Corinth through the ages - Private

General information

Destination	Category
Athens, Greece	Sightseeing Tours

Program details

Follow in the footsteps of an apostle with this day trip to beautiful Corinth. Leave Athens by the coastal road along the Saronic Gulf to the dizzying Corinth Canal. Take a short stop to gaze down at the boats passing through the narrow channel connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. See the paved Diolkos trackway, which enabled boats and goods to be moved swiftly across the peninsula in ancient times. Effectively the world’s first railway, the unique 6km roadway is a marvel of engineering and testament to the skill of the builders.

Your next stop is the ancient town of Corinth where St Paul lived and preached for two years. The remains of the city clearly show how rich and important Corinth was in ancient times. Stand in the Agora and imagine the crowds that would have filled this busy marketplace 25 centuries ago. Then, visit Apollo's Temple, from the 6th century B.C., to admire the carved columns framing views of the mountains. Acrocorinth is the next stop. Just as ‘Acropolis’ means ‘high city’, ‘Acrocorinth’ was the towering defensive fort of Corinth. The Temple of Venus is at the highest point of Acrocorinth and affords spectacular views.

In the town centre, see the Church of St Paul, the city’s patron. It was built in 1932-34, based on the church of Agia Sophia in Istanbul. It occupies an entire block and is considered a revolutionary new expression of ecclesiastical architecture. Enjoy some free time for shopping and lunch. Finally, call by the ancient port of Kehries, where St Paul disembarked, before returning to Athens.

Meeting/pick-up point: Your hotel (Athens city centre only).
Start/opening time: Approx. 8:30am.
Duration: 8 hours.
Others: Included: Private taxi (1-3 persons) or private bus (4-9 persons), private licensed English, French, German or Italian speaking guide, entrance fee for Ancient Corinth. Not Included: Meals and drinks during the excursion. Not suitable for the less mobile.