Greece - Athens to Olympia Day Trip
Aug 28th, 2014, 10:03 AM
#1
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Greece - Athens to Olympia Day Trip
Four adults will be visiting Greece in early November & would like to make a day trip tour of Olympia from Athens - we know it will be a long day. Has anyone ever done this? We are considering using Niki Vlachou of Olympia Tours - does anyone have any experience with this company?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Aug 28th, 2014, 07:29 PM
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When I went it took 4.5 hours from Athens to get there. Do you seriously want to spend 9 hours driving?
Why don't you look at Nemea??? I bet you never heard of it ... but it was the "runner-up" among Sacred Games Sites ... and it's just 2 hours from Athens -- about 12 miles past the Corinth Canal, just off the main road. The institution in charge of excavation/restoration is U of Cal at Berkeley -- and you KNOW they have the $$$ to do a wonderful job. In fact under Berkeley's leadership there has been a modern version of a "Sacred Games" that people come from around the world to compete ... thousands of athletes, tens of thousands of spectators ... traditional ceremonies (with robes & lyres), laurel wreaths for winners. etc.
Of course it's not as extensive as Olympia but There's a very nice small museum, a ruined temple with authentically re-erected columns, a theatre, and a a GREAT Olympic size stadium, with authentic entry tunnel for athletes, original starting-blocks for racers ... everything but tour busses. I think the hours are 9 - 3 Tues -Sun. A bonus is that it's right next to a little village "Archaia Nemea" which is at the heart of Wine Country ... Nemean Red is Greece's BEST red. In November the harvest will be in ... on the village Main street is a winery, where u can see them capping bottles on the machine, and get lots of samples.
I admit that it doesn't have the treasures of the Olympic Museum ... that is why I went to Olympia in fact, the museum impressed me more than the site. But I'm a classics buff and wanted to see the pediment sculptures from the Temple of Zeus. For some nice ruins and an impressive stadium, Nemea is a lot closer.
Why don't you look at Nemea??? I bet you never heard of it ... but it was the "runner-up" among Sacred Games Sites ... and it's just 2 hours from Athens -- about 12 miles past the Corinth Canal, just off the main road. The institution in charge of excavation/restoration is U of Cal at Berkeley -- and you KNOW they have the $$$ to do a wonderful job. In fact under Berkeley's leadership there has been a modern version of a "Sacred Games" that people come from around the world to compete ... thousands of athletes, tens of thousands of spectators ... traditional ceremonies (with robes & lyres), laurel wreaths for winners. etc.
Of course it's not as extensive as Olympia but There's a very nice small museum, a ruined temple with authentically re-erected columns, a theatre, and a a GREAT Olympic size stadium, with authentic entry tunnel for athletes, original starting-blocks for racers ... everything but tour busses. I think the hours are 9 - 3 Tues -Sun. A bonus is that it's right next to a little village "Archaia Nemea" which is at the heart of Wine Country ... Nemean Red is Greece's BEST red. In November the harvest will be in ... on the village Main street is a winery, where u can see them capping bottles on the machine, and get lots of samples.
I admit that it doesn't have the treasures of the Olympic Museum ... that is why I went to Olympia in fact, the museum impressed me more than the site. But I'm a classics buff and wanted to see the pediment sculptures from the Temple of Zeus. For some nice ruins and an impressive stadium, Nemea is a lot closer.
Sep 10th, 2014, 08:21 AM
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I have always said that Nemia just needs a marketing department. It is definitely not Olympia but it was a sister city with its games and does have the advantage of being close to Athens. this means you can visit Nemia then head south and spend some time at Mycaene and perhaps a stroll around Nafplio before you head back to Athens. This is a much better use of time than all those hours on the bus to Olympia. Best if you rent a car.
Here are images of Nafplio and Nemia is at images 63 to 74.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr...7632094108982/
Here are images of Nafplio and Nemia is at images 63 to 74.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr...7632094108982/
