A leisurely tour of World Heritage sites, from ancient Mycenae and Epidaurus to the Acropolis of Athens, based in the pretty Peloponnese city of Nafplion

Your Greek holiday begins at London Heathrow, where you meet the Tour Manager and the rest of our group before boarding a flight to Athens. On arrival at the Greek capital, we transfer by coach to our hotel on the outskirts of the historic Venetian city of Nafplion, set on the north-eastern Peloponnese coast. Our journey takes around two hours from Athens, and along the way we cross the impressive Corinth canal.

On arrival at our modernist hotel, designed by the famous Greek architect Nicos Valsamakis, there's time to settle in before we enjoy dinner and a selection of drinks this evening.

The first excursion of our holiday is to the nearby archaeological site of Mycenae, a fortified city which was once the prosperous and powerful centre of the Mycenaean civilisation. As soon as we enter the Lion Gate entrance to the ancient citadel, you can sense the deep history of Mycenae. The site is strongly connected to Homer's epics which describe the city as the kingdom of Agamemnon, who led the Greeks in conquering Troy.

On a guided tour we are shown highlights of this impressive site, including Agamemnon's tomb and the ruined Cyclopean walls which once protected this mighty fortress where mythology and history intertwine. The term 'Cyclopean' comes from the ancient Greek belief that only the mythical Cyclopes were strong enough to move such massive boulders.

After time to take in this awe-inspiring ancient city, we return to our hotel in Nafplion before sitting down to enjoy dinner with drinks this evening.

This morning we set off through mountainous landscape for a picturesque drive to the town of Kalavryta. While its name means good waters in ancient Greek, the town is steeped in history - most notably it was the site of the 1821 Greek Revolution, which started within the walls of the Agia Lavra Monastery. Here we board the renowned Odontotos Rack Railway, which opened in 1896 - on a pretty route from Kalavryta to Diakopto. Our hour-long journey takes us around the scenic Vouraikos Gorge and ends at the Corinthian Gulf shore, in the village of Diakopto. On arrival, there's free time to lunch independently. You could enjoy a lunch of fresh fish and other local ingredient at a small tavern beside the harbour at Diakopto.

On our return journey by coach, we stop for a wine tasting at a winery. Our tasting experience begins with a short tour of the facilities, where we learn about wine production in the Nemea region, considered one of the finest Greek wines. We then sample three different wines, served with breadsticks and local cheese.

Today is an opportunity to explore the attractive Venetian city of Nafplion. A coach transfer is provided on free days, or a taxi to the town takes just five minutes. Named by the Venetians as the 'Naples of the East', Nafplion has a charming old town with cobbled streets, neoclassical mansions and flower-filled squares. Although this was the first capital city of modern Greece (from 1827 to 1834) its history spans much further back - from the Ottomans, Venetians and Byzantines to the Bronze Age. The town is known for its three castles, including the Palamidi Fortress which stands over 200 metres above the town, and Akronafplia fortress on a small hill on the edge of the city.

You could wander the pretty streets, among whitewashed buildings, beneath canopies of vibrant bougainvillea, and enjoy lunch at a taverna in a shady square. At the seafront, Syntagma Square is a beautiful marble-paved area, overlooking the Bourtzi Castle, set on a small island.

Please Note - For departure 27th April, Day 4 and 5 have been swapped around.

Today brings an excursion to Athens and its magnificent Acropolis - a highpoint of our holiday. After a coach trip to this buzzing metropolis, our tour begins with a steady uphill stroll along a paved walkway to the celebrated citadel. Reaching the beautiful World Heritage site after around 20 minutes, you can feel 2,500 years of history beneath your feet. We view the city's most symbolic monument at the heart of the Acropolis complex - the elegant Parthenon, dedicated to the goddess Athena - the smaller Temple of Athena, and less visited treasures. Following our guided tour, the modern Acropolis Museum adds to our experience by creating a picture of the site in ancient times. Here, you can peer through the museum's glass floor to see the astonishing historic Athenian city buried beneath.

With time at leisure you could wander the lively streets of the Plaka district or walk along the pedestrianised avenue beneath the Acropolis where restaurants buzz with conversation and music from street musicians or traditional Greek recordings. Returning by coach, we reach our hotel with time to relax before dinner with drinks this evening.

Today's highlight is a trip to the World Heritage site of Epidaurus - the most popular health centre of ancient Greece, devoted to the healing gods. The site is renowned for its amazing theatre, a marvel of acoustic engineering, which is still used for performances.

Appropriately, following the theme of health - our next stop is for a tasting of olive oil, the golden product which has been treasured in Greece for centuries.

Returning to our hotel, there's time to relax at the outdoor pool or in the palm-filled gardens before dinner and drinks this evening.

Another day at leisure provides the perfect counterpoint to our tour, which combines classical sites with a relaxing Greek holiday experience. If you're feeling inspired, you could discover more ancient history today on a trip to Sparta, known for its role in the Trojan War. To learn more about local history, you could view Mycenean artefacts at the Archaeological museum, and admire the Vouleftikon building, an Ottoman mosque that served as the first Greek Parliament.

If you haven't already walked up to the Palimidi Fortress, it is well worth the hike up to see this architectural masterpiece which has panoramic views of the city and the Argolic Gulf. Or make the most of the beautiful city of Nafplion.

In the old town and around Syntagma Square, Nafplion has a good choice of inviting cafés, international restaurants and traditional Greek tavernas for an independent lunch. You could also simply relax at the hotel, enjoy the views from your balcony and take a dip in the swimming pool.

This evening we enjoy the final dinner of our holiday at the hotel.

Today, our coach transfers us back to Athens airport where we board our flight back to London Heathrow. On arrival this evening your leisurely tour of ancient Greece, based in the historic city of Napflion, reaches its conclusion and you are free to continue your journey home.

Our Discoveries range offers everything you need at a great price so you can travel with confidence. It provides comfortable, locally run accommodation*, standard rail or economy flights and expert-led group tours. You'll be in groups with an average of 30-35 travellers and a maximum of 40. *where available

The Odontotos is one of the narrowest railways in the world, with a width of only 75 cm, with carriages specially designed to navigate this steep route. For most of the journey the train moves on conventional rails, but as the degree of slope exceeds 10%, it moves onto rack rails, using suitable rack gears. The rail route covers a distance of 22 km at a speed of 30 to 40 km/h on conventional rail and 6 to 15 km/h on rack rails. Departing from the shores of the Corinthian Gulf, the railway crosses the Vouraikos Gorge, from where we can view a series of waterfalls.

The train stops at Niamata, Triklia and Kato Zahlorou - the latter being a convenient stop for visitors of the Mega Spilaion Monastery. From that point the route continues for another 18 km, with a stop at the village of Kerpini before it reaches Kalavryta. The train was inaugurated in 1896 and is considered a construction feat even by contemporary standards, due to the extremely steep slopes and altitude of the route. The relevant study was conducted by French engineers, while the contract for building the rack railway network and for operating it for 92 years was signed between the Greek State and the SPAP Company (Piraeus, Athens and Peloponnese Railways). Its construction poses no strain on the ecosystem: highly qualified craftsmanship with wood and stone is designed to blend the railway with its environment.

The Odontotos passes through areas of great historic interest, unique nature, and rich history. The monastery of Agia Lavra, one of the most historic in Greece and especially in Peloponnese, is known as the starting place of the Greek Revolution; the Kappi hill was the site of the Kalavryta massacre by occupying troops in 1943. The region combines mountainous scenery and the ski centre of Kalavryta with the sea of Diakopto, which is the route's starting point.

Our accommodation is a 4-Star modernist-style hotel, designed by world renowned architect Nicos Valsamakis, in a peaceful location on the outskirts of the historic coastal town of Nafplion. Hotel facilities include a large swimming pool, a restaurant serving Greek and Mediterranean cuisine, two indoor bars with live piano music and a pool bar which serves drinks and snacks. The guest rooms are spacious, light and modern, featuring a balcony with a view of the palm-filled gardens, the sea, or the Palamidi Fortress. Rooms are equipped with air-conditioning, a satellite TV, free WiFi and complimentary toiletries.

Flight upgrades are available. For information regarding the types of upgrades offered by the various airlines we use, call our expert team for details.

Spending a night in London before your tour can make such a difference to the first day of your holiday - you can arrive in the capital in good time, relaxed and ready to join your Tour Manager the next morning. You may even want to take in a show on the West End or dine in one of London's famous restaurants. Perhaps on your return to London, you would like to break your journey with an overnight stay before continuing home.

We can book a wide range of hotels in central London or, for our holidays beginning with a flight, at Heathrow, Gatwick, or Manchester Airport for the night before or after your holiday. If you require a quote for single occupancy at any of the hotels, please contact us on 01904 734 805.

Buying tickets for UK train services can be a tricky business - there are so many fares to choose from, each with different rules and restrictions. As you are connecting with an international departure, we strongly recommend that you book a fully flexible ticket to ensure that should the departure times for your holiday change, your rail ticket can allow for these changes.

We can book fully-flexible UK rail tickets from your local station to join your holiday whether this be a European holiday from St Pancras or a UK holiday. The prices are competitive and tickets are not restricted to a particular train or time of day, and in most cases offer you a free choice of routes.

For an up to date quote from your local station, please ask one of our Tour Advisors.