Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nafplio private tour from Athens
Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nafplio 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 the mythical King Agamemnon - Check out the perfect acoustics at Epidaurus's 4th-century amphitheater - Explore the harbor village of Nafplion
Book This ExperienceA glimpse of the journey
Your Itinerary
A curated journey through the experience
Corinth Canal
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.
10 minutesMycenae
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.
Archaeological Site Mycenae
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.
30 minutesLion Gate
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.
Archaeological Museum of Ancient Mycenae
The Archaeological Museum of Mycenae is found at the entrance of the ancient site, just a few steps before the Lion Gate.
30 minutesCitadel and Treasury of Atreus
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.
15 minutesEpidaurus Archaeological Museum
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.
30 minutesThe Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus
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.
30 minutesSanctuary of Asklepios
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.
Nafplio
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.
1 hour 30 minutesBourtzi
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.
10 minutesAkronafplia Fortress
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 Castle
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.
30 minutesIncluded
- Lunch - Enjoy authentic Greek traditional food
- Professional drivers with deep knowledge of history (not licensed to accompany you in any site)
- Private transportation
- Hotel/ airport/ port pickup and drop-off
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- WiFi on board
- Bottled water
Not Included
- Licensed tour guide (upon request and depending on availability)
- Entry or admission fees for archaeological sites
- Gratuities
Good to Know
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Infant seats available
- 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.
- Our company complies with all the health instructions of the World Health Organization about COVID-19
- Most travelers can participate
- Third party activities and especially extreme sports are not allowed during the tour. This can be a cause for immediate cancellation of the tour.
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
- Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
- COVID-19 vaccination required for guides
- Our company complies with all the health instructions of the World Health Organization about COVID-19
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Tickets & Cancellation
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.