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
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 Palaestra and Gymnasium at Ancient Olympia were the training grounds where the athletes of the Olympic Games prepared for their contests. The Palaestra was a fine colonnaded building for the combat sports of wrestling, boxing and the pankration, its sanded courtyard ringed by rooms where athletes oiled, dusted and washed. The larger Gymnasium beside … Read more
Ancient Olympia is one of the easiest and most rewarding ancient sites in Greece to visit with children. The site is flat, open and safe, so families explore it freely, and its greatest thrill for children is running the ancient stadium where the Olympic Games were first held thousands of years ago. Add small, engaging … Read more
Yes, Ancient Olympia is well worth visiting, and for anyone with an interest in history it is one of the essential sites of Greece. As the birthplace of the Olympic Games, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the home of the Temple of Zeus with its lost Wonder of the ancient world, it combines deep … Read more
The Museum of the History of the Olympic Games in Antiquity at Olympia is the museum devoted to the ancient Games themselves, rather than to the art of the sanctuary. Housed in a handsome nineteenth-century building given by the benefactor Andreas Syngros, one of the first provincial museums in Greece, it tells the story of … Read more
The best place to stay in Ancient Olympia is the small town of Archaia Olympia, right beside the archaeological site. A few minutes’ walk from the ruins, the museums, the tavernas and the shops, the town has hotels, guesthouses and family apartments for every budget, and staying overnight lets you reach the site early before … Read more
The best time to visit Ancient Olympia is late spring and early autumn, from May to June and in September to October, when the weather is warm, the archaeological site is comfortable to walk and the crowds are at their thinnest. Olympia sits in a green river valley in the western Peloponnese, and its open … Read more
An Ancient Olympia guided tour is the best way to understand the birthplace of the Olympic Games. Much of the sanctuary survives as foundations and fallen columns, so a knowledgeable guide transforms the scattered stones into the vivid story of the Temple of Zeus, the ancient stadium and the Games held here for nearly twelve … Read more