Geological and archaeological tour in the region of the Saronic gulf and the eastern Peloponnese mainland (district Trizin). The volcanoes of Methana, Poros and Egina and the mythology of king Saron and the mythical hero Theseus.
Highlights:
- The ancient center of Athens
- The picturesque islands of Poros, Aegina and Hydra
- Ancient Trizin - the homeland of Theseas
- The volcanic Methana peninsula
- Ancient temples and excavations
- Unspoilt nature and beautiful coasts.
Your Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival to Athens. Arrival at Athens airport and a transfer to the hotel in the centre of Athens. It depends on your arrival time. If you arrive in Athens early in the morning, you will have all the day for you. In any case there is a meeting in the evening, when the group is complete. We will have a dinner in a nice restaurant in the downtown of Athens, the famous Plaka area. Accommodation: *** hotel in the center of Athens. Includes: (D).
Day 2: Archaeological highlights at Athens. After the breakfast we will stroll through the lanes of Athens and will walk on the pedestrian precinct around the Acropolis. The first and most important site we will visit, is the famous temple of Athena Parthenon at the Acropolis. There is also an interesting museum on top of the Acropolis hill. Tobias will be around you with “secret information”, because on archaeological sites he is not permitted to guide. There will be enough time before and after the Acropolis to discuss about ancient life and details. The next stop may be a café and the ancient market place (agora). The modern market halls will be an original place to have our lunch. Accommodation: *** hotel in Athens center. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 3: Sailing to the Poros Island. After breakfast a taxi will bring us to the harbour of Piraeus from where we will sail to Poros Island. On our way to Poros we will see first the island of Egina with its huge volcano Oros. The next stop will be the impressive volcano peninsula Methana with its huge volcano domes and mountain landscape. We will arrive in Poros at the afternoon. After moving in our nice hotel rooms, we will meet for a lunch in a tavern near the hotel. There will be enough time for strolling through the beautiful lanes of one of the most beautiful Greek towns, Poros. In the evening we may enjoy one of the many bars or café on Poros or have a boat to the Peloponnese mainland that is only about 400 m away. Accommodation: **** Hotel on Poros Island. Includes: (D).
Day 4: The homeland of mythical hero Theseus. After breakfast we will take one of the boats to get to the Peloponnese mainland at Galatas village. There we will take taxi or rent a car (depends on the group size) to drive to one of the most sensational archaeological discoveries of the last years. There is a little hill outside of Galatas where a farmer found a strange rock on his olive fields. He told that to someone who knows about such items and a Greek archaeologist, Mrs Konstolakis-Giannopoulou examined that rock. And she was sure: This rock covers a Mycenaean tomb. It was not the only one they found there. And after some reading of ancient writers (like Pausanias) she was sure: It should be the tomb of the hero Theseus! We will visit the excavations and will speak about the Mycenaean times and the Minoans from Crete (and Santorini).
Later we will arrive at the village Damalas, where the ancient town of Trizin was situated. We will visit the ancient sanctuary of Asclepius and Hippolytos. After that introduction in prehistoric and ancient history, we will walk up in the so called “Devil’s gorge” where a little river formed a romantic valley with huge rocks and platane trees. There are some frogs and may be sweet-water-crabs. Surely one of the most beautiful places in the district. Accommodation: *** hotel on Poros Island. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 5: The mysterious volcano peninsula Methana and its historic volcano. After breakfast we will sail to Galatas and drive along the east-coast of Peloponnese mainland. We arrive at Methana town. There a friend of Tobias Schorr and his brothers have hired the “Methana Volcanic Spa” and Tobias will show some details of the thermal springs and the baths. We will go on our excursion and drive towards the northwest of the peninsula, passing some little villages like Megalohori. There will be some photo-stops to take photos of volcanoes and the great landscape. After arriving at the little café of Theodoros and Dorte in Kameni Hora, we will refresh before our walk into the historic center of the volcano.
The beginning of our tour is a little forest and we will understand how the famous Greek vine “Retsina” is produced. The path to the inside of the volcano shows us great views also to the Saronic Gulf with the island Angistri. In the former volcanic center there are huge rocks of all shapes and there are trees coming out of steep rocks. A great atmosphere. Tobias will explain the special kind of volcano dome. After the descend from the volcano we will enjoy some specialties in the tavern of Theodoros “Vine therapy Volcano”. Before we leave Methana, we have a walk to a very strange kind of volcanism. There are sedimentary rocks and caves (karst system). And there was lava flowing out from caves and gaps between the thick limestone layers. A great scenery and a rare phenomena. Accommodation: *** hotel on Poros Island. Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 6: The famous Captain island of Hydra. Today we sail to the island of Hydra. It is a great island for photographers and artists. There are no cars, no traffic, but a romantic sight with old captain’s houses and nice lanes. We will stroll around, take photos and walk along the coast to some little harbours. On our way we will find old, fossilized volcanic rocks (so called metamorphic volcanic serpentine). In spring we discover many flowers and also rare orchids. We have time until the last ferry or hydrofoil that will sail back in the afternoon. There will be time for a coffee in one of the beautiful cafés around the historic harbour of Hydra town. Hydra was important in the resistance against the Turkish occupation and there are many historic houses of ship owners and captains. Accommodation: *** hotel on Poros Island. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 7: Sailing to Egina island, visit of the Oros Volcano. A ferry boat will bring us to the island of Egina. There we take a taxi to drive us to the Oros mountain. It is the highest volcano on Egina Island and we will have a great view to Methana and Poros. On the top of the mountain we will find a little chapel. But one of the highlights is the sanctuary of Zeus Elanios at the bottom of the volcano. There are many possibilities of taking photos and at the afternoon we will get back to Egina town. There we can enjoy fresh fish or other Greek specialities. We will take the last ferry back to Poros. Accommodation: *** hotel on Poros Island. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 8: Discovering Methanas mountain center. Today we will drive back to Methana and get high in the mountain center of the peninsula. We stop at a little chapel with a great view over the town of Methana and all the Saronic Gulf. A little path will lead us up to a plain with old cisterns. May be we will also meet the herdsmen Vangelis or George. The walking path will bring us through little forests, over plains and we will arrive near the highest point of Methana, the Helona top (740 m).
Later we will pass a place with rare orchids (limodorum abortivum) and have a view to the old crater center of the Methana volcano peninsula. Here in the Stavrolongos-Valley we can see a small kind of “caldera” with a younger volcano dome in the middle. Around us there are many other huge volcano domes. In winter time we can enjoy the fruit from strawberry trees or collect mushrooms. The way back to our start point gives us the opportunity to take great photos of the view on the Saronic Gulf. When returned back to Poros and a little break, we will meet for dinner in one of the taverns at Poros. Accommodation: *** hotel on Poros Island. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 9: Free day for relaxation or optional common activities. This day is planned for relaxation or shopping. If is also possible to do a (optional) tour, that is not in the program (for example a one-day-excursion to the ancient theater of Epidaurus to an extra price 100€ per person). Accommodation: *** hotel on Poros Island. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 10: Return to Athens airport. After breakfast we will sail to Piraeus harbour by ferry boat. If the return is too early, we will have our breakfast on the ferry boat. In Piraeus there is the bus that brings us directly to the airport of Athens. Includes: (B).
Physical requirements:
Some hiking experience needed, walking over loose ground and descending on smaller steep passages. Secure step, a good feeling for balance. Walking distances of up to around 5-10 km, climbing of up to 500 m, walking times up to 4-6 hrs during a full day. For details, see section in main text.
Equipment: Light and warm, comfortable clothing, something warm for the evenings, wind, sun and rain protection (e.g. a good umbrella does fine), walking boots, day-backpack, swimming gear (for the thermal baths of Methana), mosquito repellent, travel documents. For the winter program in December also warm (winter)clothing.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Prices for smaller or larger groups on request.
Price Includes:
- 9 nights in double room on Poros Island
- Breakfast and Dinner (see program)
- All necessary transfers by land and sea as described in the program (i.e. from the airport in Athens on day 1 and to the port of Piraeus on the last day)
- Accompanying material
- The English-German-Greek speaking geologic guide (Tobias Schorr)
- Entrances to museums and ancient sites.
Price Excludes:
- Extra meals and drinks
- Single room supplement: 150 Euro
- Travel to and from Athens
- Personal equipment
- Insurances.
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