Ancient Corinth, Epidaurus & Nafplio: Private tour from Athens
Three millennia in one day: the canal, the theatre, the fortress town
A full-day private tour from Athens that crosses the Corinth Canal and visits Ancient Corinth, the Theatre of Epidaurus and the harbor town of Nafplio, with hotel or airport pickup, air-conditioned transport, bottled water and an English-speaking driver who knows the history of each site. Entry fees to the archaeological sites are paid on-site. A licensed guide can be arranged on request.
Options for this experience
2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Explore Ancient Corinth, Epidaurus, Nafplio
- View Corinth Canal from above
- Visit Ancient Corinth ruins
- Tour Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth
- See Temple of Apollo at Corinth
- Explore Acrocorinth fortress
- Visit Archaeological Museum of Epidaurus
- See Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus
- Visit Temple of Asclepius sanctuary
- Free time in Nafplio for lunch and shopping
- View Bourtzi water castle from harbor
- Walk around Acronauplia old town
- Climb Palamidi fortress steps
- Corinth Canal 15m
- Ancient Corinth (Archaia Korinthos) 1h
- Archaeological Museum of Corinth 30m
- Temple of Apollo 15m
- Acrocorinth 30m
- Epidaurus Archaeological Museum 30m
- Theatre of Epidaurus 30m
- Sanctuary of Asklepios 15m
- Bourtzi 10m
- Akronafplia Fortress passing by
- Palamidi Castle 30m
What’s included
- Private air-conditioned transportation from your hotel, airport or port.
- bottled water throughout the day.
- WiFi on board.
- an English-speaking driver with historical knowledge of the Peloponnese.
- and hotel or airport drop-off at the end of the tour. Lunch with Greek traditional food is available as an add-on option at checkout.
- Every day 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00
Information
Private full-day tour from Athens through three Peloponnese landmarks: cross the Corinth Canal, walk the Theatre of Epidaurus.
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The experience
The day starts with a drive south from Athens across the Isthmus of Corinth. You'll stop at the Corinth Canal itself (a 6.4-kilometre waterway cut through limestone at sea level, only 21 metres wide at its base), and see it from the high viewpoint where the steep walls and passing vessels below come into focus. The canal separates the Peloponnese from mainland Greece, and from that vantage point you can watch how narrow the passage is for modern ships navigating through.
At Ancient Corinth, you explore the ruins of one of Greece's largest city-states in 400 BC. The site holds the Temple of Apollo (built in 550 BC), the Acrocorinth fortress overlooking the city, the Agora, the Fountain of Peirene and other temples and structures scattered across the archaeological zone. The on-site museum displays reconstructions and artifacts from the excavations. Your driver stays with the vehicle but can answer questions about what you're standing in front of when you return. They're not licensed guides, but they speak fluent English and have deep knowledge of the history.
The Theatre of Epidaurus comes next. Built in the 4th century BC on the west side of Cynortion Mountain, it's considered the most acoustically perfect ancient Greek theatre ever built. The sanctuary around it was dedicated to Asclepius, the god of medicine, and rivalled major cult sites like Olympia and Delphi. You can walk the theatre's tripartite structure (theatron, orchestra and skene), and test the acoustics yourself. The Archaeological Museum of Epidaurus is also on-site, with its own collection of temple reconstructions and inscriptions.
Nafplio, the final stop, gives you free time to eat lunch (Greek traditional food is available as an option at checkout, or you can find your own), walk the cobbled squares, and wander the colorful back streets of what the itinerary calls the most elegant town on mainland Greece. The town was the first capital of the modern Greek state after the 1821 revolution. From the harbor you can see the Bourtzi, a Venetian castle in the water, and if you're willing to climb, the Palamidi fortress sits on a 216-metre hill with over a thousand steps and views across the Argolic Gulf. The Acronauplia, the oldest part of the city, shows the layers of Venetian and Ottoman occupation. The drive back to Athens takes the evening.
Top questions
What's the Corinth Canal actually like when you see it in person?
The Corinth Canal is a 6.4-kilometre waterway cut through limestone at sea level, only 21 metres wide at its narrowest point. From the high viewpoint on the tour, you watch from above as ships navigate the steep walls on either side. The narrowness is striking and the limestone cliffs drop straight down.
Can I go inside the Theatre of Epidaurus, or is it roped off?
The Theatre of Epidaurus is open for you to walk through. You can move across the theatron, orchestra and skene structures and test the famous acoustics yourself. The theatre is known for its perfect sound projection, which you can experience directly.
How much time do I get in Nafplio for lunch and exploring?
The itinerary includes free time in Nafplio for lunch, coffee, shopping and walking the town. You can eat at a local restaurant, relax by the harbor, or climb to one of the two fortresses: Palamidi (with over a thousand steps) or Acronauplia, depending on how you want to spend the hours there.
Do I need to buy tickets to Ancient Corinth and Epidaurus before the tour, or on the day?
Entry fees to Ancient Corinth and the Archaeological Museum of Corinth, as well as Epidaurus and its museum, are purchased on-site on the day of the tour. Your driver can tell you about the sites, but they do not enter the archaeological zones with you.
Is lunch included in the price, or do I pay separately?
Lunch is optional. At checkout, you can choose the option with Greek traditional food included, or book without food and arrange your own meal in Nafplio during the free time there.
What language does the driver speak?
The driver speaks fluent English and has deep knowledge of the history of each site. They are not licensed tour guides and will not accompany you inside the archaeological sites, but they can answer questions about what you see and provide commentary during the drive.
Operated by My Athens Transfers. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated today
Ancient Corinth, Epidaurus & Nafplio: Private tour from Athens
8h–9h · EN · at your hotel
from € 189.40 per person
≈ US$ 213 in your currency
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