2 Days Private Tour: Delphi - Mycenae & Corinth

Distomo-Arahova-Delphi

Setting off with a drive along the national highway heading towards northern Greece. Soon after we will be on the slopes of Mount Parnassus and visit Hosios Loukas monastery before reaching the mythical Delphi. 

Livadia

Livadia is the capital of Viotia Prefecture and has about 30,000 inhabitants. It is built at an altitude of 200 m, at the edge of the plain of Kopaida and the small river Erkyna flows through it. It is surrounded by mountains. The old town of Livadia (Mideia) was built at the foot of the later. It is a unique, “properly” Greek city with a history and a mythology that became a source of inspiration for poets, painters and sculptors of all ages.

Mount Parnassus

Mount Parnassus is a mountain of limestone in central Greece that towers above Delphi, north of the Gulf of Corinth, and offers scenic views of the surrounding olive groves and countryside. 

According to Greek mythology, this mountain was sacred to Dionysus and the Dionysian mysteries; it was also sacred to Apollo and the Corycian nymphs, and it was the home of the Muses. The mountain was also favored by the Dorians. It is suggested that the name derives from parnassas, the possessive adjective of the Luwian word parna meaning house, or specifically temple, so the name effectively means the mountain of the house of the god.

Hosios Loukas

Our first stop is going to be the monastery of Hosios Loukas, which represents the second golden age of Byzantine art (11th -12th century). In particular its golden mosaic decoration and fine architecture are protected by UNESCO.  

Delphi

Delphi is a town on Mount Parnassus in the south of mainland Greece. It's the site of the 4th-century-B.C. Temple of Apollo, once home to a legendary oracle.

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. At 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.  

Delphi - Mycenae

After breakfast we will drive to Peloponnese Peninsula to visit Corinth and Mycenae.

Corinth Canal

We drive to the Corinth Canal following the coast of the western suburbs of Athens through Olympia Highway. On the way you will have a view of some Greek seaside villages and the island of Salamis (where the historical naval battle was held between the Athenians and Persians 480 BCE). 

Our first stop is going to be 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, (if you’re game) on some days bungee jumping is an option.

Ancient Corinth

Ancient Corinth, located at the foot of the hill includes the Roman Agora of Corinth, the temple of God Apollo and a small museum. Apart from its archaeological and historical interest though the site is also one of the most popular religious destinations in Greece. In this amazing place the Apostle Paul preached Christianity, was judged by the tribunal in the Agora and established the best organized Christian church of that period.

Temple of Apollo

The temple of Apollo at Corinth is one of the earliest Doric temples in the Peloponnese and the Greek mainland. Built around 560 B.C.E., of local monolithic limestone on top of an imposing, rocky hill to the north of Acrocorinth, the Archaic temple was an emblem for the Greek city of Corinth, reflecting its growth and prosperity.

Acrocorinth

Continuing we will drive you by the hill of Acrocorinth, the oldest and largest castle in southern Greece for some great photos.

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

Before setting off again we will make a small stop at the treasury of Atreus, the best preserved Tholos tomb, one of the finest examples of the Mycenaean architecture.

Athens

And after that we will drive back to Athens.