Visit three important archaeological sites from the Classical Greece period on this 3-day tour of Greece from Athens! Traveling privately with your driver, your tour includes excursions to Corinth, Mycenae, Epidaurus and Olympia with overnight in Nafplion and Olympia in 4-star hotels. See UNESCO World Heritage-listed monuments, like the Sanctuary of Asklepios, Olympia and explore the beautiful town of Nafplion with its hidden gems.
Itinerary
Itinerary
We depart Athens through the coastal road to reach the impressive Corinth Canal (short stop).Your tour continues to Corinth one of the richest towns in Ancient Greece, where Saint Paul lived and preached for two years. This ancient site includes the Agora and the 6th century Temple of Apollo. The ancient has been destroyed completely 3 times in its past and was rebuilt from scratch.
We will then continue to Epidaurus, with a brief stop at the site of the ancient port of Kechreae where St. Paul disembarked for his return to Ephessus 52AD, known in antiquity as a healing center, the place where the god of medicine Asclepius was born and worshipped. The sanctuary was collecting a lot of money from the people that came here to be treated. The management of the sanctuary decided to spend some of the money for the entertainment of the patients.
Between 340-330 BC, they decided to assign a local architect,Polykleitos, to build a theatre. The amphitheatre of Epidaurus, famous for its remarkable acoustics and symmetrical beauty, the most perfect theatre of Ancient Greece, is a well preserved monument, still in use today during the ” Summer Athens’ Festival”. It seems that the ancientGreeks, knew about acoustics, much more than we think, that they did. Today, thousands of people visit the area to admire its fantastic acoustics of the theatre.
We then continue on to Nafplion capital of modern Greece (from 1828-1834), the “Grecian Venice”, an old town with remarkable Venetian architecture, one of the most attractive cities in Greece.
Day at leisure to explore the town. Overnight in Nafplion.
- 08:00 Our tour starts from Athens
- 09:15 Arrival at Corinth Canal (20min stop)
- 10:15 Arrival at Ancient Corinth (1.5 Hour stop)
- 12:00 Lunch break
- 15:00 Arrival at Epidaurus Theater (1.5hour stop)
- 17:00 Arrival in Nafplion and overnight stay
After breakfast, you depart from Nafplion crossing the fertile land of Argolis and arrive in Mycenae,one of the most significant historical monuments of Greek civilization. Mycenae was the kingdom of the mighty Agamemnon, leader of the Greek army during the Trojan war. With the tour guide, visit the remains of the ancient city, see the Lions’ Gate, the circle graves, the cult centre, the Palace complex on the summit of the citadel, where Agamemnon was slaughtered by his wife, Klytemnistra, and at the end, visit the treasury of Atreus (the largest and best preserved of the surviving “tholos” tombs).
Excavations begun in 1841 but it was 33 years later that the German Archaeologist Heinrich Schlieman unearthed tombs, pieces of Palaces, golden jewelry and other relics that were mentioned by Homer, proving that what Homer was writing, was based on facts and was not just myths.
After lunch in Mycenae,we depart for Olympia driving through the picturesque mountains and villages of central Pelopponese. Overnight at Olympia.
- 09:00 Visit Palamidi Fortress (1hour stop)
- 10:45 Arrival at Mycenae (2Hours stop)
- 13:00 Lunch Time
- 18:00 Arrival in Ancient Olympia
After breakfast, spend the morning exploring the ancient site of Olympia, where the ancient ideas of unity, truce and fair play flourished. See the impressive ruins of the temples of Zeus and the temple of Hera, in front of which the Olympic Flame is lighted and the torch relay starts, the Gymnasium (for training of the naked athletes), the Palestra (school and training fascilities for the wrestlers), the Leonidaion Hostel, the Workshop of the sculptor Pheidias, the Stadium where the Olympic Games were held, the beautiful aquaduct and the amazing 7 echo portico, that bounced back the echo, 7 times (another acoustics miracle), and the statues of the cheaters.
Emperor Nero was the biggest cheater of the ancient Olympic Games, taking part in the chariot races, and the guitar event that he invented. Walk across the way to the Museum and see the amazing pieces of sculpture and pottery and the architectural remains of the ancient edifices.
After lunch, return to Athens arrrving in the evening.
- 09:00 Olympia sightseeing after breakfast (3hours time)
- 12:30 Lunch time
- 14:30 Departure for Athens
- 17:30 Arrival in Athens
Alternative Tour Options:
There are so many other things to see in this area. Keep in mind that your
driver is at your disposal, so if you would like to adjust the
proposed itinerary at all, just let him know!
Pricelist
More Info
More Info
Important Information
This tour does not include entrance fees to any archeological site and museum, hotel accommodations, gratuities, or other client personal expenses. Driver’s hotel expenses are not included in the price but, If our company book the hotels we use frequently, you can avoid this cost. If you wish to book your own hotels then you need to pay a room for the driver.
Admission Fees for Sites and Museums (Tickets available only at the ticket office)
- For the Theater of Epidaurus: Full: €5, Reduced: €2
- For the Archeological site of Mycenae: Special ticket package: Full: €9, Reduced: €4
- For the Archeological site of Ancient Olympia: Full:€9, Reduced: €4
- For the Palamidi Fortress: Full:€4, Reduced: €2
- For the Archeological site of Ancient Corinth: Full: €6, Reduced: €3
Free admission days
- 6 March (in memory of Melina Mercouri)
- 5 June (International Enviroment Day)
- 18 April (International Monuments Day)
- 18 May (International Museums Day)
- The last weekend of September annually (European Heritage Days)
- Every first Sunday from November 1st to March 31st
- 27 September, International Tourism Day
- 28 October
Reduced admission for:
- Greek citizens and citizens of other Member – States of the European Union aged over 65 years old by showing their ID card or passport.
- Students of Higher Education Institutes and equivalent Schools from countries outside the EU by showing their student ID.
- The accompanying parents on educational visits of elementary schools.
Free admission for:
- Young people, under the age of 18, after demonstrating the Identity Card or passport to confirm the age
- Cultural Card holders
- Journalists with a journalist identity card
- Persons accompanying blind and disabled
- Persons possessing a free admission card
- The escorting teachers of schools and institutions of elementary, middle school, high school, university and graduate level education during their visits
- University students and students at Technological Educational Institutes or equivalent schools of Member – States of the European Union and students at Schools of Tourist Guides, by showing their student ID