Apr 25, 2012 - Nafplion, Greece

April 25, Navplion, Greece Today was a relaxing day. We tendered ashore with our dinner mates Bonita and Robert and then wandered this small city using Rick Steves' guided walk and map. Navplion, established by the Venetians, was the first capital city of the Greek kingdom. It is the gateway to such ancient cities as Mycenae, Epidauris and Corinth, on the Pelopennesian Peninsula. It is full of references to and beliefs in Greek mythology: Hercules, Zeus, Pegasus, Agammenon. (Made me wish I'd retained more from my high school World History...

Oct 7, 2011 - Mycenae & Epidavros

Today we toured both Mycenae and Epidavros on our way to the island of Hydra. Mycenae has one of the largest and oldest beehive tombs ever found, built in the 13th century B.C. There are dozens of these tombs surrounding the ancient city, but we only visited the largest, called the tomb of Agamemnon. These burial tombs for kings and filled with gold, tools food and anything else the dead may need in the next life. I had visited similar sites in Bulgaria last year, which were all much smaller than this one. The difference was that the tombs...

Oct 5, 2011 - Nafplio

I am in the town of Nafplio, which I think is my favorite place on the tour so far. It's a bit touristy, but the old town is quite pretty, with narrow, marble streets and brightly painted buildings. Like many other places I've been on this trip, It was a Venetian port, and has 3 different forts. One on an island in the harbor and two on hills above the town. This town was also the first capital of independent Greece in the early 1800's after independence from the Turks. Luckily for Naflpio, the capital was moved to Athens, or this town...

Jun 4, 2011 - Rund Peloponnes: Teil 2

Kalamata - Kythira - Monemvasia - Ydra - Porto Heli Mit der neuen Crew ist auch der Sommer definitiv am Peloponnes angekommen. Nachdem der Proviant eingekauft ist, geht es los. Am Ende der ersten Etappe erreichen wir Kioni, wo wir ja schon vor ein paar Tagen mal halt gemacht hatten. Natürlich essen wir wieder bei Anna! Nach einem Badestop auf der anderen Seite der Kioni-Halbinsel geht es weiter nach Orthoni. Diesmal haben wir prächtiges Wetter und so steht einer Besichtigung des Forts nichts im Wege. Eine imposante Ruine an einer...

Feb 22, 2011 - Nafplio - Feb 21-22

February 21, 2011 (continued) Our time in the Peloponnese is going to spent travelling around a lot of the ancient sites and so we find ourselves changing hotels almost daily. We left our hotel this morning and headed to Ancient Corinth. At least, we attempted to head to Ancient Corinth but the lack of road signs meant we ended up on the toll road without an exit for about 15km knowing we were going the wrong way! Having paid the toll on the way out and then again on our return leg, we were surprised to see signs coming from this direction....

Dec 1, 2010 - Epidavros

@@@@@@@ Background The Hellenic Festival, usually held in late spring each year, has featured the Epidavros Festival as an integral part of its program for the past forty years. The ancient Greek classics are recreated in the beautiful and acoustically stupendous well-preserved theatre located in the pine-clad hills not far from Nafplio. Guests are treated to an experience that rival the performances of the historic Greek actors. However, it is not the 2,000-year-old theatre that earned Epidavos its UNESCO World Heritage listing, it is the...

Nov 30, 2010 - Ancient Mycenae

@@@@@@@ Background References to ‘Mycenae, rich in gold’ in Homer’s Iliad and the Odyssey, written during the 9th century, were thought to be mere legends until an amateur archeologist, Heinrich Schliemann, unearthed pure gold burial masks and other treasures beyond imagining in the 1870s. Homer’s writings tell of the founding of the city by the son of Zeus and Danae and we know that by the time of Agamemnon, the city was the most powerful in what we know as Greece today. Evidence of Neolithic people in the region as early as the 6th...

Nov 28, 2010 - Palamidi Fort

@@@@@@@ Background The Venetians built the vast Palamidi Fort in three short years from 1711 to 1714. It occupies a strategic position with views over the surrounding landscape as well as the sea, 216m below the summit. This military masterpiece is impressive enough from the old town of Nafplio, spread around the base of the vast outcropping of rock on which the fortress stands, but its true size and number of bastions can only be appreciated once a visitor scales the rumoured 999 steps to the top. The Agios Andreas Bastion, which can be...

Nov 25, 2010 - Exploring Argos

Today we head across to Argos, the commercial capital of the region. It's about 15km to the north of Nafplion. We hope to visit a couple of ancient sits and explore the town itself (and what better way to explore than to partake in the local eating/coffee establishments). The local museum provides some valuable information as to what sort of settlement was here in ancient times (Argos is the most ancient town in Greece and Europe, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argos ). (http://www.cs-net.gr/argolis/larisa.html) After exploring the town, we...

Nov 25, 2010 - Exploring Argos

Today we head across to Argos, the commercial capital of the region. It's about 15km to the north of Nafplio. We hope to visit a couple of ancient sits and explore the town itself (and what better way to explore than to partake in the local eating/coffee establishments). The local museum provides some valuable information as to what sort of settlement was here in ancient times (Argos is the most ancient town in Greece and Europe, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argos ). (http://www.cs-net.gr/argolis/larisa.html) After exploring the town, we...

Nov 24, 2010 - Ermioni

@@@@@@@ Background The ferries to and from Athens stop at the small port of Ermioni and other small ferries take passengers to the offshore islands of Hydra and Spetses. The harbour is peaceful and much of the town is spread out along a small peninsula with a natural reserve, covered in evergreen trees, at its tip. Ermioni itself is a quiet village with several cafés and restaurants as well as a variety of accommodation options. There are several sandy beaches nearby. There isn’t much nightlife, other than enjoying a relaxing coffee or a...

Nov 24, 2010 - More exploring

Today was another day of exploring the local sights (there is so many). After our, by now, obligatory early morning walk followed by a leisurely breakfast, we visit the local War museum. What a fascinating place it is. Quite apart from being filled with military paraphernalia, the narratives with each exhibit put into perspective the place which Greece holds in the history of the modern world - from its early struggles for independence from the Turks, to the Balkan Wars, Macedonian struggles, World War I and World War II, Greece has been an...