A Christian Tour which will take you to the Corinth Canal, ancient Corinth, Mycenae, Nafplion, Epidaurus, Olympia, Levadia, Delphi, Arachova, Kalambaka, Amphisa, Lamia, Trikala, Meteora, byzantine monasteries of Meteora, Vergina, Dion, Thessaloniki, Phillipi, Kavala and back to Athens. 

Day 1: Athens

Athens taxi tours start’s your Athens private  tour visiting the city of Athens, We begin our city tour by visiting the site of some of the most exquisite pieces of architecture in the world, the world-renowned Acropolis of Athens, which includes a visit to the Parthenon and The  Erechtheion, The Temple of Nike,  MARS HILL (Areopagus th Hill of Ares) where Apostle Paul delivered his well known sermon (Acts 17:22). Your private tour ends with the highlights of modern Athens: passing by the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, Parliament House, Presidential Mansion, Panathenian Stadium (site of the first modern Olympic games in 1896), Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Academy, the University and the National Library. The area of Monastiraki, the Plaka, the Ancient Greek agora, the Roman agora one of the many museums (we recommend The Byzantine Museum), and  enjoy the wonderful panoramic view of Athens and Piraeus port from LycabettusHill, the highest pick in the city. In the afternoon we will continue our Athens private tour by visiting the Monastery of Daphne with the most beautiful Mosaics ever, founded in the 11th century A.D.  The monastery is situated just a few minutes drive outside the city. The rest of the afternoon is at your disposal to explore the lively city of Athens on your own. Dinner and overnight in Athens.

Day 2 Itinerary: Athens – Corinth canal – ancient Corinth – Athens

The next and second day, we will travel to Corinth, – Greece. In Corinth St. Paul spent 18 plus 3months preaching the Gospel to the Jews and Gentiles. The site is overlooked by the Acrocorinth. In Corinth, St. Paul worked with Aquila and Priscilla making tents, The community he founded here caused him much grief and prompted him to address at least three letters to the Corinthians, one is lost.  St. Paul`s trial by Gallio took place in the agora (Acts 18:12-17). It is from Corinth, also, that St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians. We celebrate our liturgy today in Corinth with a reflection on Paul the Missionary. We will visit the ruins of Kenchreae, the harbour from which St. Paul sailed for Ephesus (Acts 18:18). Continuing our Greece private tour we will drive on to Mycenae, site of the Cyclopean walls. The walls are called cyclopean because they were thought to have been built by the mythical gigantic Cyclopes. The famous Lion Gate and the beehive tombs were  excavated (1876-1878) by the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann and they are known locally as the Treasury of Atreus and the Tomb of Clytemnestra. Visit the tomb of Agamemnon (King of Mycenae and leader of the allied Achaean forces that sailed against Troy). Our tour continues to Nafplion, the first capital of Greece after its liberation from the Ottoman Empire following the Revolution in 1821). michael‘s tours will drive you to Epidaurus home of the one of the world`s best-preserved amphitheaters, with remarkable acoustics. We end our Tour taking  the same route back to Athens. Dinner and overnight in Athens.

Day 3 Itinerary: Athens – Delphi – Meteora

After breakfast Michael‘s Greek tours will drive us to Delphi. Delphi was one of the two most important cultural  centers in ancient Greece. People journeyed to Delphi from all over the ancient world to participate in religious ceremonies and to consult the oracle before making important decisions. It was to the Delphic oracle, that King Croesus of Sardis sent messengers to request guidance from the gods about whether he should go to war against Cyrus the Great. The oracle`s response was ambivalent – If you attack Cyrus a great an empire will fall – Croesus misinterpreted, He attacked but his own empire fell. Even if Delphi were not so crucial for understanding the mythology, religion, history and literature of ancient Greece, the beauty of the place would demand that we pause and contemplate. We continue our private tour visiting the site and museum. Lunch I Delphi or Arachova, a picturesque snow ski resort. After lunch our driver will drive us to Meteora. Dinner and overnight in Meteora or Kastraki.

Day 4 Itinerary: Meteora – Thessaloniki

In the morning Michael‘s Greek tours will drive on to Meteora, an area of unexplained rock formations rising from the plain. You will wind your way through a forest of gigantic needle-like pillars, some as high as 1,820 feet above sea level. Back in the 14th century these inaccessible pinnacles offered a safe refuge to pious hermits and were later used as sites for hermits. We will visit Meteora Monasteries famous for their Byzantine museums perched precariously on huge finger-like rocks, exhibiting superb icons, old manuscripts and unique mosaics and frescoes.

The most important monasteries of Meteora are:

• The Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron. It is the biggest of the Meteorite monasteries.
• The Holy Monastery of Varlaam is the second largest monastery after the Great Meteoro.
• The Holy Monastery of Rousanou. It is dedicated to ‘The Transfiguration’ but consecratedto Saint Barbara.
• The Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas. It is the first we will come across on our way from Kastraki to Meteora.
• The Holy Monastery of St. Stephen. It is one of the most easily accessible, as one does not have to climb innumerable steps to reach it.
• The Monastery of the Holy Trinity is very difficult to reach. The visitor has to cross the valley and continue high up through the rock before we arrive outside the entrance.

After Lunch we will drive to Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Thessaloniki

After breakfast we’ll travel with our Michel’s Greek tour driver to the city of  Thessaloniki founded about 315 BC by Cassander, brother-in-law of Alexander the Great, where St. Paul wrote two letters to the ancient Thessalonians. St. Paul established the first church here (Acts 17:1-10). Ruins of an early Christian church are near the Palace of Galerius. In St. Paul’s letters to this community we see his unbounded determination to continue the Church. We will also visit the church and crypt of St. Demetrius and the church of St. Sophia. Michael‘s Greek tour will drive to the upper part of the Old City Walls where you will have excellent views of the city and the opportunity to take pictures. Continue this private tour driving to the Vlatadon Monastery visit. Your tour will end with a drive of the city viewing the White Tower and the Triumphal Arch of Galerius standing on the Egnatian Way. Afternoon free.

Day 6 Itinerary: Veria -Vergina

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, you will depart Thessaloniki with Michael‘s Greek tours and drive south toward Beroia . Following St. Paul’s footsteps in his second missionary journey, the Apostle Paul successfully preached to the Jewish community in Beroia  after fleeing Thessaloniki. In Veria, you will view reconstructed steps of the bema stand (pulpit) commemorating the place where Paul was believed to have preached. Continue our private tour to Vergina (ancient Aigai), the first capital of Macedonia, we will  visit one of the most important tombs of Philip II of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the Great. We will arrive late in the afternoon in Thessaloniki. Dinner and overnight.

Day 7 Itinerary: Philippi – Kavala (Neapolis)

In the morning, you will depart Thessaloniki with Michael‘s Greek tours for a full day excursion to Philippi named after King Philip II of Macedonia, where St. Paul delivered his first sermon in Europe and sowed the seeds of Christianity. Paul and Silas came to Philippi on their second missionary journey and St. Paul returned on his third (Acts 20:2-6). It was here that Paul baptized a woman named Lydia, the first Christian convert in Europe. The Roman Forum here, completely excavated, was built after Paul`s time. You will walk among the ruins, located on the rocky ledge above the town`s main road and view the Prison where St. Paul and Silas were thrown after exorcizing a spirit from a slave girl. On the rocks, you will find inscriptions and carved reliefs of deities. It was in Philippi that Octavian and Antony defeated Brutus and Cassius, last defenders of the Roman Republic in 42 BC. Some ten miles southeast of Philippi continuing our private tour is the modern port city of Kavala, ancient Neapolis, where St. Paul, accompanied by Silas, Luke, and Timothy, first set foot in Europe. To reach Kavala  we will follow the Via Egnatia, a remnant of Rome’s highway system, viewing  Roman and Greek tombstones. Upon arrival in Kavala, located like an amphitheater by the sea, we will have the rest of the afternoon to explore this historical city. You may want to visit the Old City of Kavala including the Islamic Minaret, the lighthouse (which provides an amazing, full view of Kavala), the castle with its tower, and the famous Kamares, which is the Roman aqueduct that was reconstructed by the sultan Suleiman the Magnificent around 1550. You may also wish to visit the Modern City of Kavala, including the Heroes’ Monument next to the Public Garden, the Town hall, the Municipal Library, the building of the Byzantine Antiquities Authority and the Municipal Museum. The ruins of ancient Neapolis were built upon and the site became known as Christopolis because St. Paul traveled there in 50 A.D. Dinner and overnight.

Day 8 Itinerary: Thessaloniki

Early in the morning Michael‘s Greek tours will drive us back to Athens passing through the towns of Thessaloniki, Katerini, Tembi mountains, Larisa, Lamia, Thermopylae (visit the monument of Leonidas and the 300 Spartans) and we will end this tour following the footsteps of St. Paul in Athens late in the afternoon.

You can customize this private tour at any time, either on the way together with your private chauffeur or in advance by contacting our Michael‘ Greek tours.

www.athenstaxitour.com. We try to make you feel good

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Plaka – Ancient Greek Agora – Ancient Roman Agora – Temple of  Hephaestus –  Temple of Zeus – Hadrian’s Arch – Greek Parliament –Tomb of the Unknown Soldier – Panathenian Stadium.

Athens Taxi tour offers you the chance to experience Athens giving you a total flexibility in your options and choices. You can explore and discover the cradle of Civilization, one of the most historically important places in the world that combines both modern and classical sights. A visit to Athens is not complete if you haven’t visited the Acropolis and the Parthenon that has been ornamenting and overlooking the city for more than 2500
years.

The symbol of culture, architecture and science is the absolute must see. Drive along the historical paths that bring you to Plaka, the Ancient Greek Agora,  the Temple of  Hephaistus, the temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch.

See the changing of the guards in front of the Parliament House at Constitution square, and also the Memorial of the Unknown Soldier.

The center of Athens is full of historical landmarks;  Taxi tours will also take you to the Kallimarmaron, also known as Panathenian Stadium, where the first modern Olympic Games took place in 1896.

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Cape Sounio – Temple of Poseidon

Cape Sounio is located at the Southern part of Attica, on top of a very steep rock. The Athenians woshiped Poseidon and Athina even during the Geometric period.
The first Temple to Poseidon was build at the end of the 6th century B.C. and at 480 B.C. was destroyed by the Persians. In its place Pericles built a Marble Doric order Temple (444-440 B.C.)

Our half-day taxi tour to Cape Sounion has been planned to allow you to admire one of the most scenic drives in Athens.

We will drive along the wonderful coastal road seeing some of the most splendid southern suburbs of Athens, also the wonderful beaches of Glyfada, Voula and Vouliagmeni and the small picturesque seaside resorts of Lagonissi, Saronida, and Palaia Fokaia. In a little more than an hour we will arrive at Cape Sounion and the imposing Temple of Poseidon, God of the sea. Overlooking the Aegean Sea and the islands of the Saronic Gulf, one can see 6 islands on a clear day. The Temple of Poseidon is one of the major tourist attractions and picturesque settings in this historical site.

Our sightseeing tour includes a visit to the archaeological site where you can admire the remains of the Poseidon Temple. The site is surrounded by sea on three sides and offers spectacular view to the Aegean Sea.

Enjoy a lovely Mediterranean meal while relishing the refreshing sea breeze and the view to the deep blue waters of the Gulf and the small offshore islands.

It is wonderful to visit Cape Sounio in a summer night of July or August to really enjoy the Sun set.

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We first drive to were St.Paul first came to Athens from Thessaloniki we then go on to visit the Acropolis, the Parthenon,the Erechtheion, Mars Hill (Areopagus), (Acts 17:22) were Apostle Paul delivered his sermon to the Athenians.You then proceed by visiting the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Temple of Nike,  the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Parliament House, Presidential Palace, Panathenian Stadium, Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Plaka, the Ancient agora,(St. Paul’s meeting place), the Roman agora, Academy, the University and the National Library.

Our tour will take you to visit the  Corinthian Canal, and the Ancient city of Corinth. The famous Canal merges the prefectures of Attica and Corinthia, as well as the Peloponnese Peninsula with Central Greece, connecting the Aegean with the Ionian Sea. It is 78 meters high and 25 meters wide and cuts through the Isthmus of Corinth. Our tour continues and shortly we will reach the ancient city of Corinth (visit) where St. Paul lived and preached for 18 months. Back in the ancient times Corinth was amongst the wealthiest cities. The ruins of this once splendid city lie high up on a hill above the modern town, overlooking both the Corinth and the Saronicos Gulfs. In fact, ancient Corinth owed it’s wealth and it’s power to it’s advantageous position being between two harbors, (Lechaion in the Corinthian Gulf and Kechreae on the Saronic Gulf ). The principal sights include the Temple Apollo (6th C.B.C) , The fountain of Pirene, the Market place, Theate, the Odeum.

Also we will also visit Kechreai were St. Paul disembarked to Ephesus.

We will have lunch in a traditional greek Taverna and return to Athens.

The post Full Day Following Paul’s Footsteps Sites In Athens And Corinth appeared first on Athens TAXI Tours.

Athens Taxi Tour offers you the chance to experience Athens giving you a total flexibility in your options and choices. You can explore and discover the cradle of Civilization, one of the most historically important places in the world that combines both modern and classical sights. A visit to Athens is not complete if you haven’t visited the Acropolis and the Parthenon that has been ornamenting and overlooking the city for more than 2500 years.

The symbol of culture, architecture and science is the absolute must see. Drive along the historical paths that bring you to Plaka, the Ancient Agora, Thiseio, the Temple of  Hephaestus, the temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch.

See the changing of the guards in front of the Parliament House at Constitution square the Memorial of the Unknown Soldier. The center of Athens is full of historical landmarks.  Taxi tours will also take you to the Kallimarmaron, also known as Panathenian Stadium, where the first modern Olympic Games took place in 1896.

After lunch,  Athens Taxi Tour will drive you along the coastal road to Cape Sounio – Temple of Poseidon. Cape Sounio is located at the Southern part of Attica, On top of a very steep rock. The Athenians worshiped Poseidon and Athena even during the Geometric period. The first Temple to Poseidon was build at the end of the 6th century B.C. And at 480 B.C. was destroyed by the Persians. In its place Pericles built a Marble Doric order Temple (444-440 B.C.).

Our drive to Cape Sounion has been planned to allow you to admire one of the most scenic drives in Athens. We will drive along  the wonderful coastal road seeing some of the most splendid southern suburbs of Athens, also the wonderful beaches of Glyfada, Voula and Vouliagmeni and the small picturesque seaside resorts of Lagonissi, Saronida, and Palaia Fokaia. In a little more than an hour we will arrive at Cape Sounion and the imposing Temple of Poseidon, God of the sea. Overlooking the Aegean Sea and the islands of the Saronic Gulf, one can see 6 islands on a clear day, the Temple of Poseidon is one of the major tourist attractions and picturesque settings in this historical site.

Our sightseeing tour includes a visit to the archaeological site where you can admire the remains of the Poseidon Temple. The site is surrounded by sea on three sides and offers spectacular view to the Aegean Sea.

Enjoy a lovely Mediterranean meal while relishing the refreshing sea breeze and the view to the deep blue waters of the Gulf and the small offshore islands.

The post Athens – Cape Sounio, Full Day Tour appeared first on Athens TAXI Tours.

1st Day: > Athens, Corinth canal, ancient Corinth, Nafplion, Sparta

Athens taxi tour will drive you along the coastal road of the Saronic Gulf until we reach the Corinth Canal which joins the Saronic Gulf and the Gulf of Corinth (short stop).

Our tour continues and shortly we will reach the ancient city of Corinth (visit) where St. Paul lived and preached for 18 months. Back in the ancient times Corinth was amongst the wealthiest cities. The ruins of this once splendid city lie high up on a hill above the modern town, overlooking both the Corinth and the Saronicos Gulfs. In fact, ancient Corinth owed it’s wealth and it’s power to its advantageous position being between two harbors, (Lechaion in the Corinthian Gulf and Kechreae on the Saronic Gulf ).

The principal sights include the Temple Apollo (6th C.B.C), the fountain of Pirene, the Market place, Theater the Odeum.

Visit Isthmus, the site of the ancient port of Kechreai where St. Paul disembarked to Ephesus. Visit Mycenae with it’s Cyclopean walls, Agamemnon’s Palace (acropolis) and the tomb of Clytemnestra and also the tomb of Atreus, and the Lions Gate. Athens taxi tours will drive you to the first Capital city of modern Greece Nafplion. After lunch visit the Venetian fortress of Palamidi and we will drive to Sparta.

Dinner & overnight in Sparta.

2nd Day: > Sparta, Mistras, Corinth canal, Athens

In the morning we will drive you to visit the sites of ancient Sparta and Byzantine fortified town of Mistras. Sparta was founded by the Dorian’s in the 9th century B.C. and in the next few years it developed into the most powerful military city in Greece, thanks to the efficient laws, perfected by the law-giver Lycurgus. The Spartans deferred from the rest of the Greeks in culture, and the way of life. The Spartans character were mostly military, the life of the citizen was dedicated to serving the country, and the art of war.

Mistras, was once a glittering fortress of the Byzantine Empire, with Palaces, houses, monasteries, and churches founded in the 13th century during the Frankish occupation of the Peloponnese. Mistras is now a huge museum of architecture, sculpture and decorative art.

After lunch we’ll drive back to ATHENS ending yet another one of our spectacular tours.

You can customize your private tour at anytime on the way or before your arrival contacting Athens taxi tour.

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The official distance of the race is 42,195 kilometers (26 miles 385 yards). The event is named after the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens.

The Marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896, though the distance did not become standardized until 1921. More than 800 marathons are contested throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes. Larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants.

This tour will end with Athens Taxi Tour taking you back to your Hotel or Ship thus ending another of our tours, a day you will never forget.

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