We visit Sparta as travelers, not as tourists. We get as excited as you to travel, to enjoy history, scenery.
If you want to see most of Modern/Ancient Sparta & Ancient Corinth we suggest combine all sites in a full day tour.
Schedule is flexible, but most importantly our drivers are seasoned travelers and are dedicated to helping you live the tour of your life, that is suited to your needs and lifestyle, allowing all passengers to enjoy the scenic drive.
The tour starts with a convenient pickup and takes you via Corinth Canal to Peloponnese. We drive via Mount Parnon to Sparta, visit town, the impressive statue of Leonidas, the Acropolis, theater, King Leonidas Tomb and Museum.
We will visit the unique Olive & Oil museum of Sparta and taste local products.
On our return we will visit Ancient Corinth
Inclusions & Exclusions
✔ Your driver provides informative books, audio documentary with historical details as you travel
✔ Professional English speaking experienced Tour driver for the day
✔ Pick up / Drop off, from/to your hotel/apartment in Athens, Piraeus, or request another location
✔ Air-conditioned vehicles, with high level of cleanliness (Sedan/ Minivan/ Minibus)
✔ Private Transportation & includes: (Fuels, Toll Roads, Parking Fees)
✖ Entrance fees to sites & museums (Sparta Museum - Mystras -Olive Oil Museum: general 14€ reduce 10€
✖ Licensed Archaeologist guide up request/depends availability (arrangements with: tourist-guides.gr/)
✖ Additional charge is applicable - from 15€ per way from longer pickup/drop off location
✖ Gratuities
Pickup Locations
1. Foivos Hotel Athens
2. Alter Athens Hotel
3. Zenith Hotel
4. Athens City Plaza
5. Wyndham Athens Residence
6. Apollo Hotel
7. Titania Hotel
8. Athens Zafolia Hotel
9. Philippos Hotel
10. The Editor Athens Hotel
11. Anixis
12. Crowne Plaza Athens - City Centre, an IHG hotel
13. Novotel Athenes
14. Hotel Tier Collection
15. Hotel Bryon
16. Bob W. Eolou Athens
17. Ambrosia Suites
18. Exarchion Hotel
19. Hotel Carolina
20. Brazil Hotel
Additional Info: For Private Tours: Traveler pickup/drop off is offered from/to your hotel/apartment in/ from Athens center up to 7 km, at the arranged time of your tour departure or your tour return.
We recommend that the tour starts at 8.00 am or earlier in winter time
If for any reason this is not convenient, you can adjust the time according to your needs.
1) Additional charge is applicable *15€ per way from longer pickup/drop off locations, more than 7 km from Athens city center.
*Piraeus Port (distance 12km), *Piraeus Cruise Terminal (Distance 13km)
This charge does not Include: **Airport (distance 36km) or **Lavrio Port (distance 75km)
**This is under prior agreement with the agent's office
2) Traveler pickup/ drop off is offered from/ to your hotel/ apartment/ port in Nafplio. In that option, the cost change accordingly to lower, as Sparta Acropolis & Corinth are closer to Nafplio. Please see corresponding price
Itinerary
1
Corinth Canal
The marvelous man-made Corinth canal connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas, as well as the Peloponnese peninsula with the central part of Greece.
More than 2500 workers digging 6.400m for twelve years (from 1881 to 1893). Stop for photography, walk across on a pedestrian bridge and admire the canal from 80 m high
Duration: 15 minutes
2
Sparta
Sparta was unique in ancient Greece for its social system and constitution introduced by the almost mythical figure of Lycurgus. He configured the entire society in order to maximize military proficiency at all costs, focusing all social institutions on military training and physical development. Its inhabitants were classified as Spartiates (Spartan citizens with full rights), mothakes (non-Spartan free men raised as Spartans), perioikoi (free residents engaged in commerce), and helots (state-owned serfs, enslaved non-Spartan local population).
Duration: 30 minutes
3
Archaeological Museum of Sparta
The Archaeological Museum of Sparta comprises the oldest provincial archaeological museum of the country. Its neoclassical building was constructed between 1874 and 1876 in the center of the city and it has been declared a listed building for its architectural and historical interest.
Every Tuesday Museum is closed
Ticket general 3€
Duration: 30 minutes
4
Acropolis and Ancient Theater
Thucydides wrote:
Suppose the city of Sparta to be deserted, and nothing left but the temples and the ground-plan, distant ages would be very unwilling to believe that the power of the Lacedaemonians was at all equal to their fame. Their city is not built continuously, and has no splendid temples or other edifices it rather resembles a group of villages and would therefore make a poor show.
We visit The Acropolis and the Ancient Theater of Sparta. Built of local white marble during the Roman period, the late first-century B.C theater was one of the Classical world’s largest. Said to be capable of holding an estimated 16,000 people, it featured a mobile stage and was considered a tourist destination in ancient times. Much of the auditorium was destroyed during the Byzantine period, and the remaining marble and limestone blocks have suffered from erosion.
Duration: 60 minutes
5
Leonidas Monument
The King Leonidas statue stands belligerently in front of a stadium. When the Persians attacked at Thermopylae and told the Spartans and their allies to lay down their weapons, Leonidas' response, immortalized beneath his feet, was 'Molon labe' ('Come and get them').
Excavations carried out during the previous century, north of the modern town of Sparta, brought to light an impressive construction. The edifice that dates back to the 5th century B.C. was made from large limestone. Archaeologist who carried out the excavations in 1892, initially thought it was a small temple. Although its use is not yet verified, it is believed to be the tomb of Leonidas. According to Pausanias, it was here that the remains of the legendary king of Sparta were transferred and buried after the battle in Thermopylae. The tomb of Leonidas is the only preserved monument of the Ancient Agora.
Duration: 15 minutes
6
Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil
The Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil, in Sparta (Peloponnese), transports you to the culture, history and technology of the olive and olive oil production in the Greek realm, from prehistoric times to the early 20th century. The olive and olive oil are presented here from different optical angles: the economy, nutrition and the olive's uses, religious worship, art and technology. The Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil offers you the opportunity to see the very first testimonies about the presence of the olive tree and the production of olive oil in Greece: Rare fossilized olive leaves, 50,000-60,000 years old, from the island of Santorini, the oldest findings offering proof of the presence of the olive tree en Greece Linear B Tablets of the 14th century BC (exact replicas), with the first written testimonies about the olive and olive oil.
Visit is optional and depends time. Every Tuesday Museum is closed. General Ticket 3€
Duration: 60 minutes
7
Ancient Corinth (Archaia Korinthos)
Here are the remains of Ancient Corinth, one of the largest cities in Ancient Greece. Walking in the ancient City of Corinth is like to walk back in time.
For Christians, Corinth is well known from the two letters of Saint Paul in the New Testament, First and Second Corinthians. Corinth is also mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as part of the Paul the Apostle's missionary travels.
Combined ticket for Ancient Corinth is 8€ for summer or 4€ for winter (Ticket Includes Museum)
Duration: 1.1666666666667 hours
8
Archaeological Museum of Corinth
Visit Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth.
In winter time closed on Tuesday.
Ticket of Archaeological site includes and Museum
Duration: 30 minutes
9
Athens
Return to Athens
Additional info
• Specialized infant seats are available
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• You Have the options of 3 different Vehicles types: Sedan up to 3 adults or family of 4 (2 adults + 2 kids - up to 12 years old free) - Minivan ( from 1 to 7 persons - 2 kids/ up to 12 years old free ) - Minibus ( from 1 to 14 persons - 2 kids/ up to 12 years old free). Price varies by Group Size or Vehicle type.
• The driver is not an archaeologist guide to accompany you on your walk to sites or museum. If you require an archaeologist guide to tour the sites with you, you need to hire one additionally. Your driver provides informative documentary & historical details as you travel..
• This is a private & flexible tour available from Athens or Nafplion. However we only request to have in mind the agreement hours. But if you like to extend it, please make a fair arrangement with your tour driver/ leader. Additional charge per hour is 30€ (Sedan) - 45€ (Minivan) - 60€ (Minibus).
