city tour kalamatawetransferyou.gr/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/we... · church (1873), the patron...

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-Historical center of Kalamata (23rd March square and old town)-Castle of Kalamata

-Cathedral ( Ipappanti Church)-Open Market of Kalamata (Agora)

-Monastery of St. Konstantinos and Eleni-Main square

-Verga area (with panoramic view of the town)-Port of Kalamata

Kala

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2 adults 50€ (25€ per adult) 3 adults 75€ (25€ per adult)4 adults 100€ (25€ per adult)

5 adults 125€ (25€ per adult) 6 to 8 adults 150€If there are kids up to 12yo please inform us

Prices

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Kalamata townThe natural beauty of Mes-sinia with the indented shores, sandy beaches, forested mountains and fertile valleys, coexists with significant ar-chaeological monuments. Ka-lamata, the capital and central port of Messinia, is situated at the site of ancient Farai. Fol-lowing independence from the Turks and thanks to the exploi-tation of the fertile Messinian lands (producing olive oil, rai-sins, figs etc), it developed into a wealthy urban centre and a significant port. It is located 238 km SW of Athens.

Walking aroundThe point of reference par excellence in the city of Kalamata is the leg-endary “castle of Isabeau” where the renowned International Dance Festival takes place annually. It is amphitheatrically constructed on the site of the Farai acropolis offering a bird’s eye view of the city. Constructed in the 13th century by William Villehardouin, it under-went subsequent additions and conversions by the Venetians and the Turks. Nowadays, it is an ideal open air venue for theatre, music and dance shows.No less beautiful is the exquisite Palia Poli (Old City) at the foot of the Castle. The wider region boasts the Metropolitan Panagia Ipapanti church (1873), the patron saint of Kalamata celebrated on February 2nd, the 12th century Kalograion Monastery with the renowned silk weaving workshop, and the Byzantine church Agioi Apostoloi (13th century) with the brick enclosed masonry. The area is the hotspot for the city’s youth, for it is the beating heart of the nightlife in Kalamata and by no means will it be still!Near-by destinations-The beaches at Verga (8 km E), Mikri Mandineia (10 km SE), Avia (12 km SE) and Kitries (17 km SE), which in recent years have developed into resorts with significant tourist facilities and a vibrant nightlife in the summer.-The small town of Messini (11 km NW) with the Byzantine church of Agios Dimitrios, the prominent Municipal Mansion (1870) and the Τ. Katsoulidis – Museum of Carvings.-The mountain villages on the Western slope of Mt.Taygetos, on the road to the city from Sparta, which is one of the most beautiful roads in Greece.

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Events-The revival of the impressive “saitopolemos” (dart-war) cus-tom at Easter, on the eve of the Resurrection (Western Beach Kalamata – Old Abattoirs).-Cultural events, theatrical per-formances and concerts at the Castle amphitheatre during summer.-The Carnival events with the traditional “gaitanaki” (may-pole dance) in the city’s central square.-The International Dance Fes-tival in summer (www.kala-matadancefestival.gr).-The International Documentary Festival.-The major carnival in Kalamata on the last Sunday of the Carni-val (Apokries) with the custom-ary happenings culminating in “the hanging of the old lady” on Ash Monday.-The horse racing events at the town of Plati (16 km NW) on Eas-ter Monday.

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-Tour to Arcaeological Place of Ancient Messini and Museum(about 2,5 hours).

Prices2 adults 130€ (65€ per adult)3 adults 165€ (55€ per adult)4 adults 220€ (55€ per adult)

5 adults 250€ (50€ per adult)6 το 8 adults 270€If there are kids up to 12yo please inform us

We will pick you up from your Hotel and in less than an hour we will be on Ithomi Hill where Ancient Messini located.During our trip we will adjust our trip to your wishes and needs. You will also have the oportunity to enjoy the scenery and learn about the myths, tranditions ans secrets of the area.The remains of this vast ancient city are at least as extensive as those of Olympia and Epidavros, yet Ancient Messini receives only a fraction of their visitors. Picturesquely situated on a hillside below the village of Mavromati and still undergoing excavation, the site comprises a large theatre, an agora, a vast Sanctuary of Asclepius and the most intact and impressive of all ancient Greek stadiums.

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The first construction you come across is the large amphitheatre, re-constructed for contemporary use. The path leads past the Fountain of Arsinoe building, which supplied the ancient city with water. The exten-sive columned remains next to it are the agora (marketplace) with the treasury in its southwest corner. The Greek general Philopoemen was held prisoner by the Messinians here in 183 BC and dispatched to the other world with poison.Beyond is the Sanctuary of Asclepius, the spiritual centre that lay at the heart of the ancient city, consisting of a rectangular courtyard fringed with Corinthian columns. This extensive complex was centred on a Doric temple that once housed a golden statue of Ithomi. The modern aw-ning west of the temple protects the artemision, where fragments of an enormous statue of Artemis Orthia were found. The structures to the east of the asclepion include the ekklesiasterion, which looks like a small amphitheatre but once acted as an assembly hall. Nearby are the remains of a Roman villa, the steel roof protecting the mosaic remains.Head downhill to the large stadium, which is surrounded by a forest of columns. You can see where the Romans closed off part of the athletics track, turning it into a gladiator arena. On the left-hand side, near the arena, are the VIP seats – the ones with backs and with lion paws for legs.On the right-hand side, near the intact gate of the enormous gym-nasium, are round holes in stone slabs – ingenious Roman public toilets positioned over a now dry stream.

After the archeological place we can visit the museum which is very small. After we can make a small stop at the village for a coffee and we can return to your hotel to enjoy your afternoon swim in the sea.

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-Transfer from kalamata to Archaeological place of Ancient Olympia(about 125km / 1h45min)

-Tour in the Archaeological place of Ancient Olympia and museum(about 2 hours)

2 adults 140€ (70€ per adult) 3 adults 180€ (60€ per adult) 4 adults 240€ (60€ per adult)

5 adults 275€ (55€ per adult)6 to 8 adults 300€If there are kids up to 12yo please inform us

Prices

The place where starts the Olympic GamesWe will start from your hotel and in less than 2 hours we will be in the western Pelloponissos and specifically in Olympia. During our trip you will learn everything about Olympia and the area generaly.The history of its foundation began in 776BC , when three Greek kings, decedes to turn the interest of their soldiers to something else other than wars. But the Olympic ideals of the ancient Greeks, the excellent preparation of the organizers and the massive participation of athletes made these games become the most famous and important event of the ancient world.We will let you at the entrance and let you browse at your convenience,

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as long as you want.From the first building that you come across, you will be ovelwhelmed by the energy of athletes who once used them. The ancient gymnasium of the Palaestra were the place where the athletes used to practice before the games.Immediatelly after you will find the Workshop of Pheidias, the laboratory in which one of the Seven Wonders of the World , the golden statue of Zeus was created. LEONIDAION, WAS Olympian’s hotel and hosted dis-tinguished guests of the Games from 330BC.The Temples of Zeus and Hera will leave you speechless with the mag-nificence of their architecture.

Entering the ancient stadium through the Crypt, you will feel the egony of the athletes who were taking part in the games in front of thousands og spectstors. You will have the opportunity to be photographed at the point where, even today, the lighting of the Olympic flame take place.The museum of Olympia, one of the largest and most important muse-ums of Greece, will make you feel the pulse of these times, the splendor and magic of the Olympic idea.We will wait for you at the exit of the museum and we can visit modern Olympia with the tradition souvenirs shops and restaurants.

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Pyl

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-Transfer to Pylos (about 55km/1hour)-Sightseeing in Pylos (Castle and surrounding area)

2 adults 140€ (70€ per adult) 3 adults 165€ (55€ per adult)4 adults 220€ (55€ per adult)

5 adults 275€ (55€ per adult)6 to 8 adults 290€ If there are kids up to 12yo please inform us

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This trip start from your hotel and crossing streets filled with olives and orange trees but also with tranditions , for about an hour , we will reach the hill in front of Pylos.From up there you will be able to see both small and large islands. At the southern end of Sfaktiria island you will be able to admire the ruins of a fortification wall built by the Sartans , in 425BC, durind the Pelopon-nesian war.The picturesque town of Pylos will welcome us soon. We can enjoy our coffee at the town’s main square.Before we leave Pylos , we will make a stop at the castle named Niokas-tro. It was built by the Turks in 1573AD but every other castle in the re-gion it constantly changed hands. As you walk the cobblestone streets you will admire the four cylindrical towers and also the aqueduct, a leg-acy left by the Venetians.

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Our next stop will be the nearby town of Methoni. The castle of this town is one of the most impressive of the Peloponnese, since one of its parts, Bourtzi, reaches into the sea , like an artificial…island

Of course we will have a lot of free time for lunch and swimming before our departure back to Kalamata town.

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Pal

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-Transfer to Palace of Nestor (about 1 hour)-Sightseeing in Palace of Nestor

-Transfer from Palace of Nestor to Voidokoilia beach for swimming and sightseeing.

-Small tour in Pylos village and coffee to go.

2 adults 140€ (70€ per adult)3 adults 165€ (55€ per adult)4 adults 220€ (55€ per adult)


Prices

This trip start from your hotel and crossing streets filled with olives and or-ange trees but also with tranditions , for about an hour , we will reach at the Archaeological place of Pal-ace of Nestor.The palace complex con-sisted of four buildings. The oldest building - known as the Southwest building - is identified with the Palace

of Nileos, Nestor’s father. The central building, now covered by a metal roof, is the famous palace of Nestor. On the eastern side of the building,

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there is the earliest palatial building, which was destroyed at the end of the 14th century BC.The Palace of Nestor was a bi-level building with large courtyards, abun-dant storage spaces, private apartments, workshops, baths, stairwells and skylights, along with sophisticated drainage. The halls were dec-orated with remarkable wall paintings, while pictorial representations also decorated the palatial floors. The approximately 1000 clay tablets in Linear B script, which were brought to light during excavations in the wider area, confirm the site’s function as a financial, administrative, po-litical and religious centre of Mycenaean Messenia.

VOIDOKILIA Beach, Bay, Curve or Cove is not only one of the most beau-tiful beaches in Greece, but maybe also in the Mediterranean Sea.The sheltered bay is referred to in Homer’s Odyssey and archaeologists believe it was used by King Nestor as a port in ancient times.

The curve of Voidokilia seems to be traced with a compass like a giant Greek omega (the name means “cow’s belly”), from the two rocky prom-ontories that define the entrance of it. It is surrounded by a magnifi-cent beach of light, fine sand, protected by the wind, and the crystalline beach invite somone to go swimming.

If you love walking you can take the path up from Voidokilia to the Old Navarino castle you will enjoy the wonderful panorama that unfolds in front of you: the Divari lagoon of Gialova, Navarino Bay and the Pelopon-nesian hills covered with olive trees…And if you didn’t like walking you can enjoy swimming in Voidokoilia beach.After the beach we can make a quick tour in Pylos for sightseeing from the car and we will start our trip back to Kalamata.

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Kar

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-Transfer from kalamata to Kardamili village-Sightseeing in Kardamili and coffee time

-Sightseeing in Stoupa and swimming or lunch time

Prices2 adults 130€ (65€ per adult)3 adults 165€ (55€ per adult)4 adults 220€ (55€ per adult)


In the Iliad cites Kardamili as one of the seven cities offered by Agamemnon to Achilles as a condition to rejoin the fight during the Trojan War. The village preserves its ancient name. Many of the buildings of Old Kardamili, also known as “Pano Kardamili”,were built by the Venetians and feature a mix of traditional Greek and Venetian design. Kardamili is one of the oldest settlements in the Peloponnese, with its current name being mentioned in the Iliad, the epic poem by ancient Greek writer Homer. Many of the townspeople can trace their lineage back to either famed clans of the ares (as in the Mourtzinos and Troupakis clans), or the Byzantine Emperor Con-stantine Palaiologos, one of whose descendants (Dimitri Palaiolo-gos) settled in the region. The descendants of Dimitris Palaiologos typically have the last same “Dimitreas”, meaning “son of Dimitri’.

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Stoupa is a village on the coast of the southern Peloponnese. Once a sleepy little town, in the past few years more and more tourists have discovered Stoupa. There are about 20 restaurants lining the road along the beach, a few small hotels, and many rental houses.

There are many beaches and coves around the area including Stoupa Beach, which is the most popular and has a good be-ginner’s snorkeling site at the end of the beach. Over the hill is

Kalogria Beach, with its turquoise waters and rich marine life, volleyball net, and a handful of bars and restaurants. One of the features of Kalogria beach is the up-swelling of an underground freshwater spring about 100 metres (330 ft) out from the shore. It can be seen as a disturbance on the surface of the sea.Stoupa also has rich cultural history. It is where the Greek writer Nikos Kazantza-kis travelled to with George Zorbas who Kazantzakis employed as the foreman of his lignite mine, the entrance to which can still be seen in a hillside nearby. It is their time together in Stoupa that the novel Zorba the Greek is based upon, written af-ter hearing news of Zorba’s death. There is a bust of Nikos Kazantzakis on the cliff overlooking Kalogria beach, at the corner of the main road and the beach approach.After our lunch or swimming at the beau-tiful stoupa we can start our trip back to Kalamata again.

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Dir

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-Transfer to Diros Caves-Boat trip in Diros Caves

-Sightseeing in Stoupa and free time for lunch or swimming-Stop in Kardamili village for a small walk and coffee to go.



We will start our tour from your hotel in the morning and after about 1,5 hours we will reach at Diros Caves.Pyrgos Dirou is a town in Mani, Laconia, Greece. It is part of the municipal unit of Oitylo. It is around 26 kilometres from Areopoli.HistoryThe Battle of Vergas, took place near Diro. Diro is most famous for its caves,. They form part of an underground river. About 5,000 meters have been exposed and are accessible by small boats and through narrow passageways. One is surrounded by formations of stalagmites and stalactites. Archaeological research has shown that the caves served as places of worship in Paleolithic and Neo-lithic times and their inhabitant believed that the caves were the

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entrance to the underworld.

After our experience in the boats in the caves we can drive up to Stoupa for swimming or lunch at a beautiful restaurant next to the beach.Stoupa is a village on the coast of the southern Peloponnese. Once a sleepy little town, in the past few years more and more tourists have discovered Stoupa. Stoupa also has rich cultural history. It is where the Greek writer Nikos Ka-zantzakis travelled to with George Zorbas who Kazantzakis employed as the foreman of his lignite mine, the entrance to which can still be seen in a hillside nearby. It is their time to-gether in Stoupa that the novel Zorba the Greek is based upon, written after hearing news of Zorba’s death. There is a bust of Nikos Kazantzakis on the cliff overlooking Kalogria beach, at the corner of the main road and the beach approach.After our lunch in about 10 minutes we will reach at Kardamili village for a walk and a coffee to go before our departure back to Kalamata.

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Arc

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-Transfer to Mystras-Sightseeing at Mystras and Sparta



We will start from your hotel and after about 70 min we will reach at Ancient Mystras town. Mystras in Greece is an archaeological site close to Sparti, in the region of Laconia. The Castle Town of Mystras was very strong in the Byzantine times and actually in the last decades of the Byzantine period, this was the second most important town af-ter Constantinople. On top of the castle hill, there was the Pal-ace of the Despots, while Mystras Greece is mostly famous for its several Byzantine churches with the interesting architecture and the valuable frescoes. Below the Medieval Castle, a new village has been constructed, where many traditional accommodation is found. The region around is crossed by many trekking paths, lead-ing to beautiful spots Today the Palace of Mystras and some churches are under resto-ration process. In the courtyard of Agios Demetrios, you can visit

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the Archaeological Museum with many Byzantine and ecclesias-tical exhibits. In 1989, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Monument. Things to do in the region include hiking and cycling. Sparta townSparti is the capital of Lakonia, eastern Peloponnese. It lies in the middle of a beautiful valley, in the exact same area where the ancient site was found. Sparti is a modern town built in the 1830s according to an architectural plan. In fact, it is among the few towns in Greece that have been based on a plan, which is why it has ample squares and wide streets. In the ancient times, Sparti used to be a power-ful town-state, known for its brave soldiers and strong army which rukes the rest of the Greece. The sightseeings of old Sparti lie close to the town and among them is the monument of Leonidas and the Archeo-logical Museum with many findings and treasures from that times. Today, the modern settlement of Sparti displays some beautiful buildings, nice parks and numerous amenities for the tourists. It is worth admiring its impressive landscape, the beautiful mountains, the lush greenery and the relaxing paths.

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Ath

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p-Transfer to Athens (2h40m)

-Sightseeing Acropolis - Museum - Plaka - Thisio(about 5 hours)



We will start from your hotel early in the morning because we need about 2,5 to 3 hours to reach at archaeological place of Acropolis in Athens city.The greatest and finest sanctuary of ancient Athens, dedicated primarily to its patron, the goddess Athena, dominates the centre of the modern city from the rocky crag known as the Acropolis. The most celebrated myths of ancient Athens, its greatest reli-gious festivals, earliest cults and several decisive events in the city’s history are all connected to this sacred precinct. The monu-ments of the Acropolis stand in harmony with their natural set-ting. These unique masterpieces of ancient architecture combine different orders and styles of Classical art in a most innovative

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manner and have influenced art and culture for many centuries. The Acropolis of the fifth century BC is the most accurate reflec-tion of the splendour, power and wealth of Athens at its greatest peak, the golden age of Perikles. After the liberation of Greece, the monuments of the Acropolis came under the care of the newly founded Greek state. Limited investigation took place in 1835 and 1837, while in 1885-1890 the site was systematically excavated under P. Kavvadias. In the early twentieth century N. Balanos headed the first large-scale restora-tion project. A Committee for the Conservation of the Monuments on the Acropolis was created in 1975 with the aim to plan and un-dertake large-scale conservation and restoration on the Acropolis. The project, conducted by the Service of Restoration of the Monu-ments of the Acropolis in collaboration with the First Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, is still in progress.After our walk in Acropolis we can visit the acropolis museum which is very close.Today, the new Acropolis Museum has a total area of 25,000 square meters, with exhibition space of over 14,000 square me-ters, ten times more than that of the old museum on the Hill of the Acropolis. The new Museum offers all the amenities expected in an international museum of the 21st century. After we can walk up to Plaka and Thisio.

The Plaka is the oldest section of Athens. At one time it was the nightclub district, but most of these closed down when the gov-ernment outlawed amplified music in the neighborhood in the seventies in an effort to get rid of undesirables. The strategy was very successful and it is now an area of restaurants, Jewelry stores tourist shops, and cafes. Though it is quite commercialized it is still a neighborhood and arguably the nicest neighborhood in central Athens. Most of the restaurants are typical tourist places but the quality of food is not bad.After a stop for food or coffee we can start our trip back to Kala-mata.

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Mon

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-Transfer to Monasteri of Malevi.( 2hours)-Monastery



This trip start from your hotel and in about two hours , we will reach the Monastery of Malevi. The Monastery of Malevi is one of the oldest monasteries in the region of Parnonos Mountain. Because the honor and veneration of the Theotokos was especially important for the monastics, many of the monasteries were founded in memory of the Birth of the Theotokos, her Dormition, or others to her honor. The miracle of the IconThe miraculous Icon is traditionally known as one of the seventy images painted by the Evangelist St. Luke. The icon was brought by residents of Mount Athos to the first monastery in the Canal. Following the tragic end of the monks who died due to the ex-treme cold and the roaring winds, it was left alone and came to the place it is today. It repeatedly was found in some local bushes, and was constantely found illumined by a divine light. Three attempts

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were made to move the Icon to no avail, so a church was built at that location in 1116, and in the year 1362 the silver covering was added to the Icon.Policemen and Chemists attempt to identify the source of the Holy MyrrhIn 1969, the chief commander in Tripoli gendarmerie commander of the Astros, came and inspected the icon, and as he told the residents of Agios Petros, he found no hint at all of fraud, and that pre-viously he was not God-fearing, but when he saw the miracle with his own eyes, he said: «A Great God exists ». And a Chemist from Tripoli took some Myrrh of the Panagia to perform a chemi-cal analysis on it, and he beheld miracu-lous power, but he did not seen anything natural [or physical], and he cried out «A Great God exists».The Myrrh of the Panagia was for a few years as the way I said above. Though it appeared all-clean in the frame it gathered as large drops and came outside of the frame, it dripped, and we saw when it came out and ran down. We gathered it with cotton and gave it as a blessing to the world. A few years later, there was a great earthquake, and since that time it runs continuously in the frame, it is continuously drenched, it does not slow down, we wipe it up and in a few hours, again it is filled.The Holy Myrrh works miracles, many sick people have been healed.Of course we will have a lot of free time for lunch or coffee at Ag.Petros village before our departure back to Kalamata town.

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-Transfer to Ag Theodora church (about 1h 20min)-Church of S. Theodora



This trip start from your hotel and crossing streets filled with ol-ives and orange trees but also with tranditions , for about one and a half hours , we will reach the church of S. Theodora.The story of St. Theordora is quite heroic. A long time ago, when her town was raided by bandits, Theodora was determined to help defend her village, but as a woman it was unthinkable to do so. Not to be deterred, Theodora secretly disguised herself as a male soldier in order to join the defense. Unfortunately, Theodora did not survive, and as she lay dying she uttered the following words:“Let my body become a church, my hair a forest of trees, and my blood a spring to water them.” Her fellow soldiers being so moved by those words then built a small church where her grave was. And from there the river began flowing from beneath the church,

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and the now 17 trees began to sprout. All on their own. The trees sprouted from the roof of the church, the roots of which are not visible under the roof and neither inside or outside the church.There is no explanation as to how the trees sprouted and con-tinue to maintain themselves on the thin roof of the church with-out the church collapsing. Many scientists and researchers have come to explore this mystery and do not have an explanation for this phenomena. They cannot find the roots of the trees as they are somehow embedded in the church, and they cannot explain how the weight of the trees have not damaged the structure of the church. Mind you , each tree weighs about one ton. There are 17 of them.The water beneath the church smells like roses. Rosewater. Freshness. And it’s holy water. Said to have healing ability. So of course you can bottled up some of the wonderful water to have for your families in case of need.

After that we can taste our lunch at one of the two very good traditional restaurants that there are there and we can see also a traditional flour watermill in order before our departure to Kala-mata.

If you decided to combine this two routes(Malevi Monastery and S. Theodora Church)

you can visit both places at the same day

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Naf

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-Transfer to Mycenae-Sightseeing at Archaeological place of Mycenae

-Transfer to Nafplio and sightseeing (castle and food or coffee time)



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Mycenae ‘Rich in Gold’, the kingdom of mythical Agamemnon, first sung by Homer in his epics, is the most important and richest pa-latial centre of the Late Bronze Age in Greece. Its name was given to one of the greatest civilizations of Greek prehistory, the My-cenaean civilization, while the myths related to its history have inspired poets and writers over many centuries, from the Homeric epics and the great tragedies of the Classical period to contempo-rary literary and artistic creation. Perseus, son of Zeus and Dana, daughter of Akrisios, king of Argos and descendant of Danaos, is traditionally considered as its mythical founder. Pausanias (2, 16, 3) reports that Perseus named the new city Mycenae after the pommel (mykes) of his sword, which fell there, or after the Perseia spring, discovered there under the root of a mushroom (mykes). According to the myth, Perseus’s descendants reigned at Myce-nae for three generations. After the last of them, Eurystheas, died

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childless, the Mycenaeans chose Atreus, son of Pelops, father of Agamemnon and Menelaos, as their king.One of the most beautiful towns in the area of Argolis (in eastern Peloponnese) as well as one of the most romantic cities all over Greece, Nafplio was the first capital of the newly born Greek state between 1823 and 1834.

According to mythology, the town was founded by Náfplios, the son of god Poseidon and the daughter of Danaus (Danaida). The town’s history traces back to the prehistoric era when soldiers from here participated in the Argonautic expedition and the Trojan War alike. The town declined during the Roman times and flourished again during the Byzantine times. Frankish, Venetian and Turkish conquerors left their mark in the town and strongly influenced its culture, architecture and traditions during the centuries. Ancient walls, medieval castles, monuments and statues, Ottoman foun-tains and Venetian or neoclassical buildings mesmerize the visitor with their unique architecture and beauty.Palamidi Castle, which proudly stands 216 m above sea level. In order to reach it you have to climb all of its 999 steps carved into the rock. Not to worry, though: the view from above here is to-tally rewarding! Venture into a place drenched in history, where the famous hero of the Greek Revolution Theodore Kolokotronis had been imprisoned; it seems as if its battlements -named af-ter the renowned ancient heroes Themistocles, Achilles, Fokion, Leonidas, Epaminondas and Miltiades- are still carefully protecting the city. Agios Andreas battlement built at the top of the Castle by Venetian conquerors undoubtedly offers stunning views to the Argolic gulf and the Mycenaean plain.The most photographed spot of Náfplio –and its point of reference as well– is Bourtzi, the Venetian small fortress standing on the rocky islet of Agioi Theodoroi. During the Venetian rule it was con-nected to Akronafplia through a huge metal chain that secured the port against enemy ship attacks. At the beginning of 1860 in Bourtzi used to live the executioners of Palamidi prisoners. After food or coffee we can start our trip back to Kalamata.

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Mon

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-Transfer to Monemvasia (about 2,5 hours)-Sightseeing at Monemvasia Castle (free time for coffee- food)

-Sightseeing at Sparta town



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Monemvasia occupies a steep, rocky islet connected to the Laco-nian coast by a bridge. The settlement was founded in the 6th century A.D. by the inhabitants of Laconia. A second settlement was later founded on a lower level, and gradually developed into a town of significant strategic importance. After a short domination of the Popes, the area was captured by the Venetians in 1464. In 1690 it was given over to the Venetians and in 1715 was recap-tured by the Turks. It was the first among the fortified towns of the Peloponnese to be liberated by the Greeks in 1821. The 5th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities has reconstructed the demolished parts of walls in the Upper Town and has restored the church and the wall paintings of Aghia Sophia. In the Lower Town, the sea wall has been rebuilt, the Moslem Mosque has been re-stored, the east and west bastion of the fortification wall have been consolidated, and many of the churches have been repaired and restored.

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The most important monuments of the site are:The settlement which is divided into two sections, built at dif-ferent levels, each with a separate fortification. Remains of nu-merous Byzantine and post-Byzantine buildings are preserved in the area of the Upper Town which is not inhabited today. Church of Aghia Sophia at the Upper Town. Octagonal, domed, cross-in-square church, identified by some scholars as the Monastery of Our Lady Hodegetria, dated to 1150.Lower Town. The area is inhabited today and many of the ruined buildings have been restored by the 5th Ephorate. The settlement is surrounded by a U-shaped fortification wall with two gates, one on the east and one on the west side, and a small exit to the sea. Also you can see the Church of Christ Helkomenos (Led to the Passion). Domed, three-aisled basilica with a barrel-vaulted roof, a narthex, a built synthronon, and an episcopal throne. Significant portable icons of the post-Byzantine period are preserved in the interior.Moslem Mosque. It was built in the first period of the Turkish occu-pation (16th century), was converted into a Frankish church during the Venetian occupation, and again became a mosque in the 18th century. It has been restored and houses the Archaeological Col-lection of Monemvasia.Church of Panaghia (Our Lady) Myrtidiotissa. Single-aisled, domed basilica built in ca. 1700. The interior was decorated with a wooden carved screen.

After food and coffee we will start our trip to Sparta townSparti is the capital of Lakonia, eastern Peloponnese. It lies in the middle of a beautiful valley, in the exact same area where the an-cient site was found. Sparti is a modern town built in the 1830s ac-cording to an architectural plan. In fact, it is among the few towns in Greece that have been based on a plan, which is why it has am-ple squares and wide streets. In the ancient times, Sparti used to be a powerful town-state, known for its brave soldiers and strong army which rukes the rest of the Greece. The sightseeings of old Sparti lie close to the town and among them is the monument of Leonidas and the Archeological Museum with many findings and treasures from that times. Today, the modern settlement of Sparti displays some beautiful buildings, nice parks and numerous ameni-ties for the tourists. It is worth admiring its impressive landscape, the beautiful mountains, the lush greenery and the relaxing paths. After our small sightseeing in Sparta we will start our trip back to Kalamata.

Inclusions

-Transfer by Luxury Cars-Pick up from your hotel

-Driver/ Tour leader-Bottles with water

-All taxes

-smoking is not permitted while on board-linced guide in the archaeological places upon

availability with extra cost about 150€.

-Tickets for museums and archaeological sitesare not included in the prices.

Greek National Tourist Organization License number 1249E81000043001

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