Ancient Olympia/ Ancient Corinth private tour from Athens/ Nafplio (up 12 hours)





Description
We visit Ancient Olympia & Corinth, as travelers, not as tourists. We get as excited as you, we love traveling, history & photography. We love what we do:) Schedule is flexible, but most importantly our drivers are seasoned travelers and are dedicated to helping you live the tour of your life, that is suited to your needs and lifestyle, allowing all passengers to enjoy the scenic drive, stopping wherever you desire and avoiding tourist traps. The day starts with convenient pickup from your location and then takes you via Corinth Canal to Peloponnese. Take the high way Corinth - Kalamata via Tripolis through the Majestic Arcadian Mountains to Olympia. Visit Olympic Zeus sanctuary & famous ancient Stadion. Visit one of the best Museums in Greece. Return to Athens via Ancient Corinth (Visit site & Museum).
Tour Options
Itinerary
The marvelous man-made Corinth canal connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas, as well as the Peloponnese peninsula with the central part of Greece. More than 2500 workers digging 6.400m for twelve years (from 1881 to 1893) Stop for photography, walk across on a pedestrian bridge and admire the canal from 80 m high
Take the Moreas Motorway in Peloponnese. The A7 begins just west of the Isthmus of Corinth, branching off from Greek National Road 8A (which is now integrated into the Olympia Odos). It connects Corinth and Kalamata via Tripoli. As part of the concession agreement between the Greek state and the consortium operating the motorway (Moreas S.A.), the latter is responsible for constructing, operating, maintaining and modernizing the A7. In existing sections of the motorway, improvements include the straightening of dangerous curves, constructing new tunnels, completing the Artemision tunnel, adding more light fixtures and upgrading the median throughout
Olympia is one of the most influential ancient Greek sanctuaries, located in western Peloponnese, in Elis. It is is positioned in a serene and rich valley at the confluence of the Alpheios and the Kladeos rivers. In antiquity it was famous beyond the borders of mainland Greece for hosting the Olympic Games every four years, starting in 776 BCE. The archaeological site is located withing walking distance of the modern village called Ancient Olympia and it includes ruins from Bronze Age to the Byzantine eras. The site covers an expanded area of ruins scattered among low trees, as well as Zeus & Hera Temples, Fidias Workshop, Roman emperor Nero villa, the ancient stadium where the Olympics games took place and a lot more. An impressive array of artifacts which were unearthed during excavations are on exhibition at the Olympia Museum Combined ticket: with Museums: Summer 12€ and includes Archaeological & History of the Games Museums. Under 6 y free /Over 65 y or winter time reduce half
By the time Theodosius I banned the Olympics and ordered the destruction of the temples, the sanctuary had amassed an incredible amount of buildings, fountains, baths, statues, trophies Even though Olympia was plundered several times in antiquity, archaeologists have unearthed a wealth of objects during excavations that started in 1875 and continue to our day. The Museum at Olympia shelters and exhibits the most striking of these finds, some of which are worth traveling around the world to experience in person. Perhaps the most famous of all the statues in the Olympia Museum are:The Hermes of Praxiteles.The Nike of Paionios The helmet Miltiades dedicated to Zeus at the sanctuary after he led the Athenians in victory at Marathon. The act is inscribed on the helmet itself "ΜΙΛΤΙΑΔΕΣ ΑΝΕΘΕΚΕΝ ΤΟΙ ΔΙΙ" (the name Miltiades is clearly visible in the lower left part of the helmet). 490 BCE. A Persian helmet dedicated to Zeus by the Athenians after their win against the Persians at Marathon.
Archimedes’ Museum in Ancient Olympia is a unique thematic museum in Greece and is dedicated to the great Mathematician, Physicist, Engineer, Astronomer and Inventor of the ancient Greece and the Ancient Greek Technology of his time. Archimedes’ Museum is permanently hosted in the center of Ancient Olympia in a two floor building that was granted by the municipality of Ancient Olympia. That was unanimously agreed by the board of directors of the city of the Ancient Olympia and supported by both the Commercial Union of Ancient Olympia “Hermes” and the Hotel owners of the city. Archimedes was a unique and tiptop genius in the spiritual world of all times. He passed on to the global culture great theses in the fields of all the ancient sciences and most of all, he became the springboard for the development of the modern science. He invented a lot of inventions, some of them still in use as at the same time he inspired Da Vinci and he influenced Galileo and Newton. Visit is optional.
Drive via Arkadia mountains. is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. It takes its name from the mythological figure Arcas. In Greek mythology, it was the home of the god Pan. In European Renaissance arts, Arcadia was celebrated as an unspoiled, harmonious wilderness. Arcadia is mainly grassland with a bit farmland and three wooded mountain ranges, but large areas are covered only by degenerated shrubland. Forests, mainly in altitudes higher than 1000 m, remained in the central north (Mainalo), in winter also a ski resort, in the central south and in the Arcadian part of the mountain range Parnon. In the southwest, “Mount Lykaion” is well known for its ancient history and myths.
Ancient Corinth was one of the largest and most important cities of Greece, with a population of 90,000 in 400 BC. The Romans demolished Corinth in 146 BC, built a new city in its place in 44 BC, and later made it the provincial capital of Greece. Walking in the remains of the ancient City of Corinth is like to walk back in time. For Christians, Corinth is well known from the two letters of Saint Paul in the New Testament, First and Second Corinthians. Corinth is also mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as part of the Paul the Apostle's missionary travels. Combined ticket 8€ for summer or 4€ for winter. Under 19 y free/ Over 65 y reduce half
Visit Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth. The museum was built in 1931/32 by the architect W. Stuart Thompson and was extended in 1950. It contains collections of prehistoric finds, various items ranging from the Geometric to the Hellenistic period, Roman and Byzantine finds, excavation finds from the Asklepieion of Corinth, and a collection of sculptures and inscriptions.
Return to your hotel/ apartment in Athens or Nafplion. Request in prior time another location (additional cost)
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
For Private Tours: Traveler pickup/drop off is offered from/to your hotel/apartment in/ from Athens center up to 7 km, at the arranged time of your tour departure or your tour return. We recommend that the tour starts at 7.00 am or earlier in winter time. If for any reason this is not convenient, you can adjust the time according to your needs. Additional charge is applicable *15€ per way from longer pickup/drop off locations, more than 7 km from Athens city center. *Piraeus Port (Distance 12km), *Piraeus Cruise Terminal (Distance 13km) This charge does not Include: **Airport (distance 36km) or **Lavrio Port (distance 75km) **This is under prior agreement with the agent's office
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- You Have the options of 3 different Vehicles types: Sedan up to 3 adults or a family of 4 ( 2 adults + 2 kids - up to 11 years old free) - Minivan ( from 1 to 8 persons - 2 kids/ up to 11 years old free ) - Minibus ( from 1 to 14 persons - 2 kids/ up to 11 years old free). Price varies by Group Size or Vehicle type.
- The driver is not a licensed tour guide to accompany you on your walk inside any site or museum. If you require an archaeologist guide to tour the sites with you, you need to hire one additionally. Your driver provides informative documentary & historical details as you travel..
- Your tour is private & flexible and available from/ to Athens or from/ to Nafplio. However we only request to have in mind the agreement hours. But if you like to extend it, please make a fair arrangement with your tour driver/ leader. Additional charge per hour is 35€ (Sedan) - 50€ (Minivan) - 65€ (Minibus).
- Entrance Fees to Ancient Olympia & museums / cost includes museums. In winter time 10€ / Summer 20€ per person. Ancient Corinth (Archaia Korinthos) cost includes museum. In winter time 8€ / Summer 15€ per person.
Reviews(16)
Highly recommended this tours to the Corinthian canal and Olympia, private luxury transport and a professional guide. Does not include tickets 20 euros per person
Great sites and great driver! I was supposed to have 4 others with me but they backed out last minute. No worries.. Alex was super helpful, safe to be with, and had a lot of educational videos to Corinth and Olympia, and 2 fun movies foe the longer drive back. Was well worth thr time and effort to end my trip this way, even though I was exhausted from the previous 12 days of travel and tours.
Christos was our driver and guide and we felt very well taken care of. He was very polite and the car was immaculate. He spoke English well and provided lots of books and guides to supplement our self-tour of Olympia. We stopped at the Corinth Canal and he showed us where to take a nice photo. When we stopped at Corinth he knew the right place to get a warm and flaky cheese pie from a real greek who didn’t speak English but wakes up at 5am every day to make his delicious pies. We were able to see Acrorinth from afar which I hadn’t expected! Christos was knowledgeable in a calm and casual way so his presence really enhanced our experience of the drive and the places we visited. It was a very long day and our family was so thankful Christos was able to spend it with us. A day we will treasure forever!
We have done many Viator trips and they have all been fantastic. This trip is no exception as it exceeded our expectations. This as all thanks to our driver Christos. He was so attentive, kind, thoughtful, and knowledgeable throughout our entire day. The site and museum were great, but they were made so much better with all of the information with which Christos provided us on our drive there and back. He made several stops on the 3 hour drive to and from Olympia to show us so many other wonderful sites. He did everything possible to make this the best day for my husband and I, and more importantly, my 77 year old mother. We are so grateful for all that you did for all of us on this trip!!!! Thanks for the wonderful memories, Christos!!!!
The 4 hour journey to Olympia was well worth it. Our driver Christos was not only extremely kind, professional, and very knowledgeable but he really added a special touch to ensure my family had an amazing experience by constantly finding ways to go out of his way to ensure we got the best out of this tour. If you book this trip be sure to request him as a driver. You will be in a professionals hands.
We had a fabulous day, driving with Nikolas from Nafplio to Olympia and Corinth. He was a terrific driver and used the time the long drive provided to us remarkable insight into Greek history, agriculture, and culture. Starting from a punctual pick-up, to a stop for Greek ice coffee for the drive, to our final ride back off the beaten path and through the stunning hills, it was a day to remember. And of course, there was Olympia and Corinth--amazing! We were lucky to visit Olympia during early Spring when the contrast between the flowers and ruins was at its peak; we cannot wait to see the start of the voyage of the Olympic torch so we can fondly recall the site and all we learned. Given the out-of-the-way location of both, this private tour was perfect!
I would recommend this tour to someone staying a while (over 3 days) in Athens who doesn't plan on exploring the Peloponnese. This "tour" is for a driver to Olympia and Corinth ONLY. He does not go into the sites with you nor is the ticket into the sites included with the tour price. This is outlined in the tour specifics. But still hiring a private driver to get you to these two sites is worth it in my opinion. Olympia is 3.5 hours away from Athens and the only way to get to it is by car. And it's definitely a great site worth seeing if you will only be in Greece once in your life. So this drive makes great sites accessible to you but don't expect it to be an actual "tour".
Hi Steven As we clarify in Viator and you also mention it in your review, the driver can't enter the sites and guide you around. We have the option of hiring for you a licensed guide at an additional charge. However, your suggestion to name this travel instead from Ancient Olympia & Ancient Corinth private tour, and change the title name to Ancient Olympia & Ancient Corinth private drive, confused us. A private tour demands a private driver and vehicle exclusive for you and the schedule it's customable. As the total distance is approx 650km it's possible only by car as you mentioned it.
We had a terrible experience. Our driver did not communicate at all. He never told us how much time to spend at Corinth Canal of Ancient Corinth. When we arrived to Olympia, he opened the doors and said “here you go” and didn’t even tell us where we were. We had a whopping 2 hours to see the two museums and the outside site. He was clearly in a hurry to get back to Athens. We didn’t get picked up until 7:40 and actually had to walk to Monastiraki as he wouldn’t pick us up. The van has the seats facing each other, which was horribly uncomfortable and dangerous. Two of us are 6 feet 5 inches, so this was awful. We arrived back to Athens at 6:44pm, so we technically had almost an hour left of our time, but he was clearly in a hurry. Terrible, terrible experience and absolutely no customer service and lack of communication was atrocious. Skip this and pick another company!!
Olympia & Corinth only private tour is a long day up to 12 hours.. That does not mean you will spend 12 hours in Olympia. This is depending some times of the traffic out and in to Athens Every itinerary on Viator specifically describes the time you can spend in each site. We offer pick up/ drop off - from/ to your hotel or apartment. The apartment was in a pedestrian road in Plaka area, where the minivan could not approach. New meeting point was 80m away. On the way, clients had the chance to watch/ hear (connected to vehicle speakers) a historical documentary about Ancient Olympia and Olympic Games. When driver said here we are, they knew exactly where they arrived. Vehicle was a luxury Mercedes Minivan ( 9 seats) and this is the biggest vehicle for a family of 4 persons ( 2 adults & 2 teenagers). MiniVan has 3 rows of seats, for 8 passengers plus driver, 2 rows of 3 seats ( all with seat belts ) facing each other and actually give more space for long legs, special for a family of 4 persons. We never had a complain from other family before, as all of them enjoy more to face and speak to each other. Our driver obliged to drive safe in speed limits, so the complain he was in a hurry, is not accurate. We have the right to warn Viator customers and other companies about the behavior of Taryn Marie Sietsema (BOB: 11 Nov 1975 from Minnesota / US passport) as she blackmailed us to get a full refund as requested in her last message and disrespected the driver, who had to travel 650 km in one day. Unfortunately Tripadvisor publishes negative reviews including any exaggerations.
Nikolas was an excellent driver and tour guide! 12 hours from start to finish, interesting facts about both Olympia and Corinth. He helped us navigate the ticketing process and steered us to a very good cafe/restaurant for lunch. He was dependable, pleasant, without being overly talkative. We would both highly recommend! Worth every penny we paid.
Hello Tamy... Thank you for taking the time to write this kindness review.
Everything started on time and the driver Nikolaus was very informed and helpful , it was also a skilled driver to bring us intime for all places to visit. Olympia was very interesting and Corinth is a dive into the antique Greece.
Hello to our Mexican friends, thank you for taking the time to write this kindness review.