Ancient Corinth

Clutching the natural fortifications of limestone bluffs in a symphony of ancient marble edifices and Corinthian columns, this commanding old polis has held sway over its own isthmus of land since time immemorial. During the 5th and 4th centuries BC it was one of the major players in the Greek world, defying even the likes of Athens with its formidable navy, and taking on Sparta during the Peloponnesian War.

Today, visitors to the site are invited to explore an extensive ruined Agora and old town, now crumbling and chipped away and juxtaposed neatly with modern-day Corinth on the edge of the Gulf just to the north. In a palimpsest of Greek and Roman architecture, sites like the Temple of Apollo and the stoa of Phillip II of Macedon stand out, along with plenty of examples of portraiture pertaining to the Imperial Cult, many of which have now been transferred to the adjoining Archaeological Museum.

Trips out to the striking remains and soaring acropolis here can now be organised with Ancient Corinth tour guides from the nearby new town, while there are also plenty of excursion providers based in Athens, too.