The marvelous man-made Corinth canal connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas, as well as the Peloponnese peninsula with the central part of Greece. More than 2500 workers digging 6.400m for twelve years (from 1881 to 1893) Stop for photography, walk across on a pedestrian bridge and admire the canal from 80 m high

ncient Corinth was one of the largest and most important cities of Greece, with a population of 90,000 in 400 BC. The Romans demolished Corinth in 146 BC, built a new city in its place in 44 BC, and later made it the provincial capital of Greece. Walking in the remains of the ancient City of Corinth is like to walk back in time. For Christians, Corinth is well known from the two letters of Saint Paul in the New Testament, First and Second Corinthians. Corinth is also mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as part of the Paul the Apostle's missionary travels. Combined ticket 8€ for summer or 4€ for winter

Temple of Apollo, in Ancient Corinth, was built about 550 B.C. in the Doric style on the ruins of much earlier temple. It is one of the earliest Doric temples in the Peloponnese constructed of local limestone on top of an imposing, rocky hill. This temple was an emblem for the Greek city of Corinth, reflecting its growth and prosperity. The Temple of Apollo was built upon a Temple Hill, which was an outcropping of natural rock, which allowed for a sturdy platform on which the temple could be built. The Temple of Apollo dominated Ancient Corinth. The remains of other temples, a theater, shops, public baths, pottery factories, a gymnasium, a triumphal arch, and other buildings such as villas have been excavated since 1896 on the site around the Temple of Apollo. The temple initially consisted of 42 monolithic, 6×15 limestone columns, over 7 m high.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a train journey as spectacular as that of the rack railway that links the seaside village of Diakopto to picturesque Kalavryta. Take the Diakopto–Kalavryta Railway, an historic 750 mm gauge cog railway in Greece. It runs 22 km (14 mi) through the Vouraikos Gorge, stopping en route at Zachlorou. It is one of the most beautiful natural sights plus one of the most spectacular railway rides.The little train travels through streams, climbing the majestic narrow gorge,up into the mountains, through bridges and tunnels, over waterfalls, along cliffs and through forest of pine and oak trees. When the incline gets really steep it switches form regular track to a cog system.

Kalavryta a popular traditional mountain village. Visit Museum & town. In early December 1943, the German Army's 117th Jäger Division began a mission named Unternehmen Kalavryta (Operation Kalavryta), intending to encircle Greek Resistance fighters in the mountainous area surrounding Kalavryta. During the operation, 78 German soldiers, who had been taken prisoner by the partisans in October, were executed by their captors. In response, the commander of the German division, General Karl von Le Suire personally ordered the "severest measures" — the killing of the male population of Kalavryta — on 10 December 1943. Operation Kalavryta was mounted from six cities: Patras, Aigion, and Cornith on the Gulf of Corinth and from Argos, Pyrgos and Tripolis in central Peloponnese. All "Battle-Groups" were aimed at Kalavryta, although the divisions from Pyrgos, Argos, and Corinth returned to their bases soon after. Wehrmacht troops burnt villages and monasteries and shot civilians on their way. The Germans reached Kalavryta on December 9. In the early morning of December 13, 1943 the Germans rounded up all residents of the town and forced them into the school building where they separated the older boys and men from the women and children. They moved the men to a field owned by Thanasis Kappis, a school teacher, just overlooking the town. After looting the town and setting it ablaze, the Germans machine-gunned the men. 696 men and older boys were killed. There were only 13 male survivors, saved because they were hidden under the bodies of the dead. The women and children managed to free themselves from the flaming school while the rest of the town was set ablaze. The following day the Nazi troops burned down the Agia Lavra monastery, a landmark of the Greek War of Independence.

Drive via Aroania Mountains to Ancient Olympia. The parts of Aroania we drive are between 800 m and 1,800 m elevation and are covered with pine forests. The higher areas consist of grasslands and barren rock. Aroania is rich in butterfly species The mountain is the site of the Aristarchos telescope. The Chelmos Observatory is an observatory located at the top of mount Chelmos, near Kalavryta. It is the largest research infrastructure of the National Observatory of Athens and IAASARS. The observatory was completed and first opened in 2001. Its main equipment is the Aristarchos 2.3 m Telescope, manufactured by German company Carl Zeiss AG. With the finance from the universities of Patras and Manchester.

Overnight in Ancient Olympia. We can arrange accommodation for you in selected Boutique Hotels A'class or 4* Hotels with breakfast (additional cost 110€ per double room / weekend-holidays 130€ per double room - if more than 2 rooms 10% less. Driver's room complimentary). If you wish to do do your own hotel reservation, you need to reserve an extra room for your driver.