Katakolon Olympia Highlights Shore Excursion
Description
Discover the ruins of ancient Olympia on a guided tour from Katakolon. Learn about the history of the site, dedicated to Zeus, the father of the Gods, and see the temple of Zeus, the temple of Hera, and the ancient stadium of Olympia. Meet your Tour Escort at the port of Katakolon and board your air-conditioned transportation. Begin your exploration of Olympia, at your leisure, this is NOT a guided Tour guests can choose how long they wish to visit particular areas of the site - and the length of time-a site that continues to be excavated to this day. Learn about the history of the site, which has been excavated since 1829.Olympia was built to be the center of athletic excellence in Greece, and it was here that the Olympic Games were originally held every four years to honour Zeus. Admire the Gymnasium, the Palaestra, the temple of Zeus, the temple of Hera, Heras altar, and the ancient stadium of Olympia from the outside.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Olympia is the ancient Greek city renowned for hosting the first Olympic Games in 776 BCE. Located in the western part of the Peloponnese, it was a major religious and cultural hub, dedicated to Zeus. The site features impressive ruins, including the Temple of Zeus, once home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Olympia was a symbol of athleticism, unity, and peace, with athletes from across Greece competing in honor of the gods.
The Temple of Zeus, located in Olympia, Greece, was one of the most significant and grandiose structures in the ancient world. Built around 470 BCE, it was dedicated to the king of the Greek gods, Zeus. The temple housed a massive statue of Zeus, created by the renowned sculptor Phidias, which was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The temple itself was an example of classical Doric architecture and was known for its size, grandeur, and artistic decorations. Unfortunately, the temple was destroyed by earthquakes, but its remains still stand as a testament to ancient Greek architectural and artistic achievement.
The Leonidaion Guesthouse (Ξενώνας Λεωνιδαίον) is an ancient structure located near the Temple of Zeus in Olympia, Greece. Built around the 4th century BCE, it served as a sanctuary for wealthy visitors and athletes attending the ancient Olympic Games. This guesthouse is named after the Spartan king Leonidas, who is believed to have contributed to its construction. The building is an example of the Greek architectural style and was designed to accommodate important guests, providing them with lodging and hospitality. Although much of it is in ruins today, the Leonidaion remains a significant historical site in Olympia.
Olympia is the ancient Greek city renowned for hosting the first Olympic Games in 776 BCE. Located in the western part of the Peloponnese, it was a major religious and cultural hub, dedicated to Zeus. The site features impressive ruins, including the Temple of Zeus, once home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Olympia was a symbol of athleticism, unity, and peace, with athletes from across Greece competing in honor of the gods.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(5)
Tina was a great and efficient tour guide. Would have liked a guided tour of the ruins but tour didn’t include it. But would still recommend the tour. Tina explained most of what we were seeing on the bus,
A very nice travel companion who tried to keep over 40 participants in check and in time limit. The ship was significantly delayed, but we were still able to enjoy all the places and were back to the ship on time.
I am pleased you enjoyed your tour. When a ship is delayed we adjust our timings accordingly - but always ensure you return to the ship on time! many thanks for your kind words
Guide could have used speaker when talking during the travel to Olympia. Didn't realize there was an digital audio guide with the ticket until we were completed. Enough time to see the museum & ruins.
Hi Eva, I will pass on your comments to our local team. Our tour operates with a small vehicle, and a speaker is not usually required.
This tour is highly recommended. Our tour guide Tina was a wealth of knowledge and was very accommodating. She advised us the appropriate steps to take whilst inside the site to ensure we saw the very best of the tour. Tina knew the area and the history and was an excellent guide.
Many thanks for your kind words. I will certainly pass on your comments to Tina
We were picked up at port entrance, vehicle was nice … we arrived at the place, we parked and then walked like 7 minutes to the entrance of the Ancient site. There our “guide”, Helena, told us she had left the tickets in the van, and kept us waiting nearly 20 minutes while she went back to get them. She gave us our tickets, showed us the way into the Ancient Site, then the way into the museum and told us she would meet us at the museum exit at a given time. And left us to our luck. We were walking through the ancient site, among all the ruins trying to figure out what was what, reading any sign we could find to get some context of what we were seeing. It was literally a huge dissapointment being abandoned by our “guide”. And we really missed the chance of a very interesting learning and stimulating experience in such a special place. Its not that Helena did a bad or lousy job, she did no job AT ALL!
Good Evening, For this excursion we provide an Escort who escorts guests from teh Port to Olympia and vice versa on return. We do not advertise that the tour of Olympia is guided. in our experience, guests prefer to tour the site at their own speed and at their own leisure as everyone has different tastes. I I am sorry you were disappointed with this tour. Kind regards
