Ancient Olympia & Kourouta Beach - All Included Tour
Description
Begin your journey at the awe-inspiring archaeological site of Ancient Olympia, where history and myth converge. Walk in the footsteps of ancient athletes and philosophers as you visit the Temple of Zeus, where the renowned Statue of Zeus once stood. Marvel at the ancient stadium, where athletic competitions flourished over two millennia ago. Gain insights into the origins of the Olympic Games, the symbolism of the sacred flame, and the enduring stories of gods and heroes that have shaped Greek culture. After your enriching historical exploration, we transition to tranquility and relaxation at Kourouta Beach. Nestled along the enchanting Ionian Sea, Kourouta Beach welcomes you with its golden sands and inviting azure waters. Dive into the refreshing sea or bask in the Mediterranean sun, immersing yourself in the serene beauty of this coastal paradise.
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.
Kourouta Beach is a beautiful coastal destination located in the western part of Greece, specifically in the region of Peloponnese. It's a popular spot for both locals and tourists, known for its golden sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, and relaxed atmosphere.
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
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Specialized infant seats are available
- 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 2 hours. This ensures a smooth and comfortable travel experience, allowing you to relax and enjoy the scenic route between each captivating destination
- Please also carry a valid form of identification, such as a driver’s license or government-issued ID, for entry to the Olympia site
- We recommend bringing sunscreen, a sun hat, and comfortable footwear, swimwear, water shoes and a change of clothes
- During peak season (especially July and August), sunbeds and umbrellas at Kourouta Beach are in very high demand. While we pre-reserve them in advance, availability cannot be fully guaranteed. In the rare event they are unavailable, the TO will provide additional beach umbrellas to ensure your comfort.
- Swimming is at guests’ own risk, and local sea conditions may affect access to the water
- 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(22)
Our visit to Olympia was a bit of a mixed experience. The ruins were interesting from a historical perspective, but our teens weren’t particularly interested, and the extreme heat made it difficult to fully enjoy the experience. It felt like about 100,000,000 degrees that day! The beach afterward was definitely the highlight. It was small but beautiful and very relaxing, and we were able to enjoy a nice lunch right by the water. Overall, it was a nice day, but with teenagers and the intense heat, we probably would have spent more time at the beach and less time exploring the ruins.
Great tour! Best way to hit both things we wanted to do for a reasonable price. Tonya, our tour guide, was amazing! She brought us to a great café on the beach, where we had chairs, umbrellas, and we were able to order great food. She also shared her recipe for Tzatziki sauce! I’d definitely recommend this tour!
The ancient Olympia tour was guided and was filled with a lot of historical facts. We took photos during the tour because our “free-time” after the guided tour was only -10 mins, which was not very long to go back and photo everything on the grounds. Afterwards, we went to a beach that was beautiful. There were comfortable lounge chairs to relax and order drinks & food (fees not included with tour but priced fair). The drinks were delicious! The water was refreshing and clear. The sand did have some small pebbles, so I recommend wearing swim shoes in the water. Overall, it was a great tour and I highly recommend it. Our tour guide was very nice. She gave us the “secret recipes” for making traditional Greek tzatziki and lemon oil dressing.
Our tour guide Antonia made our trip especially wonderful. Everything went smoothly and she accommodated any requests we had. We enjoyed her narration on the bus ride to Olympia. Olympia itself was amazing and the beach at Kourouta was beautiful. This was our favorite excursion while we were in Greece. Definitely recommend, and ask for Antonia!
This was a great history and beach tour!! We learned a lot at the ancient olympia site, then got to enjoy some food and relaxation at the beach afterwards. Would have liked more time at the beach, as we had kids and they didnt feel they got enough time to eat and swim but otherwise it was great. Would recommend for families.
Exactly the type of trip we wanted. An hour tour around the Olympia ruins, a great guide with a small group means we got a lot of information and saw a lot. The beach stop was fabulous. We sat up at the restaurant, ordered food and swam in the ocean in between. We would have loved more time at the beach but only had a short time with the cruise schedule. Be aware there is still a lot walking on uneven ground and around ruins.
Our tour guide Michael at ancient Olympia was five star fantastic! So knowledgeable and kind! It was a pleasure and would do a longer tour knowing he was our guide!! The beach was beautiful but because our tour was in the afternoon we did not get there till 4pm. Still, there was shade and area to eat and drink. If you book on a summer Sunday, know the locals will be there in full force as they have free access to that beach. Still a lovely time
Olympia tour was very informative as our guide by the name of Michael works on the site as an archeologist and provided a lot of detailed information and showed what that sites originally looked like through his books he brought on tour.
The tour of the ruins was great! The guide gave you just enough information to be interesting but not boring. The archaeological site itself is very beautiful. The bus we rode on was comfortable and cool. Our guide was extremely sweet and kind and informative. However, if you are more interested in a beach experience, this might not be for you. We were taken to an area on the beach, where there are restaurants that you can purchase lunch and also use their sun chairs and umbrellas. We thought we would be able to order lunch and sit on the beach . However, our food never arrived after an hour and 15 minutes of waiting. It was not traditional Greek food. Basically just sandwiches and pizzas. We didn’t get to utilize the beach because we were waiting on our food. My suggestion would be to bring snack snacks. Enjoy the beach and eat lunch at the port afterward when you return because there are nice shops and cafés. The tour guide helped us work out something with the restaurant so that they could box up our food and she allowed us to eat it on the bus.
Seeing the ruins of where the ancient Olympics took place was fascinating. Enjoyed our tour guide. The beach time was wonderful. Our family enjoyed our experience
