Ancient Olympia skip-the-line entry — the sanctuary of Zeus in the western Peloponnese, birthplace of the Olympic Games and home of one of the Seven Wonders. One ticket covers the archaeological site and both museums. We reserve your dated entry so you walk straight in.
See ticket optionsSite + both museums · your chosen date
€34
“Running the length of the ancient stadium where the first Olympics were held gave me goosebumps. We showed our phones and walked straight past the queue. The little audio history beforehand really set the scene.”
“We came in on a cruise from Katakolo and were nervous about time, but having the dated ticket ready meant no queuing — straight in, the temples, the stadium and the museum, back to the ship with time to spare. The Hermes statue is stunning.”
“Bigger and more spread out than I expected — give yourself a few hours. Booking in English and just picking our date was easy, and the combined ticket covering both museums was great value to organise in one go.”
5-minute audio guide
A short, calm narrative — what this sanctuary of Zeus was, how the Olympic Games began and ran for a thousand years, what to look for among the temples and in the stadium, and how the two museums complete the story. Listen on the road in or as you reach the gate.
Recorded for Ancient Olympia Tickets concierge. Free to download.
Ancient Olympia, in the green valley of the Alpheios river in the western Peloponnese, was the most important sanctuary of the god Zeus and the birthplace of the Olympic Games. From 776 BC the Games were held here every four years for almost a thousand years, drawing athletes and spectators from across the Greek world to compete in the shadow of the great temples — until they were abolished in AD 393. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the defining places of the ancient world.
At the heart of the walled grove called the Altis stood the Temple of Zeus, which housed the colossal gold-and-ivory Statue of Zeus by Phidias — one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, now lost. Around it spread the Temple of Hera, where the Olympic flame is still kindled for the modern Games; the Workshop of Phidias; the Philippeion; and the training grounds, treasuries and altars of the sanctuary. Beyond them, through a vaulted stone tunnel, lies the ancient Stadium, its original start and finish lines still set in the earth.
Your ticket also covers the two museums: the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, with the Hermes of Praxiteles, the Nike of Paionios and the sculpted pediments of the Temple of Zeus, and the Museum of the History of the Olympic Games of Antiquity. We handle the ticketing in English and reserve your entry for the date you choose, so you spend the day with the sanctuary rather than the queue.
Ancient Olympia Tickets is an independent concierge service that helps international visitors reserve and receive their entry tickets in English. We are not the archaeological site and we are not an official vendor — we purchase genuine entry tickets on your behalf from the Hellenic Ministry of Culture's official ticketing service, and our service fee is included in the price you see. If you prefer to buy directly, the operator's own ticket site is tickets.hh.gr.
Plan your visit
Peloponnese seasons, the cruise-and-coach rhythm of the day, and the hours that give you the sanctuary cool, quiet and in good light.
From the Katakolo cruise port, from Athens, and by bus and train — reaching the sanctuary in the western Peloponnese.
The Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Hera, the ancient Stadium and the museum treasures — a walk through the sanctuary of the Games.
Your entry is reserved before you arrive, so you walk straight to the gate instead of queuing at the Olympia ticket office. On busy days — especially when cruise groups arrive from Katakolo and coaches come from across the Peloponnese — that open-air queue can take a while, so coming with your ticket already in hand saves the wait.
One ticket covers three places: the archaeological site of Ancient Olympia (the Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Hera, the ancient Stadium, the Workshop of Phidias and the rest of the sanctuary), the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, and the Museum of the History of the Olympic Games of Antiquity. You can see all three on your chosen date.
Yes. You choose the date you want to visit and we reserve your entry for that day. The archaeological site is open all day on your date; the Archaeological Museum may apply entry time slots, which we handle for you. Pick the day when you book and you're set.
We send your ticket to your email as a mobile ticket once your booking is confirmed — there's nothing to print, just show it on your phone at the gate. You'll also receive a short 5-minute audio history to listen to before you go.
From the cruise port of Katakolo it's about 30–45 minutes by road — Olympia is the classic shore excursion there. From Athens it's around a 3.5–4 hour drive, or reachable by KTEL intercity bus and by train/bus via Pyrgos. The site and museums are beside the modern village of Archaia Olympia.
Allow about 2.5 to 3 hours to do it justice — roughly 1.5–2 hours across the open site and another hour for the two museums. It's a large sanctuary with real distances between the monuments, so wear comfortable shoes and pace yourself, especially in summer heat.
It was the sanctuary of Zeus and the birthplace of the Olympic Games, first held in 776 BC and staged here every four years for almost a thousand years. It held the Temple of Zeus with Phidias's colossal gold-and-ivory statue — one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World — and its stadium is where the original Games were run.
Yes. You enter the ancient Stadium through a vaulted stone tunnel, and the original stone start and finish lines are still set in the ground where the foot races began. It's the highlight for many visitors — you can walk (or run) the track the first Olympians used.
Yes. Before each modern Olympic Games the flame is kindled at the Temple of Hera (the Heraion) at Ancient Olympia, using the sun's rays, and carried from here to the host city. The temple where the lighting ceremony takes place is part of the site you'll visit.
The Archaeological Museum of Olympia holds the famous Hermes of Praxiteles, the Nike (Victory) of Paionios, and the sculpted pediments and metopes from the Temple of Zeus, among the finest ancient Greek sculpture anywhere. The Museum of the History of the Olympic Games of Antiquity tells the story of the Games themselves.
No. The standard combined ticket is not personalised and needs no passport or name — just show your mobile ticket. (Reduced and free-entry categories set by the operator, such as EU citizens under 25, may require ID at the gate; our ticket is standard full admission.)
Right at opening or in the last couple of hours before closing, outside the July–August peak, gives you cooler air and fewer groups. The middle of the day is hottest and busiest, especially when cruise excursions and coaches overlap. Because your ticket is for the date you choose, you can pick a cooler, quieter day.
Yes — running a race in the ancient Stadium where the Olympics began lands brilliantly with children, and the story of Zeus, the Games and the athletes brings the ruins to life. It's a big open site with limited shade, so bring hats, sunscreen and water and allow time for breaks.
Partly. The site is mostly level but covers a large area with gravel, grass and ancient paving, some steps (including the Stadium tunnel) and long distances with little shade. Visitors with limited mobility can see a great deal but should allow extra time; the museums have step-free routes for most galleries.
Yes — the site and museums are open daily, year-round. Only the daily hours change with the season: longer in summer and shorter in winter, with last entry about 30 minutes before closing. Hours can change on public holidays, so confirm on the day.
No. We're an independent concierge service for international visitors. We buy genuine tickets on your behalf from the Hellenic Ministry of Culture's official ticketing service and handle the booking in English, and our service fee is included in the price shown. You can always buy directly from the operator if you prefer.
The price you see is the price you pay — we show it in your local currency where we can and charge exactly that amount, with no surprise fees at checkout. Payment is by card on a secure page.