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Friday, June 2nd 2008
Full day tour
Tour information:
Olympia lies 115 km south west of Patras, the capital
of Achaia in north western Peloponnese.
| Tour starts: |
08.00 hrs |
| Arrive at Olympia: |
09.45 hrs |
| Guided tour to archaeological site & museum: |
09.45-11.45 hrs |
| Go to Kyllini for lunch & swimming: |
13.00-16.00 hrs |
| Return to Patras: |
18.00 hrs |
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| Price per person: |
€ 75 |
PRICE INCLUDES:
- Entrance Fees to all Archaeological sites
- Experienced English Speaking Guide
- Transfer from and to hotel in A/C coaches
- Taxes
- Lunch
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Olympia "Anyone who has experienced a wild winter storm in the Alpheios
Valley and seen the sky resplendent with blinding lightning, or who has been startled by a sudden
mighty thunderclap on a stifling summers day, will have no reason to doubt that this isolated part
of the western Peloponnese is indeed the most important Sanctuary of Zeus, wielder of thunderbolts
and father of the Gods.
Klaus Herrmann - Olympia: The Sanctuary and the contests, Mind and Body, Athens 1989
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Olympia is the headquarters of the International Olympic Academy. The lighting of the Olympic
Flame ceremony takes place at the temple of Hera and the Olympic Flame travels the globe to
conclude its journey in the city that hosts the Olympic Games. The lighting of the flame follows
the ancient ritual of using the power of the sun's rays concentrated within a concave mirror.
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The sanctuary of Olympia spreads around the green wooded feet of the Kronion
hill, where the rivers Alpheios and Cladeos meet. This is one of the most important sanctuaries
of antiquity, dedicated to the father of the 12 Gods, Olympian Zeus. An area of great natural
beauty it has been inhabited uninterruptedly since the 3rd millennium BC and in the late
Mycenaean period it became a religious centre. Olympia
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The Stadium, the Lyceum, the Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Hera and the Racetrack, are some of the
region's innumerable parts, where someone is able to feel the sanctity of the area. The museums
of Olympia entertain many important exhibits with the most important being the statue of Hermes
of Praxiteles.
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The tour to Olympia lasts half a day, after which we continue along the wonderful coastline landscape,
strewn with beautiful beaches to arrive at Kyllini where we will have plenty of time to enjoy lunch and
take a swim. For lunch we shall sit at an oceanfront, open-air tavern to eat Greek favourites, washed
down with a cold beer or Ouzo.
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