Kyllini tours start in the port town on the Ionian coast of Elis, in the northwest Peloponnese, where the ferries leave for Zakynthos and Kefalonia. The routes cover the Frankish castle of Chlemoutsi, the ruins of Glarentza, the springs of Loutra Kyllinis and the beaches of the Elis coast. Greece Tours lists the boat trips, … Read more
Olympia Cooking Class An Olympia cooking class is a hands-on Greek cooking lesson in the countryside of Elis around Ancient Olympia, where a local host teaches village recipes in an olive grove, a farmhouse or a home kitchen and the group shares the finished dishes at the table. Greece Tours lists every Olympia cooking class … Read more
Olympia Olive Oil Tasting An Olympia olive oil tasting is a guided session in the olive country around Ancient Olympia, where you taste fresh extra virgin oil the way trained tasters do, see how the mill makes it and walk the groves it comes from. Greece Tours covers every Olympia olive oil tasting format on … Read more
The mythology of Olympia is as rich as its ruins, for the sanctuary was woven through with legends that explained the origin of the Olympic Games and bound them to the gods. Several founding myths were told: that Zeus himself founded the Games after defeating his father Kronos; that his son Herakles established them after … Read more
Kaiafas Lake is one of the loveliest and most unusual spots in the western Peloponnese, a tranquil wetland at the foot of Mount Lapithas in southern Ilia, famous for its healing thermal springs, its long pine-backed beach and its ancient mythology. The sulphur springs that rise beside the lake have been prized for their curative … Read more
The sanctuary of Ancient Olympia was far more than the Temple of Zeus and the stadium. Within and around the sacred Altis stood a whole complex of monuments serving the worship of the gods and the running of the Olympic Games: the great ash Altar of Zeus, the ancient shrine of Pelops, the council house … Read more
Archaia Olympia is the modern town that sits beside the archaeological site of Ancient Olympia, a green and welcoming village nestled in the valley of the Alpheios river among wooded hills. A short walk from the ruins, it offers a main street of tavernas, cafés and shops, several museums, a winery and easy access to … Read more
Katakolo is a small, colourful port town on the west coast of the Peloponnese, best known as the cruise gateway to Ancient Olympia. Though most visitors pass straight through it on their way inland to the great sanctuary, Katakolo is a pleasant place in its own right, with a walkable seafront of tavernas, cafés and … Read more
The Olympic flame lighting ceremony is one of the most evocative rituals in the modern world, and it takes place at the very heart of Ancient Olympia, birthplace of the Games. Before every Olympic Games, summer and winter, a high priestess and a group of priestesses gather at the altar before the Temple of Hera, … Read more
The Workshop of Pheidias at Ancient Olympia is one of the most remarkable buildings on the site, for it is where the sculptor Pheidias created the colossal gold-and-ivory Statue of Zeus, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Standing just west of the sacred Altis, directly opposite the Temple of Zeus, the workshop … Read more