Corinth in 3 days

Acrocorinth (the "High Corinth" — the most impressive ancient hilltop fortress in the Peloponnese and one of the most historically layered single fortifications in the entire Mediterranean): the Acrocorinth (the 575m limestone rock above Ancient Corinth, fortified continuously from the Mycenaean Bronze Age (c. 1600–1100 BCE) through the Classical Greek (5th–4th centuries BCE), the Macedonian (338–243 BCE), the Achaean League (243–146 BCE), the Roman (146 BCE–395 CE), the Byzantine (395–1204 CE), the Frankish (1204–1358 CE), the Venetian (two periods: 1358–1395 and 1687–1715), the Ottoman (1458–1687 and 1715–1822), and the modern Greek periods). The triple gate complex (the most historically layered triple gateway in Greece): the three successive gateways cut through the western approach to the Acrocorinth represent the three most important periods of fortification: the Turkish inner gate (the most recent surviving gateway — 15th–18th century Ottoman construction), the Frankish middle gate (13th–14th century Crusader construction — the most important evidence of Frankish occupation of the Peloponnese (the Principality of Achaea — the most important Crusader state in mainland Greece)), and the Byzantine outer gate (9th–12th century Byzantine construction). The Upper Peirene fountain (the most important water source on the Acrocorinth: the same mythological spring as the Lower Peirene in the ancient agora — the spring that burst forth when Pegasus struck the rock).

Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore (the most important sanctuary of the goddess of grain and her daughter Persephone in the Corinthia — on the north slopes of the Acrocorinth): the Demeter and Kore sanctuary (excavated by the American School from 1961 to 1975: the most important single sacred precinct excavation in Ancient Corinth after the agora): the sanctuary functioned as the most important ritual center for the agricultural fertility cult of Ancient Corinth from the early 7th century BCE to the late Roman period (the most continuous single religious use of any sanctuary in the Corinthia). The terracotta figurines (the most important collection from the sanctuary): the thousands of terracotta figurines (the most common type of votive offering at Greek sanctuaries of Demeter: the figurines of seated goddesses, standing worshippers and especially the "kernos" (the ritual vessel with multiple small cups for offerings — the most important cult vessel of the Demeter religion)) recovered from the sanctuary deposits represent the most important single collection of Demeter cult objects from any site in the Peloponnese. The Lechaion basilica (one of the largest Early Christian basilicas ever built — the most ambitious Christian building project in Roman Greece): the basilica of Lechaion (c. 450 CE — built on the site of the ancient sacred road from Corinth to its western port at Lechaion) measured approximately 180m long (one of the largest basilicas in the entire Roman Empire — comparable in length to the great basilicas of Rome).

Nemea Archaeological Site (the sanctuary of Zeus and the ancient Nemean Games — 30km southwest of Corinth): the sanctuary of Zeus at Nemea (one of the four great Panhellenic sanctuaries of ancient Greece — the site of the Nemean Games (founded according to tradition in 573 BCE — the most precisely dated ancient athletic foundation): the Nemean Games (held every two years in the first and third year of the Olympiad cycle — the most regularly scheduled of all the Panhellenic games): athletes competed in the most important athletic disciplines of ancient Greece (the stadion (the sprint — the most prestigious single event in ancient athletics: the foot-race of approximately 178m (one length of the stadium)), the diaulos (the double-length sprint), the dolichos (the long-distance race — approximately 24 stadium lengths), the pentathlon, the wrestling, the boxing and the pankration (the most brutal combat sport in ancient athletics: the combination of wrestling and boxing with almost no rules — the most dangerous single event in ancient Greek athletics)). The Temple of Zeus at Nemea (built c. 330 BCE — the most recently built of the great Panhellenic temple complexes): the three surviving Doric columns (standing since 330 BCE — the most ancient standing architectural elements in the Nemea valley) are the most dramatic evidence of the Zeus sanctuary that once dominated the plain of Nemea. The ancient stadium (one of the best-preserved ancient stadiums in Greece): the starting line (the "balbis" — the stone starting block with the grooves for the athletes' feet — the most tangible physical connection to ancient athletic competition), and the athlete's tunnel (the most atmospheric covered passage in any ancient Greek stadium: the vaulted stone tunnel (4th century BCE) through which the athletes entered the stadium — the most dramatically preserved athletes' entrance in the ancient world).

Evening taverna dinner on the Korinthos waterfront (the most important social dining experience in the Corinthia): the Gulf of Corinth seafood (the most important local food in modern Korinthos): the fresh fish (the most important Gulf of Corinth species: the tsipoura (the sea bream — Sparus aurata: the most widely farmed Mediterranean fish species and the most important single fish in Greek aquaculture) and the lavraki (the sea bass — Dicentrarchus labrax: the most prized white-fleshed fish in Greek taverna cuisine)), charcoal-grilled (the most important cooking method for fresh Mediterranean fish in Greek culinary tradition: the "sta karvouna" (on the coals) — the most respectful preparation for the freshest fish (the best quality fish requires only the most minimal preparation: the charcoal, the olive oil, the lemon and the sea salt are the most important ingredients in the most perfect Greek fish taverna meal)). The Corinthian currant (the "Corinthiaki stafida" — the Corinthian raisin: the most important agricultural product in the history of the Corinthia and one of the most economically significant dried fruits in European commercial history): the Corinthian currant (Vitis vinifera var. apyrena — the "seedless" grape: the small black seedless grape grown exclusively in the Corinthia, the Achaea and the Zante regions of Greece) was the most important single Greek export commodity from the 14th century (when the Venetians began organizing the Corinthian currant trade) to the early 20th century (the most sustained single agricultural export dominance in Greek economic history).

Isthmia Archaeological Site and the Sanctuary of Poseidon (the site of the Isthmian Games — 8km from Ancient Corinth): the Sanctuary of Poseidon at Isthmia (one of the four great Panhellenic sanctuaries of ancient Greece — the most strategically located: situated on the Isthmus of Corinth, the crossroads between mainland Greece and the Peloponnese, and between the Aegean and Adriatic seas). The Temple of Poseidon (750 BCE — one of the oldest monumental Greek temples ever built): the Temple of Poseidon at Isthmia (the most important single architectural monument in the history of early Greek temple building: the temple, built c. 750 BCE, is one of the earliest large-scale Greek temples ever constructed — predating the Temple of Hera at Olympia (c. 600 BCE) and the Parthenon (447–432 BCE) by centuries): the most important discovery from the temple excavation: the painted terracotta roof tiles (the earliest painted terracotta roof tiles yet discovered in Greece — dating to c. 700–675 BCE, contemporary with the temple construction). The Isthmian Games (the most internationally important athletic festival at Corinth): the Isthmian Games (one of the four Panhellenic Games: alongside the Olympic Games (776 BCE), the Pythian Games at Delphi (582 BCE) and the Nemean Games (573 BCE)): the Isthmian Games were the most frequently celebrated of the four Panhellenic festivals (held every two years — the most regular athletic festival in ancient Greece) under the presidency of Corinth (the most important athletic administrative role in archaic Greek sports governance).

Corinth Canal bungee jump and bridge experience (the most thrilling tourist activity in the Corinthia — the 79m bungee jump from the road bridge over the Corinth Canal): the bungee jump (the most dramatic bungee jump in Greece and one of the most scenic in Europe: the jump from the road bridge (79m above the water level of the canal) into the narrow 23m slot between the sheer limestone walls of the Corinth Canal — the most vertiginous single free-fall experience in mainland Greece). The canal dimensions experienced during the jump (the most visceral way to appreciate the canal engineering): the 23m width of the canal (the most limiting dimension — the minimum width needed to accommodate the beam of the largest ships that use the canal) and the 79m depth of the walls (the maximum height of the limestone cutting — the most impressive single engineering achievement of the canal construction: the excavation of 4.5 million cubic metres of rock and earth from the Isthmus in just 11 years (1882–1893 — the most rapid large-scale rock cutting in 19th-century European engineering history)). The submersible bridge at Isthmia (one of only three submersible road bridges in the entire world — the most unusual road infrastructure in Greece): the Isthmia submersible bridge (the road bridge at the eastern end of the Corinth Canal that can be lowered below the water surface to allow ships to pass — the most unusual marine traffic management system in Greece): the bridge (built 1988 — the most recent major addition to the Corinth Canal infrastructure) operates by flooding ballast tanks to sink the road surface below the water level.

Mycenae (the most important Bronze Age citadel in Europe — 30km southwest of Corinth): the Mycenae archaeological site (UNESCO World Heritage Site 1999 — one of the most important single archaeological sites in the entire history of Western civilization: the citadel of Mycenae (the "Mykhnai" — the seat of the legendary King Agamemnon, the most powerful king in the Homeric tradition and the commander of the Greek expedition to Troy in the Trojan War (the most important narrative event in Greek mythology and the founding story of Western literature: Homer's Iliad — the oldest work of Western literature — is primarily the story of the events of the Trojan War, of which Agamemnon is the most politically important figure))). The Lion Gate (1250 BCE — the most famous ancient gateway in the world and the oldest monumental sculpture in Europe): the Lion Gate (the "Leontaroporta" — the most precisely named ancient gateway in Greece: the gate named after the two lions in the relief sculpture above the lintel — the most important heraldic sculpture in the ancient Greek world: the two lions (or lionesses — the most debated gender in ancient Greek sculpture: the animals flanking the central column on the Lion Gate have been interpreted as both male and female (the most gender-ambiguous sculptural pair in ancient Greek art)) facing each other with their paws resting on the altar base of the central column (the most architecturally significant Minoan symbol: the "pillar" or "column" (the most important Minoan religious symbol — the sacred column representing the goddess and the axis of the world in Minoan religious iconography)). The Treasury of Atreus (the "Tomb of Agamemnon" — the most perfectly preserved tholos tomb in the ancient world and the most technically accomplished Bronze Age dome ever built): the tholos tomb (the "beehive tomb" — the most distinctive Mycenaean burial architecture: the corbelled dome chamber approached through a long stone-lined entrance passage (the "dromos" — the approach corridor).

Farewell Corinth dinner and sunset over the Gulf of Corinth (the most beautiful inland sea sunset in mainland Greece): the Gulf of Corinth sunset (the most dramatically colored evening sky in the Corinthia: the sun sets behind the mountains of the western Peloponnese, turning the entirely enclosed Gulf of Corinth — the most mirror-calm body of water in Greece on windless summer evenings — entirely gold and then rose-orange (the most photogenic inland sea sunset in mainland Greece: the reflection of the colors in the still water doubles the visual impact of the sunset in the most satisfying way)). The farewell meal: the Agiorgitiko red wine of Nemea paired with the grilled lamb chops (the "paidakia" — the most widely loved single dish in Greek taverna culture: the young lamb rib chops, grilled over charcoal and served with lemon and sea salt — the most pure and the most satisfying expression of Greek meat cookery): the Agiorgitiko (the "St. George grape" — the most important indigenous red grape in the Peloponnese): the Nemea PDO Agiorgitiko (the most food-friendly red wine in the Peloponnese: the round tannins (the most approachable red wine tannin structure in Greek wine — smoother and more immediately drinkable than the Xinomavro of northern Greece or the Mavrodaphne of Patras)), the deep red fruit flavors (the most cherry-dominant aromatic profile in Greek red wine: the cherry, plum and pomegranate flavors that make the Agiorgitiko the most enjoyable young red wine in Greece) and the moderate acidity (the most food-compatible acidity level for Greek meat dishes).