Blue Lake, Sanctuary of Hera, Mycenae, Ancient Corinth, Canal
Description
Be amazed by the modern engineering masterpiece of the Corinth Canal (Isthmus Canal). Explore the large citadel of Acrocorinth. Through its imposing entrance gates, you will enter the castle and you will discover its hidden gems. You will also experience the spectacular panoramic views which will amaze you. Witness the ancient town of Corinth, one of the richest towns in Ancient Greece, where St. Paul lived and preached for two years. We will visit the ruins of the ancient city in which you can see the remains of the Agora and one of the most outstanding monuments of pre –Roman period, the temple of Apollo. Be amazed by the kingdom of Agamemnon, Mycenae and relive the expedition to Troy. Explore the Temple of Hera Akraia and St. Johns “tiny” church at Perachora. Swim amongst the ancient ruins at Ancient Heraion. For the more adventurous, you will have a chance to do some “cliff-jumping” from the surrounding rocks, as the sea in the sanctuary cove is both deep and clear. Discover the Malagavi Lighthouse, one of the oldest stone lighthouses in Greece built in 1897 that is still in operation.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Visit the Isthmus Canal, one of the most important projects and 19th century engineering masterpieces, playing a catalytic role for the Mediterranean trade. Visit Ancient Diolkos, a paved trackway in Ancient Greece which enabled boats to be moved overland across the Isthmus of Corinth.
Grave Circles A and B: Royal cemeteries situated to the south of the Lion Gate and outside the Bronze Age citadel. The Cyclopean Walls: The main characteristic of the Mycenean walls is that they are made of huge limestone boulders. Only the mythical Cyclopes had the strength to move the enormous boulders that made up the walls of Mycenae and Tiryns. The Royal Palace: Consisting of domestic apartments, the Throne Room Suite, the Grand Staircase, a collection of rooms for officers or palace officials and the Forecourt.
Rich in gold! King Agamemnon's mythical kingdom sung in Homer's epics. It is the most important and richest center of the late Bronze Age.
The Lions Gate: The main entrance of the Bronze age citadel of Mycenae erected during the 13th century BC.
The Treasury of Atreus: A large tholos or beehive tomb constructed during the Bronze Age around 1250 BC. Tomb of Clytemnestra: A Mycenean tholos type tomb built in 1250 BC named after Clytemnestra the wife of king Agamemnon and leader of the Greeks in Trojan war.
The Mycenean Archaeological Museum: The most important Mycenean artifacts are exhibited here. You will be dazzled by the gold grave goods, burial masks, jewellery, weapons, worship idols and frescoes.
Visit Acrocorinth, the acropolis of ancient Corinth, a monolithic rock overseeing the ancient city of Corinth. It is one of the most impressive and dominant acropoleis of the Peloponnese. Gates: A system of 3 circuit walls reinforced by towers. Keep Temple of Aphrodite: On the highest of the two picks of the mountain are traces of the temple of Aphrodite on the site. Frankish Tower: At the SW edge of the precipitous rock fortified during Frankish times forming the inner keep of the fortress. Remains of churches, mosques, houses, fountains and cisterns are preserved here.
Peirene Spring: Located within the encircling walls, a gift of Asopus to Sisyphus.
Views of Geraneia Mountain: Enjoying breathtaking views of the Corinthian gulf and the SW coast of the Peloponnese.
Hadgimoustafa spring: a fountain built during the Ottoman empire. Ancient Corinth Archaeological Museum: Housing a large collection of artifacts from the local site and from smaller sites in the neighboring area. Temple of Apollo: One of the earliest Doric temples in the Peloponnese and the Greek mainland with monolithic columns, rare in the ancient world, built around 560 BCE. Agora: A rectangular construction 160 m long and 70 m wide, consisting of central shops, small temples and altar and the renowned podium or Bema from where Apostle Paul addressed the Corinthians in 52 AD. Roman buildings. Bema or Pedestal Theatre and Odeon/Asklepieion Lechaion road: Facing the Corinthian gulf leading to the port of Lechaion. St. Paul's church: Admiring a magnificent mosaic mural depicting Saul's vision from Christ as he was travelling to Damascus to persecute the Christians. Treat yourself to an authentic "village style" lunch on a magnificent terrace overlooking ancient Corinth's archaeological site and the temple of Apollo. Stroll amongst the village shops where you can treat yourself and buy handmade souvenirs for your family and friends.
Malagavi Lighthouse. Heraion / Blue Lake. Enjoy your refreshing swim and bathe under the Helenic sun.
Drive back to your chosen hotel 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
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- 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 available
Reviews(10)
Great tour! Yannesk was a wonderful driver & guide. He was very knowledgeable and informative. Time to relax at the Temple of Hera at the end of the day was simply delightful. We would highly recommend.
Thank you! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the tour and had time to relax at the Temple of Hera. Yannis will be happy to hear your kind words. We’d love to welcome you back for another adventure soon! Warm regards, Ancient Greece Tours & Transfers
We absolutely loved this tour but more than the activities we appreciated the care and knowledge of our driver Yannis. He knew so much about were we were going and he even provided a book for us to reference that our kids loved. His attention to detail and kind demeanor made our day extra special. Of course, the itinerary was amazing - the canal was impressive and the ruins were magical; our swim at the blue lagoon was the perfect ending to an amazing day. We would definitely recommend this tour.
Thank you so much for this wonderful review! We're delighted to hear how much you enjoyed the tour — and even more thrilled that Yannis made the experience so special for your family. His knowledge, thoughtful details, and warm personality really do elevate the day, and we're glad your kids loved the book he shared. The Corinth Canal, the ancient sites, and that refreshing swim at the Blue Lake truly make for a magical combination, and it means a lot to us that you felt the day was memorable from start to finish. We’d be honored to welcome you back on another adventure anytime! Best regards, George Ancient Greece Tours & Transfers
The whole experience was phenomenally worth it. Tas, our guide was not only hugely knowledgeable about the history of a Ancient Greece, you can tell he really cared about it, and it brushed off onto us. We came back learning so much more than we anticipated. The drive itself was thoroughly enjoyable and we were never without a joke here and there. When you have an Aussie and Kiwi and an Englishman together, this can only be a good sign! Our lunch was to die for and the views were something else! On a personal note I proposed to my girlfriend at the Temple Of Hera. Not only did Tas keep my idea a secret, he played a massive part in it too. We will never forget that. I would 100% recommend this trip and any other that this amazing company has to offer. I can assure you, you will be looked after! Tas, thank you again my friend. Big Hugs!
Yannis picked us up on time from our apartment. He was friendly and great from the beginning. It is a long drive, but the car was clean and comfortable. He had plenty of much needed water. It was great seeing the canal, the old boat road, the castle in Corinth, and the ancient ruins. We had to adjust our tour stops because we stayed longer at some and shorter at others, but he got us to our tour guide (we booked as an extra) right on time! He went above an beyond for us, stopping at the temple of Hera for a sunset visit. He even offered to take us a few more places, but by then we were just ready to head home! I love to venture out of town, but I prefer the stress-free experience of someone else driving and telling me what's best to see. I highly recommend this tour!
Wonderful tour! Panos was a great guide—informative and responsive. It is a long day, with a lot to do, but he had great recommendations for all of the sites and the best place to eat with a great view.
Not only were the places we saw so interesting, but Yannis was the kindest, best tour guide! Thank you for a special day.
It was a beautiful day, the driver was pleasant and friendly, gave us plenty of time to enjoy the different places we went, and then he brought us to this beach that was wonderful and the water was so clear, the restaurant was clean and everyone was friendly and I just can't say enough about how wonderful the food was.
Good time, able to adjust schedule and places to see. This is not a tour but really a guy that takes you to the sights with some humor/ food and a good car. Time at the places are short so exploring is not a real option as it got us in some time trouble.
We truly enjoyed our day trip out of Athens on this tour. In particular, we were fascinated with the Mycenae and Corinth ruins and their museums. It was also great to see some of the Greek countryside which contrasted beautifully against busy Athens. Our driver was a pleasure. Although he could not accompany us into the sites, this was great for us. As we drove, he gave us much of the history and background to put the sites into context, and then we enjoyed going through the sites at our own pace. He suggested a perfect local restaurant for our lunch, and wisely recommended visiting an 18th century castle in place of visiting Blue Lake since we came in the winter.
We were delighted to be hosted by Tas for a memorable day trip from Athens in Mercedes comfort, with knowledgeable and friendly banter from a dual Greek-Australian! We were happy to take Tas’s local knowledge and advice to vary our itinerary, visiting Nafplio instead of the Blue Lake, considering the winter weather and short days. Tas imparted his extensive historical and archeological knowledge along the journey, leaving us at strategic points to enter the museums and archeological sites at Ancient Corinth and Mycenae, where we enjoyed our self tours at our own pace. All of the sites and museums were extremely well set up with amazing relics and informative descriptions in Greek and English. We also enjoyed the flexibility of an unscripted trip to the heights of Acrocorinth, with spectacular views of the gulf. We finished the day with a trip to the original capital of modern Greece, Nafplio, now a charming port town, where we had a delicious meal of local specialties, meatballs (keftedakia) and moussaka! In summary, a relaxing, fascinating and educational day in great comfort and company!