Port day · KATAKOLO SHORE EXCURSIONS
Good katakolo shore excursions sell out weeks before the sailing date and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Travel by air-conditioned coach from Katakolo Port to Ancient Olympia, with helpful staff such as George or Chrysi offering background on the ride. Explore the archaeological site and village independently for about three hours, then return to the port on schedule.
“Very convenient bus, the driver was very kind. Everything went on time. Very good experience. Well done.”
From Katakolon, ride in a small group to Ancient Olympia with port pickup and live commentary. Explore the Olympic site, meet a beekeeper at Klio’s Honey Farm, then sample local olive oils, olives, wine, and sweets at Padelina Shopping Center. Guides may include Elena, Eleni, Maria, or Nikos.
“We started with a trip to Olympia. We had to purchase entry into the ruins and were guided by a knowledgeable person showing us all the highlights of the grounds. It was incredibly hot so this part of the tour was the least enjoyable for me. We left and went to a farm and listened to the owner talk about the history of her family in the honey business. While she explained how honey was collected we enjoyed drinks and a small sample. Afterwards we had local honey to eat and sampled items created with the honey. It was a sweet treat. Then we went to an indoor mart where…”
Meet at Greka Land near Katakolo cruise terminal, ride 30 minutes to Ancient Olympia, and explore the ruins and museum with included tickets. Chrysi or another escort helps set up the phone-based VR audio guide. You also get free time in modern Olympia before returning.
“The description of the provider made me think that we would be on an open top bus but it was an air conditioned coach. Only 6 people were on our bus. The guide, George was most helpful and made sure we got our tickets through WhatsApp during the bus ride. I had to bring up though that I’d booked online and tickets were included so be aware of that. George assisted with the set up of the audio virtual guide on our phones. It was hard to match it to the ruins in front of you, particularly because we walked in a different direction to the commentary. Directions would have…”
Travel from Katakolon to Olympia by air-conditioned coach, then explore Zeus’s sanctuary, temples, Gymnasium, Palaestra, and stadium at your own pace. English-speaking escorts, entrance tickets, and a downloadable audio guide are included. The Olympia Museum is optional and costs extra.
“This tour was essentially a transfer from port to Olympia and back.”
From Katakolon port, ride to Olympia for the ancient stadium, Temple of Zeus, Olympic torch site, and archaeological museum. Then sample olives, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, wine, and local specialties at Padelina Shopping Center. Guides such as Elena, Natalia, and Elias may lead the site visit.
“Elena was a great tour guide! She was so knowledgeable and very proud of her culture and heritage, we highly recommend her! Thank you Elena!”
Ride from Katakolo cruise port to Pyrgos, the capital of Elis, with a multilingual audioguide and hop-on, hop-off access. Stop at the central square and Archaeological Museum, then return to the harbor for cafés, shopping, or a swim. Check current bus operation before booking.
“We added on the excursion to Olympia had nice bus ride. Tour operator very good worked with us to be able to return us earlier than originally planned”
Travel by private vehicle from Katakolon to Olympia with an English-speaking host, then visit Klio’s honey farm for pancakes with homemade honey and stop for a swim at Saint Andrew’s Beach. The €20 Olympia ticket and €12 farm fee are extra, and no licensed guide enters the ruins or museum.
“Niki was right outside waiting for us at 9am. We had a lovely Mercedes and driver. She was so knowledgeable- being born and raised here. We arrived at the site of Olympia- where the very first games were. We walked solo as she can’t guide through the ruins and it was breathtaking. A quick visit to the museum where the items were incredible having survived so long. Niki then took us shopping - we told her we didn’t need to see the “Bee Farm”. Lunch was off the main road in Katakolon at an amazing place- Jimmy’s Tavern. We loved our day and meeting Niki who made us feel so…”
Travel privately from Katakolo Port to Olympia with air-conditioned transport, bottled water, live onboard commentary, and an Olympia guidebook. Explore the ruins and museum at your own pace, then enjoy an optional traditional buffet at Touris Club. Licensed site guides and admission cost extra.
“VERY DISAPPOINTING. Our reservation said 7 AM, but when we got off the ship we couldn't find anyone. Spoke to another tour agent who pointed out Dora. She said our tour wasn't to begin until 9 AM, but our paperwork said 7 AM. She managed to find another driver who would take us on the tour. After we got in the car, he told us he was not a regular tour driver and could only take us to our destination but was not able to do anything else. It was no fault of his, but basically we paid $495 for a taxi ride A little exorbitant, don't you think? We…”
Travel privately from Katakolo to Ancient Olympia in an air-conditioned vehicle, using a 360-degree virtual reality app to picture lost monuments. Your escort covers the archaeological site and museum, then gives you about an hour in modern Olympia. Entrance fees cost extra.
“Olympia is a must see, but our tour guide gave us too much detail. It's sounds crazy, but even after letting her know that we were getting too much information too overwhelming she continued to tell us too much and it became difficult to pay attention.”
From Katakolo Port, a private driver-guide such as Stathis, Dora, Charis, or Andrew takes you to ancient Olympia, its museum, a family olive press, and Agios Ilias Beach. Plan on extra fees for museum and olive press admission, and ask ahead for a licensed Olympia guide.
“Dora our tour guide was absolutely wonderful! She was very knowledgeable about the area. She was also extremely friendly and allowed us to make some adjustments to our schedule. We wanted to spend more time in Olympia and walk around the town, so decided to skip the beach. The olive press was very interesting, my kids even enjoyed learning about the process and loved sampling the oils. I would definitely recommend this tour, especially to those with limited time as you will learn and see a lot!”
From Katakolon, visit Olympia with a private driver, then taste honey at Klio’s farm, sample wine and olive oil at Magna Grecia, visit Kremasty monastery, and swim at St Andrew beach. Guides such as Peter, Dimitris, Andrew, and Anastasia have led this flexible seven-hour outing.
“Amazing and fully supported owner, very professional, clean car - very friendly and flexible”
From Katakolo port, Theodoros Mamousis drives your private group of up to eight to Olympia. Walk the ancient stadium, see Praxiteles’ Hermes, taste local honey, and visit cliffside Kremasti Monastery in an air-conditioned vehicle.
“We booked our tour to Ancient Olympia with Akis Tours (Theodoros Mamousis) while visiting on the Norwegian Epic, and it was an excellent experience from start to finish. We were a group of 40 people, and everything was handled smoothly and professionally.”
From Katakolo, your private driver takes you to Olympia’s archaeological site and museum, then to a family olive oil mill and Agios Andreas Beach. Andreas or Dimitris may drive, with a flexible five-hour schedule, air-conditioned transport, water, WiFi, and port pickup.
“We booked a last minute tour of Olympia. Dimitris contacted us right away with some great suggestions. He took care of us throughout the day! He shared some great sights around the area. I would highly recommend him! He is fantastic!”
Meet your escort beneath the blue banner at Katakolo cruise port, ride to Olympia in a licensed vehicle, and explore the archaeological site with an audio guide. Guides such as Jorge and Stathis help with tickets and local tips, while the return transfer keeps your ship schedule in view.
“Wonderful day thanks to our driver who was very professional and very kind from offering us coffee, water and magnets to tell us about life in Greece ++++Auto-translated”
Travel from Katakolo port to Olympia in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking coach or minibus escort. See the Temple of Zeus and Leonidaion, then use free time for the ruins and museum. Tina may lead your group, but no licensed guide enters the site with you.
“This tour is highly recommended. Our tour guide Tina was a wealth of knowledge and was very accommodating. She advised us the appropriate steps to take whilst inside the site to ensure we saw the very best of the tour. Tina knew the area and the history and was an excellent guide.”
Pick the call, or the kind of day you want out of it.
