This tour not only takes you to some of the most important archaeological sites but it is also designed to bring you closer to the natural beauties of the Greek country side, where history meets tradition.
Leaving Athens behind we drive on the coastal road towards the west. Our first stop (after approx. one hour), is the Corinth Canal. There we’ll make a short stop, enough to see the Canal, (approx. 6 km long connecting the Aegean with the Ionian Sea) take photos and visit the local cafeteria. Twenty minutes later we’ll arrive at tingthe small town of Ancient Corinth. This is a major stop of our tour, and we’ll visit the archaeological site and the museum and afterwards the town, for coffee or shopping. (Optional visit to Acrocorinth).
Now we leave the high way and we drive south, through the hills of Corinth. You can enjoy the scenery as we drive through the Greek countryside full of vineyards and olive trees, as far as the eye can see.
The winding road through the hills will take us to Nemea in approximately forty five minutes. There we will visit the archaeological site and the museum.
Nemea, one of the biggest vineyards in Greece has been well known even from ancient times for two things: The Nemean Lion and the Nemean Games.
The first of the twelve labors for the semi god hero Heracles (Hercules) set by the King of Mycenae (Mykines) Eurystheus was to rid the Nemean plain of the wild, enormous and extremely ferocious beast known as the Nemean Lion. This huge creature was the son of the monsters Typhon (who had 100 heads) and Echidna (half maiden – half serpent), and brother of the Theban Sphinx. Heracles was forced to stun the beast with his club before proceeding to strangle it. He then used the lion’s own claws to cut off its pelt. From this time on the skin of the Nemean Lion became one of the symbols of Heracles and so did the olive-wood club.
The Nemean Games, (one of the four Games of the ancient times) similar to the ancient Olympics took place here. Indeed, from 1996 there has been a revival of the Games that take place every four years. Members of its honorary committee are of all over the world such as writer Umberto Eco, Princeton Professor Edmund Keeley, Golden Olympic medalist Sergey Bubka etc.
A very good local winery is not too far from the site. During a very interesting visit you can taste a variety of local Greek wines and learn more about them. The order in which we visit the site and the winery can be changed according to your wishes. We can schedule lunch any time between Corinth and Nemea.
After the conclusion of our tour we return to Athens.
Duration approximately 8 hours
All our private tours are flexible. It is always up to you to change the itinerary according to your wishes.
Admission fees, hotel and food are not included in the price of the tour.
Entrance Fees to the Sites
| Ancient Corinth | 8 Euros including the Museum |
| Ancient Nemea | 6 Euros including the museum |
Sites’ Opening Hours
| Summer | Winter |
| From April 1st to October 31st | From November 1st to March 31st |
| 08:00-19:30 | 08:30-16:00 |
Reduced admission (50%)
| Original passport or copy necessary |
| Between 6-25 years old, from countries outside the E.U. |
| Senior citizens of the E.U. aged over 65 |
| Everybody from Nov. 1st to March 31st |
Free admission for visitors
| Original passport or copy necessary |
| Up to 25 years old from countries of the E.U |
| Children up to 5 years old from countries outside the E.U |
| Highschool & University students over 25 years old from countries of the E.U. (a certificate from the educational institution certifying tuition and its duration is necessary) |
Days of free admission for all to archaeological sites & public Museums
| March 6 (In Memory of Melina Mercouri) |
| April 18 (International Monuments Day) |
| May 18 (International Museums Day) |
| The last weekend of September (European Heritage Days) |
| Oct. 28 (National Holiday) |
| First Sunday of every month, from Nov. 1st to March 31st |
Holidays
| 1 January | Closed |
| 6 January | 08:30 – 15:00 |
| Shrove Monday | 08:30 – 15:00 |
| 25 March | Closed |
| Greek Orhodox Good Friday | 12:00 – 15:00 |
| Greek Orhodox Good Saturday | 08:30 – 15:00 |
| Greek Orhodox Easter Sunday | Closed |
| Greek Orhodox Easter Monday | 08:30 – 15:00 |
| May 1 | Closed |
| Holy Spirit Day | 08:30 – 15:00 |
| 5 August | 08:30 – 15:00 |
| 28 October | 08:30 – 15:00 |
| 25 December | Closed |
| 26 December | Closed |
