2 or 3-Day Private Tour: Ancient Olympia, Corinth, Mycenae, Epidaurus and Nafplio from Athens

Athens, Greece

On this private tour from Athens, journey to five of the most significant and unique sites in Greece: the Corinth Canal, ancient Corinth, ancient Mycenae, the beautiful Venetian port of Nafplio, and the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Olympia, Sanctuary of Asklepios and Theater of Epidaurus. During the drive, enjoy the Peloponnese countryside scenery. This is a convenient and comfortable option for families, small groups, and experienced travelers, offering the flexibility to go at your own pace, and with 4 star accommodation at the end of the day. When booking, you also have the option to extend your tour with an overnight stay at a 4-star hotel in Nafplio. All these amazing locations are brought to life along the way by a knowledgeable English-speaking guide.

Setting off from Athens, after an hour the tour makes its first stop to visit the famous Corinth Canal to learn of its key strategic importance in ancient and contemporary history. Then, continue into the Peloponnese through the green countryside to the ancient city of Corinth. A once powerful city-state rival of Athens, here you can see the Temple of Apollo, the Roman baths, the step from where St. Paul preached to the Corinthians in 52 AD, and take time to visit its wonderful museum. Afterwards, take a 30-minute scenic coastal drive to reach the UNESCO World Heritage site Sanctuary of Asklepios and the Theater of Epidaurus, one of the most visited ancient sites in Greece. You will stop for several hours to enjoy the extensive site before heading to the historic seaport of Nafplio, where you'll have lunch. Finally, take a 2.5 hour drive though the Arcadian mountains to the village of Olympia for an overnight stay in one of the comfortable 4- or 5-star hotels.

After breakfast, take time to enjoy the site at Olympia, famous for its Olympic Games of antiquity which began in 776 BC. Visit the Temple of Zeus, which held one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Hera, where the Olympic Flame is lit every four years. Visit the workshop of Phidias, the ancient Olympic stadium and the wonderful Archaeological Museum, with exhibits dating to the prehistoric era.

You will come to the ancient citadel of Mycenae. The Mycenian period, from 1600 to 1100 BC, in reference to this ancient city, indicates how important its influence was in Greek civilization. This visit provides a real connection to development of the later Classical Period. Visit its acropolis and see the Cyclopean walls, the Lion Gates, the streets and ancient buildings, as well as the Palace of Agamemnon, leader of the Greeks against the Trojans.

This is a private tour for only your group, allowing flexibility and consideration for the needs of small philosophers and experienced travelers alike. Your English-speaking driver/guide will take full care of you during you trip and provide all the historical, mythological, ancient, and modern context along the way to help you make the most of the sites you will visit. The driver/guide is not allowed to accompany you into archeological sites but we collaborate with on site professional guides and can provide these on request.

Traveler Reviews

Review by:   melindaashley,    January 2017
Had a wonderful trip to the Peloponesse with David as our host. We had to adapt the usual order of the trip due to winter opening/closing times but David let us know what our options were and helped us work out the best approach to fit in everything we want to do. He also gave us lots of information about the places we were going to, and other sites in Greece. The hotel we stayed in was excellent and we really enjoyed all of the sites we visited. David made sure we knew where we were doing and what wa she happening along the way.

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