Athens Trip Overview
Looking for something a little more personalized? Greece’s expansive history is reflected in its countless archaeological and cultural sites, which can be found all over the country. Some are incredibly famous, but many others await. With its abundant history, Greece houses relics and remains from all eras, including 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites!
More than a collection of age-old monuments and pristine islands, Greece has an extraordinary variety of landscapes. Whether it be the fairy tale landscape of Meteora, the stunning sea view of Sounio, the rugged terrain of the Peloponnese, or the wonder of Delphi – one of the most famous historic sites in Greece – some exploration outside of Athens is well worth it! Take some time to travel back thousands of years in history and discover some of the extraordinary sights and tastes of mainland Greece like a local, with a local.
We see the Corinth Canal, ancient Corinth, Epidavros, Nafplio, Mycenae, ancient Olympia and many other places.
Additional Info
Duration: 2 days
Starts: Athens, Greece
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Historical & Heritage Tours
Explore Athens Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Athens, Attica, Greece
Looking for something a little more personalized? Greece’s expansive history is reflected in its countless archaeological and cultural sites, which can be found all over the country. Some are incredibly famous, but many others await. With its abundant history, Greece houses relics and remains from all eras, including 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites!
More than a collection of age-old monuments and pristine islands, Greece has an extraordinary variety of landscapes. Whether it be the fairy tale landscape of Meteora, the stunning sea view of Sounio, the rugged terrain of the Peloponnese, or the wonder of Delphi – one of the most famous historic sites in Greece – some exploration outside of Athens is well worth it! Take some time to travel back thousands of years in history and discover some of the extraordinary sights and tastes of mainland Greece like a local, with a local.
We see the Corinth Canal, ancient Corinth, Epidavros, Nafplio, Mycenae, ancient Olympia and many other places.
Itinerary
Day 1: Ancient Corinth, Corinth Canal, Epidavros, Nafplio, Mycenae.
Stop At: Corinth Canal, Isthmia, Loutraki 201 00 Greece
We first go to the Isthmus of Corinth, a narrow piece of land connecting mainland Greece and the Peloponnese. There we will see the manmade canal which connects the Corinthian and the Saronic Gulfs. The canal was finished in 1893, but its history dates to as early as 602 BC. It has a length of over 6km, and its sides are 78m tall at the highest point. There are bridges across the canal for cars and people to pass, and which sink up to 12m underwater to let boats through. See and learn the history of the Corinth Canal.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Ancient Corinth (Archaia Korinthos), Argous 105 Ancient Korinthos village, Corinth 200 07 Greece
The ancient city-state of Corinth was located on the narrow strip of land connecting the Peloponnese to mainland Greece, known as the Isthmus of Corinth. It is a site of extraordinary history, being inhabited for the first time in the Neolithic Period. In ancient times the city grew wealthy due to this strategic location and its control of the transportation of ships from the Corinthian to the Saronic Gulfs and vice versa. It became one of the most important trade powers in ancient Greece, rivalling Athens and Thebes, and had an extensive network of colonies. In 400 BC it had a population of 90,000 people. It was also the location of countless ancient myths, such as the myth of Sisyphus. The city was destroyed by the Romans, who re-built a new city in its place.
With a professional guide, we see extensive ruins of the Temple of Apollo that testify to Corinth’s great prosperity. It is also one of the places that Saint Paul visited and wrote letters to.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: The Great Theatre of Epidaurus, Ethniki Odos Isthmou Archaias Epidavrou, Epidavros 210 52 Greece
Epidaurus, the famous theater. Built in the 4th century BC, it is famous for its acoustics – they are so perfect that words spoken on stage can be heard perfectly wherever you are in the audience.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Archaeological Site Mycenae, Mycenae 21200 Greece
The kingdom of Mycenae was one of the first great centres of the Greek culture; settlement on this site dates back to the second millennium BC. According to Homer, Mycenae was the seat of Agamemnon, who led the Greeks against the Trojans to take back Helen, the wife of his brother Menelaus. The ruins of the ancient city are famous for the amazing “Cyclopean walls” – so named because the later Greeks thought that only a Cyclops could move such huge rocks into place. You will see the Lion Gate, which formed the entrance to the royal court and palace. Nearby there are the tombs of legendary figures such as Aegisthus and Clytemnestra.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Karamitsos Winery, Bogazi, Nemea 20500 Greece
We visit Nemea, an ancient wine-making region of Greece. Nemea is home to a grape variety named “Agiorgitiko” that is at least 3,000 years old. Due to the different microclimates in the region, there are a variety of different wines produced here, from fruity and light to mature and full-bodied. At the winery we discover how wine is made and try three different types of wine. It will be accompanied by a selection of delicious local “mezes”, which is a selection of local foods like tapas and have a full meal (lunch or dinner).
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Palamidi Castle, Eikostis Pemptis Martiou, Nafplio 211 00 Greece
Stepping forward in history, we see the Palamidi Castle in Nafplio (the first Capital of modern Greece), built by the Venetians and famous for supposedly having 999 steps. According to legend, there were once 1000 steps leading to the castle, but one of them was crushed by Theodoros Kolokotronis, a leader of the Greek war of independence, during celebrations for a victory against the Ottomans.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Dinner: We may have dinner at the winery or at a traditional Greek tavern.
Accommodation included: We stay overnight at Epidaurus or Nafplio in a 3- or 4-star hotel or a small boutique hotel depending on availability.
Day 2: Ancient Olympia, Diolkos
Stop At: Archaeological Site of Olympia, Archea Olympia, Olympia 27065 Greece
We head to the valley of the river Alfios where a professional guide accompanies us to see the ruins of the ancient Olympia, the historic site of the Olympic Games. This was the greatest of the Panhellenic Games and every four years Greeks from all the different city-states would put aside their disputes and come together to compete.
The importance of Olympia can still be seen from its ruins, including the Temple of Zeus, which once contained a 13 meter statue of the god made of gold and ivory, the Temple of Hera, the stadium and the Shrine of Pelops. Even today, the Olympic Flame is lit in Olympia and then taken on a relay across the world to end up in the city hosting the Olympic Games.
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Stop At: The Diolkos, Palaia Ethniki Odos Athinon-Patron Poseidonos 76, Loutraki 201 00 Greece
And we finish our 2day tour by seeing the Diolkos, an ancient “road” that connected the Saronic Gulf and the Corinthian Gulf.
they would pay tolls to drag there ships from one sea to the other.
Duration: 30 minutes
Meals included:
• Breakfast: We have breakfast at the Hotel.
• Dinner: We stop somewhere on the way back to Athens that you wish to have a traditional Greek meal, usually at a tavern.
No accommodation included on this day.
