When we mentioned planning to spend a few winter weeks in Greece, many said, “Too bad, the islands are going to be very quiet.” It’s true; in fact, the quintessential Greek islands is hit-and-miss in the winter. Many either say the islands are “closed” or that if the conditions are unfavourable, you’ll sail to the island and turn back partway because of difficulties docking.

So why the heck are we falling in love with Europe in the winter? It’s because of the benefits of touring in the off-season with smaller groups.

A Four-Day Excursion

I connected with one of our local contacts in Athens, and she recommended a four-day land tour of the mainland. We would venture to Corinth, Olympia, Delphi, and Meteora, focusing on Ancient Greek history and mythology.

Game to get out of the big city for a while, we took the opportunity to explore and “holiday” for a bit.

Small Group in a Luxury Sprinter

The meeting point was between two major metro stations in the Athens city centre. I was astonished to see a brand-spanking-new Mercedes Sprinter be our chariot for the next four days. Our group was a very amiable group of 12 people, paired with an expert guide and a more than capable driver required to navigate the mountain roads of the Peloponnese.

Over the next four days, the advantages of travelling the Greek mainland during the off-season became apparent and appealing – maybe even preferred to how busy and hot Europe can feel in the summer. Our days in early February were in the late teens (15º – 18º Celsius), perfect for the walking and touring we did without the sweat of the summer.

Bucket-List Sites All to Ourselves

At times, we were the only group in the museums and the one-in-a-lifetime famous ruins. I think our group had the ancient ruins of Olympia (where the Olympics were held in Ancient Greece for hundreds of years) to ourselves for at least an hour or so. It was quiet and very surreal. You hear the birds chirping while walking the same path the athletes walked two thousand years before on their way to the stadium for their race. You are in the moment. The busy season doesn’t afford that sort of reflection.

Happy Detours

Our small group and, subsequently, our small luxury Mercedes navigated the sites nimbly. Our guides would notice a large tour bus ahead and decide on the fly to show us a lookout point to give the larger groups space to move through the site before we did.

Learning and Connecting

The guide expertly walked us through our daily history lesson and made a connection with each of us, something usually only possible with a small group during the off-season. There was a time for questions, and you could hear his answers without the droves of people vying for a selfie in front of the magnificent temples dedicated to the Greek Gods. It was slow, and we had time. We could be leisurely about our experience but at the same time not have the lollygag of a large group.

How Else to Visit Meteora?

I am purposely leaving out the nitty-gritty of each site we visited. For that, you will just have to ask me about them over a coffee or call. Still, Meteora, which we visited on our last day, needs a particular highlight because I’ve never seen anything quite like it, and I can’t imagine visiting any other way. Imagine these ancient monasteries lifted to the heavens, high above the town below, on these natural rock pedestals. In times like this, I wish I had a camera and the photography skills to do it justice. You can’t help but be in awe. I can’t imagine experiencing the diminutive monasteries with a large group simply because there just isn’t room. The space feels sacred; something about the combination of the incense, the Greek Orthodox icons, and courtyards in the quiet of the morning encourages one to reflect on one’s journey through life. There is something about taking some time and having the space to do it. My reflection is abruptly interrupted by a nun who looks to be in her early 80s. “Who wants to buy some brandy?! I made it myself!”

The Details

Tour Company: Travel Zone Greece
The Tour: Four-Day Tour With Meteora
The Sites: Corinth, Delphi, Mycenae, Mafplion, Epidaurus, Meteora, and Olympia
Must-Sees: Theatre of Epidauros, Tomb of Agamemnon, Olympia, Dephi’s ancient site, Town of Nafplion