Greece's Best Ancient Sites Are Underrated And Not In Athens, Per Rick Steves

If you're a history buff, particularly an ancient history buff, you've likely dreamed about a trip to Greece. If you're like most people, you probably already have Athens on your list of places to visit. According to travel pro Rick Steves, Athens has the best museums in Greece. But if you just stick to Athens, however, he also says you'll be missing out on some underrated ancient sites.

Steves has three spots that you should absolutely visit, and they're all within three hours of Athens. He says on his website, "When it comes to Greek ruins, Athens' Acropolis and Agora are a given. But to me, the joy of Greece lies outside its capital. Once you're done with the big city and its requisite sights, hit the road and head for Delphi, Epidavros, and Mycenae. Each offers a unique opportunity to delve into ancient life and explore Greece's rich history."

Even if Athens is your home base, you have to venture out to see the ruins where the good and great once consulted the Oracle of Delphi, the massive amphitheater of Epidavros (above), and the Lion Gate of Mycenae, the supposed home of the legendary King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra of Homer's "Iliad" fame. Are you ready to see some of the best destinations in Greece?

Fans of Homer's "Iliad" and classic Greek plays will want to visit Mycenae, with its entrance, the Lion Gate (above). Steves says of the area, "Mycenae — a fortress city atop a hill — was the hub of a mighty civilization that dominated the Greek world between 1600 and 1200 BC[E], a thousand years before Athens' Golden Age." It's about an hour and a half by car from Athens, and there is a lot to see. 

Mycenae also has the Treasury of Atreus. While it was looted long ago, it is a tomb that is said to be that of Agamemnon, the man who Homer writes killed his daughter for good winds, fought at Troy, and came to a rather sticky end. Then there is the Tomb of Clytemnestra, his wife (and not his biggest fan). She may or may not have been buried there (or existed at all), but there was enough jewelry inside to outfit a queen. Check out the Cyclopean Walls, said to have been built by the giant, one-eyed Cyclops.

Just under a 2-hour drive from Athens or under an hour from Mycenae sits Epidavros (also called Epidaurus), which has an impressive 4th-century B.C. amphitheater. It once held up to 14,000 people, and it's got incredible acoustics. Steves says, "Sitting in the most distant seat as your travel partner stands on stage, you can practically hear the retsina rumbling in their stomach." It's right by the Sanctuary of Asklepios, the god of healing.

About 2.5 hours from Athens is Delphi. It once housed the Oracle of Delphi, also called the Pythia, a woman who prophesied about the futures of those who asked. Steves says of the spot, "By the sixth century BC, Delphi had become so influential that no great leader would make a major decision without first sending emissaries to consult the oracle. Because so many people would come and spill their truth about the state of their homelands, Delphi became the database of the ancient world." 

There are also some impressive ruins of the 8th-century Sanctuary of Apollo, as well as monuments from pilgrims who traveled there. Steves also recommends the nearby stadium and theater where the ancient Greeks held the Pythian Games every four years to honor Apollo with sports, drama, music, and dance competitions. You'll see the Temple of Apollo, where the Pythia once sat and doled out wisdom, the pedestal that was the place of sacrifices, and the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia.

You can wander through several treasuries on the Sacred Way, between Apollo's Sanctuary and the Temple, one of which dates back to around 600 B.C. You can visit Delphi beginning at 8 a.m. for most of the year, and it's a good idea before the heat gets bad. Steves is a big fan of rising early to get in some uncrowded sightseeing in general, though he also loves visiting in the evening once the crowds have gone so he can really immerse himself.