5-Day Peloponnese from a Single Unique Base – Nafplio, Epidavros, Mycenae, Monemvasia, Mani, Mystras, Olympia +++

This is the ideal tour for those looking to visit some amazing sites without wasting time driving in & out of Athens. Instead, spend the night & enjoy beautiful, authentic “Greek” locations like Sparta & Mystras, Monemvasia, Nafplio, and Dimitsana. They all have great accommodations you can’t experience in the big cities. This is for up to 8 (related only) people, but we can do bigger groups too.

DAY 1: Corinth Canal – Mycenae – Nafplio – Epidaurus

Meet your private driver/tour leader at your hotel for your 8:00 a.m. departure. On a short trip of no more than 1 hour, you enter the Mythical Peloponnese through the Corinth Canal for this “real Greece” experience.

The Corinth Canal is the first stop, followed by MYCENAE, home to some of Greece’s most famous ancient ruins. Wander around the site and museum before hopping back in the vehicle and exploring the “old town” of NAFPLIO, the famous Venetian fortress of Palamidi with its 999 steps. Then head to EPIDAURUS, home to an ancient, beautifully preserved theater.

You can optionally add Ancient Corinth to the itinerary of Day 1 and/or walk down the 999 steps enjoying the most amazing views.

Overnight at Sparta/Mystras.

DAY 2: Monemvasia Castletown

Relaxed breakfast to start day 2, and you can enjoy the great atmosphere of the hotel, the delicacies,  and the incredible views of Mystras Castletown. Then, the day is about Monemvasia, just a 1 hour 20 minutes drive away!

Halfway, we will have coffee at a stop by the water in Gytheio town and head to Monemvasia Castletown. Gythio is a beautifully preserved small seaport at the southern tip of the Peloponissos, once the harbor of the battle-hardened inhabitants of ancient Sparta.

You will be at Monemvasia Castle before noon with plenty of time to explore and enjoy the magical atmosphere, the views of the castle, and the water. Monemvasia town/castle is on a small island linked to the mainland by a short causeway. The town walls and many Byzantine churches remain from the medieval period.

After lunch and drinks, we will head back to our unique base near Sparta! Once again, we will overnight at our luxurious, uniquely designed hotel, which has amazing facilities and great people who offer friendly, non-touristy services.

DAY 3: The Mani Peninsula [Diros Caves, Limeni village, Areopolis, Vatheia, Cape Tainaron]

Leaving behind our great hotel once again, we will be driving to the Southeast part of the Peloponnese to explore the MANI Peninsula, one of the wildest and most beautiful areas of Greece. A dramatic coastline of sleepy fishing coves and fortified villages like the beautiful Oitilo, Gerolimenas & Limeni. We will explore Areopolis (the main town of the area), walk through the abandoned town of Vatheia, visit the Diros Caves with a boat, and make it all the way south to Cape Tainaron, one of the Mythical entrances to Hades (underworld).  Expect amazing mountain and coastline views all around during our drive.

Vatheia is a small settlement of stone towers and abandoned houses that became a ghost village, but in recent years, it has become one of the must-see destinations in the Mani Peninsula. Next is lunch in one of the stone-built villages where Pirates were a permanent threat.

In between all this or at the end, we will enjoy another food experience before returning to our hidden nest of comfort and relaxation.

DAY 4

Option 1: Ancient Olympia. The birthplace of the Olympics

Note: We can easily substitute Olympia with Messene, but you have heard more about the former! So …

Breakfast and then a 1h.30′ drive to Ancient OLYMPIA to walk through the impressive ruins of the area where athletes trained and ran in the old stadium, just as ancient Olympians did after victory 3,000 years ago. See the temple of Hera and some unbelievable sculptures, such as the statue of Zeus and Hermes of Praxiteles. The city has the rare advantage of not being destroyed or covered by later settlements. Ruins that have withstood the test of time and remain standing for travelers to marvel at.

You can walk through the impressive ruins of the area where athletes trained and ran in the ancient stadium, just as the ancient Olympians did after their victory 3,000 years ago. As a visitor to Olympia, you can run down the original Olympic track and visit the museum. The Olympic Games were held at this location every four years throughout classical antiquity, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD.

Option 2: Ancient Messene (not Mycenae!) and finish at the mountain villages of Arcadia

The best (underrated), off-the-radar & off-the-beaten-path outstandingly preserved city and site to explore! A stunning, genuinely spectacular setting & site that lies in a serene valley, surrounded by the Arcadian Mountains on one side and the Mediterranean Sea on the other.

In size, form, and preservation, Messene is one of the most important cities of antiquity and one that still has a great deal to offer. It boasts not only religious and public buildings but also imposing fortifications, houses, and funerary monuments.

From the spectacular remains uncovered through excavation – mostly in the last thirty years or so – it has become clear that Messene prospered and thrived until well into the Roman period.

The city has the rare advantage of not having been destroyed or covered by later settlements and of being situated in an untouched Mediterranean natural environment par excellence. This landscape combines the mountainous majesty of Delphi and the lowland riverine tranquillity of Olympia,

Yes, we can all agree that for most people, Ancient Olympia is a “famous” and must-visit place. However, for some, Ancient Messene is -maybe- only second best to the Athens Acropolis and the Parthenon. But it is still even better for the visitor because of the size and the numerous findings! It is simply not so well-known and not visited because of its remote location, which is not an issue for this multi-day tour! You can do both if you are ready for a longer day and an extra cost.

DAY 5: Mystras, the Olive Oil Museum of Sparta and  King Leonidas

The Mystras Byzantine ruins are one of the best archaeological sites you can see in the area. Be the knight or princess of your childhood fairytales in the Byzantine town of Mystras. Wander around the castle city and sense through the silence the city’s sheer grandeur: the Palace of the Despots, the Houses of Laskaris and Frangopoulos, the beautiful Cathedral of Saint Dimitrios, and the impressive Monasteries of Our Lady Pantanassa, and of Our Lady Perivleptos.

You can visit Sparta’s modern Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil. Here, you can discover everything about olive oil, an essential staple of Greek life.

Finally, we head back to Athens after visiting the statue of King Leonidas.

Now is the time to select the “Tour Options” tab and research more! Unfortunately 🙂 the Peloponnese is limitless, and the options will only suggest that you spend more days enjoying this region’s amazing mix!