Flew into Athens, landing early afternoon local time. Our hotel was in Makrygianni which is a district in the south east of central Athens. We found it a good place to base ourselves. Hadrian’s Arch and the Temple of Olympian Zeus were close by and we had a lovely late afternoon walk to acclimatise. Freshened up for an early dinner at the base of the Acropolis. A great start to the trip.
It was eight years since we’d had a decent amount of time in Athens so we spent the next day soaking up the World Heritage sites around, atop, and adjacent to the Acropolis. It’s an experience we were very happy to repeat.
Next day we headed east to the Kolonaki district which we hadn’t been to before. Visited the Byzantine and Christian Museum, caught the funicular to the top of Lykavittos Hill, then walked back via the Museum of Cycladic Art. We enjoyed having time to visit these smaller museums which go ‘narrow but deep’ and complement the grander, broader collections.
From Athens we picked up a hire car at the airport and drove towards Delphi.
On the way we stopped at Moni Hosios Loukas, one of three World Heritage monasteries from 11th and 12th centuries that are characteristic of the second golden age of Byzantine art. It has a beautiful complex of buildings in a very peaceful setting, and we happily whiled away a few hours.
Not far from here lies the town of Distomo which was the site of a Nazi war crime in World War II. German forces killed 228 chlidren, women and men in reprisal for actions of the Greek resistence. We visited the monument and paid our respects to the dead.
Arrived in the town of Delphi late that afternoon, and enjoyed great views down to the Gulf of Corinth from the hotel balcony.
Spent all of the next day exploring the World Heritage site of Ancient Delphi and the nearby Delphi Archaeological Museum.
It’s thrilling to walk up through the Roman Forum, along the Sacred Way, past the Polygonal Wall, on to the Temple of Apollo, then the Theatre, then the Stadium. Descending back through the Sanctuary of Apollo we crossed the road to see the Sanctuary of Athena Pronea. The location of Ancient Delphi is very dramatic and it does have a special feel about it.
From there we visited the museum which has many fine peices from the ancient site. The Bronze Charioteer is certainly a standout, dating from around 478 BC. All in all we had a fabulous day at Delphi.
Left Delphi the following morning and drove west along the northern shore of the Gulf of Corinth. Stopped for coffee in Monastiraki and watched the locals go about their business for a while. Crossed over the gulf at Patras, stopped in the port town of Kyllini for a very decent taverna lunch, then drove on to Olympia arriving mid-afternoon.
We visited the Archaeological Museum of Olympia that afternoon which was fantastic. When opened in 1882 it was the first museum in Greece outside of Athens. The Temple of Zeus was the most important building in the Altis, the sacred grove at Olympia. The east and west monumental pediments from the Temple are on display in the museum. Another highlight is the famous statue of Hermes by the sculptor Praxiteles from the 4th C BC. Amazing.
We spent several hours next day wandering the World Heritage archaeological site of Ancient Olympia. Highlights included the Gymnasium, Palaestra, Workshop of Phaedius, Leonidaion, Stadium, Philippeion, and Temple of Zeus.
Also squeezed in a visit to the Museum of the History of the Olympic Games in Antiquity before it closed at 15:00. The Games were held at Olympia every four years from 776 BC to 393 AD, on the second full moon after the summer solstice. One important institution was the ‘sacred truce’, a suspension of all hostilities between belligerents for a short period before/ during/ after the Games.
Left Olympia next morning (Friday) en route to Gialova, and detoured to visit the World Heritage Temple of Epicurean Apollo at Bassae. Wow.
It’s in a remote mountain location 1,131 meters above sea level. (That’s roughly the same height as Hobart’s Mt Wellington/ kunanyi). And it was freezing in the third week of June!
The Temple is enclosed in a protective tent while it’s being restored so expectations are low as you approach the site. Once inside however any sense of disappointment evaporates as you come within breathing distance of a remarkably intact building from 420 BC. It was designed by Iktinos, the architect of the Parthenon and uses all three of the Greek architectural orders. It has Doric columns, Ionic columns and one Corinthian column, the oldest identified to date.
We reached Gialova (pronounced ya-lo-va) late afternoon and settled into our apartment for a relaxing six night stay.
The first few days were spent enjoying the excellent beaches. Our favourites were Golden Beach, which runs along the north coast of the Bay of Navarino, and the beautiful, horseshoe-shaped Voidhokilia Beach which opens onto the west coast. It can get quite windy on the west coast of the Peloponnese so hitting Voidhokilia early is the best option.
Gialova is a place that Greeks go to holiday so the tavernas were very different to those in Delphi and Olympia. The food was uniformly fabulous and we loved the hum of Greek language surrounding us as we ate.
On the fourth day we headed south to Methoni which has an impressive 15th C Venetian fortress. Found a nice taverna for lunch where we were taken into the kitchen and shown the dishes of the day to choose from. This happened several times in the Peloponnese. So much nicer than a vinyl and plastic English language menu.
On the last day we drove up to Chora, looking at some impressive tholos tombs on the way. The tombs are associated with the famous Palace of Nestor which was closed for renovation when we visited. The museum in Chora has a lot of artefacts from the Palace of Nestor so we we able to learn something about it.
Our stay in Gialova was gorgeous. Greece is full of places like this that you’ve never heard of. Taking the time to find them is well worth the effort.
Left Gialova en route to Karadmyli, stopping in Pylos then Ancient Messini on the way. Pylos, formerly known as Navarino, sits on the edge of of a huge bay that is steeped in historical significance. The Athenians had a rare win over the Spartans here, and in 1827 the British, French and Russian fleet smashed the Turkish, Egyptian and Tunisian fleet in a naval battle that proved to be decisive in the war for Greek independence. There are Ottoman-era castles on either side of Navarino Bay, though Neo Kastro on the south side at Pylos is by far the most intact and impressive. Walking its massive walls is a pleasant experience on a summer day.
From Pylos we drove to Ancient Messini. This site is nowhere near as well known as others in the Peloponnese but we found it to be absolutely fantastic. We started at the Arcadian Gate and massive walls above the main site. When built by Epaminondas in 371 BC they ran for nine kilometres and encircled the town. We then spent some hours wandering through the Theatre, Basilica, Agora, Asklepion, Stadium, and Mausoleum of the Saithidae Family. It’s still being excavated and it was cool to watch the archaeologists at work. Put this one on your list of ‘best kept secrets’ to visit when you can.
We stayed three nights in the beautiful village of Kardamyli. It’s in the north west corner of a region called the Mani which occupys the central of three peninsulas jutting out along the southern edge of the Peloponnese. The mighty Taygetos Mountains rise to 2,407 metres and run through the middle of the Mani providing a stunning backdrop to its coastal villages, including Kardamyli. We arrived after a long, hot day of sightseeing en route from Gialova so checked in to the hotel, freshened up, and enjoyed a wonderful taverna dinner on the waterfront.
Patrick Leigh Fermor, the acclaimed British author /scholar/ soldier, lived in Kardamyli for many years. He fought with the Cretan resistence during World War II and his book Mani is an ode to the region and its people. The Fermor’s housekeeper in Kardamyli was a lady called Lela and it was her family taverna that we ate in that evening.
Next day the locals advised us to go to Foneas Beach which has a distinctive rock outcrop sitting in a small bay. Very pleasant. In the afternoon we headed up to the small village Kastania which has a number of tiny churches from the Byzantine era. We stopped for a drink in the village square, and Julie got to practice her Greek with the locals who were very welcoming. A fun day.
Next day I dropped Julie at Ritsa Beach and went for a walk in the foothills behind Kardamyli. Visited the church and village of Aya Sofia. Later in the day we walked up to Old Kardamyli which sits just above the modern village. The Mani is famous for its stone tower houses that were built when it was a wild place ruled by clans with chieftans, and many have been restored.
We found our stay in Kardamyli a bit short in the end. The combination of villages, churches, beaches, tavernas, mountains, and walking paths is a winner, and we’d love to come back and give the Mani more time someday.
We left Kardamyli mid morning en route to Monemvasia. In the village of Nomitsi we stopped to check out the tiny church of Ayioi Anagyroi which stands defiantly on the edge of the modern road. The name Anargyroi translates as ‘without silver’ and refers to the saints Cosmas & Damian who were twins and gave their medical skills to the poor for free.
Crossing over to the eastern side of the Mani peninsula we stopped at Gythio for lunch. We visited its ancient theatre, had an excellent taverna meal on the waterfront, and admired the rusting hulk of the Dimitrios shipwreck at Valtaki Beach.
There is nowhere quite like Monemvasia. It’s a towering rock island that was cut off from the mainland by an earthquake in 375 AD, and is now reconnected via a causeway.
It’s been inhabited since the 6th C and became a major trading centre of the Byzantine Empire, famed for its trade in Malmsey wine.
The medieval village of Kastro occupies every inhabitable surface on the rock. We stayed in the lower town for two nights. The upper town was closed for maintenance when we visited.
It’s a place that does get a lot of visitors so it was lovely to stay for a couple of nights. Once the crowds had cleared out we could wander the narrow streets and lanes at will.
Monemvasia seems to have a magic that it works on people.
The couple who owned the apartment we stayed in had come to Monemvasia for a holiday and loved it so much they bought in and stayed.
We saw a lovely poster of Monemvasia on a restaurant wall and found out that it was by the local artist Manolis Gregoreas. We went to his gallery and ended up buying three prints. He told the same story, in that he and his wife has come to visit and ended up living here.
And the the ladies that ran the (excellent) restaurant where we saw the poster said they’d been there since 1970 i.e. 45 years.
The World Heritage archaeological site of Mystras preserves the remains of a city with a remarkable six hundred year history, from its founding in 1248 to its abandonment in 1832 at the end of the Greek War of Independence .
After the Fourth Crusade in which Constantinople was sacked and the Byzantine Empire defeated, its lands were divided up under the so-called ‘Latin Empire’. These lands included the Principality of Achaea which basically covered the Peleponnese, also known as Morea. The Frankish Prince of Archaea, William II of Villehardouin, toured the region in 1248 and chose the top of a 310 metre high spur of Mount Taygetos to build his fortress which became the city of Mystras. The Latin Empire only lasted till 1261 but Mystras became the seat of the governor of the Byzantine territories in Morea. It flouished under the Byzantine scholar George Gemistus Pletho (1355-1452) who was instrumental in the revival of Greek scholarship in Western Europe, which had a profound effect during the Rennaissance. Mystras declined from 1460 when it was surrendered to the Ottomans, but flourished again when occupied by the Venetians from 1687-1715. The Ottomans recaptured it in 1715 and then it was burnt by the Russians in 1770, the Albanians in 1780, and the Turks again in 1825. It was abandoned in 1832 when the modern city of Sparta was established by King Otto.
The site is dominated by Villhardouin’s castle at the top, with an Upper City, Middle City and Lower City spilling down the slopes. The major building complexes we visited were the Meteropolis/ Agios Demetrius, Hodegetria, St Sophia, Villehardouin’s Castle, Patanassa, and Peribleptos.
We were walking the site until 19:00 so it was great to just drop down to the local village of Mystras where we’d booked a room for the night. Freshened up, ate dinner, and slept very well. A magnificent day.
Left Mystras next morning and stopped in Sparta en route to Nafplio.
We’ve all heard of the Spartans but there’s precious little left of their ancient city. It sits on a plain and the fearless Spartans eschewed walls and fortifications, preferring to back their fighting prowess. Obviously that didn’t end well. The modern city of Sparta was founded in 1834 on the instruction of King Otto, the first King of Greece. With Athens being rebuilt after independence he believed that Sparta should be rebuilt as well. It was a laudable idea but never actually happened. We visited the Sparta Archaeological Museum which has a quaint, yesteryear feel.
Drove east to the coast then north towards Nafplio, stopping at Astros for a swim and lunch.
We parked ourselves in Nafplio for the last week of the trip. It’s a lovely city at the northern end of the Argolic Gulf and is dominated by its fortresses.
The Akronafplia Fortress is the oldest, dating back to the Bronze Age and rises up directly behind the city. The Palamidi Fortress sits in a commanding position high above the city. It was built by the Venetians between 1711 and 1714. The small, island fortress of Bourtzi was built in 1473 (also by the Venetians) and it’s a pleasant round trip by excursion boat to walk its walls and admire the views back to the city.
Nafplio also has good museums, with the Archaeological Museum being a highlight, and decent beaches in walking distance.
The other reason we chose to stay in Nafplio is that it’s a great base to explore the incredible archaeological heritage in this region. We visited the great Mycenaen cities of Mycenae and Tiryns, the amazing theatre and sanctuary of Epidavros, and the ancient city of Argos.
We had a fantastic time in Nafplio and would gladly return.
From here we drove back to Athens airport, dropped the hire car, and flew home.
Our hotel was in the old part of Nafplio, nestled into the base of the Akronafplia Fortress. We could walk to Arvanitia Beach. And with a bit of huffing and puffing could walk the supposed 999 steps to Palamidi Fortress.
The ancient city of Mycenae is a World Heritage archaeological site. It was the principal city of Mycenaean civilization which dominated the eastern Mediterranean world from 1600 to 1200 BC. In Greek mythology it was the home of Agamemnon and it features in Homer‘s epics poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey. The ancient city was excavated in 1876 by a German businessman named Heinrich Schliemann whose methods were controversial.
The site has incredible walls, said to have been built with the help of a Cyclops, and you enter through the famous Lion Gate. It has tholos tombs, grave circles, the remnants of many houses, and a fascinating cistern in the north east corner. The on-site museum is very good, though many of the more famous finds are in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. Just outside the main site is the Treasury of Atreus which is an incredible structure. What a day.
Epidavros is best known for its amazing theatre built in 400 BC, though there’s much more to this World Heritage site. It is the shrine of Asklepios, god of medicine, and the vast site includes temples and hospital buildings devoted to its healing gods, providing insight into the cults of Greek and Roman times. We spent several hours exploring it.
The town of Ancient Epidavros is further east, on the coast. We checked out its much smaller theatre, had a swim at the ‘sunken city’ beach where you can do some underwater archaeology with a mask and snorkel, then ate a fabulous dinner on a vine covered terrace at a taverna that had been recommended to us by locals.
We headed back to archaeological site around 21:00 to see the play ‘Helen’ by Euripides performed in the ancient theatre. It was a wonderful experience for us.
This whole day was just perfect.
One morning we drove to Argos, which has a history dating back 6,000 years. We visited the Fortress of Larissa which sits high above the city. Then checked out the Roman ruins which include an impressive rock cut theatre that seated 20,000 at its peak, and remnants of the baths. We drove a little further south to see the curious Pyramid of Hellenikon, the best known of the Greek pyramids of the Argolis region. From there we headed east to the coast and had a great lunch at a seafood taverna in the fishing port of Nea Kios.
Another afternoon we visited Tiryns, which is also a World Heritage site along with Mycenae. Tiryns was the ‘second city’, and its walls are as if not more impressive than those of Mycenae. It’s a much less famous site and it was enjoyable to be able to wander amongst the ancient stones with few other people around.
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