Ancient Corinth, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nafplio Full Day Private Tour From Athens

Settle inside your air-conditioned private executive car or minivan and admire the scenery from the Saronic Gulf into the Peloponnese. View the spectacularly narrow Corinth Canal built to link the Saronic and Corinth Gulfs. Then, explore the ruins of ancient Corinth, once an influential ancient Greek and Roman city. Next stop is the ancient hilltop city of Mycenae and enjoy a walking tour full of history, of this once powerful, fortified settlement. Later, continue to ancient Epidaurus, the mythological birthplace of Asklepios, the Greek god of healing. Ogle the breathtaking ancient theatre of Epidaurus, that still boasts fabulous acoustics. For a superb lunch, you will stop in the pretty seaport of Nafplio. In a sheltered bay on Argolic Gulf, this picturesque seaport is full of old-world romance and as people say, the country’s most picturesque town.

• Full-day tour of Peloponnese highlights from Athens in a day
• Explore Nafplio, the country’s most picturesque town

The Corinth Canal connects the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland, arguably making the peninsula an island. The canal was dug through the isthmus at sea level and has no locks. It is 6.4 kilometres (4 mi) in length and only 21.4 metres (70 ft) wide at its base, making it impassable for many modern ships. From high up, you can enjoy the best view of Corinth’s isthmus and admire the steep limestone walls while you observe the vessels below you navigate their way through the canal.

Corinth was a city-state on the Isthmus of Corinth, the narrow stretch of land that joins the Peloponnese to the mainland of Greece, roughly halfway between Athens and Sparta. The modern city of Corinth is located approximately 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) northeast of the ancient ruins.
For Christians, Corinth is well known from the two letters of Saint Paul in the New Testament, First and Second Corinthians. Corinth is also mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as part of Paul the Apostle’s missionary travels. In addition, the second book of Pausanias’ Description of Greece is devoted to Corinth.
Ancient Corinth was one of the largest and most important cities of Greece, with a population of 90,000 in 400 BC. The Romans demolished Corinth in 146 BC, built a new city in its place in 44 BC, and later made it the provincial capital of Greece.

The Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth was constructed between 1931-1932, with intentions to display the numerous recent archaeological excavations. The museum is located within the archaeological site of Ancient Corinth, Greece, and lies under the jurisdiction of the 37th Ephoreia of the Greek Archaeological Service.

The fortified citadel of ancient Mycenae, the seat of the mythical and mighty King Agamemnon. An impressive and well-preserved site, the city of Mycenae gave its name to an entire civilization. Admire sites such as the Tomb of Clytemnestra, the infamous Lion’s Gate, the Cyclopean walls and learn of their blood-stained past. In the second millennium BC, Mycenae was one of the major centres of Greek civilization, a military stronghold which dominated much of southern Greece, Crete, the Cyclades and parts of southwest Anatolia. The period of Greek history from about 1600 BC to about 1100 BC is called Mycenaean in reference to Mycenae. At its peak in 1350 BC, the citadel and lower town had a population of 30,000 and an area of 32 hectares.

The Archaeological Museum of Mycenae is found at the entrance of the ancient site, just a few steps before the Lion Gate.

The Treasury of Atreus or Tomb of Agamemnon is a large tholos or beehive tomb on Panagitsa Hill at Mycenae constructed during the Bronze Age around 1250 BC. The stone lintel above the doorway weighs 120 tons, with approximate dimensions 8.3 x 5.2 x 1.2m, the largest in the world. The tomb was used for an unknown period. Mentioned by the Roman geographer Pausanias in the 2nd century AD, it was still visible in 1879 when the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann discovered the shaft graves under the “agora” in the Acropolis at Mycenae.

The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is a theatre in the Greek city of Epidaurus, located on the southeast end of the sanctuary dedicated to the ancient Greek God of medicine, Asclepius. It is built on the west side of Cynortion Mountain, near modern Lygourio, and belongs to the Epidaurus Municipality. It is considered to be the most perfect ancient Greek theatre with regard to acoustics and aesthetics. The monument retains the characteristic tripartite structure of a Hellenistic theatre that has a theatron, orchestra, and skene. During Roman times, the theatre (unlike many Greek theatres) did not suffer any modifications.

The Temple of Asclepius was a sanctuary in Epidaurus dedicated to Asclepius. It was the main holy site of Asclepius. The sanctuary at Epidaurus was the rival of such major cult sites as the Sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia and Apollo at Delphi. The temple was built in the early 4th century BC. If still in use by the 4th century AD, the temple would have been closed during the persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire, when the Christian Emperors issued edicts prohibiting non-Christian worship.

Enjoy a superb lunch, coffee, or shopping at the ‘Naples of the East’ rich in Venetian architecture, cobbled squares, and towering castles with commanding views of the Argolic Gulf.
Afterwards, unwind by the harbor or get lost in the colorful back streets of the most elegant town in mainland Greece.
Nafplio is a seaport town in the Peloponnese in Greece that has expanded up the hillsides near the north end of the Argolic Gulf. The town was an important seaport held under a succession of royal houses in the Middle Ages as part of the lordship of Argos and Nauplia, held initially by the de la Roche following the Fourth Crusade before coming under the Republic of Venice and, lastly, the Ottoman Empire. The town was the capital of the First Hellenic Republic and of the Kingdom of Greece, from the start of the Greek Revolution in 1821 until 1834. Nafplio is now the capital of the regional unit of Argolis.

Enjoy the view of the water castle of Bourtzi, a Venetian castle located in the middle of the harbor of Nafplio, and take fascinating photos from the harbor side.

Palamidi is a fortress to the east of the Acronauplia in the town of Nafplio in the Peloponnese region of southern Greece. Nestled on the crest of a 216-metre high hill, the fortress was built by the Venetians during their second occupation of the area (1686–1715).
The fortress commands an impressive view over the Argolic Gulf, the city of Náfplio and the surrounding country. There are 913 steps in the winding stair from the town to the fortress. However, to reach the top of the fortress there are over one thousand, while locals in the town of Nafplion will say there are 999 steps to the top of the castle.

The Acronauplia is the oldest part of the city of Nafplion in Greece. Until the thirteenth century, it was a town on its own. The arrival of the Venetians and the Franks transformed it into part of the town’s fortifications. Later, part of it was used as a prison until the Greek government decided that the view provided from its location would benefit the local tourism and built a hotel complex which still stands there today.

• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

• Ancient Corinth, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nafplio Full Day Private Tour From Athens
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  Pickup included

• Discover 3 UNESCO listed classical sites
• Professional drivers offering insights and history facts (not licensed to accompany you in any site)
• Air-conditioned vehicle
• Bottled water
• Private transportation with luxury car or minivan

• Admission in Archaeological sites (Corinth 8 Euro, 12 Euro Mycenae, 12 Euro Epidaurus)
• Food & Drinks
• Gratuities
• Licensed tour guide in Archaeological sites (upon request and depending on availability)

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• This Tour is Provided by Crispy Local.
• Tour Timezone & Starts at Europe/Athens.
• Mobile or paper ticket accepted.
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
• This Tour is Rated 4 Stars based on 18 valid reviews on VIATOR.
• Minimum 1 Travelers is required to book.
• Maximum 8 Travelers is accepted for booking.