A Day Trip from Athens to explore Classical Ancient Greece: Corinth, Acrocorinth, Mycenae, Nafplio & Epidaurus

The beautiful symmetry and sights from the top of the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus

Overview

Calling all Ancient History buffs!! Have you dreamed of seeing the beginnings of the Ancient Greek Empire? How about the locations that formed the platform for this powerhouse civilisation and the birthplace of democracy, arts, science and philosophy of western civilisation? Then this post’s for you! Greece is laden with ancient artefacts, temples and ruins but there is an extremely high concentration of these on the Peloponnese peninsula. The great news is that the Peloponnese is easily accessible as a day trip from Athens, the capital city of Greece. It is also possible to base yourself in the charming port side town of Nafplio and visit these ancient sites.

This day trip incorporates many of the best ancient Greek sites that lie close to Athens. Expect to be on the road for 10-12 hours to cover all sites listed.

Travel options

Tour company departing Athens
Private vehicle hire

Private car hire

We hired a private car because we visited the Peloponnese peninsula as part of our epic Mainland Greece Road Trip. This mainland road trip formed the first part of our 3 Week Itinerary in Greece, which incorporated the mainland and 3 islands. If you’ve been following the Mainland Greece Road Trip, then this post forms day 4 on the road trip and you’ll find more details on our experience with car hire in this article.

Recommended start time

There is a lot to pack into just one day! I’d recommend hitting the road at 7-8am latest, especially if you’re returning to Athens on the same day.

Day Trip Itinerary

Click on the hyperlink for more information on each site.

Depart Athens
Corinth Canal
Ancient Corinth (beware not the modern town of Corinth)
Acrocorinth
Mycenae
Nafplio
Epidaurus
Return to Athens or overnight Nafplio

Onwards travel recommendations

Mainland Greece

For anyone considering onwards travel through Greece, I’d recommend my above itineraries (Mainland Greece Road Trip as part of a fabulous 3 Weeks in Greece) because there are other fantastic locations to visit on the Peloponnese and also throughout the mainland. However for those with limited time, you’ll see a surprising amount in one day as outlined in this day trip itinerary! It’s also possible to combine this day trip tour, with an onwards journey to Delphi which will have you back in Athens in a total of 2-3 days.

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Ancient Nemea & Winery Tour

One of my favourite days of the Greece Mainland Road Trip was the day we spent visiting Ancient Nemea & our Nemea Winery Tour! You’ll be blown away with the historical wineries threaded through towering mountains. There’s also a hidden monastery built into the side of one such mountain. Most tours visit 3 local wineries and take visitors through Ancient Nemea also; site of the original Nemea Games! Standing on the original athletics track is a must! Half- and full-day Ancient Nemea Winery tours depart daily from Athens or Nafplio through various tour agencies.

Nafplio

The Day Trip tour from Athens covered in this post will take you through the beautiful port side town of Nafplio for a quick stop. However, it won’t be long before you realise how much you’d wished you’d stayed longer! We stayed for 2 nights and even this felt too short. Convert this day trip into a 3 day tour by adding an overnight stop in Nafplio, visit ancient Olympia (the birth place of the Olympic Games) & ancient Delphi and stay the second night in Delphi. Then return to Athens on the third day.

Transport & Maps

Where is the Peloponnese peninsula?

The Peloponnese is the expansive stellate land mass connected to the rest of mainland Greece at Patras and the Corinth Canal, as seen on the above Google image

What towns will I see on this one day trip from Athens?

Classical Ancient Greece landmark sites for your day trip: Corinth Canal, Acrocorinth, Mycenae, Nafplion & Epidaurus

Note the above map also shows the Nemea Winery Region, located close to Ancient Nemea. This was indeed one of my favourite days out: a winery tour combined with visiting ancient sites such as the first ever athletics tracks! I will write about this experience separately.

Road Map depicting the journey you’ll take on your amazing Classical Ancient Greece Day Trip from Athens!

Zoom in for further detailing.

Corinth Canal

A striking strait of water connects the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It separates the Peloponnese from Greece mainland, arguably making the peninsula an island.

The canal began as a 2000 year old dream, with various rulers failing to execute its construction. The 6.4km long canal was completed and first used in 1893. However due it being so narrow (24 metres wide at sea level and 21 metres wide at the bottom), modern ships can no longer pass. Thus it has lost its previous economic and trade function. However, smaller cruise companies do offer trips through the canal, which depart from Piraeus Port. It also serves as a great place for bungee jumping!

We found our way to two bridges with great vantage points along the canal: Isthmos Bridge and Corinth Canal Footbridge.

The Corinth Canal and Bungee Jump viewing platform to the right

Ancient Corinth

Until the rise of Athens, Ancient Corinth was the richest city of the ancient world and the most important commercial hub. It reached its economic peak in the 7th and 6th centuries BC with a large agricultural industry.

Ancient Corinth was one of the largest cities of Greece, with a population of 90,000 in 400 BC. The Romans demolished the city in 146 BC and built a new city in its place in 44 BC. It later became the provincial capital of Greece. Culture was influenced by a multicultural population comprising Greeks, Italians, Jews and others from Asia Minor, including many athletes and spectators.

Fun Fact!
The Apostle Paul lived in Corinth for a period of time and wrote about the city in First & Second Corinthians in the Bible’s New Testament, as well as in the book of Acts. In Corinth, Paul took up lodging and work with the Jewish tentmakers Aquila and Priscilla.

In the current day, the ruins of Ancient Corinth provide an important insight into the region’s ancient civilisation and architecture. Its most famous and notable structure is the Temple of Apollo which dates back to the early 7th century. Unfortunately the original building was considerably damaged, and the current temple columns were erected in the early 6th century BC to replace the damage. However, seven of these remain standing today: a sight to behold.

The Temple of Apollo in Ancient Corinth, with the Acrocorinth fortress seen on the hill in the background

Other structures on site include the Ancient Corinth Market, the Propylaia, the Peirini Fountain, the Conservatory, the Corinthian Grand Theatre and the Asklepieion.

Entry ticket to Ancient Corinth and excerpts from the site brochure

Pro Tip!
If you’ve hired a car for this journey then make sure you have entered ‘Ancient Corinth’ into your GPS road map! We accidentally went to Corinth, a small town that is not much to look at. The ancient ruins are a few kilometres away.

Fun Fact!
The famous black figure pottery art work originated in Corinth.

Acrocorinth

For views across the entire Gulf of Corinth, don’t miss this monumental Ancient Greece archaeological site!

To be honest, I had no idea of the grandeur of this site or the sweeping mountain top views that were about to be shown to me. The Acrocorinth, or Acropolis of Corinth, is a monolithic rock that oversees the ancient city of Corinth, as well as the surrounding vineyards and mountains and the Gulf of Corinth.

The far reaching sights from the top of the Acrocorinth

This medieval castle was fortified through a system of 3 enclosures separated by walls and reinforced by towers and bastions. Each enclosure or fortification structure belonged to a particular time period, spanning the classical period, Byzantine, Frankish, Venetian and Ottoman rule.

The ruins are simply awe-inspiring to walk through and I’ll never forget the views across the adjacent countryside. The Acrocorinth makes this day trip from Athens one you’ll never forget.

“It is the most impressive of the acropoleis of mainland Greece.”
George Forrest

The Acrocorinth Fortress and its impressive views

Pro Tip!
Check the opening hours before visiting! The Acrocorinth closes daily at 3.30pm at the time of writing. I’d allow 2 hours for this incredible site. We had not checked this detail prior and felt incredibly rushed!

Mycenae

Located between the two hills of Profitis Ilias and Mount Sara on the Argolid plain of the Pelopponese, this fortified late Bronze Age citadel dates from between the 14th and 13th century BCE. At this time, the Mycenaean civilisation was at its peak of power, influence and artistic expression. Mycenae, described as ‘rich in gold’, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and simply can not be omited from your day trip from Athens.

The Lion Gate & Megaron

Amongst other things, Mycenae is famous for its Lion Gate, the popular modern name for the main entrance on the northwestern side of the acropolis. The far reaching views on top of the Mycenae acropolis are well worth the short 15 minute hike up to the top. The large palace structure built around a central hall or Megaron is typical of Mycenaean palaces.

Lion Gate: the entrance to Ancient Mycenae

Ruins of the Megaron palace at Mycenae Archaeological Site

The Mycenae Shaft Graves & Gold Death Masks

On the slopes of the Mycenaean acropolis are the famous burial sites, the shaft graves. This was a common form of elite burials, with men laid to rest in gold masks and funerary armour and women dressed in gold crowns and clothes adorned in gold ornaments. At Mycenae, the Grave Circles A and B are incredible examples of this. Of further interest, the golden death mask of Agamemnon is displayed in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. This has been described by Cathy Gere, famous researcher, as the “Mona Lisa of prehistory”.

Grave Circles A & B at Mycenae Archaeological Site

Mythological links between Mycenae, the city of Troy and the Trojan War…

Fun Fact!
In Greek mythology, Mycenae was founded by Perseus. Two hypotheses compete as to how the site was named. Was it named after his sword scabbard (mykes) which fell to the ground and was regarded as a good omen, or was it in reference to the water spring he found near a mushroom (mykes)? Will we ever know?!
Perseus was the first king of the Perseid dynasty, after which came the Atreid dynasty whose first king, Atreus, had a son called Agamemnon. King Agamemnon led the expedition against Troy to recapture Helen during the Trojan War, which Homer accounted in his epic poem the Iliad.

Views across the surrounding vineyards near Mycenae

Nafplio

The gorgeous coastal city of Nafplio is not to be missed. The narrow cobblestoned streets weave amongst cute cafes, tourist shops and lively bars. Stay tuned for my write up on this magical little city! It is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, only 2 hours drive from Athens. On this one day tour from Athens however, it’s the perfect place to stop for a late lunch on the port overlooking the water, or for a refreshing drinks break.

Views across the old town of Nafplio from Palamidi Fortress

Epidaurus

Epidaurus is the birthplace of modern medicine

‘New Epidaurus’

Epidaurus (pronounced ‘Epidavros’) is a stunning combination of old meets new! The Epidaurus Theatre is its most famous structure and was constructed in the late 4th century to host religious ceremonial events in honour of the god Asclepius. It is still used for the arts to this day! We were lucky enough to be there during the Athens & Epidaurus Festival in 2021. During this visit we witnessed the incredible acoustics whilst watching the Greek National Opera practice for their show Manos Hadjidakis ‘Dance with my own shadow’. Combined with electronic microphones, the music and rippling ‘surround sound’ of the stadium was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. In addition, it’s all set within a lush green forest overlooking the valley below.

‘Old Epidaurus’

Located on the northeastern side of Peloponnese, in the region of Argolis, Epidaurus is a vast site comprising temples and hospital buildings. The Sanctuary of Asklepius was a treatment centre dedicated to Asclepius, the god of medicine and healing. It included the Temples of Artemis and Asklepius, the Tholos, the Enkoimeterion and the Propylaia. People with illnesses travelled long distances to the Sanctuary of Epidaurus to be blessed by Asclepius. In latter years, holy men at the sanctuary began to use herbs and cleansing rituals to provide treatments. The knowledge developed here became the basis for future medical innovations and the emergence of scientific medicine.

Epidaurus Theatre and the Sanctuary of Asklepius

Also of interest is the Ancient Stadium of Asklepius, located next to the Sanctuary of Asklepius. The stadium was constructed in the 5th century BC and hosted the nude athletic games every 4 years.