Classical Tour to Corinth, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nafplion & Olympia

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.

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.

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.