I've written previously about this country I love - Greece. And from my previous Huffington Post piece here, you'll know that there's more to Greece than meets the eye. I was, therefore, excited to be given the chance to delve even deeper into the country well known for its Mythology, history and culture.
Around Parnassos
Parnassos is a limestone mountain in central Greece and the ancient Oracle and town of Delphi can be found at its base. Not many tourists to Greece will equate the country with skiing, but that's exactly what you can do on Parnassos as at 2,457m high, it offers good ski facilities in the winter.
Spring is also a lovely season to visit, with walks through Parnassos National Park - if you're an anthrophile, May is the best month to visit as for one week a year only, in this month, the Paeonia Parnassica blooms. Maybe you'll be lucky and get to see it!
Most people stay in the mountain town of Arachova. Think of it as an apres ski town; alive in the winter with 'beautiful people' - yet in the spring offering lovely wooden chalets, private accommodations with views to the distant Peloponnese region.
Local villages
My private, tailor-made tour also included visits to small villages where I encountered local people weaving using the traditional methods, wine tasting from the various vineyards in the area - and a visit to the Bread Museum of the town of Amphlklia (who knew bread could be so interesting? I certainly didn't).
I would discover that 'luxury' did not have to mean a five-star resort on a beach - it's about the richness of the experiences had...how deep one goes into a culture. That, for me, is luxury.
Karikion Andro Cave (the Cave of Panas)
Oh I was in for a treat with this! About a 20 minute drive from Arachova and Delphi; up, up, up into the pine woodland and suddenly the cave is there. The area offers sweeping views out as far as the seaside village of Galaxidi (yes, it's possible to be skiing or in the mountains one minute, then soaking up the sun by the sea within half an hour in this area of Greece).
Cautiously we made our way through the cave's entrance to the stalactites and stalagmites inside. Remember, this was a 'hidden tour of Greece' - and I can assure you, this area of Central Greece is very well hidden!
Caves, traditional villages, mountain countryside, an off-the-map UNESCO monastery, if you're looking for a completely different side of this every magical, changing country, you can't go wrong in booking a Hidden Tour of Greece.