Day trip from Athens Mycenae and Epidaurus
The citadel of Mycenae and the theatre of Epidaurus, two sites in the Argolid, 1 h 30 from Athens by road and 30 minutes either side of Nafplio.
Is Mycenae and Epidaurus worth a day trip from Athens?
Only with a tour or a car.
Not by public transport. The Athens-Nafplio bus drops you at Fichti, 3.5 km from Mycenae, and the only bus to the Epidaurus theatre leaves Nafplio at 10:30 on weekdays and comes back at 12:30. Seeing both in one day takes a coach tour or a rental car. The Civitatis tour runs 10 hours from € 87.50 with Mycenae admission included, but you pay € 20 more at Epidaurus and book the 15:00-16:00 slot yourself. Driving, each site costs € 20. Both open daily, 08:00 to 18:30 in early October, and Mycenae shuts at 15:30 from November to March.
The decision sheet
- Travel time
- 1 h 30to Mycenae; Epidaurus is 30 min past Nafplio · one way · KTEL Argolida, Mycenae timetable
- Transport
- Tour coach or car
- Self-guided cost
- Not verified yet
- Tour price
- From € 87.50Civitatis catalogue
- Time needed
- 3–5 hDaytripo editorial
- Closed days
- None
- Best time
- Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct; short winter hoursDaytripo editorial
- Verdict
- Only with a tourDaytripo editorial
What to see and do in Mycenae and Epidaurus
- 01
Lion Gate and citadel
The gate of about 1250 BC, with two carved lions over the lintel, leads up a ramp to the palace terrace. Allow an hour for the walls and the views over the Argive plain.
- 02
Grave Circle A
Just inside the gate, the ring of upright slabs where Schliemann found the gold masks in 1876. The originals are in Athens. Copies are in the site museum.
- 03
Treasury of Atreus
A beehive tomb 400 metres down the road, on the same ticket. Its dome is 13 metres high and the lintel stone weighs about 120 tonnes. Ten minutes inside.
- 04
Theatre of Epidaurus
Built in the 4th century BC for about 14,000 people. Climb to the top row while someone speaks from the centre circle below, and you hear every word.
- 05
Sanctuary of Asklepios
The healing sanctuary beside the theatre, with a small museum, a stadium and the round Tholos under restoration. Most groups skip it. It takes 30 minutes.
Good forAncient sites
How to spend the day
Be at Athanasiou Diakou 26, 3 minutes from Akropoli metro, by 08:00 for the 08:15 departure. Short stop at the Corinth Canal, then Mycenae for the Lion Gate and the tholos tomb the guides call the Tomb of Agamemnon. About 1.5 hours in Nafplio for lunch. Epidaurus theatre in the 15:00-16:00 slot. You are back in Athens around 18:15.
Mycenae and Epidaurus in summer and in winter
Summer
June to AugustMycenae is a bare hill with no shade, and the Argolid plain reaches 35 °C by noon, so the morning slot there is the right order. Both sites keep long hours. On Friday and Saturday evenings in July and August the theatre hosts the Athens Epidaurus Festival, and it may close to visitors earlier on those days.
Winter
December to FebruaryFrom November to March Mycenae shuts at 15:30, so the day runs to a tight clock and Epidaurus gets the last light. Both sites are nearly empty and the hills are green. Rain makes the stone ramp at Mycenae slippery. It works well by car on a dry day, less well on the coach.
How crowded it gets
Busy- Busiest
- Apr-Oct, 10:00-12:30 at Mycenae, 14:30-16:00 at Epidaurus
- Quietest
- The first hour after 08:00, and November to March
Coaches from Athens reach the Lion Gate around 10:30 after the canal stop. Drivers who arrive at 08:00 have the citadel almost alone. At Epidaurus the tiers absorb people easily, so crowding is rarely a problem.
How do you get to Mycenae and Epidaurus from Athens?
Organized tour
- Travel time
- 10 hours door to door
- Frequency
- Daily
- Cost
- From € 87.50
- Departs from
- Athanasiou Diakou 26, 3 min from Akropoli metro
English-speaking guide, Mycenae ticket included, lunch optional. Epidaurus admission is not included: buy the € 20 ticket on the official site for the 15:00-16:00 slot, or spend that hour outside. EU citizens under 25 enter free with ID.
Car
- Travel time
- 1 h 30 to Mycenae
- Departs from
- Central Athens
Mycenae first, at opening time. It is 30 minutes from there to Nafplio and 30 more to Epidaurus. Two tickets at € 20 each. The Mycenae ticket also covers the museum and the Treasury of Atreus tomb, so keep it.
Practical: clothes, food and money
What to wear
Sturdy closed shoes: the citadel is uneven rock and the theatre steps are steep and worn. In summer bring a hat, sunscreen and a full water bottle. In winter add a waterproof jacket.
What to eat
The tour stops for lunch in Nafplio, where the old town has tavernas and good ice cream. With a car, eat there too or in Mykines village below the citadel. The Argolid grows oranges, sold fresh at roadside stalls in winter, and Nemea red wine comes from the next valley.
What you will spend
The coach tour from € 87.50 includes the guide and Mycenae admission. Epidaurus costs € 20 more, and lunch is optional. By car you pay € 20 at each site plus hire, fuel and motorway tolls. EU citizens under 25 enter free with ID.
How to get the most out of the day
- The underground cistern at Mycenae is unlit. Bring a phone torch if it is open, and skip it in wet weather.
- See the Mycenae museum before the citadel if the day is hot. It is air-conditioned and explains what you are about to walk through.
- At Epidaurus, drop a coin on the centre stone and listen from the top row. It is the quickest way to test the acoustics.
- Festival tickets for Epidaurus go on sale in spring. An evening performance needs a car or the festival coach from Athens.
How long do you need in Mycenae and Epidaurus?
Plan 3–5 h on site, plus 1 h 30 of travel each way from Athens.
When is Mycenae and Epidaurus closed?
None. Best time: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct; short winter hours.