Greece · UNESCO Heritage Sites

8-Hour Olympia Sightseeing Tour with Ancient Olympic Heritage

8 Hours Round trip from Archaia Olympia 270 65 Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Explore Ancient Olympia, the sacred sanctuary where the Olympic Games began
02 See the Temple of Zeus and the Philippeio, linked to Philip II and Alexander the Great
03 Walk through the ancient Olympic Stadium, Palaestra, Hera's Temple, and Olympia Museum
04 Visit the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae, famed for its three architectural orders

Travel back to the birthplace of the Olympic Games on this 8-hour tour of Ancient Olympia and the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae. Explore the sacred sanctuary of Olympia, where the Games became the most important national event of the Greeks, and see landmarks including the Temple of Zeus, the Philippeio, Hera's Temple, the ancient stadium, and the museum. Continue to the remarkably well-preserved Temple of Apollo Epicurius, noted for combining Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian architectural styles. This journey pairs mythology, archaeology, and UNESCO-listed heritage with Greece's remarkable ancient landscape.

Next, visit the Temple of Zeus, where the 12-metre-high golden and ivory Statue of Zeus was displayed, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 8 Hours

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

Cities Olympia, Pyrgos, Delphi

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Ancient Olympia and the Temple of Apollo Epicurius

Start your tour by visiting the ancient "Sacred Forrest" site, the name once used for Ancient Olympia. Built on the north riverbank of the Alfeios, it is one of the greatest UNESCO World Heritage Sites and an incredible natural landscape that evolved into the biggest religious sanctuary of the ancient world.
Travel back in time to the site where the Olympic Games were held, the most important national event of the Greeks, which according to tradition and myths began long before 776 BCE. King of Pissa, Enomao, won the first race in the Games.
Next, visit the Temple of Zeus, where the 12-metre-high golden and ivory Statue of Zeus was displayed, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Here, you will also see the Philippeio, a unique circular construction, a gift to Zeus from Alexander the Great's father, King Philippos II, and a temple completed by Alexander the Great himself.
Explore the ancient Olympic Stadium, the Palaestra, the athletic field where wrestlers fought, Hera's Temple, and the Museum of Ancient Olympia. You will also learn about the Roman reconstruction that allowed the Games to continue without interruption until they ceased in 393 CE by the edict of Theodosius I, Emperor of Byzantium.
Head to the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae, a well-preserved temple built between 450 and 400 BCE. It is the only monument that combines three architectural orders - Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian - and was made by the Parthenon architect, Action, after a suggestion by the priests of the Delphi oracle.