Visiting the Temple of Apollo Epicurius with Kids
How to make a remote mountain temple exciting for children, what to pack for the altitude, the long drive, and how to plan a family day around Bassae.
The Temple of Apollo Epicurius is a rewarding but demanding family outing, because the real challenge is the long mountain drive rather than the temple itself, which is a short, focused visit. Children can be won over by the big story — a temple built high in the mountains to thank Apollo the Helper for lifting a plague, designed by the architect of the Parthenon, and now sheltered under a giant tent — and by the adventure of the remote journey and the views. The main considerations are the length of the drive, the altitude and mountain weather, and the lack of facilities on site. This guide covers keeping kids engaged, what to pack, the journey, and a family day plan built around the temple.
Is the Temple of Apollo Epicurius good for kids?
The Temple of Apollo Epicurius can be a memorable outing for children, but it suits some families better than others, and it helps to be realistic. The temple itself is a short visit — a single building seen within a great protective shelter — with no museum, no interactive exhibits and no sculpture on site, so its appeal to children is imaginative rather than hands-on. What can capture them is the story and the setting: a temple built high on a mountain to thank a god for ending a plague, a giant tent covering an ancient building, and a genuinely adventurous journey into the peaks of Arcadia. Told well, and framed as an expedition to a hidden mountain temple, it can spark real excitement in curious children.
The bigger consideration for families is the journey rather than the site. Bassae is a long drive from anywhere — around four hours from Athens, about an hour and a half from Olympia — on roads that end in a slow, winding mountain climb, which can be tiring or queasy for young children. At over a thousand metres the weather is cooler and more changeable than the coast, and facilities at the site are minimal. For families who enjoy road trips and scenery, and whose children are up for a day of driving punctuated by a short, story-rich visit, Bassae is very doable. For those with very restless small children or a tight schedule, it may be better saved for a later trip. Our concierge recommendation is to weigh the drive honestly and, if you go, to make the journey itself part of the adventure.
How do I keep children engaged at the temple?
The surest way to engage children at Bassae is to arrive with the story already told and to turn the visit into the climax of an expedition. On the drive up, explain that the people of an ancient mountain city built this temple to thank the god Apollo for saving them from a terrible sickness, and that they chose the highest, wildest spot they could; that the same architect helped design the Parthenon in Athens; and that the whole ancient building now sits under a giant protective tent. Challenge them to count the great Doric columns, to spot where three different styles of column — Doric, Ionic and the very first of another kind — once came together, and to imagine the carved battles of Amazons and centaurs that once ran around the inside, now kept in a museum far away in London.
A few simple tricks help on the day. Give an older child a camera or phone to photograph the columns and the mountain views, turning the visit into a project, and let them lead the way around the temple within the shelter. Because the visit is short, there is little risk of children tiring of it, but the mountain setting invites a game of spotting distant peaks or looking out toward where the ancient city of Phigaleia lay below. The audio history we send works well shared aloud in the car, priming everyone with the story before you arrive. Our concierge recommendation is to frame Bassae as a secret mountain temple to be discovered at the end of an adventurous drive, and to reward the effort with a stop in Andritsaina or at the dramatic scenery along the way.
What should I pack for a family visit to Bassae?
Packing for a family visit to Bassae is really about the altitude, the drive and the lack of facilities. Because the temple sits at over a thousand metres, it can be cool, windy or misty even in summer, so bring warm layers and a weatherproof top for everyone, alongside sun hats and sunscreen for bright days, as mountain sun is strong. Sturdy closed shoes matter for adults and children alike, because the ground around the temple is uneven and exposed. Since facilities on site are minimal and services on the mountain roads are sparse, carry plenty of water, snacks and anything small children might need, and use the toilet stops in towns like Andritsaina before the final climb.
For the journey itself, prepare as you would for any long mountain drive with children. Fill up with fuel before heading into the hills, pack entertainment for the road, and have remedies to hand if anyone is prone to travel sickness on winding roads. Keep bags light for the short walk from the car park to the temple, carrying only water, layers and essentials. If you are visiting in winter, check the weather and the operator's hours carefully, as mountain roads can be affected. Our concierge recommendation is to treat Bassae like a small mountain expedition: warm layers, good shoes, food, water and fuel in advance, so that both the drive and the short visit stay comfortable for the whole family whatever the mountain weather brings.
Is the site suitable for pushchairs and toddlers?
Bassae is not especially pushchair-friendly, because the ground between the small car park and the temple, and around the building within its shelter, is uneven mountain terrain rather than smooth path. For babies and toddlers, a carrier or sling is far more practical than a pushchair, letting you keep your hands free on the rough, sometimes sloping surfaces and stay steady if it is windy. The walk from the car park is short, so carrying a small child is manageable, and the compact visit means little ones are not asked to endure a long walk. The bigger comfort issue for toddlers is the drive rather than the site itself.
For families with very young children, the key is to plan around the journey and the altitude. Break the long drive with stops, time your booked slot so nap and meal routines are least disrupted, and dress little ones in warm layers for the cooler, breezier conditions on the mountain. Carry water and snacks, as there is nowhere to buy them at the site, and keep the visit relaxed — there is no need to hurry a single-building site. Our concierge recommendation for families with babies and toddlers is a carrier rather than a pushchair, a well-broken-up drive, and a flexible attitude to mountain weather, so that the remarkable temple can be enjoyed without stress even with the youngest travellers in tow.
What is the best plan for a family day at Bassae?
The best family day at Bassae is built around the drive, with the temple as a rewarding centrepiece rather than the whole day. Our concierge recommendation is to combine the temple with Ancient Olympia, about an hour and a half away, so children have the sanctuary and its stadium — where they can run the ancient track — as well as the mountain temple, and to spread the two across a day or over two days with an overnight in the mountains or on the coast. Set out early, tell the story of Apollo the Helper and the plague on the way, break the drive with a stop, and aim your booked hourly slot for late morning or midday so there is plenty of daylight for the mountain roads.
On the day, keep the temple visit short and story-rich — count the columns, imagine the carved battles now in London, take in the views — then build in the rewards that make the effort worthwhile for children: a stop in the stone village of Andritsaina, a look out toward ancient Phigaleia below, or simply the drama of the winding mountain drive and the wide Arcadian views. Pack warm layers, good shoes, water and snacks, and plan to finish the driving in daylight. Our concierge recommendation is to secure your Bassae slot in advance so the day is anchored to a confirmed arrival, and to treat the whole outing as a mountain adventure, so that reaching a remote, tent-covered ancient temple becomes a story the children remember rather than just a long day in the car.
Frequently asked
Is the Temple of Apollo Epicurius good for kids?
It can be, for families who enjoy road trips. The temple is a short, story-rich visit — a mountain temple built to thank Apollo for ending a plague, now under a giant tent — but the long, winding drive is the real challenge, so it suits older or adventurous children better than restless toddlers on a tight schedule.
How do I keep children engaged at the temple?
Tell the story on the way up — Apollo the Helper, the plague, the architect of the Parthenon — then challenge them to count the Doric columns, find where three column styles met, and imagine the carved battles of Amazons and centaurs now in London. A camera and framing it as an expedition help.
Is Bassae suitable for pushchairs?
Not really. The ground from the car park and around the temple is uneven mountain terrain, so a baby carrier or sling is more practical than a pushchair for babies and toddlers. The walk from the car park is short, so carrying a small child is manageable.
What should I pack for Bassae with kids?
Warm layers and a weatherproof top even in summer, sun hats and sunscreen, sturdy closed shoes, and plenty of water and snacks, as there are no facilities on site. Fill up with fuel and use toilets in towns like Andritsaina before the final mountain climb.
How long is the drive to Bassae with children?
About four hours each way from Athens, or roughly an hour and a half from Ancient Olympia, ending in a slow, winding mountain climb. Break the journey with stops and have travel-sickness remedies to hand, as the final roads are twisting.
How can I make the day worthwhile for kids?
Combine the temple with Ancient Olympia, where children can run the ancient stadium track, add a stop in the village of Andritsaina, and treat the winding mountain drive and wide views as part of the adventure. Keep the temple visit short and story-led.