Greece - Day 01 Temple of Olympian Zeus T he Olympeion, Vassilisis Olgas, At hens 10557 T he Olympeion +30 210 9226330 The Temple of Olympian Zeus is open 7:30am- 6pm (sometimes to 7:30pm). Full 2, Reduced 1 or by combined ticket: Full 12, Reduced 6. Valid (for 48hrs) for Acropolis Museum, Acropolis of Athens, Ancient Agora of Athens, Archaeological Museum of Kerameikos, Kerameikos, Museum of the Ancient Agora, North slope of Acropolis, Olympieio, Roman Agora of Athens, South Slope of Acropolis. The Temple of Olympian Zeus, also known as the Olympeion is one of the biggest - if not actually the biggest - ancient temples in Greece. Vast and impressive, the Temple of Olympian Zeus was begun by Peisistratus the Young in the sixth century BC but various events and circumstances meant it took hundreds of years to construct. It was the Roman emperor Hadrian who finally completed it in around 132AD. The archaeological site of the Temple of Olympian Zeus contains not just the ancient temple but also other ruins. Amongst these are some other ancient temples, the remains of a defensive wall, some Roman baths and even homes.
Greece - Day 02 T he Parthenon T he Part henon, At hens 10555, Greece - +30 210-32.14.172 / 32.10.21 Entrance to the Parthenon is included as part of ticket for The Acropolis. Full: 12, Reduced: 6: Valid for: Acropolis Museum, Acropolis of Athens, Ancient Agora of Athens, Archaeological Museum of Kerameikos, Kerameikos, Museum of the Ancient Agora, North slope of Acropolis, Olympieio, Roman Agora of Athens, South Slope of Acropolis The Parthenon is in the centre of Athens. Take Metro Line 2 to 'Akropoli'. The Parthenon is probably the most famous surviving site from Ancient Greece. Standing at the heart of The Acropolis in the centre of Athens, the Parthenon is a monument to Classical Greek civilisation. Built during the golden age of Pericles - the famous Athenian statesman - the Parthenon was originally constructed to be a temple to the Ancient Greek goddess Athena. The Parthenon was built in the mid- fifth Century BC and replaced an earlier construction on the site which had been destroyed during the Persian Wars. Through the centuries, the Parthenon has also been used as a Christian Church and a Muslim Mosque. The Parthenon was heavily damaged in 1687 during a conflict between the Ottoman Empire and the Venetians. Many of the surviving sculptures from the Parthenon were removed from the site in the early 19th Century by the Earl of Elgin and are now on display in the British Museum. Today the Parthenon remains on the must- see list of most history enthusiasts and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Greece - Day 02 T he Acropolis T he Acropolis, At hens 10555, Greece - 210 9238175, 210 9238724 Full: 12, Reduced: 6: Valid for: Acropolis Museum, Acropolis of Athens, Ancient Agora of Athens, Archaeological Museum of Kerameikos, Kerameikos, Museum of the Ancient Agora, North slope of Acropolis, Olympieio, Roman Agora of Athens, South Slope of Acropolis The Acropolis is in the centre of Athens. Take Metro Line 2 to 'Akropoli'. The Acropolis is one of the most recognisable historic sites in the world and remains an inspirational monument to the achievements of Ancient Greek civilisation. Standing tall above the Greek city of Athens, the Acropolis contains a number of buildings and monuments from Greek Antiquity, including the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Propylaia and the temple of Athena Nike. The majority of sites on the Acropolis were constructed in the 5th Century BC, during the golden age of Athens and under the stewardship of Athenian statesman Pericles. After the original site was burned to the ground in 480BC during the Persian Wars, the Athenians set to re- building their city with monuments that would bear testament to the greatness of their state. The Acropolis continued to be developed throughout the Hellenistic, Macedonian and Roman periods. After the area became Christianised, the Acropolis complex was largely converted for use as a Christian centre, with the Parthenon serving as a Cathedral. However, by the early middle ages, the Acropolis was more frequently used as a defensive fortification by the various occupiers of the city. During a battle between Venetian and Ottoman forces in 1687, the Parthenon suffered severe damage which was never repaired. These impressive monuments have largely stood the test of time through invasion, conquest and war and the Acropolis stands as one of the greatest historic destinations in the world. Today, the Acropolis is an extremely popular historic site and caters for a multitude of tourists every year. The recently opened Acropolis Museum, which lies nearby, contains an amaz ing array of displays and artefacts from the Acropolis itself. The Acropolis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Greece - Day 02 Roman Agora of Athens Roman Forum of At hens Roman Agora of At hens, Pelopidas and Adrianou, At hens +30 210 3245220 The Roman Agora of Athens is open daily except Mondays. 8:30am- 6pm winter (sometimes earlier), 8am- 8pm in summer. Full 2, Reduced 1 or by combined ticket: Full 12, Reduced 6. Valid (for 48hrs) for Acropolis Museum, Acropolis of Athens, Ancient Agora of Athens, Archaeological Museum of Kerameikos, Kerameikos, Museum of the Ancient Agora, North slope of Acropolis, Olympieio, Roman Agora of Athens, South Slope of Acropolis. The Roman Agora of Athens - also known as the Roman Forum of Athens - was founded in the late first century BC, early first century AD and its construction was funded by Julius Caesar and Augustus. Probably the most impressive historic site at the Roman Agora of Athens is what is known as the Tower of the Winds. A clock, weather vane, sundial and compass all in one, this monument is generally thought to date to the first century BC and is very well preserved. The Roman Agora of Athens is also home to the Gate of Athena Archegetis (circa 11BC) as well as the remains of some ancient public toilets.
Greece - Day 03 Spart a Sparta Archeological Museum Agiou Nikonos St 23100 Spárti Greece Spart i +30 27310 28575 (Museum) Sparta Archeological Museum: Open 8.30am 3pm (Nov- Mar); 8am 7pm Tues-Sun (Jul Oct); Adults 2, Child 1 To get to Sparta by road from Athens, take Route 8A (E94) followed by the E65 until you turn onto the E65/E961/E952 which will take you into Sparti. Sparta was one of the most famous city-states of the ancient world and left not only a mark in our historic records, but its very culture at the heart of modern language the English word 'Spartan' reflecting their very way of life simple, basic, severe. Rising to power in the late 7th Century BC, Sparta produced the most powerful land-army of the Hellenic world. Spartan soldiers led the Greek coalition during the Greco- Persian War, becoming legendary in their heroic last stand at Thermopylae and the eventual victory of the Greeks at Plataea. Sparta s star continued to rise in the following century, with victory over Athens in the long- running Peloponnesian War and a brief spell of hegemony over all Greece and even parts of Asia Minor. However, it was their constant military involvements combined with their elitist, purist approach to citiz enry which led to their downfall. Sparta s conflict with a resurgent Thebes, particularly their defeat at the Battle of Leuctra, crippled Spartan power, a blow from which they never recovered. Their own discriminatory nature left Sparta without the capacity to suffer losses, and therefore one or two severe defeats crippled Sparta s military manpower. Sparta did live on as an independent power for the next two centuries, but the city never wielded real power again. Sparta had no part in the conquests of Alexander the Great, and the city was eventually conquered, along with the rest of Greece, by the Romans in the mid-second century BC. Today, the ruins of ancient Sparta exist on the outskirts of the modern city of Sparti founded by King Otto of Greece in 1834. A good proportion of the remains you see today are actually from the Roman period and few are well preserved. Unlike Athens, Spartan culture never led to grand building projects and consequently few historic structures remain. Visitors to Sparta can see the remains of the ancient theatre of Sparta, the nearby Roman shops, the partially- preserved sanctuary of Artemis Orthia, and the site that is said to be the tomb of Spartan King Leonidas. The Sparta Archeological Museum is also worth a visit and contains artifacts from the various archeological digs.
Greece - Day 03 Olympia Ancient Olympia, Achaias Olympias-Lala, Archea Olympia, 27065, Greece - +30 26240 22517 Olympia is open daily, 8am-7pm in summer and 8am-6:30pm in winter. Entry costs 6 for the archaeological site or 9 for a combined ticket with the museum. Discounts available and there are also several free days including 6 March, 5 June, 18 April and 18 May. The Ancient site of Olympia is just south of the modern town by the same name in the Peloponnese along route Achaias Olympias- Lala. Most people visit Olympia via organised tour. It is around a 4 hour drive from Athens. Olympia has a train station, but all trains head to Pyrgos to the west and then you can change to other destinations. However, even here you cannot go direct to Athens, but have to stop in Corinth and change. Olympia was a vibrant Ancient Greek city. It is believed that the site of Olympia was inhabited from 3000 BC, however it was after the fall of the Mycenaean civilisation that the city began to flourish and, by 900 BC it was already considered an important religious site. The O lympic G ame s In 776 BC the first Olympic Games were held in the city in honour of the Greek deity, Zeus. The games at Olympia were a national event and attracted participants and spectators from around the country, raising Olympia s status. They would continue until 394 AD when Roman Emperor Theodosius I, seeing them as a "pagan cult", put them to an end. O lympia s G rowth Over time, the city began to develop and grow. Today the result of this gradual growth can be seen at Olympia through sites such as the Treasuries, the Temple of Hera, both of religious importance and contained in the sacred precinct known as the Altis and the Pelopion, the supposed tomb of the mythical Pelops. These were built in around 600BC. Even the stadium in which the Olympic Games were played was upgraded, a purpose built area being built in around 560 BC and able to seat approximately 50,000 people. The remains of this impressive stadium are still visible today. Classical Pe riod Olympia reached its peak during the classical period and it was at this time that many of the other sites which can be seen there now were built, most notably the Temple of Zeus. This was a vast religious structure the ruins of which were located in the Altis area. The Temple of Zeus was later entirely destroyed, first by fire and then in an earthquake. Archaeologists were however able to excavate several sculptures and artefacts believed to have originated from the building, which are now on show at the nearby Olympia Archaeological Museum. He lle nistic Pe riod Other impressive sites at Olympia were built later during the Hellenistic Period. These include the remains of the fourth century BC Philippeion memorial to the family of Alexander the Great and the Leonidaion. There are also several other impressive sites, many of them built during the Roman period. Olympia is well signposted, making it easy to tour the site and understand how it might have looked in its heyday. If you want to know more about Olympia, you can visit the Olympia Archaeological Museum.
Greece - Day 04 Delos Dilos, Greece - +30 22890 22259 Open daily November- March, 8:30am- 3pm. Entry costs 5 ( 3, reduced) includes museum. Free admission on designated days (see Hellenic Ministry site). Delos is an island off mainland Greece. The easiest way to reach it is from the island of Mykonos, from which there are regular ferries (daily except Mondays) ask your hotel. The journey takes around half an hour. Delos is an island and archaeological site which was held sacred by the ancient Greeks as the birthplace of the deity Apollo. It is unclear as to whether his twin sister Artemis was also believed to have been born there. There were temples built in honour of Artemis at Delos, but the legend seems focused on Apollo. Evidence shows that Delos was inhabited as early as the third millennium BC and, from around the tenth century BC, when it was taken by the Ionian Greeks, it developed into a religious centre as well as a thriving port. A site of pilgrimage for many civilisations, Delos was later ruled by the Athenians, under which the native Delians suffered greatly, being exiled on several occasions. Delos was considered such a sacred site that it was forbidden to die or to give birth there. Athenian leader Peisistratus is said to have even rid the island of all of its existing graves in the sixth century BC. Later, severely ill people and pregnant women would be removed from the island and taken to nearby Rheneia. Over the centuries, activity at Delos centred around shrines and temples to Apollo in an area known as the Sanctuary of Apollo. Few of the once many temples in the Sanctuary of Apollo remain intact today, but what there is has been beautifully preserved and reconstructed. Mosaics and statues are dotted around Delos as are the facades of former temples, such as that of Isis. Some of its most famous statues are those of the Terrace of the Lions. The originals of these are now held at the Delos Archaeological Museum, but the on-site replicas do give an idea of how it once looked. There is also an ancient theatre. Unfortunately there are few if any English explanatory panels, so it s a good idea to get a guide to go with you unless you speak French or Greek. Delos has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1990.
Greece - Day 06 Knossos Archanon-Knossou, 71409, Knosos, Crete Knossus +30 2810 231940 Knossos is open daily, 8:30am-3pm in winter and 8am-7:30pm in summer. Closed on 1 Jan, 25 March, 1 May, Easter Sunday and 25-26 Dec. Entry costs 6 for adults, 3 for EU citiz ens aged 65 plus and non-eu students. Under 19s,, EU students and tour guides go free. Entry free on certain holy and national days (see Hellenic Ministry site). Combined tickets available for Knossos and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. Knossos is on the island of Crete, just south of the capital city, Heraklion along Route Knossou which leads off from route E75. Bus route 2 travels regularly from Heraklion's Bus Stop A (near the harbour) to Knossos, the journey taking around 20 minutes and there are many organised tours to the site. Knossos or ko-no-so was an important ancient site found on the outskirts of the modern city of Heraklion in Crete. It is believed that Knossos was first established a place of settlement in Neolithic times in around 7000 BC and then continuously inhabited until the Ancient Roman period. Knossos reached its peak in the period from the 19th to the 14th centuries BC, as the capital of the Minoan civillisation. It was at this time that the majority of its incredible buildings, the remains of which can be seen today, were constructed, although it suffered large- scale destruction sometime between 1500 and 450 BC. It was later populated by the Mycenaeans, experienced a resurgence in the Hellenistic period and was occupied by the Romans in 67 BC. In addition to being a prosperous city, Knossos was also been the setting for many mythical stories, including those of the Minotaur, Ikaros and Daidalos. Excavated and vastly reconstructed in the nineteenth century by archaeologist Arthur Evans, Knossos has revealed a wealth of ancient treasures, not least of which are its many fascinating ruins. The most famous of these is the Knossos Palace, also known as the Labyrinth for its incredible maz e of passageways and rooms. Believed to date back to 2000 to 1350 BC, Knossos Palace is thought to have been the home of King Minos, an iconic monarch of the island of Crete who legend says was the son of the deities Europa and Zeus. The Palace of Knossos contains a myriad of rooms, including banqueting halls, religious shrines and even a throne room, all centred on a courtyard. Other important buildings at Knossos include the 14th century BC Royal Villa with its pillar crypt, the Little Palace, believed to date back to the 17th century BC, the ornately decorated House of Frescos and the Villa of Dionysos, a 2nd century BC house from the Roman period. The drainage system at Knossos is also fascinating in its own right, indicating an incredible level of sophistication. The great thing about Knossos is that its reconstruction has meant that it's easy to identify the original use of each part of the site. However, it's best to take a guidebook, a map or even a guide if you want a better idea of the site as a whole, particularly as it is indeed a labyrinth.
Greece - Day 07 Castle of the Knights - Kos Leof oros Foinikon, Kos 85300, Greece Kos Castle +30 2242 027 927 Open daily except Mondays, 8:30am- 2:30pm. Entry costs 2.50. Located in Kos Town. The Castle of the Knights in Kos, sometimes referred to as Kos Castle, was the one of the fortifications of the Knights Hospitaller. Begun in the fourteenth century, the main purpose of the Castle of the Knights was to defend Kos from the Ottomans. In 1495, the Castle of the Knights was damaged by an earthquake and then it was restored in the sixteenth century. What remains of the Castle of the Knights today is a great mixture of the different construction periods of the site. Many of its thick walls and imposing towers remain intact and even the some battlements can still be seen.
Greece - Day 07 Casa Romana - Kos Leoforos Patriarchou Grigoriou Pemptou, Kos, Greece - +30 2242 023 234 Open daily except Mondays, 8:30am- 2:30pm. Entry costs 2.50. Located in Kos Town. Casa Romana is a third century Ancient Roman villa in Kos. With its 36 rooms, Casa Romana would certainly have been luxurious. It was also built atop an earlier Hellenistic villa, probably from the first century. Across from Casa Romana are the ruins of the second century Temple of Dionysus, not too impressive in themselves, but worth seeing in conjunction with the villa.
Greece - Day 08 Grandmast ers Palace - Rhodes Ipot on St reet, 85100 Rhodes - +30 22410 25500 Open daily except Mondays, 8:30am- 3pm. Entry costs 6 full, 3 reduced (combined ticket with archaeological museum and other sites 10 full, 5 reduced). There are also free days see official site for details. The Grandmasters Palace of Rhodes was the palace of the Knights Hospitaller of St John. Dating to the fourteenth century (circa 1309), the Grandmasters Palace would be the base of this famous Christian and military order until Rhodes was captured by the Ottomans in 1522. Under this empire the Grandmasters Palace served as a fortress, but was devastated in 1856 by an ammunitions explosion. It was the Italians who restored the Grandmaster Palace in 1912. Today, this medieval castle operates as a museum of works mostly from the early Christian period up to the Ottoman conquest. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Medieval City of Rhodes.