Team Bonding Experience in Olympus Pieria

From 950€

Our experience will start at Thessaloniki where we will participate in a two-hour guided walking tour around the main archaeological and cultural sites of the city, such as the Roman Market, the White Tower, the Arch of Galerius and Rotonda, which is in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Through this tour we will realize that Thessaloniki has been a multicultural city for centuries. Then we will have free time to relax and have lunch.

In the afternoon, we will rent bicycles or scooters and explore the famous Thessaloniki’s coastline (called “paralia”) in an ecological way. We will admire “Umbrellas” the famous sculpture of Zogolopoulos and rest at some of the beautiful gardens located at “Paralia”. The large waterfront of Thessaloniki will provide us with refreshing images with the wave bursting on our feet and the sun setting in front of us. Then we will have free time to relax at our hotel and have dinner.

The next morning after an overnight stay at Thessaloniki, we will depart for Pieria by bus or train and we will reach with a minivan the village of Agios Dimitrios, where we will stay for the following days. There, we will stay at the farm hotel of Bellou family, who has won many awards and high ratings regarding their services and sustainable practices of their hotel and restaurant. Bellou family will welcome us with a two-hour tour around their farm that is full of wildflowers, organic cultivations and domestic animals. At noon, we will enjoy a meal based on dishes with local organic products, that will be harmoniously paired with the appropriate wines of local winemakers. After this exceptional tasting experience, we will take some time to relax and, in the afternoon, we will participate in team building activities in nature, implemented by a group facilitator, in order to come closer as a team and express ourselves.

On the 3rd day, we will take our breakfast based on local products and then participate in a beekeeping workshop.  We will have the opportunity to become beekeepers for a while. We will be randomly divided into two groups, we will be dressed in the necessary uniform and learn more about the wonderful life of bees and the unique way they work as a team to produce honey, the sweetest gift of nature. Afterwards, we will have some free time in order to relax and fill our energy levels. Then we will take as an example the way bees work together and our two teams will try to cook a recipe based on honey. The team that will manage to cooperate in a better way, will take as a gift a basket full of the organic products that Bellou family produces! In the afternoon, we will have free time to explore the village of Agios Dimitrios and have a meal.

The next morning, we will visit Olympus National Park Information Centre” at Litochoro, where we will have a two-hour guided tour in order to understand more about the multi-faceted Olympus’ environment at its different altitude zones. Then, we will take our batons and follow a trail to the famous lagoons and waterfalls of Orlias with the support of an experienced mountain guide. Walking on Olympus paths, we will be immersed into the beautiful landscapes, the aromas and the sounds of the wild and virgin nature. Our route will lead us to a small wonder of nature, the waterfalls of Orlias and the pedestals they create, where we will dive in their crystal-clear waters. This unique experience that we will have as a team will remain in our thoughts for a long time. Then, we will plenty of time for us to dine and relax.

On the 5th day, we will leave our hotel and head to Olympus Riviera and the family-run hotel “Ouzas”, which is located next to the coast. There, we will swim at the waters of the wonderful beach of Olympus Riviera and kayak per two, exercising our collaboration skills. After this experience, we will have time for a meal at a local tavern accompanied by traditional music. Then, we will have a “photoshooting contest”, during which we will try to capture in the best and most artistic way the unique beauties of the Olympic coast. We will be divided into pairs. Τhe first member of each group will be the director who will give instructions and the second will take the photos with his/her mobile phone. The two members of each team will need to find ways to cooperate effectively. Then we will decide all together which photos are the best, while discussing the difficulties we had in collaboration and how we solved them.

The next day, we will visit “Ktima Althaia” at the traditional village of Elatochori. There we will taste the famous Mountain Tea of Olympus that is produced by Ktima Althaia, as well as other recipes based on the tea. Then, we will visit the field where the tea is grown, and we will learn about its processing steps. Our hospitable hostess Mrs. Anastasia will tell us about the history of Olympus tea from antiquity until today as well as the special benefits it has for our health. Then, we will have a meal at a traditional tavern at the old village of Elatochori. The estate of Ktima Althaia will be the ideal place to participate in another team building activity in order to develop relationships of trust and understanding between the members of our team. Our hostess and our group facilitator will help us gather some tea branches, wildflowers and other herbs or flowers we prefer in order to create a bouquet, following specific steps of the art of “flower arranging”. This bouquet will be our common souvenir.

Our last morning in Pieria, we will take part in a mental empowerment workshop during which we will discuss and express in written, verbal or physical way our thoughts and emotions created by the traveling experiences that we shared. We will check-out from our family-run hotel and we will visit Pantoulis winery, that is located almost next to the sea. After the tour at the winery, the cellar and the traditional distillery, we will relax and experience the tasting ritual in the beautifully decorated tasting area of ​​the winery. This will be the best way to complete our journey by clinking our glasses while tasting high quality local wines.Then we will travel back to Thessaloniki by bus.