the centuries.  We can also look forward to Carol, our EF Tour Director, showing us many other fabulous and wonderful sites in Athens.

Temple of Zeus

We will end our  first day in Athens attending the Greek evening.  We will be treated to a wonderful meal and entertained by dancers and musicians.  Be sure to bring your cameras (and maybe your dancing shoes!!)

Our second day begins with a visit to Corinth. The city of Corinth is about 78 km southwest of Athens.  It is one of Greece's most significant locations, with over 6,000 years of history.  It is the birthplace of many Greek myths and folklore.  We will also visit ancient Corinth and see the medieval acropolis that overlooks the ancient city.  The Corinth Canal is almost 4 miles long and is considered one of Greece's most important engineering feats ever.  after our visit to Corinth we will return to Athens and Carol, our EF Tour Director, will show us many other fabulous and wonderful sites in Athens.

Corinth Canal

Our last day in Greece will begin with a  3 hour bus trip to Delphi, one of the most important archeological sites in Greek history.   According to mythology, Zeus sent two eagles out from opposite ends of the universe and they met at Delphi and it was declared the centre of the universe. The archeological site of Delphi includes two sanctuaries, dedicated to Apollo and Athena, and other buildings, mostly intended for sports.  Our local guide will also take us to the Delphi Museum where ancient artifacts that were found at Delphi are on display. 

We will board the overnight ferry in late afternoon and head for Italy.