Olympia Tour & Archeological Museum - All Included
Description
Step into the footsteps of ancient athletes and gods on our tour to Ancient Olympia. Explore the historic site where the Olympic Games were born and where legends were made. Wander through the remnants of grand temples, athletic arenas, and sacred spaces that once hosted the world's most prestigious athletic event. As you stroll through the archaeological wonders, our expert guides will transport you back in time, regaling you with stories of athletic prowess, mythological tales, and the significance of this hallowed ground. Marvel at the Temple of Zeus, where the iconic Statue of Zeus once stood, and stand on the ancient starting line of the original Olympic track. Feel the energy of the past as you soak in the history and culture that shaped our world.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Olympia was the birthplace of the most famous and important sporting event in the ancient world. The Olympic Games took place here every four years from 776 BC to 393 AD. The site was also a place of worship dedicated to the Greek god Zeus from about the 10th century BC. Here you will find incredible sculptures such as the decoration of the temple of Zeus, as well as the famous Hermes of Praxiteles and the statue of Nike of Paionios.
Olympia's Archaeological Museum is one of the most important museums of Greece. The exhibition contains great masterpieces from the long history of the Olympic Games' birthplace, and thousands of years of art. The exhibits are displayed in chronological and thematic order from Prehistoric down to Roman times.Here you'll find the sculptures of the temple of Zeus, the sculpture of "Nike of Paionios" and one of the most famous statues in the history of art, the "Hermes" of Praxiteles, which is perhaps the only original, surviving statue of the renowned sculptor. Guests are treated with the exhibition's numerous bronze objects: figurines of humans and animals, cauldrons, tripods, griffins, sphinxes, and many different kinds of weapons, vessels, and exquisite examples of the toreutic art. Finally, the large collection of terracotta statues—like the complex of Zeus and Ganymede—is a highlight during any visit.
Walk to Olympia village nearby the archaeological site and the stadium and wander around the little traditional shops, traditional taverns and coffee shops.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Upon disembarking your cruise ship in Katakolon, please walk along the red path, with the Sea on your right hand side. Before the end of the path make a right hand turn and continue following the Katakolon seaside pedestrian road (The sea should be on your right hand side). Our representatives will be waiting for you near Karousos Tavern. Please look for the Avalon Travel sign to easily locate your guide.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please note that the total driving time between our planned stops and visits is approximately 1 hour & 30min.
- Please also carry a valid form of identification, such as a driver’s license or government-issued ID, for entry to the Olympia site
- The archaeological site includes uneven ground, gravel paths, and steps. Moderate walking is required throughout the visit
- Whisper audio headsets are available as an optional upgrade at an additional cost. To guarantee availability, they must be selected during booking. Availability cannot be guaranteed on the day of the tour.
Reviews(28)
This was such a wonderful experience. We traveled with a small group of 10. Both our pick up guide and history guide were so knowlegable. We walked slowly through both the Olympia ruins and the museum with the guide teaching and explaining. She answered all our questions and gave us the best tour our brains could handle.
A fabulous tour, well organised, informative and enjoyable. The history of the Olympic games is fascinating and a real joy. Recommended 100%.
I was surprised we were asked to pay $5 for the earphones which are normally included with all other tours.
Dear Guest Thank you for your feedback. We would like to clarify that the whisper devices/earphones are clearly mentioned in the tour inclusions as an optional extra service at an additional charge of 5 EUR per person. Guests have the possibility to request them during the reservation process if they wish to use them during the guided tour. We always try to keep our pricing transparent and communicate all optional services clearly in advance in order to avoid misunderstandings. We nevertheless appreciate your comment and hope you enjoyed the rest of your experience with us. Kind Regards
The archeological museum had so many interesting artifacts and to visit the spot where the Olympics first began was amazing. Our guides were great with their narratives and the highlight was to stand on the slab of marble which was the starting line for Olympian racers 3000 years ago!
This was an excellent trip both our guide external to the site and our guide in the site were good. The guide in the site was exceptional she gave us context first which really helped us understand the importance of the site . The museum was not to be missed we were lucky it was very quiet and again our guide was so informative. We were a small group if you are on a cruise ship don’t bother paying a fortune for a trip with loads of people . It is only 30 minutes away from the port and we got back in plenty of time
Although this was a small group tour, around 20 people the operator chose not to have available ear phones. It was impossible to hear the guide, who was very good, but after awhile you just walked around and looked. Several people spoke to the representative and while she apologized, her excuses really didn’t hold water. I really believe it was an issue that they didn’t have enough earpieces so they gave it to the larger groups.
Thank you very much for taking the time to share your feedback. We truly appreciate your kind words about our guide and are sorry to hear that you experienced difficulty hearing at certain points during the tour. Because this was a small-group experience (around 20 guests), we intentionally chose not to use headsets, as we aim to maintain a more personal and interactive connection between our guide and participants. This format usually allows for questions, conversation, and a more relaxed atmosphere. However, we completely understand that in some open or busy areas, background noise can make it harder to hear clearly—especially for guests who may stand a bit further from the guide. We’ll review this feedback carefully and consider offering optional headsets for similar situations in the future to ensure everyone can fully enjoy the commentary. We truly appreciate your understanding and your helpful remarks, which allow us to keep improving our guests’ experience.
Most exceptional experience. The tour guide Christo was pleasant knowledgeable and informative. Everything worked well picking us up at the port as we were on a cruise. The town of Olympia was lovely and relaxing The tour of the Olympic site was great! If I could give 5 stars I would!
A great experience! It was so helpful to have a guide that was an archeologist to explain the history and put things in context as we visited. We really got a lot out of our visit, more so than we would have with out a guide.
Antonia and Arestaya made a great partnership for this guided tour through the ancient ruins. It was a special treat to get the historical contexts of the archaeological site of the original Olympics. The museum was amazingly appropriate in that it was not overwhelming. It solidified the what we had witnessed at the archaeological site with the original figures that once stood on the grounds. It was a beautiful experience. I’d recommend this tour!
This was an amazing tour! We were worried because people were telling us Olympia was just a bunch of rocks to look at.. our tour guide brought pics to show how Olympia would have looked. She explained all areas of Olympia and the statues. I can't say enough about how much we enjoyed the tour!
