Are you interested to explore the mainland of Greece, before or after your sailing cruise?
Are you looking for a short, yet truly revitalizing escape in a unique flourishing landscape?
The region of Thessaly is your ideal destination! Easily accessible both from Athens and Thessaloniki, the area features with wonderful, diverse landscapes of immense natural beauty, spectacular mountains, lush valleys, rivers and lakes, offering numerous opportunities for nature-based activities. Besides the stunning natural setting, travelers in Thessaly can explore the UNESCO Worldwide Heritage Site of Meteora, visit folkloric villages and get a real taste of Greek culture, cuisine and history.
If your time is limited or you want to add on more Greek destinations during your trip to Greece, our “Best of Thessaly” exploration, which runs all year round, will give you the best insight of the country’s mainland.
Tour Highlights
- Explore the magical lake Plastira on a kayak or hydro-bike
- Visit unspoiled traditional villages scattered along the Aspropotamos
- Enjoy horseback riding or mountain biking in the lush meadows of Pertouli, surrounded by dense forests
- Find out how women used to wash in past times their woolen clothes in the “Mantani”
- Taste delicious local food and wines
- Visit the unique 13 domes church of Timios Stavros
- Learn how to cook traditional Greek pies and how a kind of local sour milk is
- Follow the paths of the ancient monks and visit the cliff – top monasteries of Meteora
Day 1: Lake Plastira
After lunch in one of the traditional taverns around the lake, we will explore the endless natural beauty of the area on a hydro-bike or canoe/kayak! For those of you that prefer mountain biking, there are numerous trails around the lake.
Day 2: Elati - Pertouli - Kalirroi
Our first stop, after lunch, is at Pertouli meadows, a beautiful plateau, surrounded by mountains with dense forests, rivers and enormous fir trees, which we will explore while riding our horses or mountain bikes, depending on your preferences!
Upon arrival in our beautiful hotel, an interesting cultural evening is waiting for us! We will visit the Folklore Museum, inside the hotel, where we will see traditional gold-embroidered uniforms and weapons of the Greek War for Independence. Then, we will visit the traditional “Mantani” and learn how the women used to wash the woolen clothes in the past. In the end, before dinner, we will visit the cellar of the hotel and taste locally produced biological wines and tsipouro.
Day 3: Kalirroi - Meteora
This morning we can enjoy various activities within the beautiful surrounding area, depending on the season. We can visit the impressive church of Timios Stavros, the only one that features 13 domes, all made of stone and enjoy a cup of hot tea at the church’s square. Depending on the season, we have the option to walk through an idyllic landscapein the forest, picking wild strawberries, damsons and local wild herbs. We can also visit traditional villages and a farmhouse, where the local women will show us how to cook traditional pies and how a kind of local sour milk (xinogalo) is produced.
For the more adventurous of you, you can enjoy raftingin Acheloos riveror hike to “Mantani of the Daemon” waterfall (at an extra cost).
Later in the afternoon, we will drive towards the worldwide renowned “stone – forest” of Meteora.
Day 4: Meteora - Athens
After lunch, we take our way back to the city of Athens, which we will reach in the evening.
For those of you having a late evening flight from Athens International Airport, you can be transferred straight to the airport or you can enjoy your last night in beautiful Athens, before leaving next day.
Price in summer months for 6 persons or more: € 500 / person. Price inludes:
- Specialized tour leader for the whole trip and local guides & activity instructors
- 3 days of accommodation in 3-4* hotels and traditional guesthouses, based on double occupancy (the 4th overnight depends on guests’ flight schedule)
- All meals as indicated on the trip notes
- Mini bus rental for the whole trip, driver, fuel consumption and tolls
- Entrance fees to Meteora monasteries
- Cost for all activities included in the tour program and all the necessary equipment
- All taxes
Sail in Greek Waters offers the 4-day trip to Thessaly sights in collaboration with our trusted partners "Trails Beyond".
To find out more about the Travel Organizers, click here.
