Visiting Ancient Olympia: A Practical Guide

For more than a thousand years, the ancient Greeks gathered at Olympia every four years for the Olympic Games. Today the sanctuary in the green valley of the western Peloponnese is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (since 1989) and one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece. Here is a practical guide to visiting.

What was Olympia?

Olympia was a great Panhellenic sanctuary dedicated to Zeus. From the 8th century BC until 393 AD it hosted the ancient Olympic Games, which brought athletes and visitors from all over the Greek world. Unlike Delphi or Athens, Olympia was never a city – it was a sacred place of temples, treasuries, training grounds and the stadium.

What to see at the site

The Temple of Zeus – built in the mid-5th century BC, it once housed the gold-and-ivory statue of Zeus by Pheidias, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The Workshop of Pheidias – excavated in the 1950s, where sculptor’s tools confirmed that the great statue was made here.
The Temple of Hera – in front of it, the Olympic flame for the modern Games is still lit with the sun’s rays and a parabolic mirror.
The Stadium – walk through the vaulted entrance and stand on the track. Its length became the “stadion”, an ancient Greek unit of distance.

The museums

Don’t miss the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, home to masterpieces such as the Hermes of Praxiteles and the Nike of Paionios. There are also museums dedicated to the history of the Olympic Games.

Tips for your visit

Allow at least 3–4 hours for the site and the main museum.
Arrive early: summer afternoons are very hot and there is little shade on the stadium.
Wear comfortable shoes and bring water and a hat.
Check opening hours and tickets on the official sites before you go – they change between summer and winter.

How to get to Olympia

Olympia lies about 20 km from Pyrgos and close to the port of Katakolo, where cruise ships stop. From Athens it is about 320 km (around 3.5 hours by road).

Private transfer Athens – Ancient Olympia
Private transfer Athens – Katakolo
Private transfer Lagkadia – Ancient Olympia – combine Olympia with the mountain villages of Arcadia

Combine Olympia with more of the Peloponnese

Olympia is a perfect stop on a longer trip. Our 5-day tour from Athens combines Ancient Olympia with Ancient Messini, Kalamata, Mycenae, Nafplio and the Acropolis. Or continue east into Arcadia and stay in the mountain villages of Lagkadia, Dimitsana and Stemnitsa.