We will be in Athens for 2 days before the 14 Day Greece RS Tour. Has anyone done any of the 1/2 day or full day tours to Ancient Corinth, Corinth Canal & Nemea. There are lots of companies and itineraries. Please let us know if there was a company that you would highly rate. There will be 6 of us, so looks like we will be a private group with most of the companies. Please share any great or not so great experiences. We don't really need to go to Mycenae or Nafplio because we will be at those locations on the tour. Most of the companies provide transportation only. Did you feel like having the tour guide in Ancient Corinth was a bonus? Do they have audio tape available at the museum to to a self guided tour?
Posted by
Pacific Northwest
2679 posts
We haven't been yet...we're traveling in March. We are doing a private 5 day tour around Napflio, Corinth, Delphi, Distomo and then up to the Meteora area. We're using Private Greece Tours: https://www.privategreecetours.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=28&Itemid=77
I chose them based on their TripAdvisor reviews: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g189400-d1924860-Reviews-Private_Greece_Tours-Athens_Attica.html
Posted by
Nanaimo, BC, Canada
1441 posts
I would be tempted to rent a van that holds 6 people and make the drive yourself. That way you are free of the compulsory stops at selected shops and tavernas. You will have the flexibility to stay at each site as long as you wish.
Rick Steves does not appear to have an audio guide for Corinth or Nemia however both are small sites and are pretty easy to walk around by yourself.
Having a vehicle also allows you the opportunity to find the sinking bride at the far end of the Corinth Canal which is amazing when a boat passes by. You can also visit Acrocorinth the acropolis overlooking Corinth and surrounding area. It has ruins and amazing views.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7884 posts
You have to recognize that a tour packager has to put together a product that fills either a half-day or a full-day with something that looks like "good value." Because you want to leave out some of the nearby attractions, it's unlikely that you can buy exactly what you want, off-the-shelf. Convenient departure from nearby the hotel is a factor for me, too. That has paid off when some big, touristy companies have given us really packed, meaty days and gotten back at 7PM or later. (I don't mean just Greece here, but you get the idea.)
I don't agree that a car is a necessity for all Back Door tourism. But I'm willing to buy a mass-market product if I want to see three or four major attractions in a day, with no navigation, marital stress, CDW packages, and headaches. I will say that when our open-market Athens bus day-tour went to Delphi, the guide cheerfully agreed to LEAVE US at the Delphi site while everyone else went to "the restaurant" for the NOT INCLUDED lunch. How many Northern Europe guides would be so flexible, and risk our being at the appointed place at the appointed time for the bus to pick us up?
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
3397 posts
stanbr, this year for SURE we are going to make a stop at the Corinth Canal now you tell me there will be a Sinking Bride ... we'll be there in June, which of course is Wedding month, so there should be enough honeymooners to fill the calendar.
Posted by
Nanaimo, BC, Canada
1441 posts
You mean you have not heard of the newest thing in weddings, throwing the bride into a lake, river or a canal?
Having trouble with my fingers and spell check doesn't work when I spell the wrong word correctly.
Posted by
Scotch Plains, NJ USA
1 posts
My husband and I are on the 14 Day Greece RS Tour in early May. We're looking for a recommendation on a 1/2 day tour from Athens to Corinth with emphasis on the sites St Paul visited. We'd like a guided tour.