4 h. tour (Private tour)
(Transportation + guidance all the way + guided tour of ancient Site + guided tour of the archeological museum + free time in Olympia)
Departing from the port with your private vehicle and driver, you will travel through the rich countryside between the Alfios and Kladeos rivers, on your way to Olympia, where you will embark a 2 and a half hour guided tour, that visits the temple of Zeus, the temple of Hera, the altar of Hera where the lighting of the Olympic torch takes place and the stadium, among other sites.
Ancient Olympia, the archeological site of the first Olympic Games, in 776 B.C., lies in the lush valley formed between the Alfios and Kladeos rivers. The temple of Zeus in antiquity was housing one of the 7 wonders of the Ancient world, the gold and ivory statue of Zeus, which Phedias had created. You will also see the temple of Hera, the shrine of Pelops (one of the oldest in the sanctuary), the Council house where the athletes took the Olympic oath, the Treasury houses, the Gymnasium and the Palaestra where they used to exercise for a month prior to the Games. Finally you will reach the stadium, where the marble starting blocks are still in position.
You will also visit the Archeological Museum, only a short walk from the Olympia site itself. There you will find a wonderful collection of Greek sculpture, as well as treasures that have been unearthed over a century of excavations. See the breathtaking original pediments from the Temple of Zeus, all in white marble from Paros, illustrating the mythical war between the Centaurs and the Lapiths on the one side, the beginning of the chariot race between Prince Pelops and King Oinomaos on the other side. The museum is also home to the famous Hermes of Praxiteles statue as well as the statue of the winged Nike. Extremely important for world's history and the way democracy was founded in Athens was the battle of Marathon in 490 BC from which the helmet of general Miltiades that was dedicated to Zeus still exists and is in display in the museum.
After all that you can have a short break in the modern town of Olympia, for coffee or shopping and then you will be returned back to the port.
