An Exciting Exploration Of Peloponnese At Ancient Corinth, Mycenae And Nafplio

Pick up from your accommodation in Athens or your cruise ship pier at Piraeus port. The Port of Piraeus is the chief seaport of Athens, Greece, located on the Saronic Gulf on the western coasts of the Aegean Sea. Piraeus port is the largest port in Greece, home to Europe's biggest passenger port, and as such is a huge draw for cruise ships from around the world bringing tourists eager to explore this centuries-old city, and one of the largest in Europe. But yet another major draw is the fact that it's easy to visit Athens because it's located nearby. The Greek capital city of Athens is just 12 kilometers or 7 miles from Piraeus port. We will drive directly to the Acropolis to admire the Temple of Democracy!

You will be traveling through Attica, a journey” in 6,000- year history, the land that gave birth to ideas and arts, has created and shaped what we call today the western civilization. Today, a visit to Attica offers visitors a unique experience. A “journey” in its 6,000-year history, including the chance to see renowned monuments and masterpieces of the art of antiquity and the Middle Ages, and the architectural heritage of the 19th and 20th centuries. Here lies Athens, the capital of Greece, the busiest city of the country with the most prominent archaeological site and symbol of the country, the world-famous sacred rock of the Acropolis. Attica is home to some of the world’s most important and fascinating museums and archaeological sites, testimony to its long and prominent role in world history. Festivals featuring ancient Greek drama, as well as performances, sports, or culinary events are organized throughout the year, spellbinding the audience. Then travel towards Peloponnese!

Admire the travel along the coastal road of the Saronic golf till we will arrive at the famous Corinth canal in Peloponnese. The Peloponnese is a peninsula and geographic region in southern Greece. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridge which separates the Gulf of Corinth from the Saronic Gulf. Peloponnese grape varieties have a very special place in the treasure of native Greek grape varieties. Τhe Peloponnese Wine Roads take you on a journey to a modern, sometimes rare and definitely unknown to many wine world, full of authenticity and history. Native Peloponnese grape varieties do not only reflect the diversity of Greek and Peloponnesian wine, but also the significance of some very special Greek varieties. Among them are two of the four most renowned varieties of the Greek vineyard in the world’s best markets: the exotic Moschofilero-Mantinia and the captivating Agiorgitiko-Nemea. Moreover, Mavrodafni is known for the popular dessert

The Corinth Canal is a waterway that crosses the narrow isthmus of Corinth to link the Gulf of Corinth to the Saronic Gulf. As such, the canal separates the Greek mainland from the Peloponnese, turning it into an island. It is an important navigational route that once allowed ships to enter the Aegean Sea. Dug through the isthmus at sea level, the canal is 6.4 kilometers long with a width of only 25 meters. The canal, though executed in the late 19th century, has been a 2000-year-old dream. Before that, ships in the Aegean Sea that wanted to cross to the Adriatic or anchor in Corinth, a rich shipping city, had to circle the Peloponnese, which would prolong their journey an extra 185 nautical miles. It is believed that Periander, the tyrant of Corinth (602 BC), was the first to conceive of the idea of digging the Corinth Canal. As the project was too complicated, Periander constructed the diolkós, a stone road that allowed ships to be transferred on wheeled platforms.

After our visit at Corinth canal we will be traveling approx 20 min to reach ancient Corinth. Ancient Corinth was first inhabited in the Neolithic period (6500-3250 B.C.) Its fertile soil but mainly its strategic location at the intersection of land routes from the Balkan peninsula of Aimos and mainland Greece on towards the Peloponnese and waterways that connect the western Mediterranean to its Eastern counterpart, to Asia Minor and to Syro-Palestine, offered the region from very early on enormous potential for communication, growth and prosperity. The city, known since the Mycenaean period. The tremendous output of agricultural products, already in earlier historical periods, favored intense expansion in trade activities mainly towards the Western Mediterranean, while in the 8th century BC Corinthian colonies were founded, like Corfu in the Ionian Sea, Syracuse in Sicily, with an important role in the history of the ancient Mediterranean world.

After Ancient Corinth we will travel approx 35 min to Mycenae. Mycenae 'Rich in Gold', the kingdom of mythical Agamemnon, first sung by Homer in his epics, is the most important and richest palatial center of the Late Bronze Age in Greece. Its name was given to one of the greatest civilizations of Greek prehistory, the Mycenaean civilization, while the myths related to its history have inspired poets and writers over many centuries, from the Homeric epics and the great tragedies of the Classical period to contemporary literary and artistic creation. Perseus, son of Zeus and Danai, daughter of Akrisios, king of Argos, and descendant of Danaos, is traditionally considered its mythical founder. Pausanias reports that Perseus named the new city Mycenae after the pommel (mykes) of his sword, which fell there, or after the Perseia spring, discovered there under the root of a mushroom (mykes). Perseus's descendants reigned at Mycenae for three generations.

Our next visit after Mycenae is Nafplion 20 min travel.Here you can enjoy a tastefull lunch (not included). One of the most beautiful towns in the area of Argolis (in eastern Peloponnese) as well as one of the most romantic cities all over Greece, Nafplio was the first capital of the newly born Greek state between 1823 and 1834. According to mythology, the town was founded by Nafplios, the son of god Poseidon and the daughter of Danaus (Danaida) Anymone. The town’s history traces back to the prehistoric era when soldiers from here participated in the Argonautic expedition and the Trojan War alike. The town declined during the Roman times and flourished again during the Byzantine times. Frankish, and Venetian conquerors left their mark in the town and strongly influenced its culture, architecture and traditions during the centuries. Ancient walls, medieval castles, monuments and statues, Venetian or neoclassical buildings mesmerize the visitor with their unique architecture and beauty.

We will take now the way back to Athens and Piraeus port. Our tour ends by dropping you off at the same spot we have picked you up. Thank you for choosing us for your tour in Greece!