Day 4 of Inspiring Vacations Greek tour

Breakfast was provided again and the Greek offerings were just as delicious.

Today we went to the Delphi museum first which was a 5 minute bus ride from the hotel. We had to check out at 8:30, then meet the bus down the road with our luggage, loading quickly to ensure minimum traffic hold ups.

The weather was mild as we disembarked and started the museum tour. There were already other groups there but not as crowded as the Acropolis museum. We enjoyed historical commentary and explanations of this part of Greek history.

Apologies about the quality but this is what this area looked like

We then walked about 5 minute up the path to the outdoor site. We marvelled at how lucky we were with the weather. Firstly we walked along a rocky but flat path to some of the ruins. We stopped at Athena’s temple before moving on to the Apollo temple ruins.

That was the gymnasium ruins down the hill

The next part of the tour was the amphitheater but the steps were uneven and somewhat steep so may be a challenge for some. There are no railings so many decided to wait in this area while others ascended even further to the stadium. It was a good pace with a variety of options to suit everyone.

Lunch was in a Tavern not far from the site which was much better organised and run than last night’s dinner. We were given choices from the menu and could order our drinks. We watched as the place filled with more tour groups but the staff were a well oiled team of efficiency.

It was empty when we arrived but filled rather quickly after us

Of course we are seeing many stray dogs and cats as we travel around this lovely country who are very chilled and happy to see people. When it was time to travel on the bus to our next destination, Maria K had to coax the dog from its unsafe position.

We were very high up as we traversed across the mountains, venturing into alpine territory – the Greek ski fields and resorts. The scenery changed to more green trees and chalets as we zigzagged out of the mountains.

With this tour we have done a lot of driving but it has been a great way to see all the amazing scenery. The pace is comfortable with plenty of activities in between.

Once out of the mountains, the flat plains of Greece revealed fields with crops of cotton, corn , grapes and greens. This enormous valley of plains was surrounded by mountains in every distant direction and was the food bowl of Greece.

After a good 3 hour travel time we could see some interesting rock formations looming in the distance. This was where the monks built monasteries at the tops of these conglomerate rocks. It was our destination for the night and tomorrow’s activities.

The streets were narrow in this village and the bus was met by a couple with a small grey car who were ferrying our luggage to the hotel. The bus could not navigate the final avenues. The car was packed with all our suitcases, an impressive feat like a game of Tetris. We were escorted a short way to the hotel by foot while being overshadowed by the enormous rock formations.