Ancient Corinth tour: Apostle Paul's ports and Acrocorinth

Follow Paul's path from the eastern port to the hilltop fortress

A private full-day tour from Nafplion that traces the Apostle Paul's arrival at Kechries port, then moves through Ancient Corinth's ruins and museum, Acrocorinth castle, and the Diolkos trackway: ending with lunch and olive oil tasting in Loutraki. Your driver provides historical commentary throughout. Site entry and an archaeologist guide are booked separately.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Corinth and Surroundings

• Depart from your location
• Stop at Corinth Canal for photos
• Visit Kechries port biblical site
• Explore Ancient Corinth ruins and museum
• Visit Acrocorinth Castle on the hill
• See Modern Corinth Orthodox cathedral
• Visit the Diolkos ancient paved trackway
• Lunch and optional swim by Corinthian gulf
• Olive oil tasting and local shop visit

The experience

The tour departs from your hotel in Nafplion and heads toward the Corinth Canal, stopping on the bridge, the highest point, for photos of the waterway that cuts through the Isthmus. From there you continue to Kechries, the ancient eastern port where the Apostle Paul disembarked during his second missionary journey around 50 AD. The site sits at a natural crossroads between the Saronic Gulf trade routes and overland traffic heading south into the Peloponnese, and it was here, according to Acts 18:18, that Paul had his hair cut to fulfill a vow.

The core of the day is Ancient Corinth itself. Your driver takes you to the archaeological site, where you walk the Roman Agora (the Vema platform), the Temple of Apollo, and explore the museum: the combined ticket covers both. Afterward, you drive uphill to Acrocorinth castle, the fortified acropolis that dominated the city for centuries. On the way back down, you stop at the Diolkos, a 6–8 km paved trackway built around 600 BC to haul ships across the Isthmus, saving them a dangerous voyage around the Peloponnese's storm-prone headlands. You also visit the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Modern Corinth, built on the site where Paul spent four years.

The day ends in Loutraki with a lunch break at a traditional Greek tavern facing the Corinthian Gulf, followed by a visit to a local olive oil shop where you taste their products and learn how olives become oil and soap. Your driver, an experienced English speaker, provides informative audio commentary and historical details as you travel, though he is not an archaeologist and will not guide you through the ancient site itself. If you want on-site expert interpretation at Ancient Corinth, you can hire a licensed archaeologist separately through the Greek tourist guides registry.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop-off from your Nafplion or Athens hotel.
• private air-conditioned vehicle with professional English-speaking driver.
• fuel, toll roads, and parking fees.
• driver's historical audio commentary throughout the day.
• optional lunch at a waterfront tavern in Loutraki.
• optional olive oil tasting and soap demonstration at a local shop.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English08:00, 09:00, 10:00 and 11:00

Guide in English08:00, 09:00, 10:00 and 11:00

Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00, 09:00, 10:00 and 11:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (4 to 11 years): free · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Audio guideEnglish and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on site€ 210

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats available

Operated by SEE ALL VIEWS

Is this one for you?Pick the Nafplion departure if you're staying in the Peloponnese. Pick Athens if that's your base: either way, a full day lets you move through Ancient Corinth, Acrocorinth castle, the canal, and Diolkos as one connected journey.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years): free; Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I book this tour starting from Athens instead of Nafplion?

Yes, the tour runs as a private departure from either Nafplion or Athens. The Athens option runs up to 10 hours. The Nafplion option is up to 8 hours. Pickup is included from your hotel in whichever city you choose.

What exactly is the Diolkos and why does it matter?

The Diolkos is an ancient paved trackway built around 600 BC to drag ships overland across the Isthmus of Corinth. It saved merchant vessels a dangerous sea journey around the Peloponnese's storm-prone capes and offered a much shorter route to Athens for ships traveling between the Ionian and Aegean seas. The trackway also transported goods and lighter warships during conflicts.

Do I need to hire a separate archaeologist guide to understand Ancient Corinth?

Your driver provides historical commentary during the day, but he is not an archaeological guide and will not walk the ancient site with you. If you want expert on-site interpretation at Ancient Corinth and the museum, you can hire a licensed archaeologist separately through touristguides.gr/en.

What is included in the price, and what costs extra?

Included: pickup and drop-off from your hotel, private transportation, fuel, tolls, parking, and your driver's commentary. Not included: entrance fees to Ancient Corinth and the museum (combined ticket €10 in winter, €20 in spring through autumn), and any archaeologist guide you choose to hire. Lunch and olive oil tasting are optional.

How many people can fit in the vehicle?

You choose from three vehicle types: a sedan or SUV for up to 3 adults or a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children under 11 travel free); a minivan for 1–8 people (2 kids under 11 free); or a minibus for 1–14 people (2 kids under 11 free). The price varies by group size and vehicle type.