MYCANAE

Mycenae, the kingdom of the mythical Agamemnon first praised by Homer, is the most important and wealthiest palace complex of the Late Bronze Age in Greece. Their name has been given to one of the most glorious chapters of Greek history between 1600 and 1100 BC, the so-called “Mycenaean period,” and the myths tied to Mycenae endured through the Homeric epics and the great classical tragedies.
According to legend, the city of Mycenae was founded by Perseus, between two steep conical hills—Prophet Elias (805 m) and Sara (660 m)—on a rise overlooking the Argolid plain, controlling both land and sea routes. Around 1700 BC, the first aristocratic families settled in the area and built the earliest monumental tholos tombs. The construction of the palaces and fortifications visible today began around 1350 BC, coinciding with the city’s greatest prosperity.
At its peak, ancient Mycenae had about 30,000 inhabitants. Today, the small but very touristic village of the same name stands next to the ruins of the Acropolis, evoking the city’s glorious past. The most significant remains include the two royal grave circles A and B (part of a vast prehistoric cemetery west of the palace hill, which yielded most of the famous golden treasures), the Treasury of Atreus (a tholos tomb), the Tomb of Clytemnestra, the Lion Gate, the Royal Palace, the Temple, the North Gate, and the Underground Cistern. Many of these artifacts are exhibited in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens as well as in the modern Mycenae Museum on the northern slope of the citadel.
Beyond the archaeological site, the wider region is also rich in Mycenaean remains: spectacular yet neglected tholos tombs hidden in cultivated olive groves, ancient aqueducts and watermills, and the unique “Mycenaean Road.” This road once linked Mycenae to the Prosymna basin, where the Mycenaeans had their farmland, and is considered one of the oldest and best-preserved roads in Europe. Riding along the Mycenaean Road and through the maze of dirt tracks in rocky hills and fertile plains dotted with olive and orange groves is a unique experience—a blend of cycling, exploration, and a hands-on history lesson of the Mycenaean world.

The proposed route begins in the village of Mycenae and heads southeast along scenic country roads on the slopes of Prophet Elias, reaching the archaeological site of the Heraion of Argos. From there, it descends through the dramatic Klisoura Gorge, exiting into the Prosymna basin with its millions of olive trees. Climbing uphill, we eventually reach the Mycenaean Road—a 1.3 km long trail that is mostly rideable, crossing bridges over 3,500 years old, and ending at the archaeological site of Mycenae.
The return to the village follows a downhill asphalt road—damaged in many parts—that leads back to the starting point. Along the last stretch, hidden among olive groves, lie two abandoned yet stunning Mycenaean tholos tombs you should not miss.