Half-Day Private Tour from Katakolo or Kyllini Port to Anc. Ilis
Description
Enjoy a perfect day with an excursion to Ancient Ilis! This private trip is unique because travelers get to see so many different sites in only 5 hours. You will visit archaeological sites, enjoy beautiful beaches and will be able to spend your time wherever you desire the most! Our professional drivers will be on time for your pick up and always there to help and advise, always with a smile and with the best interest to show you the beautiful ride from Katakolo to Ancient Ilis. Our drivers know the area very well and they are able to maximize your experience and leave you the best possible memories of Ancient Ilis! The program can be adjusted to your desires!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Upon arrival to the area of Katakolo, you can meet our driver either at our office in the port of Katakolo in a very convinient location or at the hotel you are staying at. Our driver will be waiting outside of the office or at the reception of your hotel with a sign of your name. Transfer to our private vehicle and enjoy the ride to Ancient Ilis and the Castle of Chlemoutsi.
Leaving Katakolo we are heading to a monastery nearby, which stands for more than 1.200 years at the ground of Peloponnese. Holy Mary of Skafidia, enclosed by a medieval fortress, the only monastery in Greece that has such a fortification, welcomes you to discover it. In addition to its remarkable architecture, it also has many religious and historical treasures such as Holy vessels, vestments, reliquaries, old icons, coins, and much more.
Ilida was the city that had the responsibility of organizing and holding the famous Olympic Games of antiquity. Once you arrive at Ancient Ilida museum, the spacious open-air square welcomes the visitor and offers him an unobstructed, excellent view on the one hand of the archaeological site, on the other hand of the entire plain of Elis up to medieval castle of Chlemoutsi. Visit the Archaeological Museum, with its interesting collection from the site's excavations: statues, inscriptions, reliefs, pottery, figurines, architectural members, which date from the early Hellenic period to the Roman era. Inside you will find yourself lost in time. Artifacts 2.000 old, mosaics that standing after thousands of years, solar clock, statues of the finest marble in the world, unique golden jewelers and much more, you will find at the museum’s exhibition; a relatively small museum but none the less full of beautiful items.
Leaving the museum nearby there is the ancient Theater of Ilis. As you begin to understand, in Greece and in the area specifically, what’s “old” and “new” it’s really relevant! For more than 2.400 the theater holds plays from the ancient times. Nearby the river “Pinios”, at the beginning operated as a sanctuary and a worship place for god Apollo, later on the residents of the area, made the place on of the older theaters in the country. The scenery is one of the reasons why the Greeks built it in the specific location, and along with the quietness of the place, will give us an unforgettable experience of inner peace and appreciation of life itself.
Our driver will pick you up and drive you through small villages up to the Castle of Chlemoutsi. Originally called Château Clermont, travellers referred to this incredible structure as Castle Tornese and the Byzantines called it Chloumoutzi. Due to its strategic location, the imposing stronghold guarded the capital Andravida, the harbour of Glarentza and, of course, the palace of the House of the Villehardouin that was situated within its walls. Admire the breathtaking view to the plain of Elis and the Ionian Sea. Leaving the museum nearby there is the ancient Theater of Ilis. As you begin to understand, in Greece and in the area specifically, what’s “old” and “new” it’s really relevant! For more than 2.400 the theater holds plays from the ancient times. Nearby the river “Pinios”, at the beginning operated as a sanctuary and a worship place for god Apollo, later on the residents of the area, made the place on of the older theaters in the country.
After visiting the castle, nearby there is a coffee house that stands atop of the Ionian Sea and gives us astonishing view all the way to the island of Zakinthos. You can relax here and enjoy your beverage or a light lunch, before we depart for Katokolo.
Ancient theaters, beautiful museum, majestic castles, astonishing views, unforgettable memories; what more can someone ask from a tour? In ancient Ilida you will find all these, with the assistance of our experienced drivers, while riding on new comfortable vehicles. Your driver will be drive you through a scenic road that you will get to enjoy! All along the private tour your driver will be there to explain and assist with anything you might need!
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
If you have chosen a hotel for your pick up point, our driver will be waiting for you at the reception of the hotel.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(19)
We'd been to Olympia in the past and wanted to see a new area. George was a fantastic guide. We booked the Killini tour with Chlemouste castle. He then customized our tour based on what we wanted to include, omit, and add. He knew the area very well, gave us lots of interesting and fun facts, was extremely personable, funny, easy going, and sincerely enjoys spending time with his clients. We enjoyed all the stops along our full 5-hour tour. I hadn't properly planned the pickup time and our ship didn't dock until noon. George was so flexible and kind about flexing to an afternoon tour. We even invited him to give us a call next year when he visits the US. We'd love to see him again and maybe show him around our home town.
Thank you so much for your amazing review and for choosing our company for your visit to the area! We are truly delighted to hear how much you enjoyed your tour with George. He is passionate about creating personalized experiences for our guests, so it means a lot to know that his flexibility, knowledge, humor, and genuine hospitality made your day so special. We are especially happy that he could accommodate the change in your ship’s schedule and still provide a memorable experience filled with wonderful stops and local insights. Your kind invitation for George to visit you in the US is incredibly touching and speaks volumes about the connection made during your tour. Moments like these are exactly why we love what we do. Thank you again for your trust and your thoughtful words. We would be honored to welcome you back to Greece anytime in the future!
George was a great diver tour guide and we had a very good value private 4 hour excursion around Karachi. Highly recommended
Thank you for the wonderful review! It was a pleasure showing you around. I’m really glad you enjoyed the private excursion and found it to be great value. Hope to see you again for another adventure in the future!
We are from the UK and had a private tour with our driver George. It was excellent and throuroughly recommended. George is a very kind and entertaining host with very good English. We felt very safe and enjoyed seeing the 4 sites shown on the booking. and expecially the villages and beautiful countryside. We suggest this is an ideal alternative to the many trips to Olympia. The Frankish castle is a must see with amazing views from the top.
Thank you very much for your kind words and for taking the time to share your experience! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your private tour with George and that you felt comfortable and safe throughout the journey. We hope to welcome you back to Greece again in the future for more wonderful experiences. 😊
We could not have got a better guide / driver than Stavros. Intelligent and competent, he led us to the agreed destinations and dropped us off safely at our ship after the end of the tour. However, the communication between TripAdvisor and the local operator left much to be desired, especially in terms of the start time and pick-up location.
Vielen herzlichen Dank für Ihre Bewertung! Es freut uns sehr zu hören, dass Sie mit Stavros einen so kompetenten und engagierten Fahrer und Reiseleiter an Ihrer Seite hatten. Wir geben Ihr Lob gerne an ihn weiter – er wird sich sicherlich sehr darüber freuen. Gleichzeitig bedauern wir die Unannehmlichkeiten bezüglich der Kommunikation im Vorfeld der Tour. Wir nehmen Ihr Feedback sehr ernst und werden mit TripAdvisor und unseren lokalen Partnern daran arbeiten, die Abstimmung hinsichtlich Startzeit und Abholort künftig noch klarer und zuverlässiger zu gestalten. Wir hoffen, Sie dennoch bald wieder bei einer unserer Touren begrüßen zu dürfen!
Dimitris was great. He drove us to Ilis. This stop was not much to see, but interesting nonetheless. There will be more excavation with the new technology. We then went to the museum, which was also very interesting. Then on to the castle. Very impressive. We loved the drive through the countryside. There were many olive groves and lots of farms growing everything. He also took us to a family run restaurant that's been in business for generations. We had the best meal ever. We highly recommend this tour.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It sounds like an amazing day—Dimitris clearly went above and beyond to make the tour memorable. Even though Ilis wasn't as you had expected, it's great to hear it still offered historical interest, especially with the promise of more discoveries to come. The countryside drive, the castle, and that authentic meal at the family-run restaurant all sound like highlights! We really appreciate your recommendation. Thank you and hope to see you again!
This tour was simple, relaxing and fabulous in every way. Instead of joining the hoards of fellow passengers to Olympia we went instead to ancient center where the Olympic games were planned and organized. There was an extensive and well curated museum annotated in both Greek and English. Quiet museums, fabulous countryside, visit to a castle fortress, and then a quick trip to the ruins of Roman thermal baths. Noncrowds, felt like completely private and ‘just for us’. Exactly the outing we had hoped for. Dimitri was kind, informative, great driver and provided a spotless car with complimentary water. Thanks to him, our day was perfect.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful and detailed review. We're truly delighted to hear that your day with us was exactly what you were hoping for—peaceful, informative, and far from the crowds. It’s wonderful that you enjoyed the unique historical sites, the museum, and the beautiful countryside. We hope to welcome you again in the future for more off-the-beaten-path discoveries! Warm regards, Theocar Team
Unless you are really into BC artifacts and archeological ruins, this is not much of a tour. The only thing of genuine interest was the remarkably well preserved 1220 Frankish Castle of Chlemoutsi. It's likely that I did not read the description of this outing well enough as the first portion is at the not well maintained or informative ruins of Elis, the ancient city (one of the largest in Ancient Greece) was the location where the Olympic games were planned and administered for 1000 years. But there is very little associated with the games themselves. This is not a tour as much as a taxi service. Our driver, Andreas, was pleasant and a good, safe driver, but not a guide in the classic sense. Although he would provide some general information about each location, we were on our own once we got there.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We appreciate your feedback and are glad to hear that you found the Chlemoutsi Castle to be a highlight of your tour. Its remarkable preservation and rich history indeed offer a fascinating glimpse into the past. We understand that the visit to the ancient ruins of Elis may not have met your expectations. While the site holds significant historical importance as the administrative center for the Olympic Games, we acknowledge that the current state of the ruins may not fully convey its storied past. Your comments regarding the tour structure and the role of our driver, Andreas, are valuable. We strive to provide informative and engaging experiences, and your feedback will help us improve our services. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back on another tour, where we can offer a more enriching experience. Thank you once again for your insights.
Great tour. We had the option to modify the sites we’d visit and the pace. A wonderful guide/driver gave us a memorable experience. The castle is a must-see. Bring a camera!
Thank you very much for your kind words! We appreciate it! Have a wonderful trip back andwe would be glad to serve you again! Best regards!
THIS WAS THE WORST EXPERIENCE EVER. The group had specifically picked this tour as it went to a castle that they had never been to. Upon arrival to the driver, he told them that they would not want to go to the castle as there is nothing there. He made it seem like the site was not there anymore, but the group later confirmed that it is still standing and in operation. He became increasingly upset as the group tried to tell him that they would still like to go. He whipped the car around several times, telling them that he thought they should go to Olympia instead. They had already been to Olympia and had no interest in going, but as he was the guide and driver and was getting very upset with them, they agreed. On the way to Olympia, the group asked if he could share more about the area and where they were going. He replied that it was illegal for him to talk to them and that he could not give any information about himself or the area. He also stated that the entrance to Olympia was only 6 euros, and later turned out to be 12 upon arrival. Further, the tour description shows that the approximate tour length is 5 hours. The driver took the group to Olympia and then returned them back to the meeting point after only 3 hours, turning the music up in his car very loud and refusing to speak to the group. He did not mention the beaches that were described in the tour description or offer to take them anywhere else.
We are sorry to hear that this tour did not meet your expectations. Upon arrival your driver explained what you had picked and where you would go. The group requested to go to Olympia and not at Ilis as booked. Our driver would never change by himself the destination of the tour and would never comment negative about a great place as Ancient Ilis that he drives almost everyday. The tour to Olympia was more expensive and because all the group requested it, he didn't deny it and didnt ask for more money. Our drivers do not have to speak about themselves, nor should they be asked. Our drivers are not guides and they have been thought what they can say and discuss with customers. The entrance for seniors at Olympia is 6 euros and the person who asked him was a senior. You picked another tour so the beaches are not close to Olympia. We know the manners of our drivers and specificly yours gets the most positive comments. And I should mention that the rest of the group thanked the driver at the end of their tour and had nothing wrong to say. It was only you Mrs Stephanie who wrote all these fake comments and wanted a full refund. Hope we can meet your expectations better another time!
Dimitri was the best!!! He was a fast and safe driver 😀 and took us to a local restaurant that he lived near by that was incredible! Highly recommend him!
Thank you very much for your kind words! We are glad you enjoyed it and hope to see you on another tour! Best regards!
