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.
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.
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.
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.
The Archaeological Museum of Mycenae is found at the entrance of the ancient site, just a few steps before the Lion Gate.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Awesome day! Picked up at the port, then a great experience at Mycenae and Epidaurus, and wonderful lunch in Nafplio, and dropped off at hotel…driver/guide was outstanding! Thanks!
George picked us up right on time. The company uses Mercedes vans which are pretty comfortable and easy to find. This is an all day tour. We first went to the Corinthian Canal. We've been to the Panama Canal; this was different, but still amazing. It's hard to believe they dragged boats all the way across before the canal was dug. George explained how it was built and why. This was our pit stop on the way to Mycenae to see the ruins. When you get to Mycenae, it seems like it will be a lot of walking, but except for the very first part, it's actually pretty easy to get to the top. There's lots to see and a decent museum nearby. While we were getting there, George explained the context of the site with regards to the history of the area. It made seeing it a lot more interesting. Keep in mind that tickets to places like this are not included, but are not expensive, usually 20 euros. Included with the ticket is seeing the Tomb of Atreus, which was fascinating and a "not to miss". We then went to the Amphitheater of Epidaurus. This is a fantastical place. I walked all the way to the top of it, and could hear people talking all the way on the ground. It was a bit tiring to walk up, but honestly walking down was easy. George explained how and when it was used. It avoided the typical destruction over the years and has been restored. The surrounding area is an archeological site where you can see people restoring the area. It's extremely interesting. We chose the optional Greek lunch and George took us to Nafplio, a small town at the sea, for lunch. I will warn you that the food comes in family quantities, so order accordingly. The food was excellent, I had the pork loin and my wife had the shrimp in pasta. After lunch, we had some time to look around, and it was kind of your idyllic seaside town. The mega yachts in the bay were incredible. The town was very beautiful and picturesque, and fun to walk through. Afterwards, George took us to the top of town for photo options, explaining the history of the area and of the town. It was all fascinating and brought the place to life. We returned around 6:30pm. George is a good driver and we never felt uncomfortable. In fact, George is extremely personable and his explanations of the history and context of the areas kept us from being bored on the drive. He is amazingly knowledgeable, easy to understand and a pleasure to be with. We completely recommend this tour, especially with making time for visiting Nafplio. If you're lucky, you'll get George to make sure you have a great time.
A fantastic full day tour. Well worth it!
We joined this tour as a Japanese couple and had a very good experience. Our driver, Alex, arrived at our hotel right on time on the day of the tour. He was not only a careful and reliable driver, but also gave us some simple explanations along the way. He also took us to some recommended photo spots, which we really appreciated. One thing to note is that you need to purchase your own entrance tickets for the archaeological site of Mycenae in advance or on your own. You do not need to buy a ticket for the driver. In Nafplio, Alex also gave us some free time to explore the town at our own pace, which was very nice. Overall, we thought this tour offered very good value for money and would recommend it to travelers looking for a comfortable and flexible private day trip from Athens.
We really enjoyed this day trip. Our driver was Costas. He arrived on time and was friendly and helpful throughout the day. We went to Epidaurus first. The ampitheater is absolutely worth going to see. The other ruins and the museum were of less interest. We then stopped in Nafplio for lunch. It's a beautiful town. We decided to skip going to the fort so we'd have more time to eat. We then went to Mycenae, which was incredible. The palace and surrounding archaeological site were a highlight of our trip and we strongly recommend anyone visiting Greece see them. The museum was good, but a lot of the most interesting things found at the site are at the main archaeological musem in Athens.
Dmitris was engaging, knowledgeable, and friendly. He was an excellent guide and provided context and history throughout the tour.
The drivers Nick and Bill were great and we had a lovely day. Everything we saw was interesting and such wonderful views. We would definitely recommend My Athens Tranfers for any group that wants to go on a few tours while staying in Greece.
Michael picked us up from our airbnb in a comfortable modern min van for a epic tour. This experience was amazing with history, mind blowing historical sites and delicious food! I definitely can recommend this tour for small groups.
Dimitri's English was excellent and he had a nice easy manner. Informative and friendly. It was great to have him as our driver.
We had a wonderful day with Dimitri Tabone. We were picked up from our hotel right on time and had a very comfortable drive to our destinations that included Mycenae, Epidavros and Nafplio. He is a great conversationalist and made our journey interesting and fun. We would recommend him for anyone looking for a private driver in Athens or surrounding areas.
I had a fantastic experience through the Peloponnese. My driver Vasilis was very friendly and knowledgeable of the area. Definitely recommend this trip to any small group that wants to get out of Athens for a day.
I had a fantastic time. All the sites are worth seeing while you’re in Greece. Vasilis was also an excellent driver and very knowledgeable of the area.
What a tremendous time, seeing the wonders Mycenae and Epidaurus capped off by dinner in the beautiful seaside town of Nafplio. Yiannis, our friendly and skilled guide, brought history alive with his impressive knowledge of the area and classical Greek civilization. The day flew by with bonus stops at the Corinth Canal and the Palamidi Fortress. Don’t miss this - a great day away from the city.
Excellent trip! Guide was extremely helpful and knew exactly where to take us. Thank you!
Had a fab day out, covering these sites. Our driver Vasilis was great, really safe driver with good knowledge of the sites.
We had a wonderful day with Costas. He took great care of us, from making sure we dressed for possible rain to filling our day with interesting facts, to discussing the influence the Greek language has on English. It was fun, informative and personal. The canal was impressive, even in the rain. The skies cleared allowing us to take in the grandeur of Epidaurus, the glorious views from a castle city, have a delicious lunch in Napfoli and walk in the steps of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. It was a great day.
An amazing day! Thank you Alix! My husband and I had a great day seeing some top sights outside of Athens! A private tour is the way to go!
Our guide was knowledgeable about the history of Greece and the sites we visited. Despite the bad weather we were able to visit sites in between breaks in the storm.
Travellers beware. Driver may reduce the itinerary without warning. We got caught in a traffic jam at the start of our trip and so a number of stops were not made. No discussion had with us to inform us this was going to happen until we questioned where we were going. Commentary about sites minimal approx 2minutes dialogue at each stop and very little during transit.
Spiros was an excellent tour guide and driver. He was very informative about Greek history and culture. He was friendly, accommodating when we needed bio-stops. We enjoyed his sharing Greek language information too.
Our tour was with Nico the driver and Nico the licensed tour guide, both were excellent. We are coming back to Greece soon and we want our next tour to be with the Nicos! Nico studied for years to get his license and it showed, we really appreciated the distilled, extensive knowledge of Greek history, explained in a passionate, easy way.
Yiannis was our excellent driver for our trip to Delphi. We had wonderful conversations and he found an excellent restaurant with fantasy views for our lunch. It was a good day.
My cousin (from Switzerland) and I (from Australia) had a great day on our private, full day tour of Mycenae, Nafplio and Epidaurus in the company of Notis who was both our driver and guide. The car was comfortable and spotlessly clean. Notis was attentive to our needs, gave valuable advice on how to get the most out of each destination and provided entertaining, informative and detailed information on each destination, Greek history, the Greek language and Greece’s place in the world. A memorable day
We had an excellent trip to Mycenae, Epidavros, and Nafplio with Alex. He was a pleasure and took good care of us. Definitely would recommend him as a driver. He provides excellent historical context for everything you will see.
Alex was our driver for a day trip from Athens to Mycenae, Nafplio, Palamidi Castle, and Epidaurus. Alex gave us excellent historical background for each place we visited and was always there to retrieve us and get us to the next destination. It was a long 11 hour day, but a private car offered convenience and flexibility. I would highly recommend booking Alex for your journey.
George was fantastic! We brought our four kids ages 5-12. He was so patient. Explained so much and gave some great information. We loved seeing this amazing part of greece!
The entire tour was well plan and excellent. Our guide Dimitri was very friendly and helpful, knowing lots of useful tidbits and best practices from a local perspective. He arranged everything strategically with excellent suggestions for sights to see and food to try. We had a great time!
We had a fantastic day of ancient history with Dimitri. He was very professional and made sure we got to each destination promptly. He had lots of good information and advice along the way.
Excellent experience our guide was Dimitris Tabone and he did a magnificent job. We were never rushed. He gave us plenty of time to enjoy each great site and was flexible with our priorities
We booked the Mycenae, Epidaurus and Nafplio private full day tour out of Athens, and it turned out to be the highlight of our time in Greece. Michael, our guide and driver, is the reason. He knows the history cold and tells it like a story rather than a lecture, so the Lion Gate and the tomb of Agamemnon actually landed instead of blurring into another pile of old stones. At Epidaurus he walked us through the acoustics of the theater and then let us try it ourselves, which everyone loved. In Nafplio he steered us to the right spots for lunch and a walk through the old town without any of the tourist trap nonsense. He read the group well too. He knew when to give us more detail and when to just let us wander and take it in. The driving was smooth and relaxed, the vehicle was comfortable and cool, and the pacing never felt rushed. If you are choosing between guides, ask for Michael. Thank you for a great day.
Great tour, great tour guide and great lunch spot if you choose the lunch package! The a/c in the car wasn’t super strong, so maybe that’s a constructive feedback, because it does get too hot inside. But the tour was great!
Alex our driver was amazing and friendly. We saw so much in a day and was never rushed. Seamless.
Unforgettable experience our driver Alex was fantastic
A great time exploring places outside of Athens. You see a completely different side of Greece on this trip. It was nice to have someone else drive and not worry about the traffic or finding our way. Nathan was a great tour guide and knew a lot about the area. Nafplio was a very nice spot to stop for lunch.
Amazing experience!! An absolute highlight from our trip. Mike made us feel extremely comfortable, was very professional and went above and beyond for us all day. Some of the highlights: - Very clean and comfortable car and arrived on time - Was flexible with the time and itinerary, allowing us to spend more time at attractions important to us - Added extra highlight stops to our itinerary along the way - Had a deep knowledge of Greece’s history, pointing out things along the way we would have missed ourselves - Recommended countless restaurant and dessert options for us not just for our day trip but also to enjoy during our time in Athens - He even stopped at a local supermarket so we could try the local apricots and cherries (which were delicious!!) We’re so glad that we picked this tour with my Athens Transfers and loved our time with Mike. We had such a great day chatting with him and feel like we finished with a new Greek friend!
This was a fabulous day trip! Our driver, George was fantastic! He was very professional, pleasant and knowledgeable, giving us detailed historical background before each site. He also recommended a lovely restaurant for lunch. We would recommend leaving early to beat traffic and tour buses to the site. The private car was new, clean and allowed us drop off right in front and to get in and out of sites easily.
We did the private tour to Mycenae, Epidaurus and Nafplio with Alex and it was absolutely brilliant. Alex was a brilliant and safe driver, but also great to chat to about the local area. He gave great tips on each place we went to. Thank you very much for a great day!
This day trip took us to 4 different places outside of Athens and everyone in the family thoroughly enjoyed it! Our driver, Visilis, was great! He also recommended a great restaurant in Nafpilo (a cute little seaside town) where we had the freshest seafood! We highly recommend this day trip and our driver!!
Worthwhile doing it even though it may seem like a long day. We had an excellent driver who was very knowledgeable and willing to share his knowledge. Every site we visited was very nice and we had received the necessary information to fully appreciate the experience. The included lunch was great, ample menu for food and drinks. Friendly service and great food. Highly recommended.
The private say tour to Mycenae, Epidaurus and Nafplio is a pleasant departure from touring Athens. Our private guide Dimitris I highly recommend. He isn an Athens local and knowledgeable of the history and area. Our trip with a quick pitstop was the Corinth Canal. The canal is a hidden marvel. Dimitris for us there, early enough that we avoided the group tour buses. On the way, Dimitris explained historical reference points and the reasons why the ancient kingdoms chose these geographical locations. Their are a lot of walking and vertical steps, but its worth the physical effort. The amphitheater at Epidaurus is spectacular and an acoustical wonder. In Nafplio we had a choice of lunch and/or browse the shops in an area that resembled the old paths or climb or visit the aite and clock tower the town. This was by far our best so far in Greece. I highly recommend Dimitris for his knowledge and his warm personality! S.King
This is a day long excursion into deep history. The drive was made very comfortable by Spyros who was a thorough professional. He explained little tid bits about the various places. The drive was long but relaxing, and the beautiful sunshine was a bonus. We had a nice lunch on the waterfront in the pretty little town of Nafplio . This trip is meant to see the beauty of Greece beyond Athens, cruising through pretty villages. Family liked it
We decided to take this day trip from Athens since it wasn’t too far away, but got us to visit a must-see for our daughter, the site of the Epidaurus Theater. Our driver/guide Nick for the day was excellent and the pictures of the views from the sites we saw will never do it justice for what we experienced in person. I was also ever-grateful for having our personal car experience vs the large bus tour groups visiting the sites that day. We made family memories that will last a lifetime, and we are forever grateful to the Greek hospitality shown to us by everyone we encountered.
I can’t express enough how much we enjoyed our tour and guide Dimitriis. He made the trip most enjoyable. He was very knowledgeable, kind and considerate, we learned so much and we highly recommend him as a tour guide
The driver was punctual, professional, and very friendly. Smooth ride, safe driving, and excellent local knowledge throughout the trip.
Alex was the best tour guide we have had in Greece. His knowledge of the sites and country were impressive and very informative. We thoroughly enjoyed our time, which went by very quickly. Anyone looking to learn more about the true history of Greece, ancient or modern, would really enjoy!
Notis was our Tour Guide/Driver, He was amazing! Recommended a great restaurant. We had a great tour for the day!!
It was a great day, despite the rain. Mike did a great job pointing out things along the way and sharing insights into Greek culture. We learned a lot! Mycenae was fascinating to us and we stayed there a little longer, so shortened our time in Nafplio. So much to see there too!
It’s a long day, but well worth it. We thought Mycenae was so interesting!! We spent extra time there, so had a little less time in Nafplio. Mike was a wonderful driver and shared a lot of interesting facts and stories along the drive and shared insight into Greek culture.
Excellent day with Spiro as our driver and guide. Would highly recommend. he was kind and accommodating. He was flexible with what we wanted to see and do.
We did the small group tour and it was just the 3 of us, excellent, personal tour with our drivers from my Athens transfers, Dimitri and Christos.
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