The Peloponnese

We spend an entire day on foot in ancient Athens. According to legend, the city was founded by King Theseus, best known for his Minotaur slaying heroics in Crete. We climb up to the Acropolis to visit the Parthenon, Theatre of Dionysus and Temple of Athena. The most important structures visible today derive from the Golden Age of Pericles. The afternoon we spend in the Acropolis Museum, built to house every artefact found at the Acropolis.

This morning we make an early morning departure to drive to the Panhellenic Sanctuary at Delphi, arriving before lunch. We explore the ancient site where the oracle was pronounced by a priestess called the Pythia who sat on a tripod over a chasm in the inner sanctum and, inhaling the vapours which issued from it, uttered prophecies in a trance. Later we return to Athens for our final night in the city.

We continue our exploration of Athens with a walk through the sites of the Agora, the political and commercial heart of ancient Athens where Socrates stood trial and where free-born male Athenian citizens could come to cast their vote. We view finds from the area in the Museum of the Ancient Agora, housed in the reconstructed Stoa of Attalos. After lunch we take the long journey west across the Peloponnese to Olympia where we will overnight for our site visit the following day.

This morning we explore Olympia, home of the first and greatest Panhellenic Games and the most important religious centre in the 8th century BC. Here we find the ruins of the ancient stadium, and temples such as the Pelopion, once the alleged tomb of Pelops, the mythical chariot-racing king who gave this region its name. The major festivals here provided opportunities for the meeting of representatives from the Greek states.

Today we start the day by visiting the Castle of Pylos Niokastro, a fortress built by the Turks on the hill above Pylos and provides magnificent views over the Navarino bay and the town of Pylos.
We head on to the Palace of Nestor, mentioned in Homer’s writings as home of the oldest and wisest among the Greeks fighting at Troy. The palace here is the best-preserved Mycenaean palatial structure excavated and includes reception areas, baths, store rooms and workshops. Enjoy a free afternoon in Pylos with an optional boat trip in the bay (not included).

We spend the morning in Messene, one of the most beautiful ancient cities in Greece. Pausanias visited the city between 155 and 160 AD and described it in his 'Guide to Greece'. Excavations in the city have continued for over a century, revealing a well-preserved stadium, odeon and many other buildings. We view finds from the area in the Archaeological Museum of ancient Messene. After lunch, we make our way towards Nafplion.

This morning we journey to the lovely town of Nafplion where we visit the Archaeological Museum. Before lunch we continue with a visit to the ancient site of Epidaurus, a celebrated centre of healing in the ancient world. Perched on the slopes of a hill, the town has both some of the finest examples of 14th and 15th century architecture in Greece, and some of the finest views. The afternoon is free to spend at your own leisure in Nafplion.

We explore the great Bronze Age hilltop site of Mycenae, another major hub of Greek civilisation and, according to Greek tradition, capital of legendary King Agamemnon. Excavations support Homer’s claim of a city ‘well built and rich in gold’. We wander into the city with its Cyclopean walls through the famous Lion Gate and view the archaeological remains of the acropolis, including the palace and the grave circles where the so-called mask of Agamemnon was found.

This morning, we visit the site of Nemea where, according to legend, Heracles fought the Nemean Lion. We see the Temple of Zeus. After lunch we will continue to the archaeological site of Tiryns, a Mycenaean hillfort said to have been the mythical birthplace of Heracles. We will see the citadel with its Cyclopean walls and the palace remains.

We drive to Corinth, which owed its prosperity to the isthmus that joins the Peloponnese to the mainland. One of the great cities of classical Greece, it was founded by Corinthos, a descendent of the god Helios, according to Hellenic myth. Upon arrival in Athens we will view the National Archaeological Museum in Athens with its fantastic collections.

Our Peloponnesian odyssey comes to an end. We bid farewell to the city of Athens and fly back to London.