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Private Tour of Saint Theodora & Apollo Epikourios From Athens

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Duration

10 hours

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Tour Type

Daily Tour

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Group Size

1 -15 persons

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Languages

English

Witness the miraculous icon and the classical architectural masterpiece, experiencing a private luxurious adventure!

Tour Highlights

Agia Theodora of Vasta is a small Byzantine church and has 17 holly and maple trees growing from its roof. It is considered as one of the most beautiful and most unique churches in the world and has been registered in the Guinness Book as “miracle church”.

According to the local legend, Theodora lived in the 10th century in the town of Vasta. When the area was raided by bandits, she disguised herself as a man to join the defense. In the battle that followed she was fatally wounded, and just before her death asked God to change her body into a church, her hair into a forest, and her blood into the water that will feed the trees.

The villagers, moved by her bravery, built a church at her grave. Legend has it that a local river re-routed to pass directly under the church. Eventually, trees grew from the roof of the church. The site has become important for Greek Orthodox pilgrims and sightseeing visitors.

In this tour we are going to visit the St Theodora church and see the miracle that the church is famous about. 

The temple of Apollo Epikourios was built sometime between 450 and 400 BC, around the time of the constructing of Parthenon in Athens. The ancient writer Pausanius attributed the design to Iktinus, architect of the Parthenon, but so far this has not been independently confirmed.

The temple is unusual in that it has examples of all three of the classical orders used in ancient Greek architecture: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. Doric columns form the peristyle while Ionic columns support the interior and a single Corinthian column features in the center of the interior.

The temple of Apollo is presently covered in a white tent in order to protect the ruins from the elements. In this tour you will see the remains of the temple that still stands today.

Isthmus Canal

  • Pickup from your chosen hotel in Athens
  • Visit the Isthmus Canal, one of the most important projects and 19th century engineering masterpieces, playing a catalytic role for the Mediterranean trade

  • Visit Ancient Diolkos, a paved trackway in Ancient Greece which enabled boats to be moved overland across the Isthmus of Corinth

  • Drive to St Theodora of Vasta

St. Theodora

  • Witness the picturesque and miraculous St.Theodora church
  • Enjoy nature’s beauty and a traditional home cooked meal at Nikola’s Watermill (“NEROMILOS”) Nikolas’ Watermill, operating for 28 whole years. The quality and the purity of its tastes are based on the traditional Greek cuisine. At a breathtaking landscape, the pleasant and easy environment has been perfectly combined with the traditional tastes offering unforgetable gastronomic experiences to travellers

Apollo Epikourios

  • Driving through the picturesque villages of Elis
  • Visit the Temple of Apollo Epikourios
  • Lunch or Coffee/drinks at stunning Andritsena village
  • Return to your chosen location in Athens

What’s included

Hand sanitiser & face masks

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Private tour

Transportation by private air-conditioned luxury vehicles

WiFi

Native English speaking drivers

Handmade candies

Refreshment wipes

Bottled water

Exclusions

Entry or admission fees

Food & drinks

Know before you go

Covid-19 Health Protocols are applied for your safety. Learn More

Instant confirmation at time of booking

Infant seats are available on request if advised at time of booking

What to bring with you

Casual clothing

Non slip shoes

Sunscreen

Cancellation policy

Full refund if booking is cancelled until 24 hours before the experience

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