Argolis Olympia - 2 Days Tour - premiumgreektours.com

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Argolis Olympia - 2 Days Tour

A two-day private tour to Argolis and Olympia perfectly combines the visit of four UNESCO archeological sites, in addition to the pleasure of experiencing the beautiful land of Peloponnese.
Peloponnese is the best representative of Greece concerning the beauty of the landscape and the history of the sites included in the tour, traveling back in time, from the Bronze Age to the classical period and the modern history of Greece. Visit the Corinth Canal, Ancient Corinth, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nauplio and Ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games.

Itinerary

1st Day

Starting early in the morning from Athens and after an hour of driving we will be stopping at the Corinth Canal, a great piece of work completed in 1886, which connects the Aegean to the Ionian Sea and technically transforms the Peloponnese peninsula into an island. Originally, what used to be an isthmus, meaning a narrow strip of land connecting Peloponnese to Mainland Greece, is now a canal, which joins these two region through several bridges.
As our trip continues, we will be arriving at the site of Ancient Corinth. Ancient Corinth, due to its strategic location next to the Isthmus, exceeded Athens in terms of wealth. Ancient Corinth, played an important role at the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars and was also an important city-state from the classical times to the Roman Times, as a capital of the Roman province of Achaia, and until the Byzantine period.
At the site, you can see the temple of Apollo (7th Century BCE), the ruins of the Roman city (44 BCE) and the Acrocorinth, a fortress, which was continuously fortified from the Neolithic times until the end of the Ottoman occupation (1822).
After a 30’ scenic drive through orange groves and vineyards we will be arriving at Mycenae, the kingdom of mythical Agamemnon, first sung by Homer in his epics. Mycenae was the richest and most important palatial centre of the Late Bronze Age (14th century BCE) in Greece. Its name was given to one of the greatest civilizations of Greek prehistory, the Mycenaean civilization. During your stay, you will have the chance to walk through the “Lions’ Gate” and live the myth of a powerful kingdom, which started a war against Troy in order to take the beautiful Helen back. Your experience will be enhanced as you visit the amazing royal tombs of Mycenae.
After Mycenae, we will be travelling for 30’ to the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, the most amazing and best preserved of all the ancient theatres, widely admired for its phenomenal acoustics. There, you will also visit the Sanctuary of Asclepius, a healing centre which dates back to the 4th century BCE.
Leaving Epidaurus, we will be traveling for 20’, to finally arrive at the picturesque seaside town of Nauplio, the first capital of independent Greece. This was the place where the hero of the Greek revolution, Theodoros Kolokotronis, who liberated the city from the Ottomans, was imprisoned by the Greeks and where the first governor Ioannis Kapodistrias, who dedicated himself to the country’s progress, was assassinated by one of the leaders of the war of independence. While in Nauplio, you will have the chance to wonder around the old city and see the three highlights of Nauplio which are the three castles: Acronauplia, Palamidi and Bourtzi. You can also enjoy lunch at a local Greek restaurant in the traditional centre of the town, or at one by the coast.
As planned, we will be spending the night in Nauplio.

2nd Day

The next morning, after a good breakfast we will get back on the road and head to Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. The archeological site of Ancient Olympia is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Within the site you will see the ancient stadium that hosted the Olympic Games every four years from 776 BCE to 393 AD, as well as the Palaistra, where the athletes used to train for the wrestling events. Additionally, you will visit the ruins of the temple of Zeus, where the colosal statue of Olympian Zeus, one of the seven wonders of the world, used to stand proudly. Last but not least, you will see the workshop of Phedias, the great sculptor, painter and architect who designed some of the greatest statues of his time, such as those of goddess Athena Parthenos, Athena Promahos and Olympian Zeus.
After your visit to the site and the museum of Ancient Olympia, we will be traveling back to Athens.
Of course, a stop at a nice village for lunch should not be missed, as it will relax you after a day of wonderful experiences.