St. Paul's Footsteps Tour from Athens: Corinth & Ancient Agora

Stand where Paul stood: the Bema, the Agora, the port where faith took root

A six-hour private tour from Athens to Corinth following St. Paul's missionary journey, with hotel or port pickup and a live English or Greek-speaking guide. You walk the Ancient Agora where Paul preached, stand at the Bema rostrum where he was tried before the proconsul Gallio, visit the Temple of Apollo and lesser-known early Christian sites, and explore the ancient port of Cenchreae. The tour accommodates two to six passengers in a private minivan with air conditioning and WiFi. Entrance fees to Ancient Corinth are optional, and lunch stops are scheduled but meals cost extra.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Monastery of Daphni20m · entry included
2. Corinth Canal20m

Biblical and historical sites in Corinth

• Pick up from hotel or cruise ship
• Visit Holy Rock of Acropolis and Aeropagus Hill
• Explore Daphni Monastery and mosaics
• See Corinth Canal
• Tour ancient Corinth archaeological site
• Visit Temple of Apollo in Ancient Corinth
• Walk through Ancient Agora and Bema
• Visit church of St Paul in Corinth
• Explore Isthmian Games site and stadium
• Visit Kechries ancient port area
• Return to hotel or cruise ship

The experience

The Bema is a large elevated platform in the Roman Forum of ancient Corinth, and it's where Paul stood before the proconsul Gallio around 52 AD. The source material calls it the most dramatic moment of his time in the city: the trial that tested his right to preach. You'll stand at that exact spot, then walk through the Ancient Agora, a rectangular marketplace 160 meters long where Paul addressed the Corinthians. These aren't reconstructions or theories. They're the physical places where the letters he wrote to the church were born.

The route begins with hotel or port pickup from Athens, then moves through the Monastery of Daphni on the way south: a Byzantine monument built on the site of an ancient Temple of Apollo, with restored mosaics that survived earthquakes and centuries of use by Cistercian monks and Orthodox communities. From there you cross the Corinth Canal, the 19th-century engineering feat that separates the mainland from the Peloponnese, and reach the Isthmian region where Paul worked as a tent maker during the games, the second-most important athletic competition in the ancient world after Olympia. The Temple of Poseidon and the Stadium at Isthmia mark the scale of what he moved through.

The tour includes the ancient port of Cenchreae, where Paul stopped during his second missionary journey to cut his hair and fulfill a vow, and the Church of Apostolos Pavlos in modern Corinth, built on the foundations of the church he founded. A small group of two to six travelers rides in a private minivan with air conditioning, WiFi and bottled water. The guide speaks English or Greek, and you can request a specialized licensed guide for an additional fee if deeper archaeological or theological context matters to you. Luggage storage is available depending on how much you're carrying. Entrance fees to the Archaeological Site of Ancient Corinth are optional and paid separately. If you stop for lunch, the meal cost is yours to cover.

What’s included

• Hotel, Airbnb or cruise port pickup and return transportation.
• private minivan with air conditioning, WiFi and bottled water.
• live guide in English or Greek.
• access to the Ancient Agora, the Bema, the Temple of Apollo, the Monastery of Daphni, the Corinth Canal viewpoint, the Isthmian sites, the ancient port of Cenchreae and the Church of Apostolos Pavlos.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day7 departure times: the first at 07:30, the last at 10:30

Book up to4h before

GroupUp to 16

Live guideEnglish and Greek

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Yomadic.Tours & Transfers

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're staying in Athens without a rental car or arriving by cruise ship with limited time: the private pickup and fixed six-hour schedule mean you don't arrange transport yourself, and the small group size (two to six passengers) keeps the pace flexible enough for prayer and reflection at each site without rushing through the day.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Greek.

What exactly is the Bema, and why does it matter for Paul's story?

The Bema is a large stone rostrum in the Roman Forum of ancient Corinth where city officials addressed the public. Paul was brought before the proconsul Gallio there around 52 AD on charges of illegal teaching, and the site was later transformed into a Christian church during the Byzantine period because of its connection to him.

Where does the tour pick me up, and what if I'm staying at an Airbnb or arriving by cruise ship?

Hotel pickup is included in the price from any Athens accommodation, Airbnb residence, or cruise ship port. The driver collects you and returns you at the end of the tour. Airport pickup is available for an additional cost if you need it.

How long is the drive from Athens to Corinth, and what else do we see on the way?

The tour runs six hours total. On the way south you visit the Monastery of Daphni, a Byzantine monument with restored mosaics, then cross the Corinth Canal before reaching the Isthmian sites and ancient Corinth itself. Lunch stops are scheduled, though meal costs are separate.

Can I spend more time at one site if something moves me, or is the schedule fixed?

The itinerary is flexible. You can spend more time at sites that matter to you and visit during quieter hours for prayer and reflection. The guide adjusts based on your interests in theology, archaeology, or spiritual journey.

What's included in the price, and what costs extra?

The price includes transportation in a private minivan, hotel or port pickup, the guide, air conditioning, WiFi and bottled water. Entrance fees to the Archaeological Site of Ancient Corinth are optional and paid on-site. Meals during lunch stops are your own cost. A specialized licensed guide is available on request for an additional 160 euros.

Is this tour suitable if I'm not very fit, or if I'm traveling with young children?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and specialized infant seats are available in the vehicle if needed.