Peloponnese Trips from Athens

Athens is the capital of Greece and one of the most populous cities in the country. It is home to many historical destinations of interest that you won't want to miss during your stay. Such is the case of the Peloponnese peninsula, considered the region with the greatest archaeological wealth of the whole country.

Therefore, among the best things to do in Athens you should include in your itinerary one of the excursions to the Peloponnese. You will be able to see the Corinth Canal, the Temple of Zeus, the Theatre of Apollo, the Gate of the Lions, which are unique wonders in the world present in the millenary cities of Mycenae, Olympia, Delphi, Meteora, Argolid, among others, that make up the aforementioned peninsula.

If you don't have much time during your visit to the Hellenistic capital, but still want to take one of the day tours and excursions from Athens, you can't miss a guided tour of the Argolid.

This is a historical region located in the north-east of the Peloponnese peninsula, where you will find many hidden treasures.

The day trip usually starts and ends at the door of your hotel in Athens. There, you will board a bus and depart together with your guide for a historical adventure, which will provide you with beautiful natural and archaeological landscapes.

Corinth Canal

The driver will take you along the coastal route of the Saronic Gulf towards the Corinth Canal, where he will stop for a few minutes. In this way, you will be able to enjoy this natural monument where the waters of the Ionian Sea and the Aegean Sea converge.

Mycenae

The tour continues to Mycenae, the land that saw the birth and rule of King Agamemnon. In this region, you will have the opportunity to explore an archaeological site of great importance in the history of Greece, immortalised by the great Homer in his poems.

Afterwards, you will have a break for lunch and immediately head to other attractions, such as the Cyclopean Walls, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the royal tombs just outside the walled enclosure and the Lions' Gate, erected in the 13th century BC.

Epidaurus

You will then bid farewell to Mycenae as you cross the plains of Argolid. You will pass through the village at the foot of the fortress of Palamidi and take some pictures before heading to your next destination.

This is Epidaurus, where you will see the Nauplia Theatre, whose history dates back to the 4th century BC.

You will then return to Athens with plenty of time to continue with other activities: take one of the gastronomic tours or cooking classes, go shopping in the malls or use a transfer service to Athens airport, in case it is your last day in the city.

Interesting details

• Price: from 100€ per person.
• Duration: 10 hours (approx.)
• Means of transport: bus.
• Advantages of this option: you won't have to worry about paying taxes, tips, entrance fees to attractions or lunch, as these costs are usually included.
• Disadvantages of this option: Pets are not usually accepted on this type of tour.

If you want to make the most of your 3-day visit to Athens, you should carefully organise your itinerary of things to do in summer or at any other time of the year.

A half-day trip to the Peloponnese to visit the town of Mystras is a good idea. You can also visit the Greek islands, in particular Monemvasi and the medieval village at its foot.

Mystras

This tour departs from Athens by private car to Mystras, where you will make your first two-hour stop to discover its fortresses, palaces, ruins and libraries.

It is a Byzantine city declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is usually visited:

• Metropolitan Palace, which houses the Byzantine Museum of Mystras.
• Church of Agios Dimitrios where you will enjoy a privileged view of the city of Sparta.

The next stop is the amazing Diros Caves, considered to be the oldest region in Greece. There, you will be treated to a unique visual spectacle, featuring a system of crystal stalagmites and stalactites, reflecting a range of hues: amber, black, purple, deep red and pink.

Monemvasia

You will advance to the island of Monemvasia, a huge rock that connects to Mystras via a bridge. In this area you will find a medieval village surrounded by imposing walls that, in ancient times, served as protection against enemy attacks.

You can walk along cobbled streets as you explore the surroundings, climb to the top of the castle and enjoy a privileged view of the sea.

Afterwards, it's time to return to the Hellenic capital to join a hop-on hop-off bus tour, a bike tour or simply walk at your own pace through the main streets in search of adventure.

Details of interest

• Price: from €229 per person.
• Duration: 8 to 10 hours (approx.)
• Means of transport: private car, usually a Mercedes Benz is used.
• Advantages of this option: the driver in charge has extensive knowledge about what you will see during the tour, so he will be able to guide you through each attraction without any inconvenience.
• Disadvantages of this option: Usually, the entrance fees to the archaeological attractions are not included in this tour. Therefore, you will have to bear this expense on your own.

The Peloponnese is a place with many wonderful destinations, so you may need several days to explore them all.

However, if you only plan to be in Athens for 1 day and don't want to miss the opportunity to escape the city to see some of the main archaeological sites and enjoy the beautiful natural scenery, then a Mycenae and Epidaurus tour will be enough for you.

This tour usually starts at the door of your hotel in the city. There you will board a bus and, accompanied by a specialised guide, set off for the Peloponnese following the coastal route of the Saronic Gulf.

Ruins of Mycenae

The first stop is the city of Mycenae. There, you can explore the ruins of this ancient fortress on foot, while your guide tells you about the history of the site and its ancient ruler, King Agamemnon. All this, minutes before seeing the Lion's Gate and entering the Tomb of Agamemnon and the Palace.

Afterwards, there is usually a stop at the seaport of Nafplion in the Gulf of Argolic to enjoy the beautiful seascape.

Archaeological sites of Epidaurus

Afterwards, you will continue on to Epidaurus, where you will have the opportunity to walk around one of the archaeological sites that has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

This is the Temple of Asclepius, which is the central building of the sanctuary dedicated to the Greek deity of medicine (Asclepius).

To end the excursion, you can visit the Theatre of Epidaurus. You will be amazed by this monumental construction dating from the 4th century BC, which was built for the purpose of holding a competition in honour of Asclepius and which, today, continues to be a place with very good acoustics.

You will then bid farewell to Epidaurus and the Peloponnese, return to Athens and, why not, take a stroll to see the highlights of the Plaka quarter, part of the old town, or join a sunset cruise from Athens.

An excursion to the coastal region of Nafplion in the Peloponnese is one of the top 10 things to do in Athens in January or any other month of the year.

You'll discover beautiful natural scenery and historic buildings from the Middle Ages that invite you to photograph them. In addition, you can sample the local cuisine, buy souvenirs and much more.

Normally, you will meet your driver at an agreed location in the city centre of Athens. Afterwards, you start a bus route to Nafplion in the Peloponnese.

Corinth Canal

and Palamidi Hill Before arriving in Nafplion you will make a couple of stops, starting at the famous Corinth Canal, whose architectural work dates back to the 19th century. In turn, you will see the blue waters of the Adriatic Sea and the Aegean Sea, which meet in this area.

Afterwards, continue the adventure at Palamidi Hill. You will go back in time when you start walking around this 17th century fortress and you will be amazed by the panoramic view you will get of the Argolic Gulf and the city of Nafplion in general.

City of Nafplion

Once in the city of Nafplion, known for being the capital of modern Greece during the period from 1823 to 1834, you will enjoy a real medieval atmosphere. In addition, you will have the opportunity to walk through its narrow cobbled streets, while discovering some shops, monuments and privileged views:

• You will be able to sit back, relax and taste the delicious local food in the shops, cafes and restaurants of the city.
• See Syntagma Square, built between the 18th and 19th centuries.
• Walk along the boulevard of Nafplion harbour and see Bourtzi Castle in the distance.
• Watch the changing of the guard, which takes place every day.

Details of interest

• Price: from 134€ per person.
• Duration: 6 hours (approx.)
• Means of transport: bus.
• Advantages of this option: you won't have to worry about taxes and entrance fees to the attractions, as these are included in the tour.
• Disadvantages of this option: the tour does not include a guide, so you will have to do the tour at your own pace.

If you plan to be in Athens for 7 days or more, you should incorporate a visit to the Peloponnese into your itinerary.

This is a peninsula with a large number of archaeological sites, which are worth discovering carefully on a four-day, three-night excursion, with a specialist guide to accompany you on your exploration.

Day one

This type of adventure usually begins with hotel pick-up, where you'll board a luxury coach for the historic province of Argolid.

The first stop is usually at the famous Corinth Canal. There, you will admire the breathtaking panorama and together with your guide you will learn about the history of the place.

The route continues to the Theatre of Epidaurus, known for its good acoustics. Next, you will stop at Mycenae and experience a unique moment when you will visit the Acropolis of Athens and the tomb of the mythical Greek hero Agamemnon. Afterwards, you will go to Olympia for the first night.

Day two

The second day of the tour focuses on Olympia Peloponnese. There you can see the following points of interest:

• Temple of Zeus: you can walk around one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece, belonging to the mythical god of thunder and sky, father of gods and man.
• Olympic Stadium: located just east of the Temple of Zeus. At this historic site, you will see a sandy esplanade where a series of sporting events were once held.
• Phidias' Workshop: you will see the ruins of the workshop of Phidias, renowned artist of Greek classicism, author of the sculpture of Zeus in Olympia, Athena in the Parthenon, among others.
• Museum of Olympia: you will see a series of exhibits from the classical period, before heading to the city of Delphi for the night.

Day three

The third day is spent in Delphi, which was once considered by the Greeks to be the centre of the world.

In this town you will have the opportunity to visit the Archaeological Museum and see the Aurelius of Delphi, a bronze sculpture of Pythagoras of Regius dating back to 474 BC.

You will also be able to visit the imposing Apollo Theatre, stroll around the sanctuary of Delphi and see the Fountain of Castalia. You will then depart for Meteora for a final overnight stay.

Day Four

On the last day of the tour from Athens, your guide will take you to the rock formations that make up this region, including the sky-suspended monasteries, which have been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for over 30 years.

In addition, you have the opportunity to climb to the top of two of Meteora's monastic centres and enjoy a privileged view. Inside these enclosures you will discover jewellery, frescoes and other ancient artefacts.

Finally, you will set off for Athens, but first you will pass through Thermopylae, a gorge with hot springs.

Interesting details

• Price: from 438€ per person.
• Duration: 4 days.
• Means of transport: luxury coach.
• Advantages of this option: you won't have to worry about spending extra money paying for entrance fees to each of the museums and attractions, as these are usually included with the tour.
• Disadvantages of this option: if, during the tour, you want to eat or drink in a restaurant in the town you are visiting, you will have to pay for it yourself.

The Peloponnese is a place with a lot of history and important archaeological sites, many of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Undoubtedly, these are enough reasons for Peloponnese to be a recommended destination during your visit to Athens in 2 days or more.

In addition, there are its imposing natural landscapes, temples, castles, among other attractions that you can discover by touring the ancient cities belonging to the Peloponnese: Mycenae, Argos, Corinth, among others.

If during your visit to Athens you are planning to join one of the Peloponnese tours of one or more days, you should keep in mind some tips, which could enhance your experience during the tour:

• When visiting the monastic centres of Meteora, you should wear long trousers or a skirt below the knee. Otherwise, you will not be able to enter the monastic sites.
• Wear rubber-soled, slip-resistant footwear that will allow you to move around comfortably and safely. Remember that during the tour you will have to explore some ruins, where the terrain is uneven and slippery.
• Don't buy bottled water, and instead, have a thermos flask handy. You can refill it at any tap, as water is safe to drink in Athens. This will save you money and help preserve the environment.