Mycenae
Mycenae is known as the City of Gold. It is the home of Agamemnon and also made famous by the poetry of Homer.The German Archaeologist Schliemann, who also discovered Troy in 1874, discovered Mycenae. Mycenae is situated on a hill between two peaks Zahra and Profit Elias. The main entrance to the citiadel is the Lion Gate, which is a solid stone carving of two lions, which stand as sentries directly over the entrance. The gate is part of the outer wall of the citadel. The Treasury of Atreus was a grave chamber shaped as a dome.Mycenae was said to have been built with the help of the Cyclops. Apparently Mycenae was almost completely destroyed by a fire in the 12th Century, which caused the Mycenae civilization to decline, but the area was still inhabited. It is thought that it was abandoned in the 3rd century. Visit the citadel, the beehive tombs and the museum, which opened in 2004 displaying many of Schliemann’s, finds including a replica of the famous Golden Death Mask of Agamemnon.
Nafplio
Nafplion was the first capital of Modern Greece after the Greek war of independence in 1821 until 1834 when Athens then took over. It is dominated by the huge Venetian Palamidi Fortress, which is accessible by approx 999 steps so if you are feeling fit one day why not attempt the steps? Don’t worry, there is also a road going up to the top, where you can take a local taxi or drive yourself. The views from the top are amazing looking out to the Argolic seas and Mycenean Plains. Nafplion is split into two towns. The modern town consists of mainly shops and the residential area and the old town which is steeped in history from the Ottamans, Franks and Turks. Wander around the winding streets, take a walk round the harbour, sit in the famous Constitution Square and watch the world go by. Just a few things you can do while you are visiting this beautiful town. There are an abundance of shops, tavernas and bars and also a couple of museums which are well worth a visit. Nafplion has something to offer everyone.
Argos
Argos was a city of Ancient Greece, which was occupied from the early Bronze Age. It is mentioned in Homer’s Iliad. Argos played a major role in the Argolis area and in its time was very powerful along with Mycenae and Tiryns. It became a very early settlement because of its commanding positions in the midst of the fertile plain of Argolis. Argos has its own outdoor theatre where you can still see the Roman Baths and the Roman Agora. There is also a small museum in Argos. A lot of Ancient Argos has been buried under the new city as there wasn’t any town planning. The new town is mainly industrial, residential and shops. There is a good local market held every Wednesday and Saturday morning.
The Pyramid of Ellinikon
The Pyramid of Ellinikon is the most famous pyramid in Greece. It can be found in the village of Ellinikon which is not far from Kefalari. The Pyramid dates from 2700 bc. Built from limestone it is the best preserved and most important pyramid building that exisits in Greece, although unfortunately it has suffered damage.
Kefalari
Kefalari is a picturesque village not far from Argos. The village is dominated by the beautiful church of Zoodohos Pigi and the River Erasinos, which runs adjacent to the church. These waters come from a lake which is under the church. The church has been built inside a cave and is visited by large numbers of people every year. The cave used to be a subterranean river bed. Excavations have taken place where Neolithic ceramics were discovered, however the cave was inhabited earlier than this time as German archaeologists have discovered artifacts that date back to the late Palaeolithic age. Well worth a visit and there is a good choice of tavernas in the village of Kefalari.
Tiryns
Tiryns shares the same billing as Mycenae on the World Heritage List although Tiryns is smaller it was no less important than Mycenae. In Ancient times Tiryns was linked to the myths surrounding Heracles and some sources think it my have been his birthplace. At the end of the Mycenae period the site went into decline and was completely deserted by the 2nd century AD. The site was excavated by Schliemann in 1884-1885 and to this day excavations are still going on.
Epidaurus
Epidaurus is the world famous sanctuary of Asclepios, the god of healing. It is situated amongst olive, orange and pine trees. Epidaurus is a spiritual place where the Greeks used to go and pay tribute and to ask the gods for remedies for their illnesses. The highlight of the site is the world famous open air theatre, which dates back to the 4th century BC. Originally it had 34 rows and then the Romans added another 21 rows. It holds approximately 15,000 spectators and the acoustics are near perfect. Wherever you are seated, within the theatre, you can hear without the sound having to be amplified. Performances are still held today during the months of July and August. On site there are also temples and a small archaeological museum, which displays objects, such as medical instruments, found in the healing centre. There is also a large collection of fossils.
Olympia
Olympia is the birthplace of the original Olympic Games and was one of the most important sanctuaries in the world. Olympia is set in a magical peaceful setting. The first official games were held in the 8th century BC and then every four years after. The games were held in honour of Zeus and the site was named after Mount Olympus which was home to the Greek Gods. The Temple of Zeus was at the heart of the sanctuary and was regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Originally women were not allowed to compete or even be a spectator at the games. If found they would be thrown off a mountain. The running track is still intact and you can run races on it, if you want to. It gives you an amazing feeling. The eternal flame is still lit at Olympia every four years before being transferred to the city hosting the modern Olympic Games. Just a short distance from the site there is the Archaeological museum, which houses artifacts that have been discovered at Ancient Olympia, and it is well worth a visit.
Mystras
Mystras used to be the most powerful Byzantine town in the Peloponnese from the 13th to the 15th century and is situated on Mount Taygetos near Ancient Sparta. Mystras is full of Byzantine churches and monasteries and when you visit it you can feel yourself going back in time. A lot of them have been destroyed but it is still well worth a visit. Today the Palace of Mystras and some churches are under restoration process. In the courtyard of Agios Demetrios, you can visit the Archaeological Museum of Mystras with many Byzantine and Ecclesiastical exhibits. In 1989 the ruins, including the fortress, palace, churches, and monasteries, were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Corinth Canal
The Corinth Canal is a spectacular canal which connects mainland Greece to the Peloponnese. Built between 1881 and 1893 the canal is 6.3 km long and 8m deep. It saves ships a journey time of approximately 24 hours if using the canal instead of having to sail around the whole Peloponnese. Only smaller ships can use it as it is only 21m wide. The canal nowadays is used mainly by tourist ships. Twelve million cubic metres of earth had to be removed to cut out the entire passage.
Ancient Corinth and Acrocorinth
Ancient Corinth dates back to the 10th Century BC and was the largest city in ancient times and also the richest port. Acrocorinth is the Acropolis looking down over Ancient Corinth. The highest peak on the site was home to the temple of Aphrodite which in antiquity was staffed by approximately 1000 prostitutes. The temple of Apollo stands on a hill above the Roman forum. Only seven of its original 38 Doric columns are still standing. Most of the buildings that are left are Roman and not Greek.
Athens
Athens has been the Capital of Greece since 1834 when it took over from Nafplion. Sweeped in history Athens is the birthplace of democracy.
We have all heard of the famous Acropolis and Parthenon which has been nomiated to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. It dates back to the 5th century BC. Athens today is an important financial European capital that hosted the Olympic games in 2004. Athens has so much to offer the visitor museums, monuments and theatres from the past, Plaka which is the oldest part of the city, famous for its flea market, Neoclassical buildings such as the National Library, The National Historical Museum and the Archaeological Museum. The newly built Acroplis Museum is also well worth a visit. The list is endless and there is something for everyone.
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