Greece Off The Beaten Track Tour Program 

Day 1 arrival Thessaloniki

Arrival Thessaloniki - Litochoro via Dion
You will arrive at the airport of Thessaloniki, the capital of the Greek region of Macedonia. Our representative will meet you and hand over the rental car. Then you will travel in about an hour and a half to Litochoro, beautifully situated between the coast and the mountains. On the way you can visit one of the most sacred places of ancient Macedonia, Dion located at the foot of the holy mountain Olympus. You will find several Greek and Roman theaters here. As early as the 5th century BC this was a sacred place where the gods, including Zeus, were worshipped. This is also the place where Alexander the Great spoke to the Gods before he began his conquest of Asia.

Day 2 Litochoro / Mt. Olympos

Today, the climb of Mount Olympus is on the program. Not only is this the highest mountain (2918 meters) in Greece, but also the mythological home of 12 gods and the place where Zeus lives. The climb is tough, but in principle anyone with a reasonably good condition can do it. Of course, you can also choose to walk at the foot of Mt. Olympus, without immediately climbing to the peak.

Day 3 Litochoro - Meteora

Today you will travel to one of the most beautiful sights in all of Greece; the spectacularly situated monasteries of Meteora. In a rugged landscape full of rock formations you will find several Greek Orthodox monasteries, all located on the tops of barely accessible rocks. Inside the monasteries you will find a serene peace and centuries-old frescoes. The monasteries are all located around the towns of Kalampaki and Kastraki. Here there is a large rock face with all kinds of protruding rocks on which the monasteries have been built over the course of hundreds of years. At the moment you can visit 7 monasteries (please note, not every monasteries are open every day)

Day 4 Meteora

A whole day to further explore the monasteries and surroundings. There are various hiking trails in this area, where you will visit several monasteries.

Day 5 Meteora - Metsovo 

Today you will travel into the mountains to Metsovo, an hour's drive away. A village with ancient traditions, architecture, many museums and art galleries, but also surrounded by vineyards and green hills. Metsovo is located at 1160 meters in the Pindos Mountains. You can explore the village, but also visit the nearby mountain lake Aoos, about 40 minutes drive from Metsovo. You can also rent bikes and cycle to this lake. You can also go hiking in the area. Famous is the 40 kilometer long Ursa Trail, well signposted, of which you can walk parts. In addition, the village is home to a unique cuisine, which you can discover in one of the many taverns. Make sure you try not only the local pies and tasty sausages, but also the local dishes prepared with the smoked metsovone cheese. Finally, the region is also home to the Katogi Averoff Winery - a place where you can taste Katogi wine, an aromatic red wine that is famous throughout the country.

Day 6 Metsovo - Ioannina

You travel further along the edges of the Pindos Mountains to the city of Ioannina. This city is beautifully situated on Lake Pamvotis. The main attraction here is the 17th century Turkish citadel with the mosque of Ali Pasha. Ali Pasha was ruler of Albania and Epirus at the time. Ioannina is still the capital of the Greek province of Epirus. You can also stroll along the boulevard, explore the old city or take a boat trip on the lake. There are continuous boats to the island of Nisi, where you can visit several monasteries, but also enjoy a good meal with a view of the city.

Day 7 Ioannina - Monodendri

The coming days you will travel through the Zagoria region, one of the most beautiful areas of Greece and perhaps of the entire Balkans. Here, in the Pindos Mountains, you will find many traditional mountain villages with ancient stone houses. The region is also known for its medieval stone arch bridges. Today you will travel to one of the most beautiful villages Monondendri. On the way you can already visit several villages and pass several arch bridges. There are also several monasteries to visit. It is possible to make walks along the various bridges.

Day 8 Monodendri / Vikos Gorge

One of the highlights of the Zagoria region is the Vikos Gorge. From Monondendri, various hiking trails start to the gorge, but you can also drive to the Oxya viewpoint. On the way, you will pass the impressive 'Stone Forest'. The Vikos Gorge is one of the deepest gorges in the world, with a depth of 1600 meters in some places. The gorge runs between the villages of Vikos and Monondendri.

Day 9 Monondendri - Konitsa

You continue your journey through the Pindos Mountains. You will want to stop many times to enjoy the view. Today again beautiful mountain villages and many arch bridges along the way. You will spend the night in Konitsa, located close to the border with Albania. Here you will find one of the largest arch bridges, the Konitsa bridge. You can take a nice walk from the bridge to the monastery of St. Stomion.

Day 10 Konitsa - Kastoria 

Head north towards Kastoria. You may take a short detour until you reach the Prespa Lakes, of breathtaking beauty and rich in wildlife including brown bears, wolves and wild boars. Megali Prespa and Mikri Prespa (Great Prespa and Little Prespa) are the highest tectonic lakes in the Balkans and, at one million years old, are among the oldest in Europe. The Prespa region enjoys many sunny days so the clear waters will invite you to take a dip. After lunch, drive along a mountainous road to Kastoria, another alluring Greek city, situated on a narrow peninsula and beautifully situated on Lake Orestiada. From a distance it looks like an impressionist painting; beautiful mansions, Byzantine churches, the reflections of the trees glistening in the lake. Outside the city, the ancient Mavriotissa Monastery and the Dragon Cave are waiting to be explored.

Day 11 Kastoria

Kastoria gives you the feeling of an island without the hustle and bustle of tourists. It is full of life, birds, greenery and relaxation. The city has no less than 80 historic churches and temples that were built between the 9th and 14th centuries, which means that some of them are over 1000 years old. As you wander through these temples, you will come across some fascinating religious drawings on their walls. Wander through the old town districts of Doltso and Apozari to admire beautiful mansions from the 17th and 18th centuries. Visit the museums - including the Byzantine Museum, the Museum of Folk Art and the Museum of Traditional Costumes - to get a good idea of ​​what life was like in the past. Very close to the center, along the lake and just before the Mavriotissa Monastery is the Cave of the Dragon, a small but intriguing place. The entrance to the cave was discovered in 1954 and opened to the public in 2009. The cave has 7 underground lakes and 10 chambers, of which only 300 meters are accessible. According to tradition, many, many years ago the cave was a gold mine guarded by a dragon. The monster let out flames and poisonous fumes from its mouth to anyone who dared to stand in front of the door...

Day 12 Kastoria - Nymfaio

Today the journey continues to charming Nymfaio, one of the 10 most picturesque villages in Europe. This fascinating village with stone houses and cobbled paths, surrounded by a breathtaking beech forest, looks like something straight out of a fairytale. Visit one of the mansions, such as the Neveska Chrisikos House, which has been recently renovated and now functions as the Gold and Silversmith, Folklore and History Museum. It is a replica of the old mansion with wall paintings, wooden Macedonian carved ceilings and unique furniture. A truly remarkable architectural masterpiece is the Nikeios School, which today functions as a conference hall of the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki. Nymfaio is also a place for outdoor adventure. Explore the hiking trails in the woods or rent a mountain bike. Not far from the village you can visit a bear sanctuary. Bears that were removed from their mothers at a young age and lived in captivity, learn here to reintegrate into a natural environment.

Day 13 Nymfaio - Thessaloniki via Veria, Vergina en Pella

Today you return to Thessaloniki. On the way you can stop in the historical city of Veria. This was an important Byzantine city from the 11th to the 14th century. Visit the 'Tribune of the Apostle Paul', the place where Paul is said to have preached for the first time. You can also visit Pella, the birthplace of Alexander the Great and Edessa, the first capital of the Macedonian empire. Here you can visit the golden tomb of Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great. Another stop on the way can be the excavations at Vergina. In the afternoon you will arrive in Thessaloniki. Thessaloniki is a pleasant city with a lively atmosphere. You will find a long boulevard, many terraces and restaurants. There are several Greek Orthodox churches and an interesting museum.

Day 14 Thessaloniki 

Today you can explore Thessaloniki more extensively. Visit the various excavations from Roman times that are spread throughout the city, go to the hill behind the city where several monasteries are located with a beautiful view over the city. In the city itself you can visit various orthodox churches, including the Demetrios Basilica and the Aya Sofia Church, a smaller version of its big brother in Istanbul. You can visit the museum to delve further into the rich history of Macedonia, and then stroll along the boulevard. At the edge of the boulevard you will find the old harbor, now a place to enjoy the view from one of the terraces. From here you walk into the Ladadika district, full of restaurants and cafes, one of the nicest places to spend the evening.