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Depart the harbor of Katakolon, a charming fishing village on the Ionian Coast filled with brightly-colored fishing boats. Travel the short distance to Olympia in the comfort of your own air-conditioned minibus, passing the modern town of Pyrogos and several small villages along the way.
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Travel through the rich countryside between the Alfios and Klados Rivers on your way to Olympia, where you will embark a 3-hour guided tour that visits the Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Hera and the Stadium, among other sites.
Ancient Olympia, the archaeological site of the first Olympic Games in 776 BC, lies in the lush valley formed by the Alfios River. Begin at the Temple of Zeus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Once the richest in the sanctuary, it contained the giant gold and ivory statue of Zeus. Then see the Temple of Hera, the Shrine of Pelops (one of the oldest in the Sanctuary), the Council House where the athletes took the Olympic oath, the Treasuries, the Gymnasium and Palaestra. Finally, come to the Stadium, where the marble starting blocks are still in position.
Your will also visit the Archaeological Museum, only a short walk from the Olympia site. Here you will find a wonderful collection of Greek sculpture, as well as treasures that have been unearthed over a century of excavations. See parts of the pediment from the Temple of Zeus, illustrating the mythical war between the Centaurs and the Lapiths. The museum is also home to the famous Hermes of Praxiteles.
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