Our tour begins with a drive through the northern suburbs of Athens and at about a 40 km distance, we make our first stop in the town of Marathon.  The Tumulus, which is the burial mound of the 192 brave Athenian heroes who gave their lives during the battle of Marathon in 490 BC and where the heavily outnumbered Athenian army defeated the mighty Persians.  The Tomb of the 192 Athenians was erected near the battlefield reminding all of us of the sacrifice of those patriots for a free country.  The outcome of the battle was important not only for Greece but for the rest of Europe.

Next, we visit the site where the marathon race originated.   A legend states that a Greek runner, Pheidippides, was sent from the city of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians were defeated by the Athenians but after announcing his message “nenikekamen” (meaning “we have won”) he collapsed and died of exhaustion.  In the first Olympic Games in modern Athens in 1896, a Greek runner named Spyros Louis won the Marathon race honoring Pheidippides and the victory of the Athenians.  To this day, the Marathon runners follow the same route.

Our tour continues to the Marathon Archaeological Museum.  Built in 1975 and fully renovated in 1994, the museum houses five thematic exhibition rooms. Its collections come directly from excavations in the surrounding area and include items from the Neolithic period to the late Roman era, the most famous being from the Tomb of the Athenians and the prehistoric burial grounds.

We conclude our tour with a stop at Lake Marathon, a reservoir surrounded by natural beauty.  Before we begin our return trip to Athens, we suggest a coffee break or lunch at a traditional tavern by the sea.

Did you know? Nike, the Greek goddess of Victory, was a fit young woman with a blade and large wings.  She was a very fast runner, swift flyer and able charioteer.  Most people don’t realize that Nike was a goddess first, and a sports brand second!