Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nafplio Full Day Private Tour from Athens
Venture south of Athens to discover highlights of the Peloponnese. Cross the Corinth Canal to leave mainland Greece and explore Mycenae, Epidaurus and Nafplion.
Starting in Mycenae, one of the ancient world’s most noteworthy cultures, then on to Epidaurus, with its theater and healing center that were milestones in the evolution of western civilization and ending up at Nafplio, the country’s most picturesque town, we take a route that is one of the most important historically speaking, in a country steeped in history.
- Full-day tour of Peloponnese highlights from Athens
- Travel the Isthmus of Corinth with its picturesque yet imposing natural beauty
- Visit the archaeological site of Mycenae, home to mythical King Agamemnon
- Check out the perfect acoustics at Epidaurus's 4th-century amphitheater
- Explore the harbor village of Nafplion
ItineraryThis is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Corinth Canal, Isthmia, Loutraki 201 00 Greece
The Corinth Canal connects the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland, arguably making the peninsula an island. The canal was dug through the isthmus at sea level and has no locks. It is 6.4 kilometres (4 mi) in length and only 21.4 metres (70 ft) wide at its base, making it impassable for many modern ships.
From high up, you can enjoy the best view of Corinth's isthmus and admire the steep limestone walls while you observe the vessels below you navigate their way through the canal.
Duration: 10 minutes
Pass By: Mycenae, Mycenae, Argolis Region, Peloponnese
The fortified citadel of ancient Mycenae, the seat of the mythical and mighty King Agamemnon. An impressive and well-preserved site, the city of Mycenae gave its name to an entire civilization. Admire sites such as the Tomb of Clytemnestra, the infamous Lion’s Gate, the Cyclopean walls and learn of their blood-stained past. In the second millennium BC, Mycenae was one of the major centres of Greek civilization, a military stronghold which dominated much of southern Greece, Crete, the Cyclades and parts of southwest Anatolia. The period of Greek history from about 1600 BC to about 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 an area of 32 hectares.
Stop At: Archaeological Site Mycenae, Mycenae 21200 Greece
The archaeological site of Mycenae comprises the fortified acropolis and surrounding funerary and habitation sites, which are located mainly to its west and southwest. Most of the visible monuments date to the centre's great floruit, from 1350 to 1200 BC.
Great Cyclopean walls surround the almost triangular acropolis, which is accessed from the northwest through the famous Lion Gate, the symbol of the Mycenaean rulers' power. The gate was named after the two opposing lions carved in relief and set into the relieving triangle, a typical feature of Mycenaean architecture, over the door.
Duration: 30 minutes
Pass By: Lion Gate, Mycenae Greece
The Lion Gate was the main entrance of the Bronze Age citadel of Mycenae, southern Greece. It was erected during the 13th century BC, around 1250 BC, in the northwest side of the acropolis and is named after the relief sculpture of two lionesses or lions in a heraldic pose that stands above the entrance.
The Lion Gate is the sole surviving monumental piece of Mycenaean sculpture, as well as the largest sculpture in the prehistoric Aegean. It is the only monument of Bronze Age Greece to bear an iconographic motif that survived without being buried underground, and the only relief image which was described in the literature of classical antiquity, such that it was well known prior to modern archaeology.
Stop At: Archaeological Museum of Ancient Mycenae, Mycenae Greece
The Archaeological Museum of Mycenae is found at the entrance of the ancient site, just a few steps before the Lion Gate.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Citadel and Treasury of Atreus, Mycenae Greece
The Treasury of Atreus or Tomb of Agamemnon is a large tholos or beehive tomb on Panagitsa Hill at Mycenae constructed during the Bronze Age around 1250 BC. The stone lintel above the doorway weighs 120 tons, with approximate dimensions 8.3 x 5.2 x 1.2m, the largest in the world. The tomb was used for an unknown period. Mentioned by the Roman geographer Pausanias in the 2nd century AD, it was still visible in 1879 when the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann discovered the shaft graves under the "agora" in the Acropolis at Mycenae.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Epidaurus Archaeological Museum, Asklepieion, Epidavros 210 52 Greece
Archaeological Museum of Epidaurus is a museum in Epidaurus, in Argolis on the Peloponnese peninsula, Greece. The museum, noted for its reconstructions of temples and its columns and inscriptions, was established in 1902 and opened in 1909 to display artifacts unearthed in the ancient site of Epidaurus in the surrounding area.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, Epidavros 210 52 Greece
The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is a theatre in the Greek city of Epidaurus, located on the southeast end of the sanctuary dedicated to the ancient Greek God of medicine, Asclepius. It is built on the west side of Cynortion Mountain, near modern Lygourio, and belongs to the Epidaurus Municipality. It is considered to be the most perfect ancient Greek theatre with regard to acoustics and aesthetics. The monument retains the characteristic tripartite structure of a Hellenistic theatre that has a theatron, orchestra, and skene. During Roman times, the theatre (unlike many Greek theatres) did not suffer any modifications.
Duration: 30 minutes
Pass By: Sanctuary of Asklepios, Epidavros 210 52 Greece
The Temple of Asclepius was a sanctuary in Epidaurus dedicated to Asclepius. It was the main holy site of Asclepius. The sanctuary at Epidaurus was the rival of such major cult sites as the Sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia and Apollo at Delphi. The temple was built in the early 4th century BC. If still in use by the 4th century AD, the temple would have been closed during the persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire, when the Christian Emperors issued edicts prohibiting non-Christian worship.
Stop At: Nafplio, Nafplio, Argolis Region, Peloponnese
Free time for lunch, coffee, or shopping at the ‘Naples of the East’ rich in Venetian architecture, cobbled squares, and towering castles with commanding views of the Argolic Gulf.
Afterwards, unwind by the harbor or get lost in the colorful back streets of the most elegant town in mainland Greece.
Nafplio is a seaport town in the Peloponnese in Greece that has expanded up the hillsides near the north end of the Argolic Gulf. The town was an important seaport held under a succession of royal houses in the Middle Ages as part of the lordship of Argos and Nauplia, held initially by the de la Roche following the Fourth Crusade before coming under the Republic of Venice and, lastly, the Ottoman Empire. The town was the capital of the First Hellenic Republic and of the Kingdom of Greece, from the start of the Greek Revolution in 1821 until 1834. Nafplio is now the capital of the regional unit of Argolis.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Bourtzi, The Harbor, Nafplio Greece
Enjoy the view of the water castle of Bourtzi, a Venetian castle located in the middle of the harbor of Nafplio, and take fascinating photos from the harbor side.
Duration: 10 minutes
Pass By: Akronafplia Fortress, Nafplio Greece
The Acronauplia is the oldest part of the city of Nafplion in Greece. Until the thirteenth century, it was a town on its own. The arrival of the Venetians and the Franks transformed it into part of the town's fortifications. Later, part of it was used as a prison until the Greek government decided that the view provided from its location would benefit the local tourism and built a hotel complex which still stands there today.
Stop At: Palamidi Castle, Eikostis Pemptis Martiou, Nafplio 211 00 Greece
Palamidi is a fortress to the east of the Acronauplia in the town of Nafplio in the Peloponnese region of southern Greece. Nestled on the crest of a 216-metre high hill, the fortress was built by the Venetians during their second occupation of the area (1686–1715).
The fortress commands an impressive view over the Argolic Gulf, the city of Náfplio and the surrounding country. There are 913 steps in the winding stair from the town to the fortress. However, to reach the top of the fortress there are over one thousand, while locals in the town of Nafplion will say there are 999 steps to the top of the castle.
Duration: 30 minutes
Informacion Adicional
"Not wheelchair accessible"
"Near public transportation"
"Infants must sit on laps"
"Infant seats available"
"Most travelers can participate"
"Our drivers are not official tour guides, but they are knowledgeable and can provide fascinating commentary in fluent English. Although they will not enter the archaeological sites with you, they can answer all of your questions about the places you visit with this tour."
"Third party activities and especially extreme sports are not allowed during the tour. This can be a cause for immediate cancellation of the tour."
"This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate"
"Confirmation will be received at time of booking"
Duration: 8 To 9 Hours
Start location: Traveler pickup is offered
This is a private tour. Only your group will participate. The pick-up time is adjustable upon your request.
Your personal driver will pick you up and return you to the same place or to the point you prefer.
In case of a hotel, he will be waiting for you in the hotel lobby.
In case of an apartment, he will be waiting for you at the entrance of the building.
For airport pick up, he will be waiting for you at the arrival hall holding a sign with your name on it to spot him upon arrival. We will track your flight and our driver will be there on time.
For port pick up, he will be waiting for you at the gate, just as you disembark, holding a sign with your name on it to spot him upon arrival.
Airports- Athens Intl Airport, Attiki Odos, Spata 190 04 Greece
Ports- Port of Piraeus, 10, Akti Miaouli str, Pireas 185 38, Greece
Cancellations and refunds:
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
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