Olympia & Patras, Greece - September 2025

Olympia

Patras

Olympia, Greece

Brief History/Information

Olympia, Greece (Home of the first Olympic Games) (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Olympia was more of a sacred sanctuary dating back to around 1000 BCE that was devoted mainly to Zeus. The first recorded Olympic Games took place in 776 BCE.

What we did

We left Kalamata and drove straight to the Archaelogical Site of Olympia, about a 2 hour drive. We booked a 2.5 hour private tour through Get Your Guide, because those large tours with headphones are intrusive and unpersonal. Our guide Maria Loukaridou, was amazing! She provided us with a lot of information that we wouldn’t have learned if we went in ourselves or with a large group. She took her time with us and we were able to ask an abundant of questions and she knew all the answers (yes, we fact-checked her!)

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Patras, Greece

Patras is the third largest city in Greece and mainly reserved for the young college-type. It has been inhabited since prehistoric times. It was one the first cities to revolt against Ottoman rule (March 1821). Tradition holds that Saint Andrew (Apostle Andrew) was martyred in Patras, crucified on an X-shaped cross.

What we did

After our adventure in Olympia, we drove to Patras to spend the night. This is a beautiful town that is right on the water. Every view is amazing. We stayed at the Moxy in Patras for the night. It was a very nice hotel and I highly recommend it… just be aware of this- it turns into a big party/night club on the roof! Thus, making it difficult to get to sleep at a decent time if you’re near the top floor. When looking for a place to eat dinner, we found that there were many options, but many had long waits. We stumbled on Argo and were immediately pleased with our decision! The food, the drink, the view, and the service… impeccable!