OVERVIEW
This trip is ideal for guests that will visit Greece and they want to see the south part of Peloponnese region, which is one of the most beautiful areas of the country.
Well, if your flight from Greece back to your country is a late afternoon flight, we recommend you to stay once you arrive in Athens – if your flight back to your country is an early morning flight, we recommend you to stay that last days of your vacation in Athens.
Let’s consider that in any case, you prefer to play safe and spend the last days of your vacation in Athens, avoiding the pressure of the last day trip from any destination to the airport…. (click on the maps for directions)
Once you land at Athens airport, rent a car and drive to Nafplio – we recommend you to stay 2 to 3 nights.
Once you are in Nafplio, you can spend the evening in the city, walking around the old city centre and the port and rest. We recommend you to stay 2 to 3 days in Nafplio, so that you will have enough time to visit the Mycenae Archeological site, the Epidaurus Ancient Theatre and of course to explore the city. You can read information regarding the city’s landmarks here. You can read information about the beaches here. You can find photos of the city here.
Below you can find the maps and directions to visit Mycenae Archeological site and Epidaurus Ancient Theatre from Nafplio city.
Mycenae:
Epidaurus:
After your 2 or 3 days stay in Nafplio, having the chance to visit two of the most visited Archeological sites of the country, your next destination is Monemvasia – we recommend you to stay 1 to 2 nights. (find a property in Monemvasia here).
The town is located on a small island. The island is linked to the mainland by a short causeway 200m in length. Its area consists mostly of a large plateau some 100 metres above sea level, up to 300 m wide and 1 km long, the site of a powerful medieval fortress. The town walls and many Byzantine churches remain from the medieval period.
Well, there two ways to drive to Monemvasia. If you prefer to drive next the coast line and on your way to see many nice small villages, please follow this route:
If you do not really want to drive this way and you prefer more the high way, follow this route:
Monemvasia was fortified in Byzantine times an refortified many times since, the last major time by the Venetians.
It comprises of a lower town, snuggled against a massive rock outcrop and walled in on three sides. Inside is the remains of a medieval town, the houses and shops of which are slowly being refurbished. It also has at least one hotel. The streets are narrow and entirely pedestrian.
Above the lower town is the upper town, now almost entirely destroyed but with a surviving church. It is protected by cliffs on all sides and a cliff with a wall above separates it from the lower town. At its highest point is a Byzantine citadel and nearby a Venetian magazine.
Visitors need to be very fit to climb up the upper town and carry water with them. There is little shade in the upper town.
It is perhaps one of the most enigmatic and yet attractive places in Greece, well worth a visit. The modern town adjacent has plenty of hotels and eating places, but you really need to travel to the lower town.
The next destination after Monemvasia is Stoupa – we recommend you to stay 1 to 3 nights. (Find a property in Stoupa here).
You can either stay at Stoupa or Kardamili. Both villages are really very nice and also very close to each other.
Stoupa is located in an area of Greece called Outer Mani. Approximately 4 kilometres (2 mi) from Stoupa is the village of Agios Nikolaos (also known by its Slavic name Selinitsa), a working fishing village which also has a number of restaurants and guest houses but which attracts fewer tourists than Stoupa. Above Agios Nikolaos is the lovely small village called Riglia. Other places in the Mani region include Itylo (32 kilometres or 20 miles), Limeni (36 kilometres or 22 miles) and Areopoli (40 kilometres or 25 miles). Below Areopoli are the caves of Pirgos Dirou.
There are many beaches and coves around the area including Stoupa Beach, which is the most popular and has a good beginner’s snorkeling site at the end of the beach. Over the hill is Kalogria Beach, with its turquoise waters and rich marine life, volleyball net, and a handful of bars and restaurants. One of the features of Kalogria beach is the upswelling of an underground freshwater spring about 100 metres (330Â ft) out from the shore. It can be seen as a disturbance on the surface of the sea.
The next destination is Pylos – we recommend you to stay 1 to 3 nights. (Find a property in Pylos here).
Pylos – historically also known under its Italian name Navarino – has a long history, having been inhabited since Neolithic times.
The soil about Navarino is of a red colour, and is remarkable for the production of an abundance of squills, which are used in medicine. The rocks, which show themselves in every direction through a scanty but rich soil, are limestone, and present a general appearance of unproductiveness round the castle of Navarino; and the absence of trees is ill compensated by the profusion of sage, brooms, cistus, and other shrubs which start from the innumerable cavities of the limestone.
The remains of Navarino, consist of a fort, covering the summit of a hill sloping quickly to the south, but falling in abrupt precipices to the north and east. The town was built on the southern declivity, and was surrounded by a wall, which, allowing for the natural irregularities of the soil, represented a triangle, with the castle at the summit—a form observable in many of the ancient cities of Greece.
Once in Pylos, make sure to visit Voidokilia beach.
The climb towards Nestor’s Cave begins at the south-west end of the beach, while after the cave the route continues towards Paliokastro. Though the ruins are not fenced off, the castle ruins are sign-posted as closed and tourists walk through the castle or around the walls at their own risk.
Gialova’s aquatic habitat, being an important stop for a variety of migratory birds, has been declared the southernmost Habitat of National Importance in the Balkans. It is considered a protected area hosting 258 species of birds out of which the 79 are included in the “Red Book” (species under threat of extinction).
Parking for the beach is reached by sand tracks either from the Gialova Lagoon parking area (also used by bird-watchers) or by following the Northside route from Petrochori. The beach is considered friendly for naturists.
You next and last destination is Athens.
Once you are in Athens – we recommend you to stay 2 to 4 nights for sure – so that you will have enough time to visit all the Archeological sites (The Acropolis, the Theatre of Herodes Atticus, the Ancient Cemetery of Kerameikos, the Filopappos Hill, the Ancient Agora, the Stoa of Attalos, the Temple of Hephaestus, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Panathenaic Stadium, the Roman Agora, the Arch of Hadrian, the Theatre of Dionysus, – all of these archeological places are located next to the downtown. You can also visit the Temple of Sounion).
Regarding your accommodation in Athens we suggest the following areas/locations:
If you prefer to stay close to the downtown (Psiri, Filopappou, Thiseio, Petralona) – you can use public transportation
If you prefer to stay close to the downtown but not exactly at the town centre (Abelokipoi, Panoromou, Neos Kosmos) – you can use public transportation.
If you prefer a more high end location (Kifisia, Marousi) – you can use public transportation.
If you prefer to stay close to the sea across (Palaio Faliro, Alimos, Glifada, Voula) – you recommend you to rent a car.
(Find a property in Athens here).
FAQ
Is this tour for me?
Well, if you really want to visit one of the most beautiful regions of the country, yes, this tour is for you.
How many days shall I stay in the country?
We recommended you for each destination the number of the days that we believe are more than enough for you – if you have more days available, stay at least 3 days per destination.
Is it safe to drive all these areas?
It is totally safe! You will enjoy for sure driving around all these places.
Is it suitable for families with kids?
Yes, of course! It will be a very nice experience for you and your family! All these areas are totally families friendly.
Do you think renting a car is better than using public transportation?
Honestly, we would not choose this trip if we did not want to rent a car. (We hope that is helpful for you).
Well, we hope that this page is useful for you! Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or if you want us to support you. By the way, we can also support you with your accommodation. We operate family holiday apartments in Nafplio. Review our properties here. If you decide that you want a newly renovated apartment for your holidays that can easily accommodate 2 to 4 guests, just contact us:
via email at vida@vida-hospitality.com or by filling our contact form here or if you prefer the fastest reply, call us at +30-6979005260 or text us on whatsapp here. In the meantime, you can just contact us via our website chat – we reply immediately.
You can read from our guests how we added value to their vacation here.
If you want to know more about our apartments, you can read some answers to your potential questions here or read more about us here.
