How long is the Peloponnese Grand Loop: Ancient Greece in 10 Days route?

This route takes 10 days taking in 7 stops.

Where does this route start and end?

The route runs from Athens to Athens in Peloponnese, Greece.

When is the best time to travel this route?

The best time to travel this route is April to October.

How active is this route?

Activity level: Easy-going. Easy-going and accessible for most fitness levels.

What transport do I need for this route?

This route works best with a car.

What budget do I need for this route?

Mid-range spending — expect comfortable accommodation and a mix of dining options.

What type of accommodation suits this route?

Mixed accommodation works well along this route.

What is the pace of this trip?

Balanced — a good mix of sightseeing and downtime.

What type of trip is this?

This route is well-suited to: Scenic, Culture, Nature, Classic road trip, Food & drink.

Peloponnese Grand Loop: Ancient Greece in 10 Days

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The route · 7 stops

6 overnight bases · 1 stop on the way

Athens

2 nights

The starting point of the loop. Two nights lets you take in the Acropolis and the National Archaeological Museum, and walk the streets of Monastiraki and Plaka without rushing. Pick up the rental car on day three and head west towards Corinth.The starting point of the loop. Two nights lets you take in the Acropolis and the National Archaeological Museum, and walk the streets of Monastiraki and Plaka without rushing. Pick up the rental car on day three and head west towards Corinth.

Recommendations

1h 23m · 99 km drive to Corinth

Corinth

1 night

The gateway to the Peloponnese. Ancient Corinth holds the well-preserved Temple of Apollo and a strong museum covering the city's Greek and Roman layers. Walk to the Corinth Canal bridge for a view over the 80-metre-deep, straight-cut waterway.The gateway to the Peloponnese. Ancient Corinth holds the well-preserved Temple of Apollo and a strong museum covering the city's Greek and Roman layers. Walk to the Corinth Canal bridge for a view over the 80-metre-deep, straight-cut waterway.

Recommendations

42m · 50 km drive to Nafplio

Nafplio

2 nights

The most photogenic town in the Peloponnese. Two nights here covers the 999-step climb to Palamidi Castle, the day trip to Bronze Age Mycenae (50 minutes by car), and the ancient theatre at Epidaurus, famous for extraordinary natural acoustics.The most photogenic town in the Peloponnese. Two nights here covers the 999-step climb to Palamidi Castle, the day trip to Bronze Age Mycenae (50 minutes by car), and the ancient theatre at Epidaurus, famous for extraordinary natural acoustics.

Recommendations

1h 53m · 135 km drive to Olympia

Olympia

2 nights

The birthplace of the Olympic Games. Two days let you explore the extensive ruins at a relaxed pace: fallen columns of the Temple of Zeus, the ancient stadium with its original starting line, and an exceptional on-site museum housing the site's sculpted pediments.The birthplace of the Olympic Games. Two days let you explore the extensive ruins at a relaxed pace: fallen columns of the Temple of Zeus, the ancient stadium with its original starting line, and an exceptional on-site museum housing the site's sculpted pediments.

Recommendations

1h 48m · 129 km drive to Kardamyli

Kardamyli

2 nights

A compact stone-built port in outer Mani, backed by the Taygetos mountains above a turquoise bay. Two nights allows the Viros Gorge walk, swimming at pebble beaches, and a slow taverna dinner by the water. Patrick Leigh Fermor wrote here for decades.A compact stone-built port in outer Mani, backed by the Taygetos mountains above a turquoise bay. Two nights allows the Viros Gorge walk, swimming at pebble beaches, and a slow taverna dinner by the water. Patrick Leigh Fermor wrote here for decades.

Recommendations

1h 23m · 99 km drive to Monemvasia

Monemvasia

1 night

A walled medieval town built onto a massive coastal rock, connected to the mainland by a single causeway. The lower town is traffic-free and largely intact, with Byzantine churches, old stone houses, and good tavernas. Climb to the ruined upper fortress for views across the Laconian Gulf.A walled medieval town built onto a massive coastal rock, connected to the mainland by a single causeway. The lower town is traffic-free and largely intact, with Byzantine churches, old stone houses, and good tavernas. Climb to the ruined upper fortress for views across the Laconian Gulf.

Recommendations

On the way

Athens
2h 48m · 202 km
The route home. Monemvasia to Athens via Sparta and the E65 motorway takes around 3.5 hours. Return the car at the airport or city office and finish the trip with a final evening in Monastiraki under the Acropolis.The route home. Monemvasia to Athens via Sparta and the E65 motorway takes around 3.5 hours. Return the car at the airport or city office and finish the trip with a final evening in Monastiraki under the Acropolis.
Recommendations

Peloponnese Grand Loop: Ancient Greece in 10 Days