INDIA – GOLDEN TRIANGLE – 8 DAYS – APRIL – MAY & JUNE 2025

Meeting at the airport and flight via a stopover to the capital of India, Delhi, a multicultural city with a special atmosphere and a long history. Between the Yamuna River and the last northern spurs of the Aravalli mountain range, Old and New Delhi form a huge residential area, extending from north to south for about 40 kilometers. Essentially, Old and New Delhi are two separate cities. Old Delhi consists of narrow, bustling streets in which a jumble of cars, motorbikes, tricycles, bicycles, horse-drawn carriages, etc. move or try to move - and even "upside down", like the English. New Delhi, on the other hand, has huge avenues, beautiful buildings and well-kept parks. Visitors discover a multitude of unique monuments, temples, mosques, castles, wonderful museums and colorful markets in this vast, chaotic city, where the heart of India beats.

Arrival in Delhi, meeting with our local representative and departure for Agra. During our journey we will make a stop at the birthplace of the beloved god Krishna (eighth incarnation of Vishnu), Mathura, one of the seven sacred cities of Hindus, as well as one of the oldest cities in the world. The famous Mathura School had a decisive influence on Indian sculpture - in contrast to the slightly earlier Gandhara School which dealt exclusively with Buddhist themes, in the Mathura school we also find secular art (naked and semi-naked female figures - the tree spirits Yakshinis and the celestial nymphs Apsaras). The city is dotted with temples from various periods, while the 25 ghats along the holy Yamuna River are where devotees flock for their daily rituals. We continue to Vrindavan, the city where Krishna spent his childhood. Having now been initiated into the country's dominant religion, Hinduism, we depart for Agra. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight.

Agra, the "pearl of Hindustan", is built in a strategic position on the banks of the Yamuna River. It reached the peak of its glory when the great emperor Akbar of the Mughal dynasty moved his capital there. At that time, the city was adorned with mosques, palaces and beautiful gardens. During our tour today, we will visit the most famous monument not only of the city, but of the entire country, the famous mausoleum Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world, built in 1632 by Emperor Shah Jahan, in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. We continue with the amazing Red Fort of Agra, where Shah Jahan spent the last years of his life, imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb. Return to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight.

Departure for the "Pink City", Jaipur. During our journey today we will first visit Fatehpur Sikri ("City of Victory"), a city that was abandoned 14 years after its founding in 1569 by Emperor Akbar. We will then stop in the small village of Abhaneri to see the unique architectural water reservoir (baori) with its gradually decreasing steps. We continue to the capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur. The city owes its name, foundation and design to a great astronomer and warrior, Maharaja Jai ​​Singh II (1699-1743). Its designation as the "Pink City" is due to the color with which the buildings in its old walled part are painted. There are many theories for this reason. According to one theory, pink was chosen by Maharaja Jai ​​Singh II to honor the god Shiva, whose favorite color is believed to be. Another theory, supported by the British, is that the city was painted in this color to welcome the British Prince of Wales Albert Edward VII and later King of Great Britain (and therefore Emperor of India) in 1876, as the color pink in Rajasthan symbolizes hospitality. Arrival and check-in at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight.

This morning we will visit the Amber Fort, which until 1728 was the headquarters of the province. It is located on the hill of the same name and is approached on the back of elephants! Our tour will continue in Jaipur itself, where we will visit the palace and the Jandar Mandar observatory and admire the facade of the Hawa Mahal - a palace of unusual architecture with numerous windows, built in 1799 so that the women of the royal family could observe daily life without being noticed. Late in the afternoon we will have the opportunity to watch the ancient Aarti ritual, one of the most important ceremonies of Hinduism. Return to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight.

Morning departure for Delhi. Upon arrival we will visit the Akshardham Temple, the "new abode of God", an impressive Hindu place of eternal devotion and a spiritual campus dedicated to harmony and learning. Check in to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight.

Our tour today is a combination of visits between New and Old Delhi, during which we will get to know the well-designed avenues of the New, but also the charm of the bygone years of the Old, with its marble palaces, mosques and bazaars. We will pass through the Red Fort (1639-1648), see the Grand Mosque (Jama Masjid), visit the austere cremation monument of Mahatma Gandhi (Raj Ghat), the historic colorful Chandni Chowk bazaar, the impressive mausoleum of the Mughal emperor Humayun, the Laxmi Narayan Temple, the presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan, the India Gate, built to honor the fallen Indian soldiers of World War I, the Baha'i or Lotus Temple with its 27 marble "petals", as well as the oldest Islamic monument in India, the Qutub Minar. and then take a rickshaw / cycle ride Return to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight.

Transfer to the airport early in the morning and boarding the flight to Athens with a stopover. Arrival the same day.