Ancient Olympia & Isthmus Canal Private Tour from Athens
Description
Be amazed by the modern engineering masterpiece of the Corinth Canal (Isthmus Canal). Visit Ancient Olympia the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games. Witness where the modern Olympic flame is lit by the temple dedicated to the goddess Hera. Explore the Archaeological Museum, where many of Olympia’s greatest works of art and artifacts are displayed. Highlights of the museum include the Sculpture from the Temple of Zeus, arguably the finest surviving examples of Archaic Greek sculpture, the 5th century BC Winged Victory by Paiongs, the 4th century BC Hermes of Praxiteles and a model of the reconstructed ancient Olympia site.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Pickup from your chosen Hotel, Airbnb or apartment in Athens. Drive to the isthmus Canal.
Visit the Isthmus Canal, one of the most important projects and 19th century engineering masterpieces, playing a catalytic role for the Mediterranean trade.
Olympia village: In the western Peloponnese, in the beautiful valley of the Alpheios river lies the most celebrated sanctuary of ancient Greece. You will be amazed by the serenic feel that this village creates. Enjoy lunch at an authentic Greek taverna with quality home cooked meals. Stroll amongst the village shops.
Temple of Zeus: Dedicated to the god Zeus the Doric temple built in the second quarter of the 5th century BCE was the very model of the fully developed classical Greek temple of the Doric order. Temple of Hera: Known as Heraion this ancient Archaic Greek temple was dedicated to Hera, queen of the Greek gods. The temple was built in approximately 590 BCE. Witness where the modern Olympic flame is lit by the temple dedicated to the goddess Hera. The Hippodrome and later Stadium: The Hippodrome was a wide flat open area where the starting and finishing line was defined by a pole. Horse and chariot races took place here. The Palaestra: Built in the 3rd century BC as part of the gymnasium complex it was used to practice boxing, wrestling and jumping. The Workshop of Pheidias: This is where the great sculptor crafted the gigantic chryselephantine statue of Zeus listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.
Philippeion: The only circular building inside the Altis. One of the finest examples of ancient Greek architecture, it was dedicated to Zeus by Philip II of Macedonia after his victory at Chaironeia in 338 BCE. The monument was completed by his son Alexander the Great.
The Archeological Museum of Olympia: Exhibits incredible artifacts from the site.
The Museum of the History of the Olympic Games in Antiquity: Since 2004 a new museum is in operation. The museum was based on the collection of Georgios Papastefanou who was the first to believe in the possibility of spreading the Olympic Idea and Education through a museum.
The museum of Archimedes (Mathematician) regarded as one of the leading scientists in classical antiquity. A unique museum in the center of ancient Olympia dedicated to the "Greatest Mind" of all time. Visitors will have the opportunity to see replicas of his inventions and to interact with them.
Return to your chosen Hotel, Airbnb or apartment in Athens
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Your personal tour driver will pick you up and return you to your hotel in Athens, meeting you at the lobby. In the case of an AirBnb apartment, he/she will contact you upon arrival so you can meet at the entrance of the building. For Airport and Port pick-up, your driver will meet you at the arrivals area holding a signboard with the guest's name.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Animals or pets allowed
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infant seats are available on request if advised at time of booking
Reviews(21)
Everything was perfect, starting with the weather (sunny but with a refreshing breeze): we were able to do the tour at our pace and Yannis proved yet again that he's a fountain of knowledge on the sites we visited and on the ones we saw along the way. Ancient Olympia archeological site is huge and magnificent but with Yannis' help all was clearer. The stop to a restaurant to get some energy for the rest of the tour was as always enjoyable. We really appreciated the patience and kindness of Yannis, and we can only hope to return to Greece as quickly as we can !
Dear Eleonore, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re very happy to hear you had such a lovely day exploring Ancient Olympia with Yannis. Olympia is truly a remarkable site, and it’s great to know that Yannis’ knowledge and guidance helped bring everything to life for you. We’re also glad you enjoyed the relaxed pace of the tour and the restaurant stop along the way. Your kind words about Yannis’ patience and kindness mean a lot to us. Thank you again, and we hope to welcome you back to Greece very soon!
Yannis was a knowledgeable, considerate and personable guide. He told us many interesting tales and myths during the long drive, which filled the time. We were fascinated with the archeological site and the history behind the games.
Hello Ron, Thank you for your lovely review! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed your time with Yannis. He has a wonderful way of sharing stories, myths, and history that make the drive feel shorter and the experience more meaningful. It’s great to know you were fascinated by the archaeological site and the history behind the ancient games — it’s truly an incredible part of Greece’s heritage. We appreciate you choosing to tour with us and hope to see you back again soon!
Thoroughly enjoyed the entire tour. Tas was so helpful in helping us learn about the historical significance of all that we experienced and viewed! He was extremely knowledgeable and made the day fun. Would definitely recommend this company and be sure to have Tas recommend restaurants and menu choices - The Best!!
Thank you so much! We're thrilled you had such a wonderful time exploring Ancient Olympia and the Canal with Tas. He's passionate about sharing Greek history and always knows the best local food spots too! We’d love to welcome you back anytime. Best regards from the Ancient Greece Tours Team.
An incredible tour. Peter was on-time, a great communicator and made this an amazing experience for my wife and I. He was very knowledgeable and accommodating. Exactly what we had hoped for with a private tour!
Greetings from sunny Athens ! Thank you for your nice review! We’re thrilled to hear that Peter provided an incredible experience and met your expectations for a private tour. It’s great to know that his punctuality, communication, and knowledge made your tour memorable. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to welcoming you on another tour with us in the future. Thank you for booking with Ancient Greece Tours & Transfers!
Was amazing our travel agent got us intouch with this service and it was perfect we were just my husband and my self going to family monastery that Tas was able to find and educate us in the area
Hi Kelley! Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you and your husband had a perfect experience with us. We’re pleased that Tas could help you visit your family monastery and provide valuable insights into the area. Your satisfaction is our priority, and we’re grateful for your feedback. We look forward to serving you again on future trips! Best regards, The AGT Team
Wonderful experience! Peter was fantastic and very helpful. He went out of his way to help us get pictures! I would recommend booking a guide for inside the museum and ruins at Olympia, but Peter had a great video outlining what the buildings looked like originally for us to watch after visiting. Very interesting experience! Highly recommend!
Thank you so much for your glowing review! We're thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful time on our tour with Peter. Our team at Ancient Greece Tours is dedicated to providing exceptional experiences, and it's fantastic to hear that Peter's assistance and expertise enhanced your visit to Olympia. We're delighted that you found our video presentation informative and that it added depth to your exploration of the museum and ruins. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we look forward to welcoming you back in Greece in the future!
Our private tour of the Ancient Olympia archaeological site and museum was an unforgettable experience for us history buffs. Our exceptional driver guide, Yannis, made the day truly remarkable. His deep knowledge and passion for history shone through as he shared fascinating insights throughout the tour, giving us ample time to explore the site at our own pace. To top it off, we enjoyed a delightful lunch at an authentic Greek taverna, savoring the flavors of Greece. As an unexpected bonus, we were treated to a free upgrade to a luxurious Mercedes Van for our journey. This tour was a perfect blend of history, culture, and comfort, and we can't recommend it enough. Thank you, Yannis, for making our day at Ancient Olympia so special!
Dear Louis, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 5-star review! We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our Ancient Olympia tour with Ancient Greece Tours. It was our pleasure to have you as our guest and to share the rich history and culture of this ancient site with you. Your positive feedback means a lot to us, and it serves as a great source of motivation for our team to continue delivering exceptional experiences to our valued customers. We are dedicated to providing insightful and immersive tours that bring the wonders of Ancient Greece to life, and we're delighted to hear that we succeeded in doing just that for you. Once again, thank you for choosing Ancient Greece Tours, and we look forward to hosting you on another memorable journey in the future. George
This is a lovely and memorable experience Our driver Manos was well versed in history, was fluent in English and made every effort to make sure we had a great time. Manos we cannot thank you enough for all your efforts! Olympia and Isthmus Canal were both amazing and definitely worth the trip
Visiting ancient Olympia was a bucket list experience for me. Seeing (and learning about) the Corinth Canal was an unexpected bonus. Our guide, Yannis, was amazing. Yeah, the ride to and from Athens was a little long, but the stories and history that Yannis shared along the way made the time pass by quickly. I'll be recommending this trip to my friends and family.
I wish I had a picture of Basilli, our driver, to share. He was our favorite part of our tour! He spoke enough English to answer our many questions about life in Greece. He patiently waited for our two nieces to bungee jump in the Corinth Canal (and took pictures for us!). It was a long drive to Olympia from Athens where we had lunch at a cafe and wandered the multiple historical and archeological attractions. You could spend many hours taking it all in, but it was very hot outside in late June with little shade. Don’t miss the Archimedes museum just down the street in town for some hands on exploration with the kids. Archimedes was such an amazing mind! Basilli navigated the tight crowded streets in Plaka with a big van (we had 10 people) to bring us almost to our hotel doorstep at the end of the very long day. He was our family for the day, and we were grateful to his family for loaning him to us. :)
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your 5-star review of your recent ancient Olympia tour with Ancient Greece Tours. We are absolutely thrilled to hear that you had such a wonderful experience exploring the rich history of Ancient Olympia! It's great to know that you enjoyed your visit to the Archimedes Museum. Archimedes was truly a genius of his time, and we're delighted that you found the museum captivating and informative. We also appreciate your kind words about Vasili, your driver. Our team takes great pride in providing exceptional service, and it's fantastic to hear that Vasili made your journey comfortable and enjoyable. Your positive feedback means the world to us, and it serves as a source of inspiration for our team to continue delivering top-notch experiences. We hope you left Ancient Olympia with lasting memories and a deeper appreciation for the incredible history of this ancient site. Once again, thank you for choosing Ancient Greece Tours for your adventure, and we look forward to welcoming you back for another unforgettable journey in the future. Safe travels!