Olympia

Olympia is one of the best-known and most famous places in Greece. For centuries, it was a religious center where sports competitions were held and this is where the modern Olympic Games owe their origin and therefore Olympia is the cradle of the Olympic Games. Olympia is one of the Top 10 places of interest in Greece.

“The Olympic Games owe their origin to Olympia”

Olympia is located in the west of Peloponnese in the province of Elia. The whole area and especially the region between Patras and Olympia are privileged by nature. On both sides of the road from Patras to the Olympia, shrine small towns and pretty villages. There are beautiful beaches everywhere. The region has numerous ruins of ancient cities, Byzantine churches, and ancient castles of considerable archaeological and historical value.

In the archaeological site of Olympia, you will wander around the ruins of the Zeus Temple, of which a column was reconstructed in 2005, the remains of a temple dedicated to goddess Hera from 600 BC, and of course the stadium where the Olympic Games were taking place in the antiquity. The magnificent marble statue of the Hermes of Praxiteles (on display in the museum) was found on the site. This is where the Olympic torch is always lit, which is taken in relay form to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

Walking around Ancient Olympia intrigues your imagination and you can easily picture what it was like here more than two thousand years ago. The Olympic Games, the most important sports event in all antiquity, were held in Olympia, starting from 776 B.C., when the victors’ names were first recorded.

In Olympia, you’ll find nice hotels, traditional restaurants, and many souvenir shops. A visit to the Archaeological Museum of Olympia is a must. Bear in mind that both the archaeological site and the museum is flooded with tourists, especially in the summer.

Places to visit

• The archaeological site of Olympia
• Archaeological Museum of Olympia
• Museum of the Olympic games
• Temple of Zeus
• Temple of Hera
• Nemouta waterfall
• Olympia land winery
• Klio’s Honey farm