Thermopylae day Trip from Athens-Private Tour

Driving north from Athens, about 220 km we will stop at the famous Thermopylae, the place that the battle of the 300 Spartans took place. There is a modern memorial to King Leonidas on one side of the highway.The memorial shows the Spartan King on the top of a wall with the words “Molon Lavei” written under the statue. The phrase means, “Come and get it”. This is the phrase that Leonidas said to the Persian king Xerxes when he told Leonidas to hand over his weapons. The phrase has become a slogan of defiance all over the world. Across the highway from the modern memorial is the ancient memorial that was placed there shortly after the battle. It is a small carved stone plaque that says, “stranger, tell the Spartans that we lay here obedient to their laws”. This ancient memorial is on the small hill of Colonos across the national road from the modern memorial.

The Center for Historic Information in Thermopylae consists of three halls, the applications of which have been curated by the Foundation of the Hellenic World. The collection of the educational material is based on Herodotus' history and on archaeological researches.In the first hall, which is named 'Leonides', the visitor can watch a seven-minute video which informs him about the operation of the Centre, as well as what he is going to see next in the rest of the halls of the Centre for Historical Information. The second hall, that is named 'Diinekis', the visitor wears special glasses to watch a virtual reality fifteen-minute film which shows historical facts concerning the Battle. The armory of the Greeks, the ascend of the Anopaia Way and how the Battle ended. In the specific scene the viewer feels as if he is present and watches the treator Efialtes to lead the Persians in the night through the Anopaia Way to the West Gate and to the Kolonus Hill. In the third hall, named 'Thermopylae', the visitor can activate the screens of special interactive tables through touch and get in an understandable way and get all the information concerning the history of the Battle and the respective historical period learn about the historical framework, the causes of the Persian Wars, see the Sea Battle of Artemision, learn about the protagonists, know who the 300 were, what was their armor, learn about the moves of the two opposing armies and the way they took their position for battle and much more in a way that is unexpectedly amusing.

At the battlefield of Thermopylae, you are going to see the hot gates that flew from ancient times the hot water.

A beautiful sea resort that we"ll stop for your lunch on the way back to Athens.

This is the place that the hot healing water flew from Ancient times in the area of Thermopylae.