Classical Self Drive Tour to Northern Ionian Islands and Epirus - Greece

After your arrival in the mythical city of Athens, the transfer to your hotel will be conducted in one of our private vehicles. Once you arrive at the hotel, a member of our English speaking team will help with check-in, also inform you of all the details of your trip, clear any doubts or queries you may have and offer a brief presentation of the city and its everyday way of life. The rest of the day is free for you to relax and enjoy Athens at your own pace.

This will be a free day in Athens and, after a delicious breakfast, you will have the chance to visit some of

the numerous places of interest or simply stroll at your own pace and explore this vibrant city.

In the evening you will enjoy a guided walking tour through the most stunning areas of Athens, such as

Anafiótika, Thisio, Monastiraki and Plaka

After an exquisite breakfast, you will collect your rental vehicle to depart for the Peloponnese region. 

On the way to Olympia, you can make a brief stop on the Corinth canal, a great architectural work designed in 630 BC by Periander, a tyrant that ruled over Corinth considered one of the seven sages of Ancient Greece and completed in 1893 by the French. This channel of about 6 kilometers long, connects the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf saving days of sailing for the ships.

On the route, you can either take a detour to Kalavrita, a city with magnificent views, its steep slopes, river springs and pine forests. Only driving a distance of 17 kilometers away from Kalavrita, the Cave of the Lakes can be found. The cave extends 2 kilometers and has 15 lakes inside. The combination of the colors and waterfalls together make an impressive beauty.

Alternatively, you can choose to take the route to Diakofto and take from there the train known as "Odontotos" towards Kalavrita. This train rises a high of 750 meters from the sea level crossing the entire Vouraikos gorge. The views are spectacular, with lush forests, waterfalls, and tunnels in the rocks. This is a sort of tour with such striking beauty, that we suggest you should not miss.

After these inevitable stops, you will arrive at the destination of the day, Olympia. There, you can visit the facilities of the former Olympic stadium, where the first Games were held (776a.C). The importance of the Olympic games was evident by their massive participation. While they were being held, the Greek cities maintained truce. Olympia was also the most important sanctuary of the Ancient Greeks, a place to worship Zeus There one of the considered 7 wonders of the ancient world was exposed, the gigantic sculpture of Zeus sculpted in gold and ivory made by Fidias himself.

Total distance:285km

Tras un delicioso desayuno, saldremos desde Olympia y cruzaremos el puente Río Antirío, una de las grandes joyas de la aquitectura moderna Europea, que cruza el Golfo de Corinto, para continuar nuestra ruta hacia Lefkada.

Una vez crucemos el puente que une a la isla de Lefkada con el continente, llegaremos a Lefkada town, la capital y puerto principal de la isla, la cual se extiende a lo largo de su costa frenta a Grecia continental y llama la atención por sus pintorescas casas policromadas y con tejados.

Sugerimos el puerto de Nidri, donde se encuentran los mejores resorts de la isla, desde allí salen pequeñas embarcaciones a las islas cercanas como Jelonaki, Maduri, Meganisi y la famosa isla de Skorpios, propiedad exclusiva del magnate Onasis.

Una vez adentrados en la isla de Lefkada, recomendamos visitar las playas más increibles del Mar Jónico, por un lado Porto Katsiki, es la playa más popular de la isla y se encuentra a los pies de un acantilado, contrastando el verde de la montaña, el acantilado y el agua turquesa del mar. Otro de los imperdibles de la isla es la playa Egremni, donde se puede ver el agua del mar de un impactante color azul mezclado con turquesa. A esta playa solo se puede acceder en una embarcación, es, al momento, inaccesible por tierra.

Por la noche, tras un largo día recorriendo las mejores playas de Lefkada, sugerimos dar un paseo por la costanera de Nidri.

Distancia total: 282 Km.

This day, after a hearty breakfast, you will continue enjoying the incredible Ionian Islands. This time, leaving behind the southern islands, you will visit the northern part of the Ionian, exploring the magnificent island of Corfu.

On the way you will pass through Préveza, belonging to the Épiro region, considered one of the quietest areas in Greece. It is suggested to walk through its cobbled streets full of shops where we can buy souvenirs.

On the course, you will be able to find the city of Parga, just on the outskirts of the Epirus region. Parga is characterized by being a town of multicolored houses on the shore of the Ionian Sea coast. Towards the interior, you can find olive and fruit plantations in a peaceful environment. We recommend visiting the ruins of its medieval castle, built to protect the population from the constant invasions that haunted it. Furthermore, this fishing village is an excellent place to have lunch in its famous taverns.

Following the route you will arrive at Igoumenitsa, where you can take the ferryboat to Corfu.

Corfu, known as Kerkyra to the Greeks, is the second-largest island in the Ionian Sea. It is mentioned in Homer's Odyssey as the island of the Phaeacians, in the last stage of Odysseus towards Ithaca. Its natural beauty, its cosmopolitan character, and its picturesque towns make it a destination that you do not want to miss. Once in Corfu, you can visit the city of Corfu, the capital of the homonymous island, where its main square stands out, one of the largest in Greece, called Spianada. Another of the most popular points of interest in the city is the Achilleion Palace, where Elizabeth of Bavaria lived. Worth noting its architectural beauty and the combination of styles it treasures, the palace often visited today.

We recommend a visit to the villages of Kanoni, of extraordinary natural beauty and with stunning beaches with rock formations. Nearby, we will find the small monastery of Vlachernon, on an islet connected to the island by a narrow passage.

At night, after a long day, we recommend strolling through the Spianada area and getting lost in the maze of alleys full of shops, which enjoy a summery atmosphere.

Total distance: 172 km.

If you have more days, we suggest taking a mini cruise excursion to visit Paxos, Antipaxos and the blue caves.

After a hearty breakfast, this day you will leave the incredible Ionian Islands and depart from Corfu to Zagorohoria.

You will cross by ferry again to Igoumenitsa and take our route to reach the Zagori region, where the Pindus mountain range is located. The Pindus is the most important mountain belt in the country, with peaks that exceed 2,000 meters in height. There you can either visit the Pindus National Park or the majestic Vikos–Aoös National Park, where you can go hiking and kayaking in its rivers. In the depths of this region, you can found Zagorohoria (towns of Zagori), a series of towns that are like frozen in time, with great Slavic and Northeast European influence. The town of Kipi has the best examples of the architecture of the area, for instance, the Plakida Bridge. It is suggested, likewise, to visit the town of Konitsa, which was very affected during the Greek civil war. Another place highly recommended to visit in Zagorohoria is Metsovo, a graphic mountainous town full of chops in which you can find local delights.

On the way, you can also visit Ioannina, the capital of Epiro, located 500 meters high on the shores of Lake Pamvotis. We also recommend visiting one of the most important caves in the world, the Cave of Perama. This cave is a huge opening in the depths of Mount Goritsa.

Leaving Zagorohoria after a hearty breakfast, first, you will visit Metsovo, a graphic mountain town with stores that sells local items.

Resuming your way, you will reach Kalambaka. Once there, you will visit Meteora, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. Meteora combines the natural charm of the region with the eternal monasteries or meteors hanging on the rocks. The first monastery, "The Great Meteor", was built by Athanasius after being expelled from Mount Athos, in order to escape his pursuers. Nowadays, only 6 remain in use: five for male residents and one for female residents.

After visiting the monasteries in this a hectic day, you will have a well-deserved rest.

Dress code in monasteries:

Over-the-knee shorts or skirts are forbidden. Men are not admitted wearing sleeveless shirts. For women sarongs are available at the entrance if needed.

 

Total distance: 111 km

After having a delicious breakfast, you will depart for Delphi. On the way, you will have the possibility to go through Thermopylae, where the statue of the Spartan king Leonidas I is, famous for fighting the homonymous battle against the Persians.

You will finally arrive at Delphi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the center or navel of the ancient world where the notable Delphic Oracle was located (consulted either by kings or pilgrims).

Once all your questions to the Oracle of Delphi are finished, you will have a well-deserved rest.

Total distance: 237 kilometres

After a delicious Greek breakfast, you will start driving back to Athens. On the way you will pass through the slopes of Mount Parnasso, 2457 meters high, and you can make a short stop in Arachova, a mountain town full of taverns and restaurants. Arachova is a starting point for skiers in winter.

After passing through Arachova, you can visit also Lebadea, a prominent city in Greek Mythology for having the oracle of Trofonius, which was in a cave.

Once you reach Athens, you will return the rental car and in this way the adventure through Greece at our own has come to an end. After returning the vehicle, you will be able to have a well-deserved rest.

 

Total distance: 186 km

At the appopriate time, our driver will transfer you to Athens International Airport to board your international flight back home.  You will check in your luggage and benefit from any tax return you may be eligible for as a result of your last minute "tax free" shopping. Undoubtedly, and after spending a few fantastic days with us, we hope to see you soon to create new and extraordinary moments that will be lovingly etched in your memory. Have a nice trip! Or as Greeks say: "Kalo taksidi!"