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Private Biblical Tour: Discover Ancient Corinth & Corinth Canal Starting from Athens
5.0
21 Ratings
Isthmia
Embark on a private biblical tour from Athens to Ancient Corinth and the Corinth Canal. Follow in the footsteps of Apostle Paul and explore the rich history and religious significance of these ancient sites in Greece.
Duration:
9 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
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Corinth Canal - Starting your day in Athens, you’ll witness the engineering marvel that divides the Peloponnese from the mainland: the Corinth Canal. From a high vantage point, you can take in the best views of Corinth’s isthmus and marvel at the steep limestone walls as you watch vessels navigate the canal below.
The Corinth Canal links the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth, effectively turning the Peloponnese into an island. The canal, dug at sea level without any locks, spans 6.4 kilometers (4 miles) in length and is only 21.4 meters (70 feet) wide at its base, making it too narrow for many modern ships.
From a high vantage point, you can take in the best views of Corinth’s isthmus and marvel at the steep limestone walls as you watch vessels navigate the canal below. -
The Diolkos - The Diolkos was an ancient paved trackway near Corinth that allowed boats to be moved overland across the Isthmus of Corinth. This shortcut helped ancient vessels avoid the lengthy and perilous journey around the Peloponnese peninsula. The phrase “as fast as a Corinthian,” coined by the comic playwright Aristophanes, suggests that the trackway was well-known and reputed for its speed.
The Diolkos primarily facilitated the transfer of goods, but during wartime, it also expedited naval campaigns. The roadway, which stretched between 6 km (3.7 miles) and 8.5 km (5.3 miles), was a primitive form of railway and operated from around 600 BC until the mid-1st century AD. It uniquely combined the principles of railways and overland ship transport on a scale unmatched in antiquity. -
Ancient Corinth (Archaia Korinthos) - Corinth was a city-state located on the Isthmus of Corinth, the narrow land bridge connecting the Peloponnese to mainland Greece, roughly midway between Athens and Sparta.
For Christians, Corinth is notable for the two letters of Saint Paul in the New Testament, First and Second Corinthians. It is also mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as part of Paul’s missionary journeys. Additionally, the second book of Pausanias’ Description of Greece is dedicated to Corinth.
Ancient Corinth was one of Greece’s largest and most significant cities, with a population of 90,000 in 400 BC. The Romans destroyed Corinth in 146 BC, rebuilt it in 44 BC, and later made it the provincial capital of Greece. - Temple of Apollo - The Temple of Apollo at Corinth was built in 550 BC.
- Bema of Apostle Paul (Roman Agora) of Ancient Corinth - During Paul’s time in Corinth, he was brought before the proconsul Lucius Junius Gallio Annaeanus, also known as Gallio, on charges of illegal teachings. Gallio, however, dismissed the case as a religious dispute among Jews. Tradition holds that Paul’s trial took place at the Bema, a large elevated platform in the center of the Roman Forum of ancient Corinth, from which city officials addressed the public. Due to its association with Saint Paul, the Bema was later converted into a Christian church during the Byzantine period.
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Archaeological Museum of Corinth - Constructed between 1931-1932, the Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth was designed to showcase the numerous recent archaeological finds. Located within the archaeological site of Ancient Corinth, the museum falls under the jurisdiction of the 37th Ephoreia of the Greek Archaeological Service.
Key features of the Archaeological site of Ancient Corinth include:
Lechaion Road
Basilica
Fountain of Peirene
Stoa
Agora
Odien
Other temples
Theatre - Apostolos Pavlos Church - During his stay in Corinth, the Apostle Paul spent a year and a half there, founding the metropolitan church in 51-52 AD. This church is well-known from the Book of Acts and the two letters “To the Corinthians” by the apostle.
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Peirene Fountain - In Greek mythology, Peirene is a fountain or spring located in Corinth. It was believed to be a favored watering spot for Pegasus and sacred to the Muses. Poets would visit to drink and seek inspiration.
Walk by: - Roman Fountain
- Hadgimoustafa spring
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Akrokorinthos - Acrocorinth, or “Upper Corinth,” is the acropolis of ancient Corinth, a monolithic rock overlooking the ancient city.
With its reliable water supply, Acrocorinth’s fortress was frequently used as a final defensive stronghold in southern Greece, controlling the Isthmus of Corinth and preventing enemy access to the Peloponnese peninsula. -
Kechries - Kechries is a village in the municipality of Corinth, part of the community of Xylokeriza. It is named after the ancient port town Kenchreai or Cenchreae, mentioned in the Bible, which was located at the same site.
Christianity reached Kenchreai early in its history. According to Acts 18:18, the Apostle Paul stopped at Kenchreai during his second missionary journey, where he had his hair cut to fulfill a vow, likely a Nazirite vow. Paul also mentions the place and a woman named Phoebe in his letter to the Romans.
“And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.”
In Acts 18
“I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:”
In Romans 16
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Bottled water
- On-board WiFi
- Professional drivers with deep knowledge of history (not licensed to accompany you in any site)
- Hotel/ port pick-up and drop-off service
- Lunch (With Greek Traditional Food option)
- In-vehicle air conditioning
What's Not Included
- Licensed tour guide (upon request and depending on availability)
- Entry or admission fees for archaeological sites and Museum
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Embark on an exceptional spiritual journey in Greece! Traverse the path of Apostle Paul from Athens to Ancient Corinth, a perfect blend of pilgrimage and exploring some of Greece’s stunning locations. Apostle Paul, in his mission to propagate Christianity, also set foot in Greece where he preached the Holy Gospel and educated people about the mission of Jesus. His travels in Greece provide a course that could captivate not only the devout but also those who have a profound interest in history.
- Our drivers are not official tour guides, but they are knowledgeable and can provide fascinating commentary in fluent English. Although they will not enter the archaeological sites with you, they can answer all of your questions about the places you visit with this tour.
- Third party activities and especially extreme sports are not allowed during the tour. This can be a cause for immediate cancellation of the tour.
Location
Corinth Canal
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(21 Ratings)
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Bjohnsontx
Jun 30, 2024
Biblical Tour of Corinth - What a great experience. Our guide, Stephanos, took us on a private tour of ancient Corinth. We visited several sites where the Apostle Paul spoke to Jews and Gentiles. We visited the Roman Bema seat where he spoke before Gallio and the Port of Krenchea where Paul sailed to Ephesus. Stephano also took us to places we didn’t know about and had a fantastic Greek lunch overlooking the Corinthian Bay.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cactus131313
Jun 23, 2024
This is the Ancient Corinth Tour you are looking for! - Great tour and guide. Highly recommend this tour. Our guide gave great facts and details of the ancient city and Greece.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mary_c
Nov 24, 2023
Private Biblical tour of Corinth. - We had to postpone our trip one day because the ruins closed unexpectedly. The company just put it off until the next day and took us to a place to meet another tour at the end of our . Corinth tour ,so we did not have to be inconvenienced Our tour guide was fun, informed and very accommodating. The lunch spot in Corinth was good and we had some time to shop also.
Review provided by Viator
Goplaces46123063406
Nov 16, 2023
Amazing tour that brought ancient Corinth to life! - We greatly enjoyed our trip to Corinth with our driver Panos. We learned about contemporary Corinth (canal) and many aspects of ancient Corinth. Panos was helpful and courteous and well informed on matters relating to our trip. We would highly recommend this excursion to anybody. A highlight was the visit to Acrocorinth, the acropolis of ancient Corinth. It was INCREDIBLE! We could have happily spent the entire day just there as it is vast and so interesting. The views will absolutely blow your mind!! The best way to do this tour is with this private tour option because you can set your own pace without having to wait for others and their agendas or slow pace. You travel in comfort and get picked up and dropped off right at your accommodation in an air conditioned and comfortable vehicle. As Christians we found this trip very emotionally moving and it brought so many aspects of the life of the Apostle Paul to life. Highly recommended to all.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Junelleg
Sep 28, 2023
Great Tour of Ancient Corinth - During our vacation to Athens we wanted to visit ancient Corinth. We scheduled a full day private trip with My Athens Transfers and were completely satisfied! We were promptly picked up at our Athens hotel by our guide Costas who was very friendly and professional. Costas was very informative and he knew the history of the areas we visited and also the Biblical accounts associated with those places. He spoke very good English. His driving was excellent and safe! He didn't rush us and gave us time to shop as we wanted. He even recommended a good restaurant where we enjoyed a nice lunch with a great view! We thoroughly enjoyed our day! We highly recommend My Athens Transfers.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Benedict_c
Sep 18, 2023
An excellent day tour not to be missed. Our guide Thanous was knowledgeable and command of language was just great. - Informative and interesting stories of Ancient Greek civilisation. A great understanding of St Paul’s travel and preaching.
Review provided by Viator
1234traveler356
Sep 18, 2023
Best time driving around Corinth! - Dimopoulos Periklis was our driver and he was prompt, gregarious and extremely well informed about the biblical references of our stops. He was a great driver and a wonderful conversationalist. I highly recommend this tour and Dimopoulos as your driver.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vickie_j
Sep 7, 2023
The whole tour was top notch - Everything! Aphrodite was amazing. and wet knowledgeable. We had a great experience. The whole experience was great.
Review provided by Viator
Janet_m
Sep 4, 2023
Great experience!! - Traveling to the places that he apostle Paul minister, that, the port, where he travels from, and the ancient site of Corinth
Review provided by Viator
Edenp2013
Aug 5, 2023
Amazing - Worth the Time and Money - This was worth every penny! Our guide Nikos was amazing!! He greeted us on time, with cold water and a nice clean van. He gave us a lot of insight and historical info during the drive. He was really flexible with us taking as long or as little time as we needed at each stop. Nikos even made arrangements for an incredible table right on the sea for lunch at a delicious local restaurant. He dropped off and picked us up right at the entrance of each stop which helped to minimize walking in the heat. Gave us water throughout the day. I would highly recommend this tour and Nikos, to anyone interested in seeing Corinth.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
