Ancient Olympia - The cradle of the olympic games

Ancient Olympia – The cradle of the Olympic Games

Situated at western Peloponnese, in the valley shaped by Kladeos and Alpheios rivers, Ancient Olympia, the cradle of the Olympic Games, is considered to be one of the most important and celebrated sanctuaries of Ancient Greece. Surrounded by lush greenery at the southwest foot of Mount Kronos, Olympia is a religious and athletic centre, where the Olympic Games were held every four years in honor of Zeus.

The area of Ancient Olympia was discovered gradually through time. The ruins of the area where athletes trained and ran in the ancient stadium, were brought to light as well as buildings, temples, and many valuable objects, one of which was a statue of Hermes, the messenger of the gods, by Praxiteles.

Ancient Olympia - The cradle of the olympic games

While at Ancient Olympia, you will be given the chance to see the sights and learn more about the past of the area. Visit the Museum of the history of the Olympic Games in antiquity, where the displays pay tribute to athletes and athleticism and the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, where you can find a beautiful scale model of the site.

Olympia, the birthplace of the most important athletic mega-event of all times is one of the most well known destinations in Greece.  You don’t have to be a history lover to get fascinated by its uniqueness. Moreover, apart from time travelling to ancient Greece, there is a variety of activities and sports you can do in the wider area of Olympia, sports such as biking, rafting, kayak, kite-surf, etc. You can also combine your visit to ancient Olympia while on a wider tour around the western Peloponnese, as described here.

Visiting the site of Ancient Olympia will be one of the most memorable experiences you can ever have in Greece. Enjoy!