The Corinth Canal is a must-see in Greece! Just 1 hour’s drive from Athens and on the way to the Peloponnese, it’s easy to get to. We tried out a canal cruise, a great way to complement the view from the bridge. Because this one can leave us a little hungry for more.
Corinth, a mythical canal
The Corinth Canal is an artificial waterway dug through the Isthmus of Corinth to link the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea to the west, with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea to the east. It allows ships to avoid a 400 km detour around the Peloponnese peninsula.
The canal is 6,346 metres long and 24.60 metres wide. It is only 8 metres deep. You even feel as if you can see the bottom. The trench reaches a maximum height of 78 metres.
Since 1988, two submersible bridges have crossed the canal at either end: the Poseidonia bridge to the west and the Isthmia bridge to the east. But most road traffic is carried by conventional bridges, including a motorway bridge. The canal is also crossed by two railway footbridges.
Important information: The Corinth Canal will be available for navigation from 1st May 2024, We would also like to inform you that the Canal’s new online digital services will be available on the official Corinth Canal website.
A cruise on the Corinth Canal
We tested a cruise on the Corinth Canal with ARGO(Google Maps).
The mini-cruise starts at the small port of Isthmia, where the ARGO boat awaits you. There’s easy access to the port and ample free parking. As you have to cross the canal to get to the boat, we advise you to take the main bridge (at the freeway exit, follow Isthmia) and not the Isthmia submersible bridge, which is nearby but may put you behind schedule.
Reservations are not required (except for groups), and tickets can be purchased directly at the boat.
The company has no website, but communicates via its Facebook account to keep you informed of departures (days and times), which vary according to the season. There can be up to 3 cruises a day in high season.
You’ll also find on this Facebook account all the programming for events offered by the company, such as sunset cruises, romantic cruises or night cruises.
You can write a message to ARGO in advance if the information on the day you wish to cruise is not online. Please note, however, that the time given to us by message did not correspond to the time posted on Facebook 18 hours before the cruise. So it’s best to check the timetable the day before!
Cruises run from early April to late October.
The tour consists of a round trip between the two mouths of the canal and normally takes 1 h 15.
However, depending on traffic, as the width of the canal does not allow boats to pass each other, cruising time may be extended. So don’t be in a hurry!
A cruise through the history of the Corinth Canal
During the cruise, the history of the canal is told in six languages (Greek, English, German, French and Spanish). However, the sound quality doesn’t always allow you to hear the explanations very well.
The journey to the bottom of the cliffs is breathtaking, giving an idea of the scale and scope of this titanic project. It’s easy to understand why this ancient dream initiated by Nero had to wait so long to be realized!
Since Antiquity, every ruler has been confronted with technical difficulties that made construction impossible. These difficulties were compounded by geopolitical tensions. Greek independence, followed by the construction of the Suez Canal, revived the project. Ten years of work were needed before its inauguration in 1893.
All in all, we recommend this canal cruise, which offers a very different view from the one you can get from the bridges, but just as superb. We recommend that you do both to get the full experience.
How to round off a cruise on the Corinth Canal?
Given the historical and georgraphic importance of the Corinth Canal, you’d expect the infrastructure to be of a high standard. This is not really the case. The surrounding environment doesn’t really come into its own.
A tavern on the canal bank next to the parking lot provides a place to wait before boarding and to eat. We haven’t tested it.
For our part, we prefer to go to the Sea and sand café-restaurant a 3-minute drive away. Situated on the seafront, it offers the services of a landscaped beach and a restaurant where the food is excellent. The view of the refineries spoils the panorama a little, but the water is clear and beautiful and the service friendly.
Practical information about the Corinth Canal cruise
- Port address: Ισθμός, Κορίνθου, 20100 Isthmía, Greece
- Prices: between 20 and 25 euros per person depending on the day and season – Free for children.
- A bar/snack bar is available on the bow of the boat, as well as toilets.
- There is no WIFI on board.
Séverine C. and Elodie H.
