Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus

The theatre belongs to the Sanctuary of Asklepios, the most renowned healing centre of the ancient Greek world, where pilgrims slept in the abaton in the hope of a healing dream.

Built in the fourth century BC and cut directly into the hillside, the theatre has survived while grander structures have not — there was nothing to fall down. A voice speaking normally in the orchestra reaches the last row; so does a coin dropped on the stone, a match struck, or a sheet of paper torn. How it works is still a matter of debate.

The theatre is still in use: every summer, the Epidaurus Festival stages ancient drama here, in the building for which the plays were written. The sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

Epidaurus is about half an hour from Nafplio. You can visit it on our 10-hour private Argolis tour, together with Mycenae and Nafplio, or as part of our multi-day tours of the Peloponnese.