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To stand in the midst of the ruins of the church of Corinth and see the pillars, steps, and public worship place where Paul preached will enhance your understanding and love of I & II Corinthians. The ruins of this cultural centre are fascinating as you walk along the stone path that the Apostle walked.
See the Archaeological Museum, the Market Place, the Bema, and the Temples. The engineering skill and intellect of these people are evident in the water systems that still flow from ancient to modern-day. Though most of ancient Corinth has either disappeared over the years or been destroyed by Earthquakes there is still a temple to Apollo built in the 5th c. BC. The Peirene Spring is said to have been a woman transformed by the tears she shed for her son who was killed by the Goddess Artemis. It still supplies old Corinth with water. The archeologists you may see working are from the Athens’ American School of Classical studies.
PRICES: All travel agents, in Greece and worldwide, offer the same tour at different prices. We are sure that our price for this tour is not matched by any other company. The reason is that organizing tours throughout Greece since 1958 we have secured the best deals in all aspects of travel.
Our price, per adult is: 51.00 € p.p. + applicable entrance fees.
APRIL – OCTOBER, E.U. Juniors <25 and E.U. students, are allowed free of charge.
APR – OCT, Juniors under 25 from other countries and E.U. seniors >65 pay 4.00 €
APRIL – OCTOBER everybody else pays 8.00 €
INCLUDED:
– Transportation by modern air-conditioned buses,
– the services of the professional tour guide, and
– the pickup/drop off (from the hotels in the list published in the footer)
HIGHLIGHTS
Small group tour
6-hours guided tour to Ancient Corinth
A religious tour led by an expert guide
Stop at the famous Corinth canal & enjoy breathtaking views
Visit Ancient Corinth with the temple of Apollo & its age-old streets
Pick-up/drop-off service is included from Athens central hotels
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The drive to Corinth offers a variety of landscape viewing the Saronic Gulf and its islands. You pass from the industrial city of Elefsis, home of the ancient Elefsinian Mysteries, the most important cult religion of antiquity before Christianity. An hour later we reach the Corinth Canal.(short stop). The 6,346 m long isthmus, is one of the 4 pre-20th century, man-made waterways on earth. The canal connects the Aegean Sea (East) with the Ionian Sea (West), today very popular for extreme sports (bungy jumping). The view from the bridge at the top of the canal is breathtaking.
The opening of the canal was a very old idea. At the western entrance a paved way on which the ancient Corinthians pulled the ships on greased tree trunks from the one side to the other can be seen. The canal started in 1881 and was finished and opened, only in 1893.
The town of ancient Corinth where St. Paul lived, worked, and preached for two years is 7km. from the canal, at the base of the hill of Acrocorinth. Acrocorinth was the Acropolis of Corinth and it rises about 600 m. (1800 ft). Ruins of a temple of Aphrodite, dominating the site, can be seen here.
Back in the ancient times Corinth was the capital of Roman Greece and one of the richest cities and this is quite evident by its remains. A huge agora (marketplace) and Apollo’s Temple (6th C.B.C). 7 of the 38 columns still stand. The ancient city of Corinth has been destroyed 3 times in its past and was rebuilt from scratch. The Romans seized, destroyed, and burned the city (146 BC) to the ground.
When Paul arrived in Corinth (51 AD) he arrived in a newly built city. The Corinthians collected a lot of money, by controlling the Corinth canal, and as a result of the wealth that they had, they were living a very immoral life.
You can see the remains of the theatre and the Roman Odeon, while among the ruins of the Roman Agora you can see the row of shops where Paul worked as a tent maker, together with Aquila and Priscilla, as well as the Bema, where Paul was judged by the Roman Governor when the Jews of Corinth accused him.
Here in Corinth Paul created one of the biggest Christian communities in Europe. Read about Paul’s life in Corinth on the left-hand side column of this page.
Corinth played a major role in the missionary work of Paul. Leaving Athens Paul visited Corinth, one of his beloved cities. He lived in Corinth for 18 months working as a tent maker and converting as many Jews and pagans as he could.
We will walk on the same paths that the Apostle of Nations walked and preached hundreds of years earlier. The Acts of the Apostles tell us that the Corinthian Jews turned against Paul. They dragged him to the court accusing him that he was illegally trying to persuade people to follow his preaching. A few weeks later he decided to leave Corinth. He sailed to Ephesus. He said goodbye to his friends and he left Corinth accompanied by Silas, Timothy, Aquila and Priscilla.
After exploring the museum and the site we proceed to the ancient port of Cechreae from where St. Paul sailed to return to Ephesus in 52 AD.
Apostle Paul is the patron saint of Corinth and the Corinthians built an impressive church in his honour. We will have the time to visit the Cathedral of St. Paul with the beautiful mosaic/mural depicting his vision.
Return to Athens +/- 14.00.
HIGHLIGHTS
-Archaeological Museum of ancient Corinth
-Temple of Apollo
-Agora / Marketplace
-Roman buildings
-The Roman Bema
-The Theatre and Odeon / Asklepieion
-Lechaion road
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The tour guide will begin with the history of Corinth and its excavations and takes the visitors through the archaeological site from the Temple of Apollo to the Forum, the Fountain of Peirene, and more. Her lecture will cover the ancient monuments outside the fenced area of the site, including the Odeion, the Theatre, and the Asklepieion, and the various remains of ancient Corinth located within and outside the ancient Greek walls, including the Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore and the Lechaion Basilica.
The site of ancient Corinth was first inhabited in the Neolithic period (5000-3000 BC), and flourished as a major Greek city-state from the 8th c. BC until its destruction by the Romans in 146 BC.
Its commanding position on the Isthmus of Corinth, the narrow strip of land that separates the Peloponnese from northern Greece, was the primary basis of its importance. Corinth controlled the “diolkos”, the 6th-c. BC stone-paved roadway that connected the Saronic Gulf with the Gulf of Corinth. This overland route allowed ships, passengers and cargo to avoid the difficult and time-consuming trip around the southern end of the Peloponnese.
Being a leading naval power as well as a rich commercial city enabled ancient Corinth to establish colonies in Syracuse (on the island of Sicily) and on Corcyra (today Corfu). These colonies served as trading posts for the bronze works, textiles, and pottery that Corinth produced.
Beginning in 582 BC, in the spring of every second year the Isthmian Games were celebrated in honor of god Poseidon. The Doric Temple of Apollo, one of Corinth’s major landmarks, was constructed in 550 BC at the height of the city’s wealth.
Corinth was conquered by Philip II of Macedonia in 338 BC, but it was named the meeting place of Philip’s new Hellenic confederacy. Immediately after Philip was assassinated, Alexander the Great came to Corinth to meet with the confederacy, to confirm his leadership, and forestall any thoughts of rebellion. At the Isthmian Games of 336 BC, the Greeks chose Alexander the Great to lead them in the war against the Persians.
In 146 BC Corinth was literally destroyed by the Romans, but in 44 BC it was rebuilt by Julius Caesar and became the capital of “Roman Greece”. The city prospered more than ever before and may have had as many as 800,000 inhabitants by the time of Paul. The city, mostly populated by freedmen and Jews, was devoted to business and pleasure.
Paul visited Corinth in the 50s AD and later wrote two letters to the Christian community at Corinth (the books of 1 and 2 Corinthians in the New Testament). When Paul first visited the city (51 or 52 AD), Gallio, the brother of Seneca, was proconsul of Corinth.
Paul lived in Corinth for 18 months (Acts 18:1-18), working as a tent maker and converting as many Jews and pagans as he could. Here he first became acquainted with Aquila and Priscilla, who became his fellow-workers.
Although Paul intended to pass through Corinth a second time before he visited Macedonia, circumstances were such that he first went from Troe to Macedonia before stopping at Corinth for a “second benefit” (2 Corinthians 1:15). This time he stayed in Corinth for three months (Acts 20:3).
It was probably during this second visit in the spring of 58 that Paul wrote the Epistle to the Romans. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians, written from Ephesus, reflects the difficulties of maintaining a Christian community in such a cosmopolitan city.
A canal through the isthmus of Corinth was begun under the emperor Nero in 67 AD. Wielding a gold shovel, Nero himself was first to break ground, but the canal was not completed. Up to the 12th century, ships were dragged on rollers across the isthmus.
In 267 AD, the invasion of the Herulians initiated the decline of the city. During Alaric’s invasion of Greece in 395–396, he destroyed Corinth and sold many of its citizens into slavery. Nevertheless, Corinth remained inhabited for many centuries through successive invasions, destructions and plagues.
After 1204, when Constantinople fell to the Fourth Crusade, Corinth was a prize sought by all. Corinth was captured by the Turks in 1458; the Knights of Malta won it in 1612; the Venetians took a turn from 1687 until 1715, when the Turks returned; and the city finally came into Greek hands in 1822.
In 1893 a 4-mile (6-km) Corinth canal was finally completed, providing an essential shipping route between the Ionian and Aegean seas. Like its ancient predecessor, modern Corinth is the center of commerce between northern and southern Greece. Today, it has a population of about 30,000.
Systematic archaeological excavations of the area, initiated by the American School of Classical Studies in 1896, are still continuing today and have brought to light the agora, temples, fountains, shops, porticoes, baths and various other monuments. The finds are exhibited in the on-site Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth.
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The ruins of ancient Corinth, a short drive from the modern city of Corinth, are spread around the base of the rock of Acrocorinth, which forms a natural acropolis for the city. Most of the surviving buildings are Roman rather than Greek, dating from the city’s prosperous age after Caesar sacked and rebuilt much of the original Greek city. Much of the city has been toppled by recurring earthquakes over the centuries.
On the Acrocorinth itself are ruins of the Temple of Aphrodite, of which little remains. The Temple of Aphrodite had more than 1,000 sacred prostitutes at one time, exemplifying the ancient city’s reputation for luxury and vice. Also on Acrocorinth are the ruins of a stone minaret and ancient defensive walls.
The most notable ruin of ancient Corinth is the 6th-century BC Temple of Apollo, built on a hill overlooking the remains of the Roman marketplace (agora). Seven of the original 38 Doric columns still stand, and it is one of the oldest stone temples in Greece. The temple was still functioning in the time of Paul (50s AD) but was eventually destroyed by earthquakes.
Part of the foundation and a few pillars remain of the Temple of Octavia (known to scholars as ” Temple E”), dedicated to the sister of Emperor Augustus (27 BC-14 AD). The temple represents the imperial cult of Rome, which was spread throughout the empire.
A sacred spring is located along the northern edge of the forum—near Lechaion Road. The spring was above ground in the 5th century BC but later building activities covered it. Near the spring is a secret passage leading to a small shrine. The passage was probably used by the priests but it is unknown in exactly what capacity.
Within the Roman Forum is the Bema, the public platform where St. Paul had to plead his case when the Corinthians hauled him up in front of the Roman governor Gallio in 52 AD.
Significant ruins of the Peirene Fountain, the major source of water for Corinth, can still be seen today in the Roman Forum. It was an elaborate structure that served as a meeting place for Corinthians. Frescoes of swimming fish from a 2nd-century refurbishment can still be seen, and niche in the wall probably contained a statue. The fountain is named for Peirene, a woman who wept so hard when she lost her son that she finally dissolved into the spring that still flows here.
North of the Theater, inside the city wall, is the Asklepieion, the sanctuary of the god of healing with a small temple (4th century BC). It is set in a colonnaded courtyard with a series of dining rooms in a second courtyard. Terra-cotta votive offerings representing afflicted body parts (hands, legs, breasts, genitals, and so on) were found in the excavation of the Asklepieion, many of which are displayed at the museum.
The Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth contains a number of artifacts of religious interest, including inscriptions of Gallio and Erastus, both mentioned in the Book of Acts; a synagogue inscription, menorah reliefs, and votive offerings of terracotta body parts to Asklepios.
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TOURS TO ACROCORINTH
On the summit, above the Ancient Corinth, you will see the Acropolis of Corinth, the Acrocorinth. It was successively used and fortified by many conquerors including Romans, Byzantines and Turks. On this tour, you will have the opportunity to visit the castle. Through its imposing entrance gates, you will enter the castle and you will explore it. You will also experience the spectacular panoramic views which will amaze you.
ACROCORINTH TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
-First, Second, Third Gates
-Peirene Spring
-Temple of Aphrodite – Views of Geraneia Mountain with the Blue lake and Temple of Hera.
-Acrocorinth Snack bar/ Restaurant with fabulous views.
Midday, enjoy a delicious traditional authentic lunch on a fabulous balcony overlooking the archaeological site… Gemelos’taverna!
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It’s very likely you’ll be as charmed by the Greek people as you will be, by Greece’s beautiful landscape.
A guided tour is the best way to see places
We offer the tours without the entrance fees, caring for clients that are allowed to enter to sites & museums f.o.c. or by paying discounted entrances.
Our prices are not matched. We have secured the best deals.
Read the Special prices for combination of tours (Combo Tours column) in the footer
CLICK on the links of every tour and see all the information. To help you choose what tour to take detailed information is included on each tour with descriptions, itineraries, prices and what is included, location details, operating days, admission rates, maps and facilities. We do hope that you find the time to explore the rich heritage of Greece and that your visit will be a rewarding and enjoyable one.
* Morning walking tour of Athens historic centre,
* Afternoon tour to Sounion, cape with the temple of Poseidon,
* Full day Athens. Morning city tour, lunch + afternoon Sounion. Apr-Oct
* Morning tour to Corinth. St Paul lived here for 18 months. Apr-Oct
* One day Delphi. Visit museum + sanctuary… adults 69 €
* One day Argolis. Mycenae, Nafplion & Epidaurus, adults 69 €
* One day cruise to Hydra-Poros & Aegina. Best Price
* Two days to Delphi + Meteora. from 135 €.
* 3 days Classical tour – Mycenae, Epidaurus, Olympia & Delphi.
* 4 days Classical with Meteora monasteries tour.
* 4 days Monday’s special Classical tour. First night in Nafplio. Apr – Oct.
* 4 days Classical tour with Nafplio. Apr – Oct on Sun – Mon-Fri and selected Wed.
* 5 days Monday’s Classical & Meteora. First night in Nafplio. April – October.
* 5 days tour of Northern Greece. April – October
* 7 days Grand tour of Greece. April – October
The castle or the rock of Monemvasia
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The castle or the rock of Monemvasia
The island of Monemvasia, known as the “Gibraltar of Greece,” is a massive rock rising from the sea and connected to the mainland by a causeway. The medieval town of Monemvasia dominated by a protective fortress can be reached only through a tunnel; Its name, comes from the words moni, meaning “single,” and emvasi, meaning “entry.” It is truly an amazing sight.
As you approach from over the hills you are hit with the image of an enormous rock in the sea, connected to the land by a narrow bridge. From the land it looks like just a mountain and if you look more closely you may see a tiny church perched on the top.
However if you cross the bridge and walk around the side of the mountain you will suddenly come to a wall stretching from the sea to the mountain.
Behind the wall is an ancient town protected from all sides by sea, wall and mountain. Explore the narrow, cobbled streets of this charming town, which was the commercial center of Byzantine Morea in the 13th century.
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2000 years ago people built up a town at the top of a 300 meter rock to be protected from the barbarians.
The Rock was separated from the mainland by an earthquake in 337 AD and today the Monemvasia rock with its castle is actually an island accessible only through an entrance which many years ago used to be a portable, wooden bridge. This causeway links Peloponessus with the Rock of Monemvasia.
The settlement on the rock is divided into two sections, built at different levels, each with a separate fortification. The neighborhood on top of the cliff (300m) was named upper town, while the neighborhood close to the sea also protected from walls, was named lower town.
The castle fall to the Franks in 1249 after 3 years of surrounding but they gave it back to the Byzantines in 1262 after the battle in Pelagonia. The Byzantines kept it until 1460. Those two centuries where the golden ages for Monemvasia. The people of Monemvasia where very wealthy at that time due to the extensive trading, the privileges they had from the emperors of Costantinople (Istanbul), and due to the fleet they owned. The Monemvasians were trading a sweet red whine called Malvasia, produced from the surrounding area.
When Greece was occupied from the Ottomans (Turks) the Monemvasians preferred to pass their town to the Venetians and that was the first occupation by the Venetians, 1464-1550. During that period the Venetians transplanted the wine Malvasia in Crete, Italy and Malta where you may find this kind of wine with small variations.
Later, the castle passed to the hands of the Turks. A small period of Venetian occupation followed again 1690-1715 and finally Monemvasia was liberated in 1823 during the Greek revolution.
Remains of Byzantine and post-Byzantine buildings are preserved in the area of the Upper Town, not inhabited today.
The first building as you enter Lower Monemvasia is the house of Greek poet and writer Yannis Ritsos (1909 – 1990). He was born in Monemvasia in a family of landowners. His grave is not far from this house.
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What to see and do
After breakfast, walk up to the church on the edge of the cliff atop Monemvasia castle and try your hand at throwing a small iron or steel metal object to the sea (it will be drawn in towards the side of the hill, never reaching the sea, due to a magnetic field emanating from the rocks below).
Beaches: To the north and south of Monemvasia there are beaches 2-3 km from the causeway at Gefyra. Some well liked beaches slightly further away are at Plytra (20 km) and the stretch from Viglafia to Neapoli (35 km) both of which on the west side of the peninsula, across from Monemvasia. The island of Elafonisi has some of the more scenic beaches.
Archaeology: The Richia Museum of Folklore: Richia, about 25 km from Monemvasia in a building of 1875, which was the first school in the village. With farm tools, spinning wheels, clothing and woven items.
Monastery of the Annunciation of the Virgin and Agios Georgios of Gerakas near Gerakas village, founded in 19th century.
There are many caves within easy reach: Kastania – at Kastania Voion (south of Monemvasia near Neapolis).
Vri Cave is north of Monemvasia with a precipice which you can climb down. You can find the entrance on the south west side and there is a lake below with crystal clear water.
21 km farther a very neat place to visit is Porto Geraka, a small village which landscape reminds small Fiord of the south.
Where to eat & drink – Monemvasia
If want to stay close, choose one of the four tavernas in Monemvasia. Inside the castle there is the Cafe Angelo which is at night a bar and in the morning breakfast is served, with the sound of classic music and a wonderful view. There are also two cafes to enjoy your coffee.
The tavernas on the seafront, over the causeway, at Gefyra, offer good food at good prices. A little further in the new town of Monemvasia you must taste the octopus fried with Ouzo. As there is just one “main” street – only about 200 metres long – you will find the shops, cafes and restaurants in one stroll through the castle.
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See the video on Monemvasia
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Most of Monemvasia’s residents today live by the port (Gefyra), which is a modern town with supermarkets, travel agency, bus connections and other services. The Rock is about 2 km from the modern port of Monemvasia, about a 20-minute walk or a few minutes by car. Cars aren’t allowed inside the walls of the old town and the parking is outside of the fortifications.
Most of the old town’s buildings are made from stone, and many have been renovated as summer homes for Greeks and foreigners. It’s a sunny town of tiled-roof houses, attractive shops and cafes, pleasant squares, and churches.
The castle or the rock of Monemvasia
The castle or the rock of Monemvasia
Sparti: One of the two most powerful city-states in Classical Greece, Sparta is located in the Evrotas river valley, almost completely surrounded by mountain ranges. Unlike most of the other Greek city-states, Sparta was not a fortified city-state center with huge religious and civic buildings, but it was a loose collection of smaller villages spaced over a large rural area. Traditionally, Sparta’s founding is given at the middle of the 10th century B.C. by the Dorian Greeks. By the 7th century the warlike Spartans had conquered all of the surrounding Laconia and Messenia, and by the next century much of the remaining Peloponnese was under Spartan control. In the 5th century Sparta allied herself with Athens and other city-states in order to repulse the Persian aggressor, but soon after this the two city-states fell out, embarking on a century-long struggle for supremacy in the Peloponessian War, which ended with Spartan victory in 405 B.C. By the 4th century, however, Spartan power declined with its defeat by Thebes in 371 B.C., and, by 193 B.C., she had entirely lost her territorial possessions. Sparta thrived briefly under Roman Imperial rule, but was sacked by the Goths in 395 A.D and completely abandoned.
We will visit the archeaological remains of ancient Sparta, including the 2nd century BC theatre, the sites most discernible ruin (virtually nothing remains of the ancient city). The monuments on the site have not been restored yet but there are plans in the works for this under the auspices of the European Union. Important monuments of the site include the temple of Athena Chalkoikos on the top of the acropolis ; the ancient theatre, dating from the early Imperial period, the orchestra and walls of which still stand; a circular building of unknown use, which some scholars think was some kind of assembly; remains of shops, constructed in the Roman Imperial period, which served visitors to the theater; and finally, the remains of a Basilica of the Middle Byzantine period, dated to the 10th century A.D.Mystras: Mystra enjoys one of the most beautiful situations in Greece, lying along a steep slope of Mt. Taygetos. At the top is the Kastro (fortified citadel), and on successive levels below are several Byzantine churches (most notably the Pantanassa), the Palace of the Despots, and everywhere spectacular views.
Few kilometers west to the Byzantine town Mystra on the slopes of Mt. Taygetos, an impregnable fortress, built by Guillame de Villehardouin in 1249. When the Byzantines won back the Morea from the Franks, Emperor Michael VIII Palaeologus made Mystra its capital and seat of government and Mystras became the leading city of the Peloponnese. It was governed by a Byzantine Despot, usually either a son or a brother of the Emperor in Constantinople.It soon became populated by people from the surrounding plains seeking refuge from invading Slavs. From this time, until the last despot, Demetrios, surrendered it to the Turks in 1460, a despot of Morea (usually a son or brother of the ruling Byzantine emperor) lived and reigned at Mystra. Mystra declined under Turkish rule. It was captured by the Venetians in 1687 and it thrived once again with a flourishing silk industry and a population of 40,000. It was recaptured by the Turks in 1715, and from then on it was downhill all the way. It was burned by the Russians in 1770, the Albanians in 1780 and Ibrahim Pasha in 1825. Not surprisingly, at the time of Independence it was in a very sorry state, virtually abandoned and in ruins. Since the 1950s much restoration work has taken place. Once inside Nafplion Gate, the tour will see the main sites of this ancient city such as the Palace of the Despots.
Kyparisia: about 40 miles southeast from Mystras, through some of the most striking and at times hair-raising scenery in Greece, to Kalamata, and from Kalamata it’s another 32 miles to Kyparissia. Kyparisia: In his “description of Greece” Pausanias describes Kyparissia in these words: “having come to Cyparissiae we see a spring below the city near the sea. They say that Dionysus made the water flow by smiting the earth with his wand; hence they name it the spring of Dionysus. There is also a sanctuary of Apollo at Kyparissae, and another of Athena surnamed Kyparissian…there is a temple of Aulonian Aesculapius and an image of him” (4.36) Today, the Spring of Dionysus can still be seen on the beach of Ai Lagoudia in Kyparissia, a town on the south-western Peloponnese, but of the temples little remains. In Byzantine times Kyparissia was called Arkadia because of the Arkadian people who came to live there. The Arkadians built a massive castle on the site of the old acropolis, which was later rebuilt by the Franks. The castle and the ancient harbor are the main monuments on Kyparissia today. However, the town is a popular summer getaway because of its attractive beaches and summer festivities.
Pylos: The home of Nestor, the “elder statesman” of the Greek warriors at Troy, Pylos is located on the hill of Epano Englianos, near Navarino Bay, the southwest coast of the Peloponneseus. Occupied as early as the Middle Bronze Age, the site is dominated by a monumental structure, known as Nestor’s palace, which is the best preserved of the existing Mycenean palaces. Built in the Late Bronze Age (ca.1300 B.C.), the palace consists of 105 ground floor apartments. The most important compartments of the palace are the the big “throne room”, with its circular heath, a room with a clay bath tube, and stores with numerous storage jars. The walls of the palace were decorated with beautiful frescos. Thousands of clay tablets in Linear B script were found in the palace. (The Linear B script has been found to be based on the Greek language and was deciphered by a British archaeologist, Michael Ventris, in the 1950s).The palace was destroyed by fire in the 12th century B.C., and by a happy accident of chance, the linear B tablets were preserved by baking in the fire.
Spending the day in and around Pylos, visiting the Venetian castle at Methoni, the Mycenean palace at Pylos (called the Palace of Nestor, the garrulous old advisor in the Iliad), and the Pylos Museum. The Palace of Nestor was first excavated by Carl Blegen of Cincinnati in 1952 and was destroyed by fire at the end of the Mycenean period (around 1200 BC). It is quite a bit smaller than Mycenae, and it is here that the first Linear B tablets found on the Greek mainland were discovered in 1939.
ATHENS-capital of glorious Greece
– Morning Sightseeing with Acropolis and its museum
– Afternoon city sightseeing tour
– Walking tour of central Athens area
– Afternoon tour to Cape Sounion & Poseidon’s temple
– Combine morning Athens sightseeing & afternoon Sounio
– Athens by night, with dinner and Greek dance show
– Tour to the Marathon battle area (private tour)
DELPHI – Centre of the universe
– One day guided tour to Delphi – museum and the site
– Two days to Delphi – Guided tour in slow pace
– Two days guided tour, visiting Delphi & Meteora
– Three days, guided tour, 1 night Delphi & 1 Meteora
– Three days, visit Delphi with 2 nights in Kalampaka
– 3 days, independent visit to Kalampaka & Delphi
– Delphi and the monastery of Osios Loukas (private tour)
– Delphi with lunch at the port of Itea (private tour)
ALL OPTIONS TO VISIT METEORA
– 2 days guided tour to Delphi(site only) & Meteora
– Include the Delphi museum in the tour above
– 3 days tour. One night in Delphi and one in Kalampaka
– 3 days Delphi & Meteora with an extra day in Kalampaka
– Visit Meteora on your own by train – Independent trip
– One day trip to Meteora. Train and 3 hours round by taxi
– 2 days in Kalampaka and One in Delphi, independently
– 2 days Meteora “Special”, with “Sunset” & “Morning” tours
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MYCENAE-NAFPLION-EPIDAURUS
– One day tour to Mycenae, Nafplion & Epidaurus
– Two days guided tour of Argolis. Overnight in Nafplion
– Morning tour to St. Paul’s Ancient Corinth (Apr-Oct)
– Half day tour to Ancient Corinth and wine tasting (Apr-Oct)
– Ancient Corinth, Nafplion, theatre of Epidaurus (private tour)
– Tour to Ancient Corinth with lunch in Loutraki (private tour) -
CLASSICAL TOURS OF GREECE
– 3 days classical tour of Greece to historical sites
– 4 days combining the classical tour with Meteora
– Monday’s special. 4 days classical tour. Overnight in Nafplio
– Monday’s special. Five days classical tour and Meteora
– Two days, Olympia & Nafplion, Epidaurus (private tour)
– Two days Delphi & Olympia (private tour) -
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TOURS TO OLYMPIA FROM ATHENS
– 3 days – Mycenae, Epidaurus, Olympia & Delphi
– One day tour to Olympia (private tour)
– 2 day to Olympia & Nafplion (private tour)
– 2 day tour to Delphi & Olympia (private tour)
– Visit Olympia on the intercity bus, 2 days/1 night
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Best price in the market
CRUISES TO THE GREEK ISLANDS
– 1 Day Cruise – Hydra, Poros, Aegina, for 65.00 €
– 3 days to Mykonos, Patmos, Kusadasi, Santorini
– 4 days to Mykonos, Patmos, Kusadasi, Heraklion, Santorini
– One day trip to Mykonos by ferry (July-Sept) -
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BOOK YOUR LOCAL TRANSFERS
– On arrival, from the airport to the centre, 45.00 €
– On departure, from your hotel to the airport, 35.00 €
– From your hotel to the port of Pireaus, 20.00 €
– From Piraeus to your hotel in Athens, 25.00 €
– From your hotel to/from the port of Rafina, 40.00 €
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Short stay packages
Includes: Hotel, transfers, tours…
3, 4, 5, & 8 days stay
Lunch included, 65.00 euro
Transfer to / from the pier 10.00 euro -
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Other useful services
– International & Domestic air tickets
– Ferry tickets to the Greek islands
– Group land tours’ organizing & arrangements
– College and Schools’ study tours
Fighting for Athens: the Battle of Marathon
A tour to the historical Marathon battle area
A visit to the archaeological site, the Tymvos burial mound in an olive grove with a plaque that commemorates the great victory and the Marathon Museum and if the weather permits it, a swim at the sandy beach of Shinias where the Persian fleet landed, is one of the things you must do when you visit Athens.
Marathon is still one of Attica’s loveliest and well known spots. Everyone has heard the story of the Persian army defeat at Marathon at the hands of the Athenians. Imagine marching several thousand miles only to be wiped out 27 miles from the city you came to conquer by an army a fraction of your size. There is not much to see of the battlefield really. Main source of information about the battle in Marathon is the historian Herodotus. According to him, the Persian fleet landed 100,000 troops on Shinias in the year 490 B.C. Against this huge army the Athenians brought 10,000 soldiers and with the help of 1,000 Plataian soldiers, thanks to an ingenious strategic plan of the Greek army commander, Miltiades, they were victorious. They formed the Greek letter (Pi) with weak centre and strong sides, and when the battle started, the central section retreated and the sides closed in and squeezed the panicked Persian soldiers. Thousands of Persians were killed or drowned in the swamp nearby, (where the rowing venue of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games is), while the Athenians had 192 soldiers dead, all burried in the tymvos area. It is E.N.Gardiners’ observation that, ” the victory of the Greeks over the Persians…was the victory of a handful of trained athletes over the hordes of flabby barbarians.”
Legend wants an Athenian soldier named, Philippides, to run from the battlefield all the way into Athens in order to bring the good news. He ran all the way from Marathon to the Athenian Agora. He collapsed and died immediately after he delivered his one word message; Nenikikamen (We have won). In memory of this great victory, the Marathon run was performed in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and since then, it is the last event of the Olympic Games. Here is the starting point of the authentic distance. If you think that you are fit enough, you are free to try your physical condition on this classical Marathon run 42,195m.
Today’s amazing thing about Marathon is the marble dam, the only dam in the world made out of marble, that holds the water that supplies Athens.
HALF DAY TOUR TO MARATHON
Upon request, we organise half day tours (+/- 5 hrs) from Athens to Marathon driving along the Athenian North suburbs. At Marathon we visit the “tymvos” burial mound, the museum and end the tour at the sandy beach of Shinias for a swim.
CLICK AND SEE ALL THE TOURS AND OPTIONS to visit Meteora by shared bus guided tours or independent trips by train.
The Grand Meteoro monastery. The highest and biggest of the six monasteries open to the public.
If you have two days to spare this is one of the most impressive places you will ever visit. Meteora is a flat plain where God in his great wisdom placed these giant rocks where monks could climb to the top to escape the world. These monks built impressive monasteries, some which could only be reached by ropes and pulleys, built and supplied by hauling material up in baskets. Today, Meteora, is one of the top tourist destinations in Greece. Doing a Delphi-Meteora trip is one of the most popular journeys.
Spectacularly perched atop rocky pinnacles in Thessaly, the Meteora monasteries are among the most striking sights in Greece. The name Meteora (Μετεωρα) is Greek for “suspended in the air,” which perfectly describes these six remarkable Greek Orthodox monasteries. The sandstone peaks were first inhabited by Byzantine hermits in the 11th century, who clambered up the rocks to be alone with God. The present monasteries were built in the 14th and 15th centuries during a time of instability and revival of the hermit ideal; the first was Great Meteoron (c.1340) and there were 24 monasteries by 1500. They flourished until the 17th century but only six survive today; four of these still host monastic communities.
The nearest major town is Kalambaka (from the Turkish word for “pinnacle”), at the base of the Meteora, which has accommodation for overnight visitors as well as some medieval churches. Neighboring Kastraki has some accommodation as well. Alternatively, a guided day tour from Athens is a popular and easy way to visit. To visit all six in one day without joining a tour, begin with Ayiou Nikolaou Anapavsa, Varlaam and Great Meteoron before 1pm, break for lunch while the monasteries are closed, then see Roussanou, Ayias Triadhos and Ayiou Stefanou in the afternoon. A strict dress code is enforced: all shoulders must be covered, men must wear long trousers and women must wear long skirts.
The Meteora are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Six monasteries, open to the public today, built on natural sandstone rocks, over the town of Kalambaka. The 64 gigantic rocks, made of conglomerate, create a spectacle, unique worldwide.
There are several theories regarding the creation of these rocks. The prevailing theory is that one of the German geologist Philipson. According to Philipson, million of years ago the area was a huge lake and 3 rivers had their estuaries in this area. The rivers brought, stones and material, from central Europe. From the accumulation of these materials deltaic cones were formed.
About 30 million years ago, after geological changes that took place, the central part of today’s Europe was lifted the Alpes and the valley of Tempi were formed and an outlet for these waters to the Aegean Sea was created. During the time of the alpine mountain orogenesie, solid volumes of “rocks” were cut off from the mountain chain of Pindus and as the centuries went by, the plain of the river of Pinios was formed between them. Orogenesis refers to severe structural deformation of the Earth’s crust due to the engagement of tectonic plates. The word “orogenesis” comes from the Greek (oros that means “mountain” and genesis for “creation” or “origin”). It is the mechanism by which mountains are built on continents. Orogenie develops while a continental plate is crumpled and thickened to form mountain ranges, and involve a great range of geological processes collectively called orogenesis.
Following the continuous corrosion by the wind, rain and other geological changes these rocks took their present form. A spectacle “unique” worldwide. At the cavities, fissures and peaks of these rock towers people found protection from enemies that invaded from time to time the area.
Some of these rocks reach 1800 ft or 550m above the plain. This great height, combined with the sheerness of the cliff walls, kept away all but the most determined visitors.
Hermits and anchorites found shelter on these rocks, seeking mental calmness and tranquillity, while praying and seeking for Christian perfection. According to the existing scripts monk hood is present from the 1st millennium. Initially the hermits were isolated, meeting on Sundays and special days to worship and pray not only for their salvation but also for the salvation of all people, in a small chapel that was built at the foot of a rock known as Doupiani. Their life was simple and the work hard.
According to scripts, Barnabas, the monk who established the cloister of the Holy Ghost is mentioned as the first hermit at 950-970 AD, followed by the monk Andronikos from Crete, who established the cloister of the Transfiguration of Jesus in the early 1000 AD. Later and around 1150-1160 AD the Cloister of Doupiani was established. Except the aforementioned cloisters others also existed in several cavities around the rock of Doupiani.
At the beginning of the 12th c. in the area of the Meteora a small ascetic state was formed, having as centre of worship the church of Mother of God extant until today at the north part of the rock of Doupiani. The hermits were flowing to this small church from their hermitages in order to perform their common worship, to discuss the several problems that concerned them and to ask for the help from other hermits in order to carry out the hard work. The leading man of the cloister of Doupiani had the title of the “first”.
Almost 200 years later, in the middle of the 14th c. the Monastery of the Transfiguration of Jesus on the mount was established by Holy Athanassios, who gave the big rock the name Meteoro. Since then all the rocks have this name.
During the 14th and 15th c. a time of great prosperity for the monk hood in the Meteora we have the creation of many more Monasteries and their number reaches 24. In the middle of the 14th c. monk Neilos, founded the Holy Monastery of Ascension (the Holy Monastery of Ypapanti-Candle Mass, today), and in 1517, Nectarios and Theophanes built the monastery of Varlaam, which was reputed to house the finger of St John and the shoulder blade of St Andrew.
Access to the monasteries was deliberately difficult.
The first hermits climbed up the rocks using scaffolds wedged in holes of the rocks. They felt safe from political upheaval and had complete control of the entry to the monastery. Later on, the only means of reaching the monasteries was by climbing ropes, windlass and long ladders, which were drawn up whenever the monks felt threatened.
The monastery of Varlaam has an extensive net and pulley system, from which rope nets are let down several hundred feet by a windlass, today used for lifting up provisions.
The ropes were replaced, as the monks say, only “when the Lord let them break”. In the 1920s the first steps were carved in the rocks. There is a common belief that St. Athanasius (founder of the first monastery) did not scale the rock, but was carried there by an eagle.
As years went by, under several difficulties, conquerors of the area, thieves’ raids and other factors, many of the flourishing Monasteries were abandoned (period of decline after the 17th c) and during World War II the site was bombed and many art treasures were stolen by the Germans.
Today, the tradition continues for over 600 years, uninterrupted in 6 monasteries, 4 inhabited by monks and 2 by nuns. According to popularity they are: the Monastery of the Great Meteoro, the Varlaam Monastery, the St Stephen Monastery, the Holy Trinity Monastery, the St Nicolas Anapafsas Monastery and the Roussanou Monastery. Each of them has fewer than 10 inhabitants.
Furthermore, with the generous efforts of the monks, the local Bishop Serafim and the contribution of the state, the E.U. and several citizens, more monasteries have been restored and maintained, such as:
1) The monastery of St Nicolas Badovas (dependent on the Holy Trinity monastery), and
2) Of Ypapanti-Candle Mass (dependent on the monastery of the Transfiguration or Great Meteoro).
We feel that the Meteora belong to everybody. This is your chance to see the “unique” spectacle and visit the monasteries.
The Greek Alphabet
The Greek Alphabet
The word “Alphabet” comes from the two first letters of the Greek Alphabet: Alfa and Beta. Because many of the Greek letters are different from the Latin ones, this becomes something of a deterrent for those trying to learn the language, and the expression “It’s all Greek to me” tells a lot about the attitude many people have towards Greek.
A lot of the Greek words are actually words we use in our own languages.
It is a difficult language but it’s not so difficult that you can’t learn it.
Α, α = Alfa
Β, β = Vita
Γ, γ = Gamma
Δ, δ = Delta
Ε, ε = Epsilon
Ζ, ζ = Zita
Η, η = Ita
Θ, θ = Thita
Ι, ι = Yiota
Κ, κ = Kappa
Λ, λ = Lamda
Μ, μ = Mi
Ν, ν = Ni
Ξ, ξ = Xi (Ksi)
Ο, ο = Omikron
Π, π = Pi
Ρ, ρ = Ro
Σ, σ = Sigma
Τ, τ = Taff
Υ, υ = Ipsilon
Φ, φ = Fi
Χ, χ = XI
Ψ, ψ = Psi
Ω, ω = Omega
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 Acropolis & Lycabetus hill. |
 Acropolis recontructed |
Join a morning-guided sightseeing tour of this magical city that was worshiped by gods and people. The bus will pass through the centre of the modern city where the must-see places are located, and when you finish you will feel that you have seen the best of Athens, including the Acropolis and the New Acropolis museum.
Home of the first modern Olympics in 1896, Athens has been continuously inhabited for over 7,000 years. It is one of the oldest cities in Europe and it had a great impact on the European continent. It is the birthplace and the cradle of democracy and western civilization. It is also the birthplace of most of the wise men in western philosophy, western literature, and significant mathematical principles.
PRICES: All travel agents, in Greece and worldwide, offer the same tour at different prices. Our prices are not matched. After 62 years of organizing tours throughout Greece, we have secured the best deals. So, why pay more?
From November 01 – March 31 our offer per adult is: 38 € + 15 € entrance fees = 53.00 €
From April 01- October 31 the entrance fees increase to 30.00 € per adult and the total is 38.00 + 30.00 = 68.00 €
Read the Special prices for combination of tours (Combo Tours column) in the footer
Discounts:
Juniors from E.U. countries under 26 y.o. do not pay entrance fees.
Seniors from E.U. countries over 65 y.o. pay 15.00 € Jan-Dec.
The tour price includes:
– transportation in modern air-conditioned buses
– Pick up/drop off from or near your hotel (See the list of hotels at the footer of the website),
– Entrance fees to Acropolis and the New Acropolis museum, and
– the services of the professional tour guide all along.
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The tour combines modern Athens with the city’s ancient sites. See the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Constitution Square, The old palace of the Bavarian King, Otto, that today is the Parliament of the Hellenic Republic, and the all-marble Panathenaic Stadium. Drive-in front of the huge Temple of Olympian Zeus and learn about the glory of ancient Athens. Finally, climb to the top of the Acropolis hill and see the world-famous Pantheon temple, the Parthenon, while you listen to the expert guide, about all its incredible features.
ACROPOLIS
At the top of the list of all Athens attractions, the greatest and finest sanctuary, dedicated to goddess Athena, the city’s patron, dominates the center of the modern city from the rocky hill known as the Acropolis. The Acropolis of the 5th c.BC is the most accurate reflection of the splendor, power, and wealth of Athens at its greatest peak, “the golden age of Pericles”.
The Acropolis is a flat-topped rock that rises 150 m above sea level in the city of Athens, with a surface area of about 3 hectares. It was also known as Kekropia, after the legendary serpent-man, Kekrops, the first Athenian king. The Acropolis and its magnificent monuments: the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, and the Erechtheion with its Porch of Maidens.
It is the symbol of Athens, the sacred rock, and the connection between ancient and contemporary civilizations. The monuments that stand today on the Sacred Rock date from the prehistoric period up to ancient times. There is not even one person (Greek or foreign visitor) that does not want to pay due to honour to this sacred rock and see its beauty and glory.
Visit also the New Acropolis Museum, and see the original statues which decorated the Acropolis of the 5th c. B.C. A visit to the sacred rock of the Acropolis and the new Acropolis Museum is a must and an unforgettable experience.
PARTHENON
Dominating the Athenian skyline, this beautiful monument is dedicated to Goddess Athena, the patron of Athens. The consequences of the Persian invasion in 480 BC, led Athenians to the desire of constructing a memorable temple in 438 B.C. by the architects Ictinus & Kallicrates, under the supervision of sculptor Phidias, which is considered to be the most important surviving monument of the ancient world. Parthenon which is the most brilliant construction during the Golden Age (5th BC) of Pericles, stands as a symbol of Ancient Greece & Athenian Democracy. Its’ metopes & pediments representations depict scenes from Greek mythology; Parthenon is regarded to be the landmark of Greek history & culture.
Monuments at the top of the Acropolis hill:
The Propylaia, The Parthenon, The Temple of Athena Nike, Erechtheion, The Temple of Athena Nike, The Old Temple, The Pandrosion, The Arrephorion, The Chalkotheke, The Vravroneion, The Sanctuary of Zeus Polieus, The Pandion Sanctuary, and more…
A plan to undertake large-scale conservation and restoration of the Acropolis is still in progress.
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The tour :
Depart for PANATHINAIKO STADIUM, where the first modern Olympic Games took place in 1896 (shortstop).
Pass by the Prime Minister’s residence and the Ex-Royal Palace (guarded by colourful Evzones),
the Zappeion Conference and Exhibition Hall and the National Gardens,
The temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch, St. Paul’s Church,
The Parliament and the Tomb of the Unknown soldier,
Schlieman’s House (today Numismatic Museum), the Catholic Cathedral,
The ACADEMY, the University, and the National Library,
the Old Parliament, Constitution Square, and the Russian Orthodox Church proceed to the
ACROPOLIS (visit Propylaea, Temple of Athena Nike, PARTHENON, and Erechtheion, and finish the tour at about 01.30 pm, with a visit to the New Acropolis museum.
More details:
07:30 am The pickup service bus starts from central hotels and brings everybody to the terminal.
From the terminal, near Syntagma square area, your tour of Athens begins at about 08:45 am.
As the bus passes the top Athens attractions, the professional tour guide talks about the historical importance of this glorious city. You pass by the Greek Parliament building with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (this was the first palace of Greek King Otto in 1834), the all-marble Stadium, where the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 were held followed by driving on Panepistimiou Avenue, and the so-called trilogy of Athens: The old University, the National Library and the Academy, 3 beautiful neoclassical buildings, built by the Bavarian architects that Otto’s father, King Ludwig of Bavaria, (1825-1848), brought with him to Greece. See the gigantic temple of Olympian Zeus — completed in the 2nd c, AD, and Emperor Hadrian’s Arch, before you arrive at the masterpiece that everybody admires: the Acropolis with its monuments.
Stroll up to the site that served as the citadel, and walk around the buildings as you hear about its glorious days during the 5th c. BC. Explore the Acropolis on foot, see the glorious Parthenon and the other highlights, such as the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, and the Erechtheion with the Karyatides.
Take advantage of the free time and explore the rest of the site independently.
Continue your tour with a visit to the New Acropolis Museum, one of the world’s finest museums. Your ticket lets you stay as long as you wish inside the museum.
So, after the end of the guided tour, you are allowed to stay and explore the museum on your own. Walk around the spectacular Parthenon Hall with incredible sculptures. See its incredible friezes and the other archaeological exhibits. Wander around in the galleries. There are more than 4,000 ancient objects to view and admire.
Read more about Parthenon in: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parthenon
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In the footer of this website you find the “4 steps to make a booking”. If our offer looks interesting, please send us the booking form.
Aegina is a beautiful island for swimming, shopping, and recreation. The locals are extremely friendly and helpful, and almost every merchant speaks excellent English. Aegina is worth at least a day of your itinerary, and you may find yourself staying overnight.
Tradition derives its name from Aegina, the mother of the hero Aeacus. Aeacus was born on the island and became its king. During ancient times Aegina was a rival of Athens, the great sea power of the era.
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There is nothing like a day trip to one of the nearby Saronic islands.
Visit Aegina, capital of Greece (1827-1829), on a day trip from Piraeus. Take the morning ferry from Piraeus and in 1h 20m. arrive in Aegina. The church of Agios Nikolaos, at the port of the island, welcomes you. The beautiful neoclassical buildings remind you of the glory of the island.
There are regular bus services from Aegina town to destinations throughout the island. Agia Marina and Perdika are easily reached by public bus.
Proved by findings in the Column area, dating from 3000 BC. Aegina was inhabited since the Neolithic time. Later Minoans came to the island, then – Achaeans and Dorians. From the middle of the 1st c. BC Aegina developed rush trade and at the same time declares itself as a powerful maritime state. The peak of blossom comes in 6th c. BC, when Aegina, being independent, became the first city-state, and began to mint coins. Despite the concurrence with Athens and Piraeus, Aegina became confederate of Athens in the Salamis battle. However Athenians (who never really trusted Aegina) took over the island in the 5th c. BC. The latest history of the island does not stand out from the history of the rest of Greece. The participation of the island in the liberation war against the Turks in 1821 was of major importance, because Aegina was the first seat of the first government of independent Greece led by Kapodistrias.
Sightseeings in the town: the Archeological museum, the Column (close to the port area) which is actually the only remnant of the Temple of Apollo, the cathedral, in which the first Greek government swore.
You can take a tour to the famous temple of Goddess Aphaea, the patroness of the island, located 11 km from the town. A doric temple, built after the battle of Salamis, in 480 BC.
Another tour is to the monastery of St.Nektarios. The new built temple of the monastery is one of the best samples of the neo-byzantine architecture in Greece. The monastery of St.Nektarios is located on a hill not far from the port of island. Here, in a little church, is preserved the st. Chapter of Prelate. You visit the cell, where he was praying during the last years of his life and drink healing water from the holy fountain.
For bookings and information on Aegina hotels, car rentals and ferry tickets contact Astoria Travel in Athens. Boats go back and forth all day long to Aegina Town. The first boat leaves Pireaus at 7:00 am and the last at 18:30. The last boat leaves from Aegina at 19:00 or 20:00.
The Flying Dolphin takes 40 minutes and is a lot less comfortable so go with for the ferry. The trip takes 1h 15 min. An hour ferry trip is just about perfect and the waters are usually calm.
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Visit the Archaeological Site of Kolona.
Archaeological Site of Kolona aegina
The Hill of kolona was inhabited in prehistoric times through the classical period. Extensive walls and foundations have been discovered and excavations are still in progress. One single column is still standing, the only remaining from the Temple of Apollo built in the 6th c. BC.,
The small Museum (Tue-Sun 08:30-15:00), containing a small but rich collection of pottery and sculpture from all periods of Aegina’s history. One of the most significant exhibits is the statue of the Sphinx (460 BC), which was dedicated to the Temple of Apollo. It is an extraordinary sculpture, with a head of a woman and a body that is half eagle and half lion,
The Doric temple of Aphaea
The Doric temple of Aphaea that we see today in a very good condition, was built about 490 BC of local porous sandstone. It stands on top of a pine-clad hill above Agia Marina. The first temple on the site (700 BC) was dedicated to Aphaea, a deity from Crete. Aphaea was worshiped at this sanctuary but the myth can be traced back to the 14th c. BC. and according to Greek mythology she was a beautiful young lady, another illegitimate child of Zeus. King Minos of Crete had fallen in love with her. Trying to escape from him she jumped into the sea but was caught in the net of fishermen. They took her on their boat. A fisherman, captivated by her beauty, fell in love and wanted to keep her for himself. Aphaea escaped, got out in Aegina, and asked for help from her half sister, goddess Artemis. She vanished in the woods of the island. When the fishermen arrived on the spot, they found only a statue. “Aphaea” in Greek means ‘invisible.’
On a clear day, you can see the Temple of Poseidon at Sounio, as well as the Acropolis of Athens. These three temples form the sacred triangle of antiquity, an isosceles triangle, between North, East and South. (Open daily 08:00-17:00, Museum: Tues-Sun 08:30-14:15).\
The Church of Agios Nektarios (named after its patron).
The Church of Agios Nektarios aegina
St Nektarius, died in 1920 and was canonized in 1961. His memory is celebrated on 9 November.
You may have lunch in a taverna at the port, swim in a nice sandy beach and in the afternoon board the ferry back to Piraeus.
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Aegina Ferry Boat Get the ferry from Piraeus to the main town in Aegina. You can sit in the lounge or choose to sit at the top deck watching the ferry pass by the cruise ships in the harbor and then the tankers and freighters anchored outside the harbor. In 30 minutes we were close enough to see the houses on Aegina and the scenery became more interesting. Aegina is only about an hour and fifteen minutes from Pireaus on a regular ferry and half that on a flying dolphin hydrofoil so there is hardly enough time to get bored on the boat.
Aegina, Greece The island of Aegina is really surprising. The town is quite traditional and while tourism is in evidence it is still largely Greeks who come here for the day or even for their summer holidays. Most of the restaurants in the back streets cater for Greek clientele and serve food that Greek people love, and the adventurous tourists would be likely to try. There is a great covered fish market in town, and there are several small traditional restaurants that are in and around it.
The port of Aegina is a busy one with ferries, flying dolphins, cruise ships, catamarans and fishing boats sailing in and out, depositing people, cars and fish. Aegina is known for the small ouzeries and fish mezedes and there are a number of these places on the waterfront and on the back streets, easily recognizable by the small grills and the octopus cooking on them. Athenians come here to escape the city, drink ouzo, eat seafood and watch the fishing boats. When you arrive, the first thing that you see is the line of horse-drawn carriages. I can’t think of a good enough reason to not take a little spin around the port and get a feel for the place. It is great fun to sit in front with the driver.
Ancient ruins of Aegina and temple of Apollo with Aegina town in the background As you face the village and walk to your left there is a row of seafood restaurants along the waterfront, all with signs saying the special of the day is sea-urchin salad and each with a grill loaded with octopus. We continue to walk past the first beach and the small boatyard towards the area known as Koloni, named for the lone column that remains from the ancient temple of Apollo that stood on this site on a small hill overlooking the port. Aegina was a major power in the classical Greek times and for a period Athens main competitor. There is a small museum on the site that we went through in about 4 minutes, though someone with a deeper interest in antiquities than my daughter and I might be able to spend a longer time examining the ancient pottery that has been found in the area. The archaeological site itself is fairly impressive and the view from the temple of the ferries coming and going from the port makes it a good spot to visit even if you have no interest in ancient Aegina.
Aegina town beach But it was from here that Amarandi spotted the beautiful beach on the far side and could not help but notice that there were indeed people swimming, and once she had made up her mind there was no way I could deter her. I tried telling her that these people were a local chapter of the Polar Bear Club and this early spring swim was a painful rite of passage and that they were most likely suffering severely. But this did not convince her and so we trudged back into town to find a shop that sold bathing suits and towels since we were completely unprepared. After walking all the way through the back streets of the town and stopping in several shops with no success, we ended up on the opposite side near the cathedral. I took the opportunity of calling Andrea on my Greece-Travel Phone with the hopes that she could convince Amarandi that swimming was a foolhardy idea or even just putting her foot down and not permitting me to let her go swimming, enabling me to remain the ‘good guy’ for awhile. But when we told her our plan she thought that was a great idea, since she was in Athens and it was a couple degrees hotter there and she probably wished she could jump in the sea too.
Aegina Port We walked back along the dock, all the while Amarandi keeping her eyes open for a shop that might sell bathing suits and me trying to distract her by showing her things of interest. We stopped at the boats that sell vegetables and Amarandi wanted to go on board but was reluctant to walk up the gangplank. So was I but not because I was afraid, but because I suddenly realized that the sun had been shining on my head for a couple hours and I needed a hat badly. Chances are that the same place that sold the bathing suits would also sell hats, so I joined Amarandi in the search. Finally on one of the pedestrian market streets we found the store with postcards, t-shirts and they said bathing suits. Amarandi went with the girl to try some on while I tried on the only pair in the store that would possibly fit me since it really was too early for people to be buying bathing suits and their supplies were low. I also bought a baseball cap that said ‘Hellas’ on it that Andrea made me give away as soon as she saw it because it made me look like a tourist. (She said I could wear it in the states if I wanted to.) I also had to buy a large towel to dry off with after we came out of the freezing Aegean and of course a gym bag to carry the wet bathing suits and towels back to Athens. Amarandi found a bathing suit she liked and we paid the bill. This little swim was costing us $75.
Port of Aegina We made our way back along the quay and through the trees to the beach only to find that the Polar Bear Club had gone home to take hot showers and restore their circulation. Amarandi took off her pants to reveal that she had put her bathing suit on over her underwear. I had to explain that this was not the clear-thinking I had been trying to impart to her when I took the vow of parenthood. Why didn’t she remove the underwear when she was in the dressing room? She did not know the answer to this question but it gave me the opportunity to teach her the technique of changing clothes while wrapped in a towel, which all Greek women are adept at. She mastered it quickly and ran into the sea up to her ankles before stopping and standing there waiting for me to make the next move. I stepped in and it felt OK, as water two inches deep that has been warmed by the sun all day would. But when I dived into the deeper water I had a near heart attack and it was all I could do to stay in the sea until I felt I had gotten my seventy-five dollars worth that I had spent on the equipment that had enabled me to take this swim.
Aegina restaurants After a refreshing swim you are ready for the next adventure of the day which was lunch. Find a seaside taverna that had more Greeks than empty seats and foreigners and sit down. Try the Sea-urchin salad, grilled Octopus, fried squid, a Greek horiatiki salata even though the tomatoes were not really in season and a plate of marides or anchovies, the small fried fish that you can eat the whole fish and try the ouzo with them since they go so well together.
Agia Marina, Aegina After lunch check the boat schedules. It’s not a problem getting back to Piraeus. There are ferries or flying dolphins at least every hour. You have the time to visit by a local taxi the beach village of Agia Marina. There are boats leaving to Piraeus from Agia Marina, too. The interior of the island is largely agricultural and mountainous with a couple villages along the way and the temple of Hephaestus crowning a hill near Aegina town. Agia Marina would actually be a great place to stay if you wanted to see Athens and not stay in the city. The high-speed takes less than a half hour to Pireaus and even the slower boat only takes an hour. There are a number of tavernas, a decent beach and what looked like great swimming off the rocks too.
Perdika, Aegina The fishing village of Perdika is another popular day visit place for Athenians and is full of nice fish tavernas with prices more geared to Athenians than to tourists since most Greeks have a pretty good idea about what fresh fish looks like and how much it should cost. Perdika is also a popular stop for people on sailing boats and yachts and has a small but nice beach nearby.
Aegina Town Beach The beaches around the island are not great, but pretty good. In my opinion the best swimming is off the rocks beneath the pines on the outskirts of both Agia Marina and Aegina town. A local resident could tell you a dozen other places to swim. If you stay awhile and you are tired of the beaches of Aegina you are just a 15 minute boat ride from the island of Agkistri.
1 km from Aegina Town, there is a Water Park, a kid’s paradise. The water slides range from the “Kamikaze”, for the more daring riders, to the gentler “Twister” for the not so daring ones. There are a couple bars by the pools for parents who need to overcome the stress of watching their child go down a 50 foot water slide a hundred and fifty times in a row. Your kids will be happy at one of the beaches, and if you go to the more popular ones, like the sandy beach at Agia Marina, the Aegina town beach, or anywhere with sun beds and umbrellas, your kids will be able to find plenty of other kids to play with provided you are there in the summer.
Aegina Restaurants Aegina has several great restaurants and some live music clubs and a number of good bars. Kappos Etsi is located right behind the cafes in the port. Dimitris is from Aegina and when he graduated from Le Monde Culinary Arts School of Athens he returned to the island to open his restaurant. Combining traditional Greek dishes with his own culinary innovation and using only fresh natural ingredients, this is the type of restaurant you might find in the most cosmopolitan Greek island or European city. The Plaza serves seafood and meat dishes right on the sea between the port and the town beach. My suggestion is to try any of the restaurants close to the market on P. Irioti Street which is the next street up from the port. You can take your pick of seafood restaurants in Perdika though Remezzo’s seems to get high reviews from everyone. I had a meal at Saronis which was just fine. In Agia Marina try the popular Thymari, which has been open for almost 30 years and has attraction a legion of followers who come to the resort town every summer and eat there regularly. As for bars and cafes there are too many to even bother writing about. Just wander around until you fond one that has comfortable chairs and music you can bare. Panta Pei has live rembetika music on weekends as do several other places in Aegina town and unlike most islands there is some nightlife even in the off-season. In the summer there are discos and plenty of action at the beach bars.
Things to See in Aegina
Temple of Apheae Be sure to visit the Temple of Aphaia located on top of a mountain on the way to Agia Marina. Besides having a spectacular view and one of the most interesting little cafes below it, the temple is a very well preserved example of the Doric style and is the most important archaeological site in the Saronic islands and one of the most important in Greece. It was built in 480 BC when Aegina was at the height of its power and from it you can see the mainland from Athens all the way to Cape Sounion. You can get there by bus or taxi from Aegina town. The site is open every day except Monday. Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 8:00 – 18.30. Be sure to check out the furniture in the cafe too, made from ancient columns and stones from the temple.
Paleohora Aegina is another place of interest are the ruins of Paleohora east of Aegina town. This was the capital of the island from the 9th til the 18th century when villages were located inland to be safe from pirates. Aegina was one of the unlucky towns because it was destroyed once by the pirate Barbarossa in 1537 and all the inhabitants were taken away as slaves. All that remains are a number of small churches in various states of restoration but it is an amazing place and well worth the visit. You can also stop at the Monastery of Agiou Nektarou with the enormous new church built recently. The monastery has the remains of Anastasios Kefalas, a hermit monk who died in 1920 and was the first orthodox saint of the 20th Century, canonized in 1961.
Aegina Pistachios
The island of Aegina is famous for its pistachios which some people believe are the best in the world. You can decide for yourself. They are sold in small shops and booths in town including at the Aegina Pistachio Cooperative stand right on the dock next to where you buy your tickets for the ferry boat. In fact I would suggest buying yourself a couple bags at least because you will eat one on the boat and then you will wish you had more to bring back home with you so you can show your friends how good pistachios can be. Or you can pick up the family-size bag.
Aegina is also known as the place where Nikos Kazantzakis wrote Zorba the Greek and any Zorba-file should make a journey to the island for that reason alone. Taxis and buses can take you all over the island.
Before you go be sure to drop a donation into the box for FAZA: The Friends of the Strays of Aegina and Angistri. This organization feeds all the stray dogs and cats and they have a little stand on the dock where not only can you donate your stray Euros but the stray dogs of the island can feed themselves.
Aegina TownIn Aegina town the most highly regarded hotels by travelers are the Hotel Rastoni, the Electra Pension and the Fistikies Holiday Apartments, all within walking distance of beaches, shops and the waterfront. If you want to be able to walk out the door and jump right into the sea then stay at the Hotel Klonos or the Danae Hotel right next door. The resort village of Agia Marina is less than half an hour from Pireaus by Flying Dolphin but the boat only goes in the summer. That means you can stay there and be on the Acropolis in an hour. Check out the Hotel Karyatides and the Rachel Hotel which are both highly rated by travelers or Hotel Panorama, which is right on the sea as is the Argo Hotel. For more hotels in Aegina also check Booking.com’s Aegina Pages. One of the best ways to see Aegina is to stay in Agistri at the popular Agistri Club Hotel.
Aegina is also included in the one-day Cruise from Athens that goes almost every day of the year. You can combine Aegina with the islands of Angistri, Poros, Hydra and Spetses as well as Nafplion and The Argolis.
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The ferries to Aegina depart from Gate 8, 300 m from the subway station at Piraeus port.