We will visit:
- City of Elefsis
- Elefsis Museum
- Corinth Canal
- Ancient Corinth Ruins
- Temple of Apollo
- Museum of Ancient Corinth
In this tour we follow the National Highway till we reach the holiest place of the ancient world Eleusina, the place where the Eleusinian Mysteries took place, the most important religious feast of the ancient world. There in the Thriassic plain, Goddess Demeter herself taught men to cultivate wheat and barley. Worship of Demeter “Mother Earth” who brought life from the soil, governed all creation and Persephone her daughter who symbolized spring and rebirth begun at 15th c. B.C. If you’d been initiated to the Mysteries at least twice you gained admission to the Elysian Fields, to the Isles of the Blessed and the ranks of Immortals. Cicero wrote:” The greatest gift of Athens to mankind and the holiest is the Eleusinian Mysteries”. Today, Eleusis is an industrial area used for the import and refinement of crude oil.
Afterwards, we can see a small Museum of six rooms hosting some findings of the past glory; Marble sarcophagus of Roman Times, Protoattic amphora, Headless statue of the goddess Demeter, Headless statue of Asklepios, statue of a Kore, marble statues of Roman emperors, e.t.c.
Continuing along the National Highway we reach the Corinth Canal or else Isthmus completed in 1893 – 6 km length, 25m width, 8m depth- which connects the Aegean with the Ionian Sea. Our 15’ stop there gives us the opportunity to take some marvelous pictures and then continue our route until we reach the Ruins of the city of Ancient Corinth.
You can see the long rocky wall of Acrocorinth leading to Lechaion (artificial harbor of the Corinthian Gulf) where the road leading to Ancient Agora starts. The Temple of Apollo (6th c. B.C.-restored 1st c. AD) is the only Greek monument standing, as all others are mainly Roman.
Another interesting spot to see is the museum of Acrocorinth which hosts many objects and findings like the head of Goddess Tyche (Luck), the Bema where Saint Paul preached, and the fountain of Glauke.
In the end we enjoy a nice meal at a traditional restaurant, before we take our way back to Athens.
Elefsis & Ancient Corinth Extended Tour Details
Duration : approx. 6 hrs
Booking Request
Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth
WINTER HOURS
From December 10 to April 10, 08:00-15:30
SUMMER HOURS
From April 11 to August 31, 08:00-20:00
From September 1 to September 15, 08:00-19:30
From September 16 to September 30, 08:00-19:00
From October 1 to October 15, 08:00-18:30
From October 16 to October 31, 8:00-18:00
From November 1 to December 9, 8:00-17:00
Combined Ticket:Full fee: €8, Reduced fee: €4
Combined Ticket is valid for Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth and Archaeological site of Ancient Corinth
- March 6 (in memory of Melina Mercouri)
- April 18 (International Monuments Day)
- May 18 (International Museums Day)
- June 5 (International Enviroment Day)
- September 27 (International Tourism Day)
- October 28 (Greek National Holiday)
- The last weekend of September (European Heritage Days)
- Sundays from November 1st till March 31st
- The first Sunday of every month except July, August & September
- Cultural card holders
- Journalists
- Members of the ICOM-ICOMOS
- Persons accompanying blind & disabled
- Persons possessing a free admission card
- Tourist guides
- University students & students at Technological Educational Institutes or equivalent schools of E.U. & students at Schools of Tourist Guides
- Young people under 18 yrs old
- Soldiers carrying out military service
Your professional driver has limited knowledge of Greek history, mythology as well as contemporary life and traditions. He is not allowed by law to accompany you into the sites and museums; therefore he will be waiting for you at the agreed area.
Private Hellas Tours cooperates with professional, licensed private tour guides, that you can hire and will ride the same vehicle with you, accompany you to the sites and museums and give you detailed information on the history of the landmarks and historical sites.