Athens to Ancient Olympia. The 5-day adventure in the Peloponnese peninsula begins.

Corinth Canal - The Corinth Canal links the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It slices through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth, effectively separating the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland, making the peninsula almost an island. The canal, dug at sea level without locks, stretches 6.4 kilometers (4 miles) and is only 21.4 meters (70 feet) wide at its base, making it too narrow for most modern ships. Today, it holds little economic significance and serves mainly as a tourist attraction.

The idea of the canal dates back to classical times, with an unsuccessful attempt in the 1st century AD. Construction resumed in 1881 but faced geological and financial challenges that led to the original builders’ bankruptcy. Completed in 1893, the canal’s narrowness, navigational issues, and frequent closures for landslide repairs prevented it from attracting the expected level of traffic.

Ancient Corinth (Archaia Korinthos) - Corinth was a city-state (polis) on the Isthmus of Corinth, the narrow land bridge connecting the Peloponnese to mainland Greece, situated roughly halfway between Athens and Sparta. Since 1896, systematic archaeological excavations by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens have uncovered significant portions of the ancient city, with recent digs by the Greek Ministry of Culture revealing new aspects of antiquity.

For Christians, Corinth is notable for the two letters of Saint Paul in the New Testament, First and Second Corinthians. It is also mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as part of Paul’s missionary journeys. Additionally, the second book of Pausanias’ Description of Greece is dedicated to Corinth.

Ancient Corinth was one of Greece’s largest and most important cities, with a population of 90,000 in 400 BC. The Romans destroyed Corinth in 146 BC, rebuilt it in 44 BC, and later made it the provincial capital of Greece.

Rion-Antirion Bridge - The Rio–Antirrio Bridge, officially the Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge, is one of the world’s longest multi-span cable-stayed bridges and the longest of the fully suspended type. It spans the Gulf of Corinth near Patras, connecting Rio on the Peloponnese peninsula to Antirrio on mainland Greece by road. The bridge opened on 12 August 2004, just before the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics, and was used to transport the Olympic Flame.

Achaia Clauss - Achaia Clauss is a Greek winery in Patras, Peloponnese, founded in 1861 by Bavarian Gustav Clauss. It is renowned for its fortified red wine, Mavrodaphne. In 1859, Gustav Clauss, representing the Bavarian company Fels and Co., bought 60 acres of land from landowner George Kostakis in Riganokampos, Patras, at an altitude of 500 meters. Initially interested in blackcurrants, Clauss’s winery has hosted many notable visitors over the years, including Eleutherios Venizelos, Empress Sissy of Austria, General Montgomery, Alexander Fleming, Aristotelis Onassis, Omar Sharif, King Gustav Adolf of Sweden, Kings George I, Konstantinos I, and George II of Greece, Queen Alexandra of Great Britain, Queen Louise of Sweden, Queens Olga and Sofia of Greece, Princess Marie Bonaparte of Greece and Denmark, and Nadia Comaneci.

Archaeological Site of Olympia - In western Peloponnese, in the lush valley of the Alpheios river, lies the most celebrated sanctuary of ancient Greece, dedicated to Zeus, the father of the gods. It spreads over the southwest foot of Mount Kronios, at the confluence of the Alpheios and Kladeos rivers, in a verdant landscape. Despite its secluded location near the west coast of the Peloponnese, Olympia became Greece’s most important religious and athletic center. Its fame is primarily due to the Olympic Games, the greatest national festival held every four years to honor Zeus. In 776 BC, Iphitos, king of Elis, Kleosthenes of Pisa, and Lykourgos of Sparta reorganized the Olympic Games and established the sacred truce, or ekecheiria. The festival soon gained national significance. The sanctuary’s major development began in the Archaic period, evidenced by thousands of votive offerings from this era. This period saw the construction of the first monumental buildings, including the temple of Hera, the Prytaneion, the Bouleuterion, the treasuries, and the first stadium. The sanctuary continued to thrive into the Classical period, with the construction of the enormous temple of Zeus (470-456 BC) and several other buildings. The countless statues and precious offerings from this period were lost due to repeated pillaging, especially under Roman rule. In the Hellenistic period, the construction of lay buildings, such as the gymnasium and palaestra, continued, while in Roman times, several existing buildings were refurbished, and new ones were built, including hot baths, luxurious mansions, and an aqueduct.

Ancient Olympia to Koroni

Ancient Messini - Located on the Peloponnese peninsula, Ancient Messene is perhaps the most underrated archaeological site in Greece. Unlike many other ancient cities, it remained untouched by later settlements, preserving it exceptionally well. Excavations at this site began relatively recently compared to Epidaurus and Delphi, which explains its off-the-radar status. Despite this, Ancient Messene is one of the most impressive archaeological sites due to its sheer size.

Niokastro: Pylos Castle - Pylos, historically known as Navarino, is a town and former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. It was the capital of the former Pylia Province and is the main harbor on the Bay of Navarino. Pylos has been inhabited since Neolithic times and was a significant kingdom in Mycenaean Greece, with the remains of the “Palace of Nestor” excavated nearby. In Classical times, the site was uninhabited but became notable for the Battle of Pylos in 425 BC during the Peloponnesian War. Pylos is scarcely mentioned until the 13th century when it became part of the Frankish Principality of Achaea. Known increasingly by its French name Port-de-Jonc or Italian name Navarino, the Franks built the Old Navarino castle in the 1280s. Pylos came under Venetian control from 1417 until 1500, when the Ottoman Empire conquered it. The Ottomans used Pylos and its bay as a naval base and built the New Navarino fortress there.

Methoni Castle - The Castle of Methoni is a medieval fortification in the port town of Methoni, Messenia, in southwestern Greece. The castle occupies the entire area of the cape and the southwestern coast to a small islet fortified with an octagonal tower, protected by the sea on three sides. Its north part, facing land, is covered by a heavily fortified acropolis. A deep moat separates the castle from the land, with communication achieved via a wooden bridge. The Venetians built on the ancient battlements and made additions and repairs during their periods of occupation.

Koroni to Vathia

Archaeological Site of Mystra - Mystras, the ‘wonder of the Morea,’ was built as an amphitheater around a fortress erected in 1249 by the prince of Achaia, William of Villehardouin. Reconquered by the Byzantines, then occupied by the Turks and Venetians, the city was abandoned in 1832, leaving only breathtaking medieval ruins in a beautiful landscape. As the center of Byzantine power, Mystras quickly attracted inhabitants and institutions, with the bishopric transferred there from Sparta. Many monasteries were founded, including the Brontochion and the monastery of Christos Zoodotes. Under the Despots, Mystras reached its peak with the construction of churches, outstanding examples of Late Byzantine architecture, such as Hagioi Theodoroi, the Hodegetria, Hagia Sophia, the Peribleptos quarter, the Evangelistria, and the Pantanassa.

Gerolimenas - Gerolimenas is a picturesque small coastal village in the municipal unit of Oitylo, at the southern end of the Mani Peninsula, in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. The name, meaning “Old Harbour,” is thought to derive from the ancient “Ἱερός Λιμήν” (Hieros Limen), meaning “Sacred Harbor.” One of the remotest settlements in the Peloponnese, it was mainly accessible by boat until the 1970s. Historically a major fishing center, it featured substantial infrastructure such as a shipyard, ice supplies, and a fish market. Today, tourism is the main industry. According to the 2011 census, its population was 99 inhabitants, including the village of Ochia.

Vathia - Vathia is a village on the Mani Peninsula in southeastern Laconia. The local community of Vathia is named after this village, known for its tower-houses built on a hill dominating the surrounding countryside. Vathia is connected by road to Areopoli and Kalamata to the north and Cape Matapan (Tenaro) to the south. The southern reaches of the Saggias mountain range overlook the village to the north and east. Farmland and maquis shrubland cover the hill slopes. Around Vathia are clusters of abandoned houses, towers, and chapels known as the perichora, meaning environs. Vathia is a tourist attraction in spring and summer due to the abundance of wildflowers and scenic views. It also serves as an iconic example of south Maniot vernacular architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Gerolimenas to Monemvasia castle town

Caves of Diros - Diros Cave, Nature’s Underground Cathedral. The spectacular cave complex of Diros in the Peloponnese offers visitors a journey back to the Neolithic era and beyond. The drop in temperature as you descend underground for the 40-minute boat tour of Vlychada, the largest cave in the Diros complex, is just the beginning. The beautiful and dramatic formations of stalactites and stalagmites, formed millions of years ago, create an awe-inspiring underground landscape. The excitement of not knowing what lies beyond the illuminated 1.5k route and the realization of the vastness of this underground wonder, with its series of caverns stretching 15k into the rock and 2,800 waterways, adds to the experience.

Monemvasia Fortress - Monemvasia is a town and municipality in Laconia, Greece, located on a small island off the east coast of the Peloponnese. The island is connected to the mainland by a short causeway 200 meters in length. The island’s area consists mostly of a large plateau about 100 meters above sea level, up to 300 meters wide and 1 kilometer long, which is the site of a powerful medieval fortress. The town walls and many Byzantine churches from the medieval period remain. The town’s name derives from the Greek words “mone” and “emvasia,” meaning “single entrance.” Its Italian name, Malvasia, gave rise to Malmsey wine. Monemvasia is nicknamed the Gibraltar of the East or The Rock.

Monemvasia to Athens

Archaeological Site Mycenae - Mycenae is an archaeological site near Mykines in Argolis, northeastern Peloponnese, Greece. It is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) southwest of Athens, built on a hill rising 900 feet (274 meters) above sea level. In the second millennium BC, Mycenae was a major center of Greek civilization, a military stronghold that dominated much of southern Greece, Crete, the Cyclades, and parts of southwest Anatolia. The period of Greek history from about 1600 BC to 1100 BC is called Mycenaean in reference to Mycenae. At its peak in 1350 BC, the citadel and lower town had a population of 30,000 and covered 32 hectares. The first correct identification of Mycenae in modern literature was during a survey by Francesco Grimani in 1700, who used Pausanias’s description of the Lion Gate to identify the ruins.

Nafplion - Nafplio (Nauplio or Nauplion in Italian and other Western European languages) is a seaport town in the Peloponnese, Greece, expanding up the hillsides near the north end of the Argolic Gulf. The town was an important seaport held by various royal houses in the Middle Ages as part of the lordship of Argos and Nauplia, initially by the de la Roche following the Fourth Crusade, then by the Republic of Venice, and finally by the Ottoman Empire. Nafplio was the capital of the First Hellenic Republic and the Kingdom of Greece from the start of the Greek Revolution in 1821 until 1834. Today, Nafplio is the capital of the regional unit of Argolis.

Tolon - Tolo, an old fishing village, stretches along a beautiful beach, and its residents are known for their hospitality. In its sparkling sea, you can enjoy swimming, fishing, and various water sports. Tolo offers numerous small hotels, restaurants, and family-run businesses that provide the warm hospitality the area is known for.

The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus - The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is located in the Greek city of Epidaurus, at the southeast end of the sanctuary dedicated to the ancient Greek God of medicine, Asclepius. Built on the west side of Cynortion Mountain near modern Lygourio, it belongs to the Epidaurus Municipality. The theatre is considered the most perfect ancient Greek theatre in terms of acoustics and aesthetics. The monument retains the characteristic tripartite structure of a Hellenistic theatre, with an auditorium, orchestra, and staging building. The theatre did not undergo any modifications during Roman times.

• Evenings out transfers included
• Complimentary pickup and return from airport, residence, hotel, or port
• Exclusive private tour for your group
• WIFI, A/C, and chilled water on board
• Luxury new vehicles for travel
• 4 nights’ accommodation in 4-star or boutique hotels
• Expert English-speaking tour driver all day

• Your professional English speaking Tour driver can not enter to the sites.
• Gratuities
• Licensed guide for guiding in archaeological sites. Available on request
• Entrance fees
• Meals and drinks

Embark on a unique 5-day journey in Peloponnese, offering a blend of must-visit archaeological and historic sights alongside the region’s most striking, non-tourist trodden landscapes. This tour includes visits to Ancient Corinth, Olympia, Messini, Mycenae and Epidaurus, medieval townships of Nafplion, Monemvasia, Methoni, Pylos and Mystras, the awe-inspiring Diros Caves, and renowned Voidokilia and Peroulia beaches. Delight your palate with the local traditional seafood delicacies at seafront eateries boasting awe-inspiring vistas. Enjoy your rest at premium 4-star accommodations.
Exclusively travel in our brand-new private luxury MERCEDES BENZ vehicles - mini vans and mini buses ensuring your safety, comfort, and style, with our skilful professional English-speaking tour driver who will make you feel like a local.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.