Day 1 | Thessaloniki - Litochoro

We will depart on a direct flight to the city of Thessaloniki, the capital of northern Greece, where we will meet our Greek friends who will accompany us throughout our journey. Upon arrival, we will travel southwest to the charming village of Litochoro, located at the foot of Mount Olympus, the abode of the gods. After settling into the lovely hotel in the heart of the traditional village of Litochoro, we will have an introductory meeting followed by a welcome dinner featuring the best of northern Greek cuisine. Overnight stay in a hotel in Litochoro.

Day 2 | Hiking route on Mount Olympus - Visit to the sacred site of Dion

After breakfast, we will ascend with vehicles to the highest point accessible by road on Mount Olympus, the Prionia hut. From there, we will embark on a hiking route descending for several hours alongside a rushing stream, crossing its waters several times on wooden bridges. The hike will take us through a lush European forest adorned with extraordinary colors of autumn foliage. We will conclude the hike at a monastery where the monk Dionysus lived. After lunch in the area, we will visit the sacred site of Dion dedicated to the Muses, the patrons of the fine arts in classical Greece. Here, springs of Olympus emerge in sacred fountains, and we will make a brief visit to the museum displaying remarkable sculptures and other findings from the site before proceeding to the actual sacred site with its holy water blessing and facilities dedicated to the ancient Greek gods. After the visit, we will travel to Meteora. Overnight stay in a hotel in the village of Kastraki.

Day 3 | Hiking trail amidst the magnificent landscape of Meteora and visit to the hanging monasteries

After breakfast, we will embark on a beautiful hiking trail through the forest and stunning rock formations overlooking the village of Kastraki towards the Valley of the Monasteries. Along the trail, we will marvel at the incredible wonder of the hanging monasteries of Meteora and understand the significance of their name, "suspended in the air." It's hard to believe that someone actually built entire monasteries on such impressive and isolated rock pillars, but that was precisely the intention of the monks. After the hike, we will visit the special and largest monastery among them, "Megalo Meteoro," and learn about the lives of the monks (who still inhabit the place). We will then continue by car to a breathtaking viewpoint overlooking the Meteora valley, and if time allows, we will proceed to the Agias Triados Monastery (the Holy Trinity), where scenes from the famous James Bond movie with Roger Moore were filmed. Overnight stay in the village of Kastraki.

Day 4 | Learning about medicinal plants, hiking to the village of Vista through the amazing bridges and forests of Zagoria

In the morning, we will bid farewell to the Meteora monasteries and Thessaly region and embark on a journey to the Zagori region and the villages of Zagoria. On the way, we will see the impressive Pindus Mountains rising above with impressive peaks. We will climb up to the central villages of Zagori and start with the village of Koukouli. Here, we will have a fascinating presentation by a local expert on the characteristic medicinal plants of the region in a unique ecological house with 1300 species of local plants and herbs. The local healers' reputation extends far due to their extensive knowledge and the variety of medicinal plants available in the forests. We will continue on foot to the amazing bridges crossing the Voidomatis River. These remarkable arched bridges were built by the skilled builders of the Epirus region and are considered architectural marvels. They were part of a quality trail system that connected the Zagori villages. After crossing several bridges, we will climb up stairs through the beautiful European forest to the charming village of Vista, where we will enjoy dinner and spend the night.

Overnight stay and dinner in the village of Vista.

Day 5 | Walking to the edge of the Vikos Canyon, the village of Monodendri, Greek cooking workshop

We will wake up to the melodious chirping of birds in the ancient plane trees of the village of Vista. We will travel on a winding road to the picturesque village of Monodendri, where we will start a fascinating hiking route passing along the edge of the Vikos Canyon - the deepest canyon in the world. We will pass through the unique rock formations known as the Stone Forest and reach the viewpoint of Oxia, from where we can see the Vikos Canyon in all its splendor. We will return for a short tour of the traditional village of Monodendri, famous for its architecture, and have lunch here. After returning to our hotel in the village of Aristi, we will hold a cooking workshop for authentic Zagorian dishes with a local chef from the village and enjoy the dinner we prepared.

Overnight stay and dinner in the village of Aristi.

Day 6 | Rafting on the Voidomatis River, fascinating walk in the forest of Vikos

After a hearty breakfast, we will put on our rafting gear and head to the bridge of Aristi, under which flows the emerald green waters of the Voidomatis River. From here, we will divide into boats and set off on a rafting trip lasting about an hour and a half on the river, passing through the colorful and diverse foliage of the Vikos Gorge. We will finish the rafting trip on the road leading to the village of Caledonia - a fun and exhilarating experience that is not dangerous at all. From the Klidonia Bridge, we will continue on foot along the river through the diverse European forest, with a fascinating ecological guide focusing on the rich plant and animal life along the river and in the caves where ancient humans lived thousands of years ago. We will have dinner and spend the night in the village of Aristi. Overnight stay and dinner in the village of Aristi.

Day 7 | Visit to the Micro Papigo pools, exploration of the old quarter of Ioannina and the ancient synagogue

We will set out on a very winding journey to the village of Micro Papigo, located on a mountainous and high plateau, where we will descend on foot to a beautiful stream, rich in bathing pools of turquoise blue not far from the village. After having lunch in the village of Micro Papigo, we will bid farewell to the beautiful Zagoria villages and travel from there to the city of Ioannina, the capital of the Epirus region. This is a vibrant city with many students from the area, but it also has a history and fascinating architecture. We will start our tour in the old town surrounded by walls at the old synagogue of the Jewish community and hear the story of one of the ancient and fascinating communities in Greece. We will end with dinner in the old quarter of Ioannina.

Overnight stay and dinner in the city of Ioannina.

Day 8 | The city of Ioannina, visit to the island in Lake Ioannina, journey to Thessaloniki

The morning will begin with a short tour of the city of Ioannina at the historical museum located in the ancient mosque built by Ali Pasha, one of the Ottoman rulers of the city, with an exhibition dedicated to the local history of the region. We will then take a boat ride to the charming island in Lake Ioannina, where we will visit the picturesque museum and enjoy a leisurely walk. After lunch on the island, we will return to Thessaloniki airport, where we will bid farewell to our Greek friends.