People have always seeked heroic role models. This self-drive tour will introduce you to the most important areas of the Peloponnese, a place that shaped some of the most prominent ideas of western civilization: Argolis, land of Odyssey’s and the Iliad’s heroes, Ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, Nafplio, the first capital of the Greek State and a number of small villages off the beaten path. Each day has a theme, to make your trip more fun and insightful!
You will be staying in carefully selected family-run guesthouses and everything you need to know will be arranged in our mobile app:
- detailed day per day itinerary & navigation
- a great choice of optional stops, local tips & audio storytelling
- suggestions for tours, audio guided tours & activities
- our favorite restaurant suggestions in each area
Our app will give you the freedom to modify and adjust your itinerary according to your interests and pace, while maximizing your time. All content is presented in a clear and simple way to give you a deeper understanding of Greek history and culture. The advice of our favorite guide Danae will escort you at each stop, while you will be able to contact our team of travel designers too!
Day 1: Nafplio, Mycenae - Olympia I The Land of Legends
Pick your car at your arranged location in Athens and start your trip to explore the central part of Peloponnese peninsula. Make a stop at the Corinth Canal to admire a masterpiece of engineering, and continue to Epidaurus, the finest and best-preserved theatre of the ancient world. Then visit the fabled Homeric city of Mycenae, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the capital of one of the oldest civilizations in the world, where you can enjoy the monuments, the legends and heroes who marked this land with their deeds and ideas. You'll then head towards the historic seaside city of Nafplio, a romantic, picturesque town, which was the old capital of modern Greece, crowned by Venetian fortifications and embraced by a beautiful seafront. From Nafplio, your trip will take you through the beautiful Peloponnesian countryside towards ancient Olympia where you can follow our tips and recommendations for a perfect evening. Overnight in Olympia.
Day 2: Olympia - Arcadia I An “Athlos” for a Good Life
After a traditional breakfast, you can start driving up the mountains of Arkadia to reach the temple of Apollo Epicurius, one of the most mystical and imposing temples of Greece. The temple stands in a bare and rocky landscape and is rarely visited by tourists. In what follows, you can make a stop at the picturesque village of Andritsaina to enjoy its unique architecture and taste some local delicacies. After lunch, it's the ideal time to visit the ancient site and museum of Olympia without the crowds. This was the most important athletic, religious and political center of the ancient Greek world, birthplace of the Olympic Games and the ideals of world peace. Here you'll also understand the ancient idea of 'athlos', the struggle needed to achieve a good life. Finish the day with the 'sweetest' activity, at a beautiful honey farm, where you'll learn the secrets of the world-renowned Greek honey firsthand from a working beekeeper. Overnight in Olympia.
Day 3: Arcadia I Mythical Peloponnese Mountains
Τhis day is dedicated to the exploration of central Peloponnese mountains. Here you can enjoy a walk in the mythical Forest of the Centaurs, a unique NATURA oak-tree forest, one of the rarest of its kind in Europe. You can also opt for a visit to some hidden waterfalls or continue your drive through the numerous traditional villages. The best one is Lagadia, perched over a gorge with a wonderful view and famous for its beautiful stone-built houses. Next stop is Dimitsana, a delightful medieval village, built like a choir of buildings across two hills at the beginning of the Lousios Gorge. The village is a popular winter destination for Greeks but still unknown to foreign visitors. Here you enjoy a typical lunch with delicacies of the South, visit an open-air waterpower museum and observe local life, before you return to Athens and complete your journey in Southern Greece.
