Piraeus Shore Excursion

This half day Piraeus shore trip visits the archaeological site of Ancient Corinth. Your visit through this once rich and powerful city includes the Temple of Apollo. An added bonus is a photo stop to see the amazing Corinth Canal.

After meeting your private guide, you drive to the once rich and powerful city of Ancient Corinth. The city was blessed with a superb location and fertile plains making it virtually an impregnable refuge. Excavations reveal that the ancient city was huge and wealthy. It survived numerous invasions but was ultimately brought down by earthquakes. St. Paul lived and worked in Corinth for 18 months, making converts where he could and leaving for posterity the Bible's Letters to the Corinthians. The Bema (platform) where the Roman governor tried him is still visible.

You'll see one of Corinth's most striking ancient buildings, the Temple of Apollo, seven of whose original columns are still standing. You'll walk through the remains of the Market Place, a colonnaded square once surrounded by many small shops, and see the celebrated Fountain of Priene, which has produced water since the earliest times, and the Lechaion Road, formerly the main thoroughfare to the port of Lechaion.

On the way back to Athens / Piraeus, you enjoy a photo stop at the Corinth Canal. The concept of cutting a canal through the Isthmus of Corinth to link the Ionian and Aegean seas was first proposed by the tyrant Periander, founder of Ancient Corinth. The magnitude of the task defeated him, so he opted instead to built a paved slipway across which sailors dragged small ships on rollers, a method used until the 13th century. Nero, Rome's most infamous emperor, inaugurated an attempt in 67 AD with his golden spade, but it was finally completed in 1893. You walk across a bridge over the canal which is now used for smaller commercial ships and private yachts.

Mobility: Folding wheelchair OK, some areas of the are not accessible (advance notice required)

If you cannot find what you are looking for, our Piraeus tours and Piraeus Shore Excursions can also be customized to fit your needs. If you have a larger group, we can offer you a private Piraeus shore trip using a mid-size bus or full size coach. Please contact us with any questions or to receive a customized quote.