2 Days Private Tour: Mycenae - Epidaurus - Corinth & Ancient Olympia

This small Peloponnese tour is a good opportunity to see several major site of the peninsula just in two days. 

Beginning with a drive along the coast, you will get the chance to see some Greek seaside villages and the island of Salamis. Salamis is where the historical naval battle took place between the Athenians and the Persians. First we will stop at Corinth Canal, a task since the antiquity. Then we will drive to the Acropolis of Mycenae date back to the 2nd millenium BC. Next stop the famous Asclepieion and Theatre of Epidaurus. Lastly we will visit the picturesque town of Nafplio to overnight.

Our first stop of the day, the Corinth Canal. Eventually opened in 1892 separating the Peloponnese from the rest of Greece while connecting the Saronic Gulf to the Corinthian Sea. Having time to walk across on a pedestrian bridge and admire the canal closer, you may go bungee jumping on some days (if you’re game). 

Dated to the 2nd millennium B.C.E. representing what Homer wrote about, Achilles, Agamemnon and Helen of Troy, this palace gave its name to a whole era.

In the site you will see the famous Lions' Gate (the oldest architectural sculpture in Europe), the cyclopean walls, the burial circle A and the remains of Agamemnon’s Palace. 

Worth visiting is also the modern museum exhibiting the findings of the “City Of Gold". 

Before setting off again, we will make a small stop at the treasury of Atreus, the best preserved Tholos tomb, one of the finest examples of the Mycenaean architecture.  

On the go again we will be off to the site of Epidaurus, a short drive away and you will be able to see one of the most important ancient Greek sanctuaries. Dedicated to God Asclepius, he was the god of healing and medicine, Epidaurus is located in peaceful environment and spread out on a hilly area, its highest point being the actual theater of Epidaurus. As the best preserved ancient Greek theater (dated 4th century B.C.E.) it is proof of what miracles the ancient Greek minds could create.  

Located in a peaceful environment and spread on a hilly area, it reaches its highest point which is the theater of Epidaurus. The best preserved ancient Greek theater dated 4th century B.C.E. proof of what miracles the ancient Greek minds could create. You can test the acoustics, great even today and climb up until the upper seats just to close your eyes and dream you attended an ancient Greek tragedy.  

From here we will travel through time towards a more recent history of Greece and to the city of Nafplion. Nafplion is considered the most scenic city which also functioned as the capital of Greece until 1834. It offers you an impressive combination of fortresses and castles (Palamidi, Bourtzi), an enormous port opened to the Aegean Sea and the unique architecture of the old city of Nafplion revealing Venetian, neoclassical and oriental elements. Lunch will be at a traditional tavern by the sea. 

We’ll drive up to the castle of Acronafplia for a panoramic view of Nafplio.  

Bourtzi is a little islet with a fortress in a huge port opened to the Aegean Sea.  

We will drive to Ancient Olympia to overnight.

On the second day, after breakfast, you will visit the birthplace of the Olympic Games and then drive to Ancient Corinth to visit one of the richest ancient cities of Greece before returning to Athens.

On our second day we will visit the archaeological site and the museum of Ancient Olympia. This is one of the largest sites in Greece, the birthplace of the Olympic Games and the Sanctuary of Olympian Zeus. Walking through the site you will pass by the Gymnasium, the Palaistra, the workshop of Phidias, the Temple of Zeus and you will end up at the Stadium where for every four years the Greeks competed for glory and for spiritual elevation honoring their cities.

The museum is also quite unique as it includes the renowned statue “Hermes of Praxiteles” with its perfect analogies and tools that belonged to Phidias himself. With the tools he created one of the seven wonders of the world “the gold ivory statue of Zeus”.

The Museum of the History of the Ancient Olympic Games hosts 463 ancient works, from the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, and other museums in the Greek territory. The exhibits cover a wide chronological range, from the 2nd millennium BC until the 5th century AD. Ancient exposed in thematic units and through them yperchilietis shows the history of the Olympic games, the longest ancient institution.

The city of Ancient Corinth is dominated by the hill of Acrocorinth. The site located at the foot of the hill includes the Roman Agora of Corinth, the temple of god Apollo and a small museum. Apart from its archaeological and historical interest Ancient Corinth is also one of the most popular religious destinations in Greece as this was where the Apostle Paul preached Christianity, was judged by the tribunal in the Agora and established the best organized Christian church of that period.

The temple of Apollo at Corinth is one of the earliest Doric temples in the Peloponnese and the Greek mainland. Built around 560 B.C.E., of local monolithic limestone on top of an imposing, rocky hill to the north of Acrocorinth, the Archaic temple was an emblem for the Greek city of Corinth, reflecting its growth and prosperity.  

Ancient Corinth is dominated by the hill of Acrocorinth, the oldest and largest castle in southern Greece. We will stop here for some magnificent photos. 

We will drive back to Athens.