Epidaurus theatre and sanctuary

What it is

Epidaurus is much more than its theatre. It is the sanctuary of Asclepius, the god of medicine, and was the most important healing centre in the Greek and Roman world. A healing goddess was already worshipped here in Mycenaean times; around 800 BC a first sanctuary of Apollo Maleatas was built and in the 6th century BC the cult of Asclepius arrived, who according to tradition had been born in this land. The hot springs, the quiet landscape and the mild climate made the sanctuary grow in the 4th and 3rd centuries BC, when almost everything you see today was built. It is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

What you see

The theatre. It was designed by Polykleitos and had room for about 13,000 spectators. It is famous for its acoustics and its design, and is the most emblematic ancient theatre in Greece. It was part of the treatment: the body was healed in the sanctuary and the spirit here, with contests of music, singing and drama.

The sanctuary. Around the theatre remain the ruins of the temple of Asclepius, which held a gold and ivory statue of the god; the Abaton, the portico where the sick slept awaiting a cure; the Tholos, a circular building considered the most perfect in Greek architecture; the Katagogion, a 160-room guesthouse, and the stadium where the Asclepieia games were held every four years.

The museum. Beside the site, with pieces from the sanctuary. You enter with the same ticket.

Opening hours

• April: 8:00 to 19:00.
• 1 May to 31 August: 8:00 to 20:00.
• September: until 19:30 in the first half and until 19:00 in the second.
• October: until 18:30 in the first half and until 18:00 in the second.
• 1 November to 28 February: 8:00 to 17:00.
• March: 8:00 to 18:00.

Open every day, with last entry 20 minutes before closing. Closed on 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Orthodox Easter Sunday and 25 and 26 December. In winter it opens longer hours than Mycenae and Palamidi, which close at 15:30.

Tickets

General admission costs €20 and reduced €10; it includes the site and the museum. Under-25s from the EU enter free with ID or passport. It is free for everyone on 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October and the first and third Sunday of each month from November to March. You can buy online on the Hellenic Heritage ticketing website.

Getting there and parking

Epidaurus is next to Lygourio, about 28 km from Nafplio: half an hour by car. The site has parking, toilets, a shop and accessible entrances. From Athens it is about three hours.

Without a car, there are few KTEL Argolida buses to Epidaurus and almost all run on weekdays; check timetables at the bus station. The alternative is a tour with a driver: Landlife Travel, an agency in Argos, does Mycenae and Epidaurus in five hours from €90 per person in a small group, with pick-up at your hotel or Nafplio harbour, or from €100 privately with an official guide inside the sites. Tickets are extra in both cases, and they ask for a minimum of two people.

The summer festival

In summer the theatre goes back to being a theatre: the Athens and Epidaurus Festival programmes Greek tragedy and comedy at night, from late June to late August. It is another way to see Epidaurus, sitting on the tiers with thousands of people. Check the programme and buy tickets on the festival website.

How long, when to go and with children

Allow two or three hours for the theatre, the sanctuary and the museum. In July and August go at 8:00: there is little shade and at midday it fills with groups. In spring and autumn the visit is far more pleasant.

With children, the theatre works on its own: they climb to the top and test the acoustics. With a pushchair, the theatre is all steps.