Page 168 - Discoveries Await in 2022 & 2023

Itinerary the ancient Greek gods, and hike to the site of Dion, DAY 8 • Zagoria • Optional Vikos
home to the Olympian Games held in honor of Zeus. Gorge Rafting
B,L — Mediterranean Palace Hotel or similar VERY ACTIVE DAY (2-hour hike)
DAY 1 • Depart U.S. Witness the scenic beauty of Zagoria and visit
Depart for your overnight flight to DAY 5 • Thessaloniki • Explore Royal the centuries-old village of Vitsa, perched on a
Thessaloniki, Greece. Tombs of Vergina • Meteora mountain slope near the Vikos Gorge. Later, you can
On our way to Meteora, stop at the village of join an optional Vikos Gorge Rafting excursion.
DAY 2 • Thessaloniki, Greece Vergina, a sacred site that contains the fourth-
Meet your Trip Experience Leader and fellow century BC tombs of King Philip II—father of B,L,D — Aristi Mountain Resort or similar
travelers at our hotel in Thessaloniki, including Alexander the Great—and other ancient royals. DAY 9 • Ioannina • Gjirokaster, Albania
those who took our optional pre-trip extension Tonight’s dinner in Meteora features a live bouzouki Explore Ioannina, an ancient city on the shores of
to Ancient Greece: Athens & the Isle of Crete or music performance. Lake Pamvotis. Then, cross the border into Albania
New! Turkey’s Cultural Capitals: Ankara & Istanbul. B,L,D — Doupiani House or similar to begin our three-night stay in Gjirokaster.
Mediterranean Palace Hotel or similar B,L,D — Hotel Argjiro or similar
DAY 6 • Monasteries of Meteora •
DAY 3 • Thessaloniki Home-Hosted Dinner DAY 10 • A Day in the Life of Dhoksat village
Discover Thessaloniki’s historic Ano Poli (Upper Explore the monasteries of Meteora, a series of • Gjirokaster
Town) and visit the Museum of Byzantine Greek Orthodox monasteries perched on the peaks Journey to the small village of Dhoksat for our NEW
Culture. Then, explore the city center and visit the of towering sandstone pillars. Later, visit an icon- A Day in the Life experience, where we’ll meet a
traditional markets of Modiano and Kapani. painting workshop and join a local Greek family for goat herder, tour the the village, and have lunch
B,D — Mediterranean Palace Hotel or similar a Home-Hosted Dinner. with a local family. Then, explore Gjirokaster,
B,D — Doupiani House or similar whose Ottoman-era mansions are a UNESCO World
DAY 4 • Thessaloniki • Controversial Topic: Heritage Site.
Greece’s refugee crisis • Mount Olympus DAY 7 • Meteora • Metsovo village • Zagoria
Learn about the Controversial Topic of Greece’s On our way to Zagoria, visit Metsovo, a small B,L — Hotel Argjiro or similar
refugee crisis with a member of an organization village nestled in the Pindus Mountains, and
that supports the country’s vulnerable populations. enjoy a cooking lesson from a family that owns a
Then, visit Mount Olympus, the mythical home of local taverna.
B,L,D — Aristi Mountain Resort or similar

Meet the people who call
Greece, Albania & North
Macedonia home

Icon-Painting Artists : On Day 6,
meet with artists at an icon-painting
workshop in Kalambaka to learn
about the sacred nature of this
artistic tradition, and discover how
spirituality plays into local life in
this region.
Taverna Owners : On Day 7, get to know the owners of a local taverna (a Greek
café or restaurant) in Metsovo over lunch, and enjoy a hands-on cooking lesson
from them, the spoils of which we’ll get to enjoy for dessert.
Dhoksat Locals : Enjoy a NEW A Day in the Life experience in the small village
of Dhoksat on Day 10. With a local farmer, Landi Koci, as our guide, we’ll be
immersed in rural Albanian life when we meet a goat herder and a winemaker,
try our hand at traditional farming activities, and enjoy a homemade lunch.

A Greek family in Meteora : During our visit to Meteora on Day 6, you’ll enjoy
a Home-Hosted Dinner with a local Greek family. To ensure an intimate
experience, we’ll break into smaller groups of no more than 5 travelers for our
visit to several different homes. This will give us an opportunity to really get
to know our hosts as we learn about local customs and discover what it’s like
living in the shadow of Meteora’s mighty monasteries.
We’ll witness the walled city of Thessaloniki on Day 3.

168 Northern Greece, Albania & North Macedonia: Ancient Lands of Alexander the Great www.oattravel.com/ gre

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