Hidden Treasures of Athens

History comes first on this tour’s agenda with a stop at Plato’s Academy. The great Greek philosopher Plato created a center where curious men studied philosophy and the sciences under his guidance. The Academy endured as a center for intellectuals for nine hundred years after his death. Today the sparse remnants of Plato’s Academy are found in a city park amidst ruins of a gymnasium, sarcophagi and scattered slabs of ancient marble.

The best kept secret for nature lovers in Athens is the sprawling Diomidis Botanical Gardens in Haidari, 8 kilometers from central Athens. They are the largest botanical garden in Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean. Spread out over 1,860 square meters, the garden displays over 2,500 different plants from Greece and around the world. The Anthonas section of the garden has 15 flower beds and 25 lakes. Plants in the bamboo forest are used to treat infectious diseases.

On the site of an ancient temple and lying almost half-way along the ancient Sacred Way to the mysterious Eleusis, Dafni Monastery was built in 1080 AD when the Byzantine Empire was at its peak. It is a World Heritage Site whose mosaics are considered the largest and finest collection in southern Greece. Expect to encounter serenity on the grounds as soon as you enter the church through a covered walkway called the cloisters built in the 13^th century AD.

Lunch time arrives. The most engaging place to eat delicious Greek cuisine is Zafiro Experience where you are immersed in a traditional Greek environment from our grandmothers’ era. Zafiro offers an interactive experience in Greek culture where you learn, for example, to weave on a horizontal loom or make bread by grinding the seeds in an authentic pre-industrial Greek watermill and baking in a wood oven.

TOUR ITINERARY

Tour pick-up at 09:00 and drop-off at 17:30 at lower side of Syntagma Square (Ermou Street) in central Athens. See map.

09:00 Meet at Syntagma Square (Ermou Street) in central Athens. See map meeting point.
Vehicle transfer to Plato’s Academy. Stroll in the park where Plato’s school once stood. Become inspired by a Plato’s truth seeking quest.
Vehicle transfer to Diomidis Botanical Garden. Smell the lush aromas of thousands of plants. Hear the sound of nature’s tranquility.
Vehicle transfer to Dafni Monastery. Admire the church mosaics, frescos and sarcophogi. Feel centuries of spiritual enlightenment under your feet.
Vehicle transfer to Zafiro Experience. Eat a lunch of wholesome, hearty, delicious home baked Greek food. Plunge into an active exchange with traditional Greek culture.
17:30 Arrive back to Syntagma Square by vehicle transfer from Zefiro

TOUR INCLUSIONS