Overview

Embark on an unforgettable historical adventure through three of Greece's most captivating cities – Ancient Corinth, Mycenae, and Nafplion –
Begin your journey in the ancient city of Corinth, once a bustling hub of trade and commerce in the classical world. Pay homage to the apostle Paul, who preached in Corinth in the first century AD.
Venture into the Peloponnese to Mycenae, the legendary city of Agamemnon, the king who led the Greeks in the Trojan War. Stand in awe before the Lion Gate, the colossal entrance to the citadel, guarded by two imposing lion statues.
At the end embark on a scenic drive to Nafplion, a charming seaside town nestled on the Argolic Gulf. Immerse yourself in the city's captivating atmosphere, wandering through its narrow cobblestone streets lined with Venetian and Ottoman-era architecture.

Description

Stop At: Isthmus of Corinth, Isthmus of Corinth, Greece

Isthmus of Corinth dividing the Saronic Gulf from the Gulf of Corinth, an inlet of the Ionian Sea. It connects the Peloponnese with mainland Greece. In ancient times ships were dragged over the isthmus in transit between the Saronikós and Corinthian gulfs. The idea for a shortcut to save boats from having to sail all the way around the Peloponnese was long considered by the Ancient Greeks. The first attempt to build a canal there was carried out by the tyrant Periander in the 7th century BC. In 67 CE the Roman emperor Nero began constructing a canal through it. Finally, in 1893 a 3.9-mile (6.3-km) ship canal, the Corinth Canal, was opened that shortened the journey from the Adriatic Sea to Athens’ port, Piraeus, by more than 200 miles (320 km). To the south is the site of the Isthmian sanctuary at which the biennial Isthmian Games were celebrated in antiquity.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Ancient Corinth (Archaia Korinthos), Argous 105, Ancient Korinthos village, Corinth 20007

It is known that civilization existed in Corinth at least as early as 6500 BC, and continually occupied into the Early Bronze Age. The archaeological site of Ancient Corinth lays on the northern foothills of the Acrocorinth hill, around the Archaic Temple of Apollo. Extended excavations and have brought to light the Roman Forum, temples, fountains, porticoes, baths, latrines and various other monuments. Corinth was renowned in ancient Greece for its unique architectural inroads (this is where the Corinthian style originates) and its iconic black-figure pottery that was invented there. Limited excavations were conducted in 1892 and 1906 by the Archaeological Society of Athens under the direction of A. Skias. The systematic excavations of the area, initiated by the American School of Classical Studies in 1896, are still continuing today.

Duration: 35 minutes

Stop At: Archaeological Museum of Corinth, Old Corinth, Corinth 20010

The Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth is a museum with a collection full of artifacts from the local archaeological site and the general area of Corinth. The artifacts cover the history of Ancient Corinth through Greek, Roman, and Byzantine rule. Exhibits include statues, mosaics, pottery and sarcophagi.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Archaeological Museum of Ancient Mycenae, Mycenae

The Archaeological Museum of Mycenae is located within the archaeological site of Mycenae. The collection reveals various aspects of the everyday life of the Mycenaeans, as well as their beliefs about the afterlife and death. The museum offers valuable insights into the remarkable achievements of the Mycenaean civilization that forever shaped and determined the ancient Greek world.

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Archaeological Site Mycenae, Mycenae 21200

Mycenae is situated upon a small hill-top on the road leading from the Argolic Gulf to the north. The site was inhabited since the Neolithic times (about 4000 BC) but reached its peak during the Late Bronze Age (1350-1200 BC), giving its name to a civilization which spread throughout the Greek world. During that period, the acropolis was surrounded by massive "cyclopean walls", built in three stages (ca.1350, 1250 and 1225 BC), with the exception of the SE flank where a steep ravine provided natural defense. A palace was built on the summit of the hill, while towards the Argolic plain lay the wall-painted "Cult Center", the main gate or "Lion Gate" and the "Grave Circle A", the burial ground of the Mycenaean royalty. On the NE side, a tunnel leading to a subterranean fountain was built in "cyclopean" masonry in around 1225 BC.

Duration: 35 minutes

Stop At: Citadel and Treasury of Atreus, Mycenae

Virtually within spitting distance of the fortified citadel of Mycenae is a large, underground tomb that carries the misleading name “Treasury of Atreus”. The monumental structure is what we today classify as a tholos or “beehive” tomb. This is the most impressive, most ostentatious form of funerary architecture in the Aegean. Tholos tombs were constructed in the centuries leading up to ca. 1200 BC, when most of the Mycenaean palaces were destroyed.

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Nafplio, Nafplio

Nafplion was already inhabited in the Mycenaean period (1600-1100 BC) and up till the present day, although there have been times that the city was largely deserted. Known in Venetian times as “Napoli di Romania”, the modern Nafplion is largely an Italian-looking town. It was also the first capital of modern Greece after the war of independence against the Ottoman rule. The first president of Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias, was murdered in Nafplion in 1831.

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes