Which Greek canal connects the Gulf of Corinth to the Saronic Gulf?

The Corinth Canal connects Greece’s Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf. It cuts across the narrow Isthmus of Corinth, separating the Peloponnese from mainland Greece and creating a direct sea route between the Ionian and Aegean seas.

The idea is ancient. Roman leaders, including Julius Caesar and Nero, considered or attempted to cut through the isthmus. Nero began work in 67 AD, but the project stopped after his death. Modern construction finally began in 1881, and the canal officially opened on July 25, 1893.

The canal is about 6.3 kilometres long and was excavated at sea level, so it has no locks. Its steep rock walls and narrow width make it visually dramatic, but the passage is too narrow for many modern ocean-going ships. It remains useful mainly for smaller commercial vessels, passenger boats, and tourism.

A common mix-up is confusing it with the Panama or Suez canals. Those are major interoceanic routes, while the Corinth Canal is a much shorter Greek passage across an isthmus.