4 Days Private Tour: Corinth - Mycenae - Nafplio - Olympia- Delphi & Meteora

Argolida- Olympia

This day we will travel into the mythological region of Argolida and overnight at the birthplace of the Olympic Games, Olympia. Our visits will be Corinth Canal, Ancient Corinth, Mycenae citadel, Asclepieion and theatre of Epidaurus, picturesque Nafplio and Olympia.

Corinth Canal

The tour starts with a drive along the coast, on the way you will view some Greek seaside villages and the island of Salamis (where the historical naval battle took place between the Athenians and the Persians). 

Our first stop the Corinth Canal. Opened in 1892, separating the Peloponnese peninsula from the rest of Greece and connecting the Saronic Gulf to the Corinthian Sea. You will have time to walk across on a pedestrian bridge to admire the canal closer.   

Epidaurus

On the go again we will be off to the site of Epidaurus, a short drive away and you will be able to see one of the most important ancient Greek sanctuaries. Dedicated to God Asclepius, he was the god of healing and medicine, Epidaurus is located in peaceful environment and spread out on a hilly area, its highest point being the actual theater of Epidaurus. As the best preserved ancient Greek theater (dated 4th century B.C.E.) it is proof of what miracles the ancient Greek minds could create.   

Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus

Located in a peaceful environment and spread on a hilly area, it reaches its highest point which is the theater of Epidaurus. The best preserved ancient Greek theater dated 4th century B.C.E. proof of what miracles the ancient Greek minds could create. You can test the acoustics, great even today and climb up until the upper seats just to close your eyes and dream you attended an ancient Greek tragedy.    

Archaeological Site Mycenae

Dated to the 2nd millennium B.C.E. representing what Homer wrote about, Achilles, Agamemnon and Helen of Troy. The palace of Mycenae gave its name to a whole era.  

Lions' Gate, Mycenae

In the site you will see the famous Lions' Gate (the oldest architectural sculpture in Europe), the cyclopean walls, the burial circle A and the remains of Agamemnon’s Palace.  

Archaeological Museum of Ancient Mycenae

Worth visiting there is also a modern museum exhibiting the findings of the “City of Gold".   

Citadel and Treasury of Atreus

Just before leaving the site we will make a small stop at the treasury of Atreus, the best preserved Tholos tomb found and one of the finest examples of the Mycenaean architecture.  

Nafplio

From here we will travel through time towards a more recent history of Greece and to the city of Nafplion. Nafplion is considered the most scenic city which also functioned as the capital of Greece until 1834. It offers you an impressive combination of fortresses and castles (Palamidi, Bourtzi), an enormous port opened to the Aegean Sea and the unique architecture of the old city of Nafplion revealing Venetian, neoclassical and oriental elements. Lunch will be at a traditional tavern by the sea.  

Acronafplia Castle

We’ll drive up until the castle of Acronafplia for a panoramic view of Nafplio.  

Bourtzi

Nafplio offers you an outstanding combination of fortresses and castles. Bourtzi is a little islet with a fortress in a huge port opened to the Aegean Sea.  

Olympia

Finally we will drive to the birthplace of the Olympic Games to overnight.

Olympia - Delphi

This day we will visit the archaeological site of Olympia and then drive to Delphi to overnight.

Archaeological Site of Olympia

On our second day we will visit the archaeological site and the museum of Ancient Olympia. This is one of the largest sites in Greece, the birthplace of the Olympic Games and the Sanctuary of Olympian Zeus. Walking through the site you will pass by the Gymnasium, the Palaistra, the workshop of Phidias, the Temple of Zeus and you will end up at the Stadium where for every four years the Greeks competed for glory and for spiritual elevation honoring their cities. 

Archaeological Museum of Olympia

The museum is also quite unique as it includes the renowned statue “Hermes of Praxiteles” with its perfect analogies and tools that belonged to Phidias himself. With the tools he created one of the seven wonders of the world “the gold ivory statue of Zeus”. 

Museum of the Olympic Games

The Museum of the History of the Ancient Olympic Games hosts 463 ancient works, from the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, and other museums in the Greek territory. The exhibits cover a wide chronological range, from the 2nd millennium BC until the 5th century AD. Ancient exposed in thematic units and through them yperchilietis shows the history of the Olympic games, the longest ancient institution. 

Nafpaktos

Nafpaktos is a large seaside town on the north shore of the Corinthian Gulf with a long beach and an impressive Venetian castle that includes a small fortified harbor. It was an important Athenian naval base during the Peloponnesian War due to its proximity to the western entrance of the gulf. When the Venetians took control they called it Lepanto.

Delphi

After spending sometime in this area of serenity we will drive to the site of Delphi, an ancient Greek sanctuary with a PanHellenic character dedicated to god Apollo. It functioned as an Oracle and was considered ‘the naval’ the center of the word and is today a symbol of Greek cultural unity. The scenic location allows you to have a view of the Greek mountains and two more sites the Gymnasium and the secondary sanctuary of Athena Pronea.

Here we will overnight.

Delphi -Meteora

On the third day we will visit the archaeological site of Delphi and then drive to Kalambaka to overnight.

Temple of Apollo

Called the centre of the world, Delphi was the most famous ancient Greek sanctuary with a Pan Hellenic character dedicated to the God Apollo. In the site you will visit the temple of Apollo where Pytheia spoke to the oracles, the theater, and the stadium, while a little farther lies the temple of Athena Pronea and the Gymnasium.  

Delphi Archaeological Museum

 In the museum you will be able to see some splendid findings such as the famous charioteer and Gold Ivory statues. 

Kalambaka

Following we will continue with a drive through the mountains, not taking the national highway, to see the real Greek country side. Passing by the cities of Lamia, Trikala and Karditsa we will reach Kalambaka, a beautiful small city that is dominated by the Meteora. You will have time to take an evening walk and enjoy a local dinner after settling at the hotel.  

Meteora - Thermopylae

On the last day, after visiting the Monasteries we will take our way back to Athens with a stop at Thermopylae.

Great Meteoron

We will visit the monasteries and a closer look at the holy rocks. On the rocks that are like suspended in the air (that’s what Meteora means) there is one of the largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox Monasteries, still in use. Meteora combines natural beauty and cultural heritage, a fact that make them a unique destination between the world’s monuments. 

Great Meteoro, as its name shows is the biggest and most impressive of the six.

Roussanou and Agios Stefanos Monastery

Visit the Rousanou or Saint Stefan Monastery, two of the most known monasteries.   

Rousanou Nunnery gives you the opportunity to walk in the trees before you arrive at the hanged from the sky monastery, while Saint Stefan is the easiest to access. 

Historical Information Center Thermopylon

Then, we will drive to Thermopylae. It was here that 10 years after the Battle of Marathon, King Leonidas and his 300 brave Spartans heroically faced the Persian army. In the historical center, an informative 3D movie will be shown.    

Leonidas Monument Thermopyles

As if traveling through time you will feel the presence of heroes who stood their ground for their freedom against a foreign conqueror. To conclude you will visit the statue of Leonidas standing exactly opposite Kolonos Hill where the persistent Spartans left their last breath.  

Battlefield of Thermopylae

Walk around the Thermopylae Battlefield to see the landscape.

Kammena Vourla

We will have lunch by the sea at this beautifull village staring at the traditional fishermen boats under the greek sun. 

Athens

We will drive back to Athens.