St. Paul's Footsteps Tour: Ancient Corinth Private Tour

St. Paul stood before a Roman proconsul at the Bema in Ancient Corinth, and you'll stand in the same spot.

A private guided tour of Ancient Corinth following the footsteps of St. Paul, who lived and preached there for 18 months around 51–52 AD. The tour covers the Temple of Apollo, the Bema (judgment seat), Acrocorinth fortress, the Corinth Canal, Isthmia and its ancient games, Cenchreae port, and the Archaeological Museum of Isthmia. Pickup is included; your driver provides historical and spiritual commentary throughout but does not enter the sites. A licensed tour guide is available upon request and depending on availability. Entry to the Archaeological Museum of Corinth can be purchased on-site.

Step-by-step itinerary

St. Paul's Footsteps in Corinth and Isthmia

• Visit Acropolis and Areopagus Hill
• Stop at Corinth Canal
• Explore Diolkos ancient site
• Visit Isthmia archaeological site
• Tour Archaeological Museum of Isthmia
• Explore Temple of Poseidon and ancient stadium
• See ancient theater of Isthmia
• Visit Temple of Apollo in Ancient Corinth
• Walk Kechries ancient port
• Visit church honoring Apostle Paul
• Explore Bema in Ancient Corinth
• Enjoy lunch at seaside Greek taverna
• Ascend Akrokorinthos fortress

The Experience

Ancient Corinth sits on the isthmus between mainland Greece and the Peloponnese, and this private tour traces the path St. Paul walked during his transformative 18-month stay. You'll start at the Temple of Apollo, built around 560 BC with its distinctive monolithic limestone columns still standing—the pagan religious center Paul confronted when he arrived to preach. From there, the tour moves through the Roman Forum to the Bema, the stone platform where Paul stood before the proconsul Gallio, accused of illegal teachings. Gallio dismissed the case, allowing Paul to continue his ministry without Roman interference—a turning point preserved in the Book of Acts and marked on the ground where it happened.

The route includes stops at sites tied to Paul's daily life and work. At Isthmia, near the Corinth Canal, you'll see the Temple of Poseidon and the ancient stadium where the Isthmian Games—the second-most important athletic competition in the ancient world after the Olympics—took place. Paul likely worked here as a tentmaker, serving athletes and travelers while spreading the Christian message. The Archaeological Museum of Isthmia holds artifacts from this world: glass panels from Kenchreae (the eastern port where Paul departed for Syria), statues, votive offerings, and burial finds that paint the cultural landscape Paul inhabited. You'll also visit Cenchreae itself, the quiet coastal site where Paul cut his hair to fulfill a vow before sailing, and where Phoebe, a respected servant of the early church, led one of the first Christian communities.

Acrocorinth, the fortress towering above the city, offers panoramic views from the ancient walls Paul would have known. The Corinth Canal—a 19th-century engineering marvel that cuts 185 nautical miles off the sea route around the Peloponnese—stands as a symbol of the city's strategic importance during Paul's time, though the idea for such a shortcut dates back over 2,000 years to the ancient ruler Periander. A traditional seaside Greek taverna provides lunch midday. Your driver, fluent in English and knowledgeable in history, travels with you throughout and can answer questions about each site, though they do not accompany you inside the archaeological areas. The vehicle is air-conditioned and equipped with WiFi and bottled water.

What’s included

• Private transportation in a luxurious, air-conditioned vehicle.
• professional driver with deep knowledge of history and fluent English commentary.
• bottled water and WiFi on board.
• lunch at a traditional seaside Greek taverna.
• pickup included.
• wheelchair-accessible transportation and all areas at the sites.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availableInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Athens Taxi Travel

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to walk the exact places where St. Paul preached and worked—the Bema where he faced trial, the Temple of Apollo he confronted, Isthmia where he labored as a tentmaker, and Cenchreae where he departed for Syria. The private format and knowledgeable driver mean you move at your own pace and can linger at moments that matter to you, without the rhythm of a group schedule.

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Top questions

What did St. Paul do when he arrived in Corinth?

St. Paul lived and preached in Corinth for over 18 months around 51–52 AD, founding one of the earliest Christian communities in Greece. He worked as a tentmaker, likely at Isthmia during the Isthmian Games, while using the opportunity to share the message of Christ with the diverse audiences drawn to the region. His letters to the Corinthians—First and Second Corinthians—addressed the challenges of the early Christian community and remain central texts in the New Testament.

What is the Bema and why is it important to this tour?

The Bema is a stone platform in the Roman Forum at Ancient Corinth where St. Paul stood before the Roman proconsul Gallio, accused of illegal teachings. Gallio dismissed the case as a religious dispute and refused to intervene, allowing Paul to continue preaching without Roman interference. This moment, recorded in the Book of Acts, was a turning point in Paul's mission, and the Bema later became a Christian worship site in the Byzantine period.

How does the Corinth Canal connect to St. Paul's time?

The Corinth Canal is a 19th-century engineering marvel that connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf, cutting 185 nautical miles off the sea route around the Peloponnese. Though completed in modern times, the idea dates back over 2,000 years to Periander, ruler of ancient Corinth. The canal stands as a symbol of Corinth's historical importance and strategic significance during Paul's era, when merchants and sailors—including those Paul may have encountered—used the isthmus as a vital crossroads.

What can I see at the Archaeological Museum of Isthmia?

The Archaeological Museum of Isthmia houses artifacts from the sanctuary of Poseidon and the Isthmian Games, including glass panels from Kenchreae (the port from which Paul departed for Syria), statues, votive offerings, and burial finds. These objects paint a vivid picture of the diverse cultural and spiritual world where Paul lived, worked, and preached the gospel during his time in the region.

Will a tour guide enter the archaeological sites with me?

Your driver is knowledgeable in history and provides commentary throughout the journey in fluent English, but does not enter the archaeological sites. The driver can answer questions about the places you visit. A licensed tour guide is available upon request and depending on availability; if you wish to arrange one, you can inquire at booking.