Archaeological Site of Olympia

Day Trips in Athens

"Ancient Olympia in the western Peloponnese is the origin of the Olympic games. At about a four-hour drive from Athens, this is a much longer day trip, but you won’t regret the extra effort. A 443-foot-tall chryselephantine statue of Zeus, known as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, used to stand here until it was destroyed in the 5th century AD.Go to the Archaeological Museum of Olympia to see the renowned marble sculpture of Hermes of Praxiteles, an ideal representation of classical beauty and technique. Also, the museum has the richest collection of copper objects in the world. Visit the stadium and the Temple of Hera, which may have lost much of its glory now, but it is one of the oldest Greek monuments. Every two years at the temple’s altar, the Olympic flame is lit to start its journey around the world before it reaches the host country of the Winter or Summer Olympics. Note that the opening hours of the archaeological site differ from summer to winter. A one day-ticket will give you access to the site with over 30 monuments, as well as to three different museums." - MATADOR_NETWORK