From Athens: 2-Day Tour Corinth, Mycenae, and Olympia｜Greece

Discover the ancient wonders of Greece on a 2-day private tour from Athens. Explore the Corinth Canal, the ancient city of Corinth, the ancient theater of Epidaurus, the archaeological site of Mycenae, and the Palamidi Castle. On day 2, visit the archaeological site of Ancient Olympia and the Diolkos.

DAY 1
Begin your tour with a visit to the Isthmus of Corinth, a narrow piece of land connecting mainland Greece and the Peloponnese. 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.

Continue to the ancient city-state of Corinth, located on the narrow strip of land connecting the Peloponnese to mainland Greece, known as the Isthmus of Corinth. See the extensive ruins of the Temple of Apollo that testify to Corinth’s great prosperity.

Travel to Epidaurus and see the world-renowned Epidaurus theatre. Built in the 4th century BC, it is famous for its acoustics, which are so perfect that words spoken on stage can be heard perfectly wherever you are in the audience.

Next, visit the Homeric city of Mycenae, one of the first great centers of Greek culture. 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.

See the ruins of the ancient city, famous for the amazing “Cyclopean walls” - so named because the later Greeks thought that only a Cyclops could move such huge rocks into place. See the Lion Gate, which formed the entrance to the royal court and palace.

Continue to the Palamidi Castle in Nafplio, 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.

Stay overnight at Epidaurus or Nafplio in a 3- or 4-star hotel or a small boutique hotel depending on availability.

DAY 2
Head to the valley of the river Alfios where a professional guide accompanies you 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.

See the Diolkos, an ancient track that connected the Saronic and Corinthian Gulfs, before having a meal and returning to Athens in the late afternoon.