ΑΡΧΑΊΑ ΟΛΥΜΠΊΑ / Αρχαία Ολυμπία
A visit to Olympia—most famous as the site of the original Olympic Games—offers one of your best opportunities for a hands-on experience with antiquity. Take your mark at the original starting line in the 2,500-year-old Olympic Stadium. Visit the Temple of Zeus, former site of a gigantic statue of Zeus that was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Ponder the temple’s once-majestic columns—toppled like towers of checkers by an earthquake—which are as evocative as anything from ancient times. Take a close look at the Archaeological Museum’s gold-medal-quality statues and artifacts. And don’t forget to step back and enjoy the setting itself. Despite the crowds that pour through here, Olympia remains a magical place, with ruins nestled among lush, shady groves of pine trees.
The modern-day town of Olympia (pop. 11,000) is far less inspiring—a concrete community custom-built to cater to the needs of the thousands of tourists who flock here year-round to visit the site. For convenience while sightseeing, you might want to spend one night in town; more time isn’t necessary (though limited bus connections might require a two-night stay). While not romantic, Olympia is tidy, straightforward, functional, and pleasant enough.
The Sanctuary of Olympia sits in the fertile valley of the Alphios River in the western Peloponnese, nine miles southeast of the regional capital of Pyrgos. The archaeological site curves along the southeastern edge of the tidy modern village of Archaia (Ancient) Olympia. The town’s layout is basically a low-lying, easy-to-manage grid, five streets wide by eight streets long. The main road (called Praxitelous Kondyli) runs from Pyrgos in the north and leads right into a parking lot (and bus stop) at the south end of town. From here the museum and site are due east, over the Kladeos River.
What is technically the town’s TI, in the center of town on the main road next to the National Bank of Greece, is unlikely to be of any help...or even open (it does, however, usually post current bus schedules in its windows). Your hotelier may be able to answer most questions.
Helpful Websites: For current hours of the main sights, check local guide Niki Vlachou’s website (www.olympictours.gr; see listing under “Helpful Hints”). Another good (but unofficial) website is www.olympia-greece.org. It has information on both the sights and the town itself, including a map of the city.
By Bus: The bus drops you off just before the retail strip on the main street, a quick walk from the well-signed sights.
By Car: For driving directions into and out of Olympia, see “Route Tips for Drivers” on here. Parking is free and easy in town and at the sights (the main parking lot for cars is near the Archaeological Museum; you can also park in the bus lot near the Museum of the History of the Olympic Games in Antiquity).
By Cruise Ship: For options on reaching Olympia from the cruise-ship port of Katakolo, see here.
Services: Olympia’s main street has wide sidewalks; countless gift shops; and ample hotels, eateries, ATMs, and other tourist services. You’ll also find a small grocery store here.
Taxis: There’s a taxi stand in town where the main street meets a shady, angled side street called Georgiou Douma (tel. 26240-22555).
Local Guide: Consider hiring fantastic Niki Vlachou to show you around the ruins and museums (reasonable and negotiable rates, contact for exact price; also arranges wine tastings, cooking classes, and meals in local homes; mobile 697-242-6085, www.olympictours.gr, niki@olympictours.gr).
Don’t count on finding a local guide to hire once you arrive—unlike at many other popular ancient sites, the Sanctuary of Olympia is not surrounded by hopeful guides-for-hire.
▲▲▲The Sanctuary of Olympia (The Site)
Bases of Zanes (Cheater Statues) and Row of Treasuries
Map: Olympia Archaeological Museum
▲▲Museum of the History of the Olympic Games in Antiquity
Museum of the History of Excavations
There are three parts to an Olympia visit: The Sanctuary of Olympia archaeological site, the Archaeological Museum, and the smaller Museum of the History of the Olympic Games in Antiquity (with the tiny adjacent Museum of the History of Excavations).
Planning Your Time: If you have all day for sightseeing, first hit the small Museum of the History of the Olympic Games in Antiquity, which provides background on the ancient games that’ll help enliven your visit to the site. I recommend walking the archaeological site next (while your energy is still high), then touring the Archaeological Museum to reconstruct what you’ve seen. If you’re passing the Archaeological Museum en route to the site anyway, buy your combo-ticket at the museum and stop in to see the model of the site in the entryway (described on here), which will spark your imagination as you stroll the site. Allow a half-hour for the Museum of History of the Olympic Games in Antiquity, 1.5 hours for the site, and an hour for the Archaeological Museum.
Try to visit in the early morning or late afternoon (though the site can be very hot in the afternoon). These sights are most crowded between 10:00 and 13:00 (especially the Archaeological Museum). If you’re here off-season, it’s best to visit the site and the big museum in the morning, in case they close at 15:00.
Uncertain Hours: As at the rest of Greece’s ancient sites these days, opening hours can change without warning. Recommended local guide Niki Vlachou is your best resource for up-to-date hours for the town’s sights: Check her website, which she updates regularly with the latest opening times (or contact Niki directly; she happily answers my readers’ questions at no cost and no obligation to hire her as a guide; see listing under “Helpful Hints,” earlier). Staff answering the phone at the site and museum don’t always have the latest info, may not speak much English, and are unlikely to be of much help.
Getting There: By car, park for free at one of two lots: at the south end of town (closest to the site entrance), or at the east edge of town (closest to the Archaeological Museum). To reach the site from either parking lot, follow the signs, walking several hundred yards and crossing the Kladeos River. It’s about a five-minute walk from the town center to either the site or the Archaeological Museum.
(See “Sanctuary of Olympia” map, here.)
Olympia was the mecca of ancient Greek religion—the location of its greatest sanctuary and one of its most important places of worship. In those times, people didn’t live here—the sanctuary was set aside as a monastery and pilgrimage site; the nearest city was 30 miles away. Ancient Greeks came here only every four years, during the religious festival that featured the Games. The heart of the sanctuary was a sacred enclosure called the Altis—a walled-off, rectangular area that housed two big temples, multiple altars, and statues to the gods.
Whereas Delphi served as a pilgrimage destination mostly for groups of wealthy men on a particular mission, every four years Olympia drew 40,000 ordinary dudes (men only) for a Panhellenic party. As the site of the Olympic Games for more than a thousand years (c. 776 B.C.-A.D. 393), it was home to both temples and sports facilities.
Cost and Hours: €6, €9 combo-ticket includes Archaeological Museum, free for those 18 and under; mid-April-mid-Sept Mon-Sat 9:00-19:00, Sun 8:00-15:00; may be open one hour later mid-April-Aug; off-season hours generally daily 9:00-15:00—though most likely at least a little longer, especially in early fall and late spring. Last entry generally 45 minutes before closing.
Services: The site itself has WCs just inside the entrance and near the far end of the Sacred Way. An open-air café is located between the site and the Archaeological Museum. No food is allowed inside the site, though you can (and should) bring a water bottle.
Self-Guided Tour: Buy your tickets at the site entrance, then head through the gate. Walk straight ahead, passing WCs on the right, then bear left with the path (passing an orientation board), which leads you down into the ancient world of Olympia.
• Look to your left (through the trees) to catch glimpses of...
Kronos HillThis hill was sacred to the ancient Greeks, who believed it to be the birthplace of Zeus—and the place where as a clever baby he escaped his father, Kronos, who’d tried to eat him. Zeus later overthrew Kronos and went on to lead the pantheon of gods. (Other versions of the myth place this event on Mt. Olympus, in northern Greece, where the gods eventually made their home.) The hill was scorched by devastating wildfires in August of 2007—imagine how close the flames came to enveloping this ancient site. Locals replanted the hill, and it’s once again green.
• This main path, called the Sacred Way, leads down into a wide field scattered with ruins. To the left of the path was an enclosed area filled with various temples and altars; to the right were buildings for the athletes, who trained and lived in a complex of buildings similar to today’s Olympic Village.
Head to the right along the small path just before the two long rows of stubby columns. They mark the eastern edge of what was once the...
This was the largest building in the whole sanctuary, built in the second century B.C. The truncated Doric columns once supported a covered arcade, one of four arcades that surrounded a big rectangular courtyard. Here athletes trained for events such as the sprint, discus throw, and javelin throw. The courtyard (about the size of six football fields, side-by-side along the Sacred Way) matched the length of the Olympic Stadium, so athletes could practice in a space similar to the one in which they would compete.
Because ancient Greeks believed that training the body was as important as training the mind, sports were a big part of every boy’s education. Moreover, athletic training doubled as military training (a key element in citizenship)—so most towns had a gymnasium. The word “gymnasium” comes from the Greek gymnos (“naked”), which is how athletes trained and competed. Even today, the term “gymnasium” is used in many European countries (including Greece) to describe what Americans call high school.
Athletes arrived in a nearby town a month early for the Games, in order to practice and size up the competition. The Games were open to any free-born Greek male (men and boys competed separately), but a good share of competitors were from aristocratic homes. Athletes trained hard. Beginning in childhood, they were given special diets and training regimens, often subsidized by their city. Many became professionals, touring the circuit of major festivals.
• At the far end of the gymnasium ruins, stairs lead to a square space ringed by twin rows of taller, more intact columns. This is the...
PalaestraAdjoining the gymnasium was this smaller but similar “wrestling school” (built around 300 B.C.). This square courtyard (216 feet on each side—about one acre), also surrounded by arcades, was used by athletes to train for smaller-scale events: wrestling, boxing, long jump (performed while carrying weights, to build strength), and pangration, a kind of ancient “ultimate fighting” with only two rules: no biting and no eye-gouging.
The Olympic Games were athletic contests held every four years as a way of honoring Zeus, the king of the gods. They were the culmination of a pilgrimage, as Greeks gathered to worship Zeus, the Games’ patron.
The exact origins of the Games are lost in the mists of time, but they likely grew from a local religious festival first held at the Sanctuary of Olympia in about 1150 B.C. According to one legend, the festival was founded by Pelops, namesake of the Peloponnese; a rival legend credits Hercules. Sporting events became part of the festivities. A harmonious, healthy body was a “temple” that celebrated its creator by performing at its peak.
The first Olympic Games at which results were recorded are traditionally dated at 776 B.C. The Games grew rapidly, attracting athletes from throughout the Greek world to compete in an ever-growing number of events (eventually taking up to five days in all). They reached their height of popularity around 400 B.C. Of the four major Greek games (including those at Delphi—see here—Corinth, and Nemea), Olympia was the first, biggest, and most prestigious.
Besides honoring Zeus and providing entertainment, the Games served a political purpose: to develop a Panhellenic (“all-Greek”) identity among scattered city-states and far-flung colonies. Every four years, wars between bickering Greeks were halted with a one-month “sacred truce” so that athletes and fans could travel safely to Olympia. Leading citizens from all corners would assemble here, including many second- and third-generation Greeks who’d grown up in colonies in Italy, France, or Africa. Olympia was geographically central, and for the length of the festivities, it was the symbolic heart of Greece.
This went on for 1,169 years, finally concluding in A.D. 393. Olympia today lives on in the spirit of the modern Olympic Games, revived in Athens in 1896. Every other year, athletes from around the world gather and compete in contests that challenge the human spirit and, it’s hoped, foster a sense of common experience. Whether we’re cheering on an American swimmer, a Chinese gymnast, or a Jamaican sprinter to go faster, longer, and better than any human has before, the Games bring the world together for a few weeks, much as they united the Greek world in this tranquil pine grove so many centuries ago.
Picture athletes in the courtyard working out. They were always naked, except for a layer of olive oil and dust for a bit of protection against scrapes and the sun. Sometimes they exercised in time with a flute player to coordinate their movements and to keep up the pace. Trainers and spectators could watch from the shade of the colonnades. Notice that the columns are smooth (missing their fluting) on the lower part of the inside face. This way, when it rained, athletes could exercise under the arcade (or take a breather by leaning up against a column) without scraping themselves on the grooves.
In the area nearest the Sacred Way, notice the benches where athletes were taught and people gathered for conversation. You can still see the bathtubs that athletes used to wash off their oil-dust coating. (They also used a stick-like tool to scrape off the oily grime.)
Besides being training facilities, palaestrae (found in almost every city) were also a kind of health club where men gathered to chat.
• Continue to the right down the Sacred Way, then take the next right. Climb the stairs at the far end, and peek into the ruined brick building that was once the...
In this building, the great sculptor Pheidias (c. 490-430 B.C.) created the 40-foot statue of Zeus (c. 435 B.C.) that once stood in the Temple of Zeus across the street—see sidebar on here. The workshop was built with the same dimensions as the temple’s cella (inner room) so that Pheidias could create the statue with the setting in mind. Pheidias arrived here having recently completed his other masterpiece, the colossal Athena Parthenos for the Parthenon in Athens (see here). According to ancient accounts, his colossal Zeus outdid even that great work.
How do we know this building was Pheidias’ place? Because archaeologists found sculptors’ tools and molds for pouring metals, as well as a cup with Pheidias’ name on it (all now displayed in the museum).
• Walking back to the Sacred Way, stop to look at the large, open rubble-strewn field (to the right) with dozens of thigh-high Ionic capitals. This was the site of the massive Leonidaion, a luxury, four-star hotel with 145 rooms (and private baths) built in the fourth century B.C. to house dignitaries and famous athletes during the Games.
Head back down the Sacred Way, then left up the ramp/stairs toward Olympia’s main sight: the ruins of the Temple of Zeus, marked by a single standing column.
The center of ancient Olympia—both physically and symbolically—was the massive temple dedicated to Zeus, king of the gods and patron of the Games. It was the first of the Golden Age temples, one of the biggest (not much smaller than the Parthenon), and is the purest example of the Doric style.
The temple was built in the fifth century B.C. (470-457 B.C.), stood for a thousand years, and then crumbled into the evocative pile of ruins we see today, still lying where they fell in the sixth century A.D.
Step into the rubble field in front of the temple, walking between big gray blocks, two-ton column drums, and fallen 12-ton capitals. They’re made not of marble but of cheaper local limestone. Look closely and you can see the seashell fossils in this porous (and not terribly durable) sedimentary rock. Most of the temple was made of limestone, then covered with a marble-powder stucco to make it glisten as brightly as if it were made of pure marble. The pediments and some other decorations were made of expensive white marble from the isle of Paros.
An olive tree near the temple’s southwest corner (to your right) marks the spot of the original tree (planted by Hercules, legends say) from which the winners’ wreaths were made. Then as now, olives were vital to Greece, providing food, preservatives, fuel, perfumes...and lubrication for athletes.
Imagine yourself as a visitor to the Temple of Zeus in ancient times. You’d enter the temple from the east end (the end opposite the Sacred Way). Peering to the far side of the temple, you’d see the monumental statue of Zeus sitting 40 feet high on a golden throne. The statue gleamed gold and white, with colored highlights. In his right hand Zeus held a winged statue of Nike (goddess of victory), and in his left hand was a scepter topped with an eagle. Zeus completely filled the space. His head almost touched the ceiling (which was higher than the exterior columns), and his arms almost touched the sides, making the colossal statue appear even bigger. A cistern of olive oil on the temple floor reflected golden hues onto the statue.
Pheidias made the statue with a core of wood. He covered that with plates of ivory (soaked, carved, and worked into shape) to make Zeus’ skin and 500 pounds of gold plates for the clothes and the throne. (Such statues, when decorated with gold and ivory—as many religious statues in ancient Greece were—are called “chryselephantine.”) Pheidias’ assistants painted the throne with scenes of the gods.
The statue was considered by ancient people as one of the Seven Wonders—a list of tourist musts that also included the Colossus of Rhodes and the pyramids of Egypt. We know the general outlines of the statue because it appeared on coins of the day.
We also know that the statue stood for 900 years, but no one knows what became of it. It may have been melted down by Christians or destroyed in the earthquakes that toppled the temple. Others think it was carried off to Constantinople and accidentally burned in that city’s catastrophic fire of A.D. 476.
You’re standing near the back (west) end of the temple, near its most sacred part: The cella, where Pheidias’ statue of Zeus stood. The interior of the temple is closed indefinitely; to get a good look you’ll have to head back to the path that runs along what was once the south porch of the temple—the side facing away from Kronos Hill.
As you walk around the temple, try to reconstruct it in your mind. It was huge—about half an acre—and stood six stories tall. The lone standing column is actually a reconstruction (of original pieces, cleaned and restacked), but it gives you a sense of the scale: It’s 34 feet tall, 7 feet thick, and weighs 9 tons. This was one of 34 massive Doric columns that surrounded the temple: six on each end and 13 along the sides (making this a typical peripteral/peristyle temple, like Athens’ Parthenon and Temple of Hephaistos in the Ancient Agora).
The columns originally supported a triangular pediment at each end (now in the Archaeological Museum), carved with scenes of the battle of the Lapiths and centaurs (west end) and Pelops and the chariot race (east end, which was the main entrance).
To your left, along the south side, you’ll see five huge fallen columns, with their drums lined up in a row like dominos. To the right are the ruins of the 
Bouleuterion, the council chamber where, by stepping on castrated bulls’ balls, athletes took an oath not to cheat. As this was a religious event, and because physical training was a part of moral education, the oaths and personal honor were held sacred.
Continue down the path to the front (east) end of the temple and duck off the path to the left to find the 29-foot-tall, white-marble, triangular 
Pedestal of Nike. It’s missing its top, but it once held a famous statue (now in the museum) of the goddess Nike, the personification of victory.
She looked down upon the 
Winner’s Circle, here at the main entrance to the temple, where Olympic victors were announced and crowned. As thousands gathered in the courtyard below, priests called the name of the winner, who scaled the steps to the cheers of the crowd. The winner was crowned with a wreath of olive (not laurel) branches, awarded a statue in his honor—and nothing more. There were no awards for second and third place and no gold, silver, or bronze medals—those are inventions of the modern Olympics. However, winners were usually showered with gifts and perks from their proud hometowns: free food for life, tax exemptions, theater tickets, naming rights for gymnasiums, statues, pictures on ancient Wheaties boxes, and so on.
In the courtyard you can see pedestals that once held statues of winners, who were considered to be demigods. The inscriptions listed the winner’s name, the date, the event won, his hometown, and the names of his proud parents.
The ruined building directly east of here was the Echo Hall, a long gallery where winners were also announced as if into a microphone—the sound echoed seven times.
• With the main entrance of the Temple of Zeus at your back, walk out to the path, passing several of the inscribed pedestals. Turn left at the tree, then follow the right fork until you bump into the low wall at the base of Kronos Hill. The foot of that hill is lined with a row of pedestals, called the...
These 16 pedestals once held bronze statues of Zeus (plural “Zanes”). At the ancient Olympic Games, as at the modern ones, it was an honor just to compete, and there was no shame in not finishing first. Quitters and cheaters were another story. The Zeus statues that once lined this path were paid for with fines levied on cheaters, whose names and ill deeds were inscribed in the bases. As people entered the stadium (straight ahead), they’d spit on the statues. Offenses ranged from doping (using forbidden herbs) or bribing opponents, to failing to train in advance of the Games or quitting out of cowardice. Drinking animal blood—the Red Bull of the day—was forbidden. Official urine tasters tested for this ancient equivalent of steroids.
Just behind the statues (and a few feet higher in elevation) is a terrace that once held a row of treasuries. These small buildings housed expensive offerings to the gods. Many were sponsored by colonies as a way for Greeks living abroad to stay in touch with their cultural roots.
• Turn right and pass under the arch of the...
As you enter the stadium through this tunnel, imagine yourself as an athlete who has trained for years and traveled for days, carrying the hopes of your hometown on your shoulders...and now finally about to compete. Built around 200 B.C., this tunnel once had a vaulted ceiling; along the walls are niches that functioned as equipment lockers. Just like today’s NFL players, Olympia’s athletes psyched themselves up for the big contest by shouting as they ran through this tunnel, then emerging into the stadium to the roar of the crowd.
• On your mark, get set, go. Follow the Krypti as it leads into the...
StadiumLine up on that original marble-paved starting line from the ancient Olympic Games and imagine the scene. The place was filled with 45,000 spectators—men, boys, and girls—who sat on the manmade banks on either side of the track. One lone adult woman was allowed in: a priestess of the goddess Demeter Chamyne, whose altar rose above the sea of testosterone from the north (left) bank (still visible today).
The stadium (built in the sixth century B.C.) held no seats except those for the judges, who sat in a special box (visible on the south bank, to your right). These Hellanodikai (“Judges of the Greeks”) kept things on track. Elected from local noble families and carefully trained over 10 months for just a few days of Games, these referees were widely respected for their impartiality.
The stadium track is 192 meters (640 feet) from start to finish line. The Greek word stadion literally means a course that is 600 traditional Olympic feet long, supposedly first marked out by Hercules. The line at the near (west) end marked the finish, where all races ended. (Some started at this end as well, depending on how many laps in the race, but most started at the far end.) The racers ran straight up and back on a clay surface, not around the track. There were 20 starting blocks (all still visible today), each with two grooves—one for each foot (athletes competed barefoot). Wooden starting gates (similar to those used in horse races today) made sure no one could jump the gun.
The first Games featured just one event, a sprint race over one length of the stadium, or one stadion. Imagine running this distance in 19.3 seconds, as Usain Bolt of Jamaica did at the 2008 Olympic Games. Over time, more events were added. There were races of two stadia (that is, up and back, like today’s 400-meter event), 24 stadia (similar to today’s 5K race), and a race in which athletes competed in full armor, including shields.
At the height of the Games (c. 400 B.C.), there were 13 events held over five days (most here in the stadium). Besides footraces, you’d see events such as the discus, javelin, boxing, wrestling, long jump, pangration (a wrestling/boxing/martial arts mix), and the pentathlon. (The decathlon is a modern invention.) During the 2004 Games in Athens, the shot-put competition was held in this stadium. South of the stadium was the hippodrome, or horse-racing track, where riding and chariot races took place.
Compare this stadium and the events held here with the gladiatorial contests in ancient Rome several centuries later: In the far more massive Colosseum, the sensationalistic events weren’t about honor, athletic glory, or shared humanity, but a bloody fight to the death, staged to remind the citizens of the power of the state. Good thing it’s the Greek games we now emulate.
• Backtrack through the tunnel and continue straight past the pedestals for the Zeus statues. You’ll bump into some rectangular foundations, the ruins of the...
Metroon and the Altar of ZeusThe Metroon (mid-fourth century B.C.) was a temple dedicated to the mother of the gods, Rhea (also known as Cybele). The site also honored the mother-goddess of the earth, worshipped as “Gaia.”
Somewhere near here once stood the Altar of Zeus, though no one knows exactly where—nothing remains today. At this altar the ancient Olympians slaughtered and burned animals in sacrifice to Zeus on a daily basis. For special festivals, they’d sacrifice 100 cattle (a “hecatomb”), cook them on the altar, throw offerings into the flames, and feast on the flesh, leaving a pile of ashes 25 feet high.
In the middle of the wide path, under an olive tree, is a sunken apse, only recently excavated. It’s actually the foundation of a 4,000-year-old house—i.e., more than 1,000 years older than the ancient ruins we’ve seen elsewhere—more evidence that this site was important long before the Olympic Games and the Golden Age of ancient Greece.
• To the right are the ruins of a semicircular structure built into the hillside, the...
This was once a spectacular curved fountain, lined with two tiers of statues of emperors, some of which are now in the Archaeological Museum. The fountain provided an oasis in the heat and also functioned as an aqueduct, channeling water throughout the sanctuary. It was built toward the end of the sanctuary’s life (around A.D. 150) by the wealthy Roman Herodes Atticus (who also financed construction of the famous theater at the base of the Acropolis in Athens—see here).
When the Romans conquered Greece, in the second century B.C., they became fans of Greek culture, including the Olympics. The Romans repaired neglected buildings and built new structures, such as this one. But they also changed (some say perverted) the nature of the Games, transforming them from a Greek religious ritual to a secular Roman spectacle. Rome opened up the Games to any citizen of the Empire, broadening their appeal at the cost of their Greekness.
Rome’s notorious Emperor Nero—a big fan of the Olympics—attended the Games in the mid–first century A.D. He built a villa nearby, started music contests associated with the Games, and entered the competition as a charioteer. But when he fell off his chariot, Nero ordered the race stopped and proclaimed himself the winner.
• Directly in front of the Nymphaeum are the rectangular foundations of what was once the...
These humble foundations provide a bridge across millennia, linking the original Olympics to today’s modern Games. Since 1936, this is where athletes have lit the ceremonial Olympic torch (for both the summer and winter Games). A few months before the modern Games begin, local women dress up in priestess garb and solemnly proceed here from the Temple of Hera. A curved, cauldron-shaped mirror is used to focus the rays of the sun, igniting a flame. The women then carry the flame into the stadium, where runners light a torch and begin the long relay to the next city to host the Games—a distance of 1,000 miles to Sochi, Russia, for the 2014 Winter Games and more than 6,000 miles to the 2016 Summer Games in Rio.
• Fifteen yards farther along are the four standing Doric columns that mark the well-preserved...
First built in 650 B.C., this is the oldest structure on the site and one of Greece’s first monumental temples. The temple originally honored both Hera and her husband Zeus, before the Temple of Zeus was built.
The temple was long but not tall, giving it an intimate feel. Its length-to-width ratio (and number of columns: 6 on the short sides, 16 on the long ones) is 3:8, which was considered particularly harmonious and aesthetically pleasing, as well as astronomically significant (the ancients synchronized the lunar and solar calendars by making the year three months longer every eight years).
The temple was originally made of wood. Over time, the wooden columns were replaced with stone columns, resulting in a virtual catalog of the various periods of the Doric style. The columns are made from the same shell-bearing limestone as most of the site’s buildings, also originally covered in marble stucco.
Inside, a large statue of Hera once sat on a throne with Zeus standing beside her. Hera’s priestesses wove a new dress for the statue every four years. The temple also housed a famous statue of Hermes and was topped with the Disk of the Sun (both are now in the museum).
Though women did not compete in the Olympics, girls and maidens competed in the Heraean Games, dedicated to Hera. The Heraean Games were also held here every four years, though not in the same years as the Olympics. They were open only to unmarried virgins—no married women allowed. Wearing dresses that left one shoulder and breast exposed, the girls raced on foot (running five-sixths of a stadion, or 160 meters/525 feet) and in chariots. Like the men, the winners received olive wreaths and fame, as well as a painted portrait displayed on a column of the Temple of Hera.
• Walking out the back of Hera’s temple, you’ll reach our last stop: a round temple with three Ionic columns still standing, the...
PhilippeionThe construction of the Philippeion marked a new era in Greece: the Hellenistic era. (Compare these gracefully slender Corinthian columns to the earlier, stouter Doric columns of the Temple of Hera—in the centuries between when they were built, Greek ideals of proportion had shifted away from sturdiness and strength to a preference for elegant beauty.)
Philip of Macedon built this monument to mark his triumph over the Greeks. The Macedonians spoke Greek and had many similar customs, but they were a kingdom (not a democracy), and the Greeks viewed them as foreigners. Philip conquered Greece around 340 B.C., thus uniting the country—by force—while bringing its Classical Age to an end.
The temple—the first major building visitors saw upon entering the sacred site—originally had 18 Ionic columns of limestone and marble stucco (though today it appears dark, as the gleaming stucco is long gone). Inside stood statues of Philip and his family, including his son, the man who would bring Greece to its next phase of glory: Alexander the Great.
Just north of the Philippeion, bordering the Sacred Way and difficult to make out, are the scant remains of the Prytaneion, the building that once housed the eternal Olympic flame.
After the Classical Age, the Games continued, but not in their original form. First came Alexander and a new era of more secular values. Next came the Romans, who preserved the Games but also commercialized them and opened them up to non-Greeks. The Games went from being a somber celebration of Hellenic culture to being a bombastic spectacle. The lofty ideals for which the games were once known had evaporated—along with their prestige. As Rome/Greece’s infrastructure decayed, so did the Games. A series of third-century earthquakes and the turmoil of the Herulian invasion (in A.D. 267) kept the crowds away. As Greece became Christian, the pagan sanctuary became politically incorrect.
The last ancient Games (the 293rd) were held in A.D. 393. A year later, they were abolished by the ultra-Christian emperor Theodosius I as part of a general purge of pagan festivals. The final blow was delivered in 426, when Theodosius II ordered the temples set ablaze. The remaining buildings were adopted by a small early Christian community, who turned Pheidias’ workshop into their church. They were forced to abandon the area after it was hit by a combination of earthquakes (in 522 and 551) and catastrophic floods and mudslides. Over the centuries, two rivers proceeded to bury the area under 25 feet of silt, thus preserving the remaining buildings until archaeologists rediscovered the site in 1766.
• The 
Archaeological Museum is 200 yards to the north and well-signed.
(See “Olympia Archaeological Museum” map, here.)
Many of Olympia’s greatest works of art and artifacts have been removed from the site and are now displayed, and well-described in English, in this compact and manageable museum.
Cost and Hours: €6, €9 combo-ticket includes archaeological site, mid-April-mid-Sept Tue-Sat 8:00-19:00, Sun-Mon 9:00-16:00; may be open one hour later mid-April-Aug; off-season hours generally daily 9:00-15:00—though most likely at least a little longer, especially in early fall and late spring; last entry about 30 minutes before closing, tel. 26240-22742, www.culture.gr.
Services: A museum shop, WCs, and a café are to the right of the entrance...but may not be open.
Self-Guided Tour: This tour takes you past the highlights, but there’s much more to see if you have time. As you enter, ask for the free pamphlet that includes a map of the museum (and the site).
• In the entrance lobby, to the right of the ticket desk, is a...
Model of the Site, Reconstructed: Looking at Olympia as it appeared in its Golden Age glory, you can see some of the artifacts that once decorated the site (and which now fill this museum). On the Temple of Zeus, notice the pediments, topped with statues and tripods. Southeast of the temple is the Pedestal of Nike, supporting the statue of Nike. Find Pheidias’ workshop and the Temple of Hera, topped with the Disk of the Sun. We’ll see all of these items on this tour.
• Continue straight ahead into the main hall. On the right wall are...
Statues from the West Pediment of the Temple of Zeus: These statues fit snugly into the 85-foot-long pediment that stood over the back side of the temple (facing the Sacred Way). Study the scene depicting the battle of the Lapiths and centaurs: The centaurs have crashed a human wedding party in order to carry off the women. See one dramatic scene of a woman and her horse-man abductor just left of center. The Lapith men fight back. In the center, a 10-foot-tall Apollo stands calmly looking on. Fresh from their victory in the Persian Wars, the Greeks were particularly fond of any symbol of their struggle against “barbarians.”
The statues from the West Pediment are gorgeous examples of the height of Golden Age sculpture: Notice the harmony of the poses and how they capture motion at the perfect moment without seeming melodramatic. The bodies, clearly visible under clothing, convey all the action, while the faces (in the statues that still have them) are stoic.
• On the opposite side of the hall are...
Statues from the East Pediment of the Temple of Zeus: Olympic victors stood beneath this pediment—the temple’s main entrance—as they received their olive wreaths. The statues tell the story of King Pelops, the legendary founder of the Games. A 10-foot-tall Zeus in the center is flanked by two competing chariot teams. Pelops (at Zeus’ left hand, with the fragmented legs) prepares to race King Oenomaus (at Zeus’ right) for the hand of the king’s daughter Hippodamia (standing beside Pelops). The king, aware of a prophecy predicting that he would be murdered by his son-in-law, killed 13 previous suitors after defeating them in chariot races. But Pelops wins this race by sabotaging the king’s wheels (that may be what the crouching figure is up to behind the king’s chariot), causing the king to be dragged to his death by his horses (just like that chariot race in Ben-Hur). Pelops becomes king and goes on to unify the Peloponnesian people with a festival: the Olympic Games.
As some of the first sculpture of the Golden Age (made after the Persian invasion of 480 B.C.), these figures show the realism and relaxed poses of the new age (note that they’re missing those telltale Archaic-era smiles). But they are still done in the Severe style—the sculptural counterpart to stoic Doric architecture—with impassive faces and understated emotion, quite different from the exuberant West Pediment, made years later. Still, notice how refined the technique is—the horses, for example, effectively convey depth and movement. But seen from the side, it’s striking how flat the sculpture really is.
• Continue straight ahead, where you’ll see a statue rising and floating on her pedestal. She’s the...
Nike of Paeonius: This statue of Victory (c. 421 B.C.) once stood atop the triangular Pedestal of Nike next to the Temple of Zeus. Victory holds her billowing robe in her outstretched left hand and a palm leaf in her right as she floats down from Mt. Olympus to proclaim the triumph of the Messenians (the Greek-speaking people from southwest Peloponnese) over Sparta.
The statue, made of flawless, pure-white marble from the island of Paros, is the work of the Greek sculptor Paeonius. It was damaged in the earthquakes of A.D. 522 and 551, and today, Nike’s wings are completely missing. But they once stretched behind and above her, making the statue 10 feet tall. (She’s about seven feet today.) With its triangular base, the whole monument to Victory would have been an imposing 36 feet tall, rising above the courtyard where Olympic winners were crowned.
• In the glass case to the right as you face Nike are two bronze helmets. The green, battered one (#2) is the...
Bronze Helmet of Miltiades: In September of 490 B.C., a huge force of invading Persians faced off against the outnumbered Greeks on the flat plain of Marathon, north of Athens. Although most of the Athenian generals wanted to wait for reinforcements, Miltiades convinced them to attack. The Greeks sprinted across the plain, into the very heart of the Persians—a bold move that surprised and routed the enemy. According to legend, the good news was carried to Athens by a runner. He raced 26 miles from Marathon to Athens, announced “Hurray, we won!”...and dropped dead on the spot.
The legend inspired the 26-mile race called the marathon—but the marathon was not an Olympic event in ancient times. It was a creation for the first modern Games, revived in Athens in A.D. 1896.
• Pass the helmet and walk into the room with the Zeus statue painting.
Workshop of Pheidias Room: The poster shows Pheidias’ great statue of Zeus, and a model reconstructs the workshop where he created it. In the display case directly to the left as you enter, find exhibit #10, the clay cup of Pheidias. The inscription on the bottom (hence the mirror) reads, “I belong to Pheidias.” The adjacent case holds clay molds that were likely used for making the folds of Zeus’ robe. The case in the opposite corner contains lead and bronze tools used by ancient sculptors to make the statues we’ve seen all day.
• The room hiding behind the Zeus poster contains...
Hermes of Praxiteles: This seven-foot-tall statue (340-330 B.C.), discovered in the Temple of Hera, is possibly a rare original by the great sculptor Praxiteles. Though little is known of this fourth-century sculptor, Praxiteles was recognized in his day as the master of realistic anatomy and the first to sculpt nude women. If this statue looks familiar, that’s because his works influenced generations of Greek and Roman sculptors, who made countless copies.
Hermes leans against a tree trunk, relaxed. He carries a baby—the recently orphaned Dionysus—who reaches for a (missing) object that Hermes is distracting him with. Experts guess the child was probably groping for a bunch of grapes, which would have hinted at Dionysus’ future role as the debauched god of wine and hedonism.
Circle the statue counterclockwise and watch Hermes’ face take on the many shades of thoughtfulness. From the front he appears serene. From the right (toward the baby), there’s the hint of a smile, while from the left (toward his outstretched arm), he seems sad. (And, from the back, nice cheeks!)
The statue has some of Praxiteles’ textbook features. The body has the distinctive S-curve of Classical sculpture (head tilted one way, torso the other, legs another). Hermes rests his arm on the tree stump, over which his robe is draped. And the figure is interesting from all angles, not just the front. The famous Praxiteles could make hard, white, translucent marble appear as supple, sensual, and sexual as human flesh.
• Consider detouring left to see more statues, from the Roman Nymphaeum fountain. (If you’re in a rush, skip this section and head for the Disk of the Sun.)
Nymphaeum Statues: The grand, semicircular fountain near the Temple of Hera had two tiers of statues, including Roman emperors and the family of the statue’s benefactor, Herodes Atticus. Here you can see some of the surviving statues, as well as a bull (in the center of the room) that stood in the middle of the fountain. The bull’s inscriptions explain the fountain’s origins. Compared to the energetic statues we just saw from the west pediment of the Temple of Zeus, these stately statues are static and lackluster.
The next (smaller) room holds more Roman-era statues, from the Metroon and the Temple of Hera.
• Return to the Workshop of Pheidias Room, then backtrack past the helmets and Nike to find the glass case with the smaller-than-life-size...
Statue of Zeus Carrying Off Ganymede: See Zeus’ sly look as he carries off the beautiful Trojan boy Ganymede to be his cup-bearer and lover. The terra-cotta statue was likely the central roof decoration (called an akroterion—see the nearby diagram) atop the Temple of Zeus.
• Continue into the long hall with the large, decorated terra-cotta pediments, reminding us that these temples were brightly painted, not the plain-white marble we imagine them today.
Disk of the Sun: This terra-cotta disk—seven and a half feet across and once painted in bright colors—was the akroterion that perched atop the peak of the roof of the Temple of Hera. It stood as a sun- or star-like icon meant to ward off bad juju and symbolize Hera’s shining glory.
• Along the left wall is an assortment of cool-looking...
Griffins: Because Greeks considered the lion the king of the beasts, and the eagle the top bird, the half-lion-half-eagle griffin was a popular symbol of power for the ancient Greeks, even if no such animal actually existed.
• The rest of this long room contains several...
Tripods: These cauldrons-with-legs were used as gifts to the gods and to victorious athletes. For religious rituals, tripods were used to pour liquid libations, to hold sacred objects, or to burn incense or sacrificial offerings. As ceremonial gifts to the gods, tripods were placed atop and around temples. And as gifts to athletes, they were a source of valuable bronze (which could easily be melted down into some other form), making for a nice “cash” prize.
Perched on a low hill above the southern parking lot are two small museums, one tiny and skippable, the other a bit bigger and worth a visit. They’re housed in what used to be Olympia’s original archaeological museum and the town’s first hotel for antiquity-loving tourists. Today the core of Olympia’s collection is displayed at the newer, more modern museum described earlier, but the old hotel building still houses a fine exhibit that nicely complements the other attractions here.
You may see signs pointing to the Museum of the Modern Olympic Games, housed in a low building in the middle of town, but it’s currently closed (supposedly for a badly needed renovation), and locals don’t expect it to open anytime soon.
Most people are familiar with the modern-day Olympics, but the games played by those early Olympians were a very different operation. The collection offers a handy “Ancient Olympics 101” lesson that helps bring the events to life. If you can spare the 30-45 minutes it takes to see this museum, stop by here first to get your imagination in gear before seeing the ancient site.
Just inside the entrance are models of the site from three different eras. The rooms around the perimeter of the building tell the story of the original Games—you’ll see the awards and honors for the victors, and, in the corner, a beautiful mosaic floor (c. A.D. 200) depicting some of the events. The main central hall focuses on the athletic events themselves, displaying ancient discuses, shots, javelin heads, and large shields that were carried by fully armor-clad runners in some particularly exhausting footraces.
Cost and Hours: €2, Mon-Fri 9:00-16:00, closed Sat-Sun. WCs are just outside the building.
This one-room exhibit, in the small building just outside the Museum of the Olympic Games in Antiquity, explains the various waves of excavations that have taken place since the site of Olympia was re-identified in the mid-18th century. While early investigations were done by archaeologists from France (in the 1820s) and Germany (in the 1870s), most of the site was systematically uncovered to the point you see today by Germans between 1936 and 1966. (When Berlin hosted the 1936 Olympics, Germany took a special interest in the history of the original Games.) You’ll see old maps, photos, and archaeologists’ tools.
Cost and Hours: Free, same hours as the Museum of the Olympic Games in Antiquity.
Olympia’s impressive archaeological site and museum—and the town’s inconvenient location far from other attractions—make spending the night here almost obligatory. Fortunately, there are just enough good options to make it worthwhile, including one real gem (Hotel Pelops). If you have a car, consider sleeping above Olympia in the more charming village of Miraka.
$$ Hotel Pelops is Olympia’s top option, with 18 comfortable rooms—try this place first. Run by the warm, welcoming Spiliopoulos clan—father Theodoros, Aussie mom Susanna, and children Alkis, Kris, and Sally—the hotel oozes hospitality. They’re generous with travel advice and include free tea and coffee in each room. On the wall of the breakfast room, look for the three Olympic torches that family members have carried in the official relay: Tokyo 1964, Mexico City 1968, and Athens 2004 (Sb-€40-45, Db-€55-65, Tb-€70-85, non-smoking rooms, elevator, free guest computer and Wi-Fi, fee for cooking classes—arrange well in advance, Barela 2, tel. 26240-22543, www.hotelpelops.gr, hotelpelops@gmail.com).
$ Kronio Hotel, run by friendly Panagiotis Asteris, rents 23 straightforward rooms along the main street; all but one have balconies (Sb-€38, Db-€46, Tb-€57, elevator, free guest computer and Wi-Fi, Tsoureka 1, tel. 26240-22188, www.hotelkronio.gr, hotelkronio@hotmail.com).
$ Pension Posidon is a good budget option, with 10 simple but clean and affordable rooms in a homey, flower-bedecked house just two blocks above the main street (Sb-€35, Db-€40, Tb-€50, most rooms have balconies, breakfast-€5, rooftop patio, free guest computer and Wi-Fi, Stefanopoulou 9, tel. 26240-22567, mobile 69732-16726, www.pensionposidon.gr, info@pensionposidon.gr, Liagouras family).
$ Hotel Inomaos has 25 basic, crank-’em-out rooms on the main street, each with a no-nonsense balcony (Sb-€25, Db-€35, Tb-€45, Qb-€55, elevator, free guest computer and Wi-Fi, tel. 26240-22056, inomaos@hol.gr).
The village of Miraka, which sits on a hill above Olympia, is the site of the ancient settlement of Pissa (Archea Pissa/Αρχαια Πισα). Today it offers an authentic-feeling, Old-World village experience and a scenic perch with fine views over the fire-charred (but gradually reviving) olive groves in the valley below.
$$ Bacchus Tavern (also a recommended restaurant) rents six modern, comfortable rooms in a traditional village a 10-minute drive above Olympia. This is a luxurious-feeling retreat from the drabness of modern Olympia (Db-€69, Tb-€75, off-site apartment with kitchen-€85, Qb with Jacuzzi-€95, free Wi-Fi, inviting terrace and swimming pool, tel. 26240-22298, mobile 69371-44800, www.bacchustavern.gr, info@bacchustavern.gr, Costas).
Getting There: It’s about a 10-minute drive from Olympia’s town center: Take the main road out of town toward Pyrgos, then turn right toward Tripoli and twist uphill on the new, modern highway. After the fourth tunnel, exit to the left and curve around to reach Miraka. Bacchus Tavern is on the right as you enter town (look for the parking lot).
Because its restaurants cater to one-nighters, Olympia has no interest in creating return visitors—making its cuisine scene uniformly dismal in the middle of town. For something more special, it’s worth the drive (or taxi ride) to one of the more interesting places in the hills above town.
(See “Olympia Town” map, here.)
The shady, angled side-street called Georgiou Douma is lined with touristy places serving mediocre food; but if you’re attracted to the area’s convenient location and leafy scene, try Aegean (Αιγαίο), just across from the taxi stand, where the meals are cooked by the owner (good €9 salads, €8-18 main dishes, open for lunch and dinner, tasty vegetarian options, tel. 26240-22540).
Anesi, located just outside the tourist zone, has zero atmosphere but is the local favorite for grilled meat (€3 starters, €6-7 main dishes, open daily, one block off main street at corner of Avgerinou and Spiliopoulou, tel. 26240-22644).
(See “Olympia Town” map, here.)
The town’s best dining experiences are up in the hills above town, where locals head to enjoy the food and views. The two places to the west are a five-minute ride out of town—you could walk to either of these with enough time (20-30 minutes each way), but I’d drive or spring for a taxi. Bacchus, to the north, is far beyond walking distance.
(See “Olympia Town” map, here.)
Europa Hotel’s elegant garden restaurant, on the hills overlooking Olympia, is a 20-minute uphill hike or a 5-minute drive/taxi ride (it’s well-signed; from middle of town, follow the small road behind Hotel Hercules). Chef Alki practices his art on fresh products from the hotel’s farm. His “farm dish” consists of layers of Talagani cheese and roasted vegetables—a refreshing break from traditional Greek salad; the grilled meats and fish are savory and satisfying. Drink in the magnificent terrace dotted with olive trees, rose buses, and grapevine arbors—in the fall, Alki will cut off clumps of grapes and bring them to your table for dessert (€3-7 starters, €5-7 salads, €7-14 main dishes, 1 Drouva street, tel. 26240-22650).
Taverna Thea (ΘΕΑ), a few more minutes farther into the hills, is a homier (and cheaper) alternative to dining at the Europa Hotel. Greek Andreas and Swedish Erika proudly serve a standard menu plus some regional specialties to happy locals, who usually gather in the garden terrace after dark, and in-the-know tourists who enjoy the balcony views earlier in the evening (€3-6 salads and starters, €6-10 main dishes, fresh fish, open for dinner starting at 18:00, tel. 26240-23264). From the middle of town, follow signs to Europa Hotel (listed above); near the top of the hill, take the fork to the right, following Krestena, Floka, and/or theatre/ΘΕΑτΡΟ signs, then stay on the same road as it crests the hill, while looking for the τΑΒΕΡνΑ sign on the left, across the street from the taverna itself.
(See “Olympia Town” map, here.)
Bacchus Tavern, with a striking setting and pleasant decor that mingles new and old, is the best eatery in the area. The Zapantis family is proud of their traditional, homemade Greek cuisine with creative flair. Olympians favor their lamb baked in oregano and olive oil. Ask owner Costas how he used water from the swimming pool to save his tavern from the 2007 wildfires (€3-6 salads and starters, €7-13 grilled dishes, €11-15 fixed-price meals, good vegetarian options, daily 12:00-17:00 & 18:30-late, tel. 26240-22298). For driving directions, see the Bacchus Tavern hotel listing, earlier.
One direct bus a day connects Olympia with Athens (5.5 hours, €30). For most other connections, you’ll transfer in Pyrgos to the west (11/day Mon-Fri, 6-8/day Sat-Sun, last bus at 22:15, 30 minutes, €2.20) or in Tripoli to the east (2/day Mon-Fri, none Sat-Sun, 3.5 hours). From Pyrgos you can connect to Athens, Patra (with onward connections to Delphi), or Kalamata (with connections to Kardamyli). From Tripoli you can reach Nafplio, Gythio, and Sparta (with connections to Monemvasia). For the Pyrgos bus station, call 26210-20600. KTEL, the national bus system, has a minimal website (www.ktelbus.com); for better information, try this helpful, unofficial website in English: http://livingingreece.gr (under “Best of...” click on “KTEL Buses of Greece”).
Cruise ships stop at the village of Katakolo (kah-TAH-koh-loh), about 18 miles west of Olympia. The TI at the dock usually opens when ships arrive.
Getting to Olympia from Katakolo: Your best option into Olympia is most likely the train that runs from Katakolo to Olympia; check with the TI at the dock for the current schedule, and to check that it’s actually running, as budget cuts can threaten this service (€10 round trip; 3-4/day—as of this writing trains were leaving Katakolo at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, and 13:15, and returning from Olympia at 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, and 15:45; 45 minutes, tel. 26210-22525, http://tickets.trainose.gr/dromologia). To reach the train, head down Katakolo’s tacky tourist street a few blocks until it empties onto a park/parking lot, where you’ll find the train platform and nearby ticket booth. (The train-ticket booth also sells entry tickets to the ancient site and archaeological museum in Olympia, but the opening hours posted here aren’t necessarily accurate.) To maximize your time in Olympia, catch the first train you can, and double-check the departure time for your return trip.
For the same price you can also take a big bus from one of the two competing agencies on the main street (both charge €10 round-trip); I’d go with Geo Travel, which is likely to give you a little more time in Olympia (tel. 26210-30777, www.geo-travel.gr). Both places understand how much you don’t want to miss your boat—and all but guarantee you won’t. Unlike the train, however, neither bus necessarily leaves Katakolo at a certain time—you may have to wait up to 30 minutes until they collect enough passengers to make the trip worthwhile. If there’s a train leaving soon after you dock, I’d take that instead.
The tour company Olympic Traveller offers a package combining round-trip transport to Olympia with a two-hour guided tour of the site and museum, likely with recommended local guide Niki Vlachou (€35/person, 25-person limit, mobile 697-320-1213, info@olympictraveller.com, www.olympictraveller.com). For €15 less you can skip the guided tour in Olympia, but enjoy a narrated ride and quick pick-up times (they won’t dally at the port waiting for the bus to fill up).
As many as 50 taxis descend upon the dock, hoping to pick up passengers; the round-trip fare for a one-hour visit to Olympia runs €80, while a 2.5-hour visit costs €100. For the best prices and service, book in advance (consider friendly George Letsios, mobile 694-457-9917, www.taxikatakolon.gr, georgetaxitours@gmail.com).
If you want to drive, avoid the sleazy rental agency on the main street as you leave the dock. Try Avis (marked with a big red sign), just uphill from the main street (€40/day plus gas for air-conditioned Fiat with manual transmission, tel. 26210-42200, mobile 694-700-2290, www.katakolo-rentacar.com, helpful Kostas). The route is an easy 30-minute drive that bypasses any towns; ask the rental agent for directions.
Olympia is situated in the hilly interior of the Peloponnese, connected to the outside world by one main highway, called E-55. You can take this west to Pyrgos (30 minutes), where E-55 forks: Take it north to Patra (2 hours from Olympia) and Delphi (3.5 hours from Olympia—see Delphi’s “Route Tips for Drivers” on here); or south to Kalamata (2.5 hours from Olympia) and on to Kardamyli (3.5 hours from Olympia). Or, from Olympia, you can take E-55 east on its twisty route to Tripoli (2.5 hours), then get on the major E-65 expressway to zip to Nafplio (3.5 hours from Olympia) or Athens (4.5 hours from Olympia).
The big port city of Patra (Πάτρα, sometimes spelled “Patras” in English, pop. 170,000) is many visitors’ first taste of Greece, as it’s the hub for boats arriving from Italy (and from the Ionian Islands, including Corfu and Ithaca). While it’s not a place to linger, Patra has rejuvenated its main thoroughfare to become a fairly enjoyable place to kill a little time waiting for your boat or bus.
Patra sprawls along its harborfront, which is traced by the busy road called Othnos Amalias. Patra’s transit points line up along here (from north to south, as you’ll reach them with the sea on your right): the North Port Terminal for some local ferries, a ragtag main bus station, the low-profile train station, and a brand-new South Port Terminal where ferries from Italy dock.
While everything is within about a 15-30 minute walk, it’s not quite as simple as it sounds, as there are multiple smaller bus terminals (scattered along the street near the main station) and boat docks (seven North Port “gates” that stretch along the seafront). Bus #18 connects the North Port Terminal to the train station and South Port Terminal (hourly, 10 minutes, €1.10). Travel agencies are everywhere. If you’re not able to check your bag at the train or bus station, try the boat terminals.
Patra has an unusually well-organized TI, which can help you with transit information and advice on how to spend your time here (Mon-Fri 7:30-21:00, closed Sat-Sun, free Wi-Fi, Agiou Andreou 12-14, tel. 26104-61740). The TI is behind the main bus station in a new building made of cream-colored stone. From the North Port Terminal, it’s a bit south (walk with the sea on your right, then turn uphill at the bus station). From the South Port Terminal, take bus #18 to the train station, then walk to the bus station and turn uphill.
Patra’s most enjoyable stretch begins at the Agiou Nikolaou Wharf, extending into the sea from the middle of the port (near the train station). From this well-manicured wharf, a broad plaza faces an enticing traffic-free street that leads up through the middle of the drab concrete congestion to Patra’s upper/old town. This pedestrian zone, also called Agiou Nikolaou, bustles with a lively, engaging chaos you’ll find only in a Mediterranean port town. Lined with al fresco cafés, fancy restaurants, and hopping discos, it’s a fine place to feel the pulse of urban Greece.
With more time, consider checking out the city’s three major sights: The town castle, built by the Emperor Justinian in the sixth century, is reachable from a staircase at the top of Agiou Nikolaou. Near the castle, the impressively restored ancient odeon (theater) dates from Roman times. And along the waterfront, south of the main transit zone, the vast Church of Agios Andreas is the city’s mitropolis (like a cathedral).
(€1 = about $1.30, country code: 30, area code: 261)
Patra is best avoided, and accommodations values are poor. But if you’re stuck here overnight, these options are handy to the boats, buses, and trains.
$$ Olympic Star has 34 rooms with luxurious touches on the main Agiou Nikolaou street, four blocks up from the port and just below the old town and castle (Sb-€45, Db-€60, elevator, free guest computer and Wi-Fi, Agiou Nikolaou 46, tel. 26106-22939, www.olympicstar.gr, info@olympicstar.gr).
$$ Hotel Acropole, with 27 slightly faded business-class rooms, is wedged between busy streets across from the train station (Sb-€45, Sb with balcony-€50, Db-€50, Db with balcony-€60, Tb-€80, elevator, free cable Internet, Agiou Andreou 32, tel. 26102-79809, www.acropole.gr, info@acropole.gr).
From Patra by Boat: You can sail from Patra’s South Port Terminal to three towns in Italy: Bari (daily, 15.5 hours, Superfast Ferries, tel. 21089-19000, www.superfast.com), Brindisi (daily, 15 hours, HML/Endeavor Lines, tel. 28103-46185, www.greekislands.gr/hml), and Ancona (daily, 20-21 hours, Superfast Ferries). There are also two nondirect ferry lines that run from the South Port Terminal to Ancona via Igoumenotsa: Minoan Lines (tel. 21041-45700, www.minoan.gr) and ANEK Lines (tel. 21041-97470, www.anek.gr). Minoan and ANEK also run to the Greek Ionian isle of Corfu in the summer (4/week in summer, departs 22:30 or 24:00, 7 hours). Strintzis Ferries goes to Kefalonia and Ithaki islands (tel. 21042-25000, www.ferries.gr/strintzis-ferries). Some local ferries may leave from the North Port Terminal—check before you arrive. Other useful websites for Greek ferry schedules include www.ferries.gr, www.greece-ferries.com, and www.greekferries.gr.
If you have a railpass, Superfast Ferries, HML/Endeavor, ANEK, and Minoan Lines will give you either free deck-class passage or a discount (depends if your pass covers only Greece, or also Italy; verify details with ferries).
By Bus: Frequent buses connect Patra directly to Athens (1-2/hour, 3 hours). You can also take a bus to Pyrgos (with connections to Olympia) or Kalamata (with connections to Kardamyli). To reach Delphi, you’ll change in Nafpakos and often also in Itea. Bus info: tel. 26106-23888.
By Train: From Patra, trains will eventually head east along the northern Peloponnesian coast all the way to Athens—but because of construction, you currently must take a bus to Kiato, then transfer to a train. For details, your best bet is to contact the TI in Patra (listed earlier). You can also try the Greek Railways website (http://tickets.trainose.gr/dromologia) or call 210-529-7777.
Nymphaeum
Altar of Hera
Temple of Hera
