First time to Greece

Here is a wonderful Map - http://euro-map.com/karty-grecii/peloponnes/podrobnaya-turisticheskaya-karta-peloponnesa.jpg - shows your route from ATH airport all the way to Nafplio... and shows the entire peninsula, all roads terrain etc. Here is a good route planner -- https://www.viamichelin.com/web/Routes -- I recommend you use it, don't get all dazzled by google --- Michelin is much more realistic about travel times ...

I think even the slightest study of this will show you that Olympia is NOT a day trip.. Mycenae is. In fact (although I know y ou don't want to hear it), you will benefit greatly if you don't attempt Olympia (4-5 hours driving htere fdrom Nafpilio then back.. and you only have 4 days). If instead you go to ANOTHER less-known Sacred Games Site -- NEMEA -- it's right on the route to Nafplio -- https://nemeangames.org/ancient-nemea/excavations-ucb.html ... it has ruins, temple columns, museum, theatre, and a glorious Stadium, excavated, authentically restored, and used TODAY for ancient games revival.. has everything but crowds. If you have never heard of it, read the link & the website u will learn a lot. You can walk thru the tunnel of Athletes, and stand on starting blocks 2500 years old, and imagine racing ... and there will be no tour-bus throngs cloggng the place.

Heres the most efficient itinerary
• AFTER Crossing CORINTH CANAL on the big highwy (see map) -- exit to your right (N) after 10 miles or so, to ANCIENT NEMEA, just 5 miles off the highway... takes just an hour or so to enjoy. THen stop at the Village of Nemea or a nearby VINEYARD - you will be in the heart of Peloponnese wine country ... On village Main Street we found a cute little wine-bottling mini-factory & wine shop with lots of free samples! (except for designated driver of course).
• BACK on hiway & Immedialy exit SOUTH toward NAFPLIO -- about 40 minutes -- spend rest of Day 1 exploring OLD TOWN & enjoying Best sunset of your trip at Sea front. A couple of good places to stay Hotel Agamemnon and Pension Omorfo Poli.
• DAYS 2 & 3 -- Explore more of NAFPLIO & Area -- Use THIS wonderful noncommercial website: http://www.visitnafplio.com/ -- it tells you everything enjoyable to do & discover, I order you to look at every link. It's good to do your ancient site like Mycenae early in AM - get there by 8:30 & you'll beat the bus-tour throngs... then find a beach or a walk in afternoon... for PAlamid Fortress, it's good to drive up back way (or taxi) and walk DOWN the 999 steps... or just take pix & drive back. Don't forget swims -- either at the cute town beach or nearby beaches of Tolo or Asine.
• DAY 4 -- leaving town you could do Palamidi visit brieftly and then head across the "thumb" of he peninsula to EPIDAURUS .. do not spend hours on the acres of tumbletown stone - the gloriuos amphitheatre is what to visit & marvel at. Then drive up the COAST ROAD, and when you get to ISTHMUS, you can find the Old BRidge & get pix of the canal (SO deep SO Skinny) then back to the airport to turn in your car ... and taxi to your Central Athens hotel for a final night.

I hear you saying but Olympia was on my list!! Well, if you've taken courses in Greek art & history, and yearn to see close-up the sculptures in its museum from the Temple of Zeus, it's one thing. I did take 4 course at Penn before I talke a VIsit to Olympia on my 5th trip (taking a 6 hour bus trip & staying overnight); the Museum was great for ancient-artifact fans like me, but the site itself was not that impressive or understandable ... frankly NEMEA's stadium was more atmospheric because not packed with tourists.

However i don't know you, perhaps you are the driven sort, always on the road, busily checking items off the list . so you'll have to make the decision. I'd vote for the 4 days staying in Nafplio & driving in the Argolid area. (What is Argolid? that site will tell you).

I just wanted to say that my family group went to Nemea and loved it. I had become very interesting it because it was not unearthed until the 1970s and then by a team lead by someone from California. The story is online in a utube Video. I went as far as to order from Greece the unabridged version.

My young adult children loved the stadium and all tried out running a race. We then went to the near by site where the temple ruins and the museum is. Parts of the temples had been reconstructed so easy to imagine what it once looked like. The museum is extremely well done and air conditioned😄. We appreciated that. We ate lunch at a place near by recommended by staff and it was wonderful.

We then went to visit a winery for a tour and tasting.

Great fun and much closer.

Stay in Napflio yo visit Mycenae, Epidavros and Mystras. Stay overnight one night in Olympia as it is really too far, mountainous, for a day trip.

You had me at winery! Based on your valuable input, we are just going to stay in Nafplio, and explore the surrounding countryside instead of going to Olympia. Maybe do that next time...really, though, you helped out tremendously for this first timer to Greece. Your advice is much appreciated! Thank you.

Bare in mind please that towards the end of September,season starts coming on an end, earlier on other places than others. This may affect your plans. But please, tell us a bit more on what you are interested in...Options are limitless really. Before you travel you may want to do some further research http://aktis.guide/en/ This guide has many insider travel tips for you.

Thank you All for you insight! My husband and I are traveling to Greece for the first time in July. We know it will be crowded so to hear about other potential spots that won’t be, is definitely great! Thank you for your input!