Visit Mycenes, one of the most important ancient Greek sites

Would you like to discover this exceptional ancient city? Follow our guide to visit Mycenes, treasure of ancient Greek heritage!

Ancient pre-hellenic city of the Bronze Age, Mycenes is located on a hill between the Profitis Ilias and Zara mountains. It is thus in the northeast of the plain of Argos, in the Peloponnese.

Classified at UNESCO World Heritage, the city is surrounded by fortifications in cycloped walls, an assembly of huge stone blocks.

If you come to Greece, you should not miss visiting Mycenes during your stay! It is one of the most important ancient sites of the country and the continent. Would you like to discover it soon? Then follow our full guide to visit Mycenes.

The city of Agamemnon, leader of the Acheans during the Troy War

The ancient city of Mycenes is in the heart of Greek mythology, but also of the civilizational history of the continent. According to mythology, it would have been founded by Persia following the accidental homicide of King Argos, Acrisios.

Having ceded this last city to the nephew of the deceased, Persia would be founded a new city: Mycenes. The name would be an allusion to the apple of his sword or to the mushroom on the spot.

Persia then asked the Cyclops, giants with superhuman force and builders of Tirynthe, to build walls for the city. For the Greeks of the classical era, the large blocks of stone used could only have been assembled by these giants, hence their name of cyclopean walls!

Mycenes is also the kingdom of Agamemnon, leader of the Acheans during the Troy War. Homer then describes the city as rich in gold and important for the goddess Hera.

During the second millennium before our era, Mycenes is thus a major pole of continental Greece. It forms with the neighbouring cities the "mycenician" civilization. It reaches its peak between the 14th and 13th centuries before our era.

But the powerful city shows several signs of destruction, such as the rest of the sites of mycen civilization, between the end of the thirteenth and the beginning of the eleventh century before our era. The causes are still discussed among the experts: foreign invasions, earthquakes, fires or internal conflicts, or several intertwined?

In all cases, Mycenes becomes a minor city. Its fortifications are even destroyed after the city's sack by Argos in 468 before our era.

What to see and what to do in Mycenes?

Inscribed to UNESCO World Heritage since 1999, Mycenes is a major site of ancient Greece and Europe. Known since ancient times, the ruins of Mycenes are described in particular by Pausanias in the second century of our era.

The first excavations took place in 1841 and the site has been studied in detail since 1876. Many small archaeological wonders are thus to be discovered during the visit of this ancient city.

The door of the Lionnes and the cyclopean speaker

A major role of continental Greece of the second millennium before our era, the fortified enclosure of Mycenes protects the ancient city. It is composed of massive blocks of stone, which gave their name "hurpean walls" to the fortifications. These are characteristic of the mycenian civilization and are best preserved.

There are two entries in her. The door of the Lionnes is thus the main entrance of the ancient citadel of Mycenes. It was erected in the 13th century before our era northwest of the acropolis. She holds her name from the sculpture representing two liones in heraldic pose. These are placed on the fronton, above the entrance.

The door of the Lionnes is a wonderful example of a monumental sculpture of the Mycen civilization. It is the only monument of the Greek Bronze Age representing an animal that survived without being buried.

Circles of tombs

Once the door of the Lionnes crosses, you enter the citadel of Mycenes. Inside two circles in the acropolis, archaeologists discovered numerous royal tombs.

These two large circles A and B contain several graveyards. They are topped by a slab or a carved stele in bas-relief or meplat. They also house a very rich funeral material.

Thus we found inside terracotta figurines, ceramics, masks and gold jewelry. These mysterious masks keep the traits of the great heroic deaths thanks to a gold leaf moulding. The most famous is the mask of Agamemnon, found in the tomb V of circle A.

The Royal Palace

A last must-see site in the citadel is the royal palace. Accessible by a steep path, it is at the highest point. You can admire some vestiges of it, because it was unfortunately destroyed by a fire.

This royal palace rises on the terrace, in the heart of the enclosure, according to a tripartite plan characteristic of the Mycean palaces. It once dominated the other buildings of the citadel, including large houses located along the ramparts.

The Treasure of Atrée

Outside the fortified enclosure, the archaeologists discovered nine large monumental tombs with dome. In the form of a hive, they are built according to the technique of encorbellement.

The most impressive is the so-called "Treasury of Atrée". His name was given to him by Heinrich Schliemann, a 19th century German archaeologist. He devoted his life to the search for treasures throughout Greece. In particular, the archaeologist searched Mycenes with thoroughness in 1874. His great obsession was to discover Troy and to demonstrate the existence of Agamemnon, legendary king of Mycenes.

The Treasure of Atrée is thus, according to some, the true tomb of Agamemnon, especially by its dimensions. If, like others, it is preceded by a long open-air corridor and is accessible by a monumental door, however, its corridor is 36 meters long for 6 meters wide! It is also surmounted by a huge lintel. The dome of the funeral room rises to 14 meters. Don't miss visiting her!

Archaeological Museum of Mycenes

Before leaving the ancient site, there is still a place to discover: the archaeological museum of Mycenes! You can't visit Mycenes completely without a tour.

Located at the foot of the ancient citadel, it houses objects dating from the Bronze Age. They were obviously found on the archaeological site, but also in its surroundings.

You will thus observe objects discovered during the searches, especially those of the different tombs of circles A and B. Copies of arms and cuts, ceramics and frescoes are also available.

Unfortunately, one of the major pieces of the ancient site, the “Agamemnon mask”, is at the National Archaeological Museum Athens .

How to visit Mycenes?

Because it is an ancient site, visiting Mycenes can only be on foot. However, two options are available to you for the organization of this cultural discovery.

You can choose a guided tour from Athens, often combined with other historical sites, or a visit directly on site, guided or by your own means. In this last case, we recommend to stay in Argos, a charming historic town near Mycenes.

A trip from Athens

Many guided tours go from Athens to Mycenes. These guided tours frequently include other Peloponnese sites, such as the incredible site of Epidaure . These excursions usually last one whole day . You will be transported to an air-conditioned bus or minibus.

A professional guide will also accompany you during this day. You will thus visit Mycenes, learn more about its history, the mythology surrounding it and the discoveries made by archaeologists.

A walking tour of the site

You can obviously visit Mycenes without being accompanied by a guide. It is also possible to find online audioguides or to address local guides.

As for opening hours, the site is accessible from 8am to 5pm in November and December. From January to March, it only opens until 15:30. In April, it is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. De May to August , you can visit Mycenes from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. . Every fortnight until the end of October, the closing schedule is reduced by half an hour.

Hours may also vary during holidays. The site is also closed on January 1, March 25, May 1, Easter Sunday, and December 25 and 26.

How do I access Mycenes?

By car

You can visit Mycenes from Athens by car. The journey then lasts 1:30 . From Athens, you will have to take the A8 motorway towards Corinth . Once the channel has passed, you will take the exit towards Nemea/Nafplio/Mycenae. Before Nemea, you will go out and follow the road to Mykines. To reach Argos, it is possible to follow the same route.

By bus

You can also visit Mycenes thanks to public transport. There are bus lines between Athens and Argos. Once in Argos, you can also take a bus to Mycenes to discover the ancient site. During the summer period, there are several departures per day.

From Athens there are no direct bus routes to Mycenes. It is therefore best to opt for a guided tour if you do not want to stay a night or several in Argos.

Are there combined visits?

The visit of the ancient city of Mycenes is often coupled with that of other emblematic places in the Peloponnese region. You can book many guided tours of one day or more from Athens. On this occasion you can visit Mycenes, but also Épidaure, Corinth, Nauplie or Argos.

These excursions usually last a full day, but some extend over several days. Depending on the circuit and duration, plan an average of 100 euros for a guided tour from Athens.

We recommend this type of combined visits if you want to discover all these ancient sites during your stay. You will not have to worry about transport from Athens. You will also not have to rent a vehicle. However, wait for a quick visit of each site.

The right addresses in Mycenes

For you to live a memorable experience from the beginning to the end, Wanderlix has uncovered some good addresses to make your visit of Mycenes an unforgettable moment!

Regarding accommodation, you can quite stay near Mycenes and visit the ancient site and its surroundings at your convenience. You can also stay in Athens and enjoy a guided day trip with transport to discover the city.

In order to find your ideal accommodation, we recommend that you use a hotel comparison like Booking or platform Airbnb . If you would like to stay near Mycènes, you can find two accommodations located in the nearby town of Argos that can meet your needs.

Where to stay in Mycenes?

To stay near Mycènes, you will likely need to stop at Argos, located in Argos less than 20 minutes Ancient site.

Palladion Boutique Hotel

Two-star establishment, the Palladion Boutique Hotel is located on the central square of the city of Argos. You will find comfortable rooms with personalized decoration and which open on a balcony. They thus have everything necessary to enjoy a pleasant stay near Mycenes.

The property also has private parking free and provides many massage services. There is also a Turkish bath. We can only recommend it for your stay in Argos and in the Peloponnese.

Apollon Hotel

The Apollo Hotel is also located in the centre of Argos, in the heart of the Peloponnese. The hotel offers air-conditioned rooms with a balcony. Carefully decorated, they feature pastel colours, a nice furniture and tiles.

In the hotel you will also find a restaurant, a charming seating area and a private parking free . The hotel also offers car rental services and can help you with your adventures in the region.

The best restaurants in Mycenes

Near the tourist site of Mycenes you will find many restaurants where lunch. You can go to Melina’s Taverna Restaurant , located in the village of Mykines, at the foot of the ancient city. The dishes are usually hearty and delicious, and the atmosphere is peaceful.

We also advise you to Taberna Dimitris or restaurant Agamemnon Pallas . In any case, you will find many tables and establishments at the foot of Mycenes.