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3 week mainland Greece road trip: ideas? suggestions?

We are nearing the end of our Greece trip planning, arriving mid-February and departing early April: a week in Athens, 10 days on Crete, 5 days on Rhodes, followed by getting a car and starting a road trip with 3 days in Napflio. Nothing else is booked or planned except our final night's hotel in Nea Makri, so we can have one last evening overlooking the sea.

After 3 nights in Napflio we have 21 days (22 counting the day we drive to Nea Makri)

Our plan is to not make firm plans as the weather can be changeable and we might get suggestions from people we meet along the way. Having said that, I'd love some suggestions to put on our tentative plan.

Right now all I have is (not in geographical order) spending more time on the Peloponnesos, Corinth, Monemvasia, Ioannina, Meteora, Thessaloniki, Pelion Peninsula, and Evia.

Mostly we prefer 3 night stays so we have 2 full days to explore an area, this is assuming we arrive at our lodging late afternoon and leave mid-morning. We are not opposed to the occasional 2 night stay but aren't huge fans of staying just one night (but will if that's the best way to see just one site).

As our last night is at a hotel near Nea Makri we're planning on the final several (3 - 4?) days on Evia and would love suggestions about where to stay and what to do.

Our budget for lodging isn't extravagant, the places I've booked range between €65 - €140/night, most around €100/night.

We both have extensive experience driving in Europe and on mountainous roads at home, we drive a manual and have arranged for a small car.

Any and all suggestions are appreciated, thanks.

Posted by
141 posts

valadelphia, I just edited it to add we have 21 days after we leave Napflio, not counting the day we drive to Nea Makri, thanks!

Posted by
30 posts

AK traveler,
We loved the mountain villages of Dimitsana and Semnitsa...(Peloponnese). Very much still the real Greece and pretty much untouched by tourism (at least when we were there in '21). Since you are seasoned drivers, the mountain roads should not scare you a bit! With that said, not sure if chains are necessary in the mountains at that time of year. Someone else could probably weigh in on that.

Posted by
3 posts

Dimitsana & around were still quiet last September, though lively in the weekends when many Greeks from Athens come for a little getaway. It’s a year round destination so it will be quiet when you visit, but not deserted. We loved exploring the nearby Lousios gorge with its monasteries an d the many hiking trails in this area. Other villages in the area are Vyitina (famous for its honey) and Zigovisti, where I had the best zucchini fritters of my life (taverna at the village square).

PS: we visited Meteora in February some years ago, lots of snow! I’m sure it will be chilly and maybe even snowy when you’re going there in late winter - early spring.

Posted by
141 posts

Thanks Missmarleygirl and SaschavA, Our final booked stay before the road trip is 15 March, so unless it's unseasonably cold I don't expect snow. Having said that, I know anything can happen, especially in mountainous areas, which is why we're leaving decisions until at least early March. If we spend more time on the southern part of the Peloponnese that will get us to mountainous areas a bit later. So much depends on weather. When we do road trips like this we're very flexible, trying to stay away from big storms!

Posted by
1404 posts

The Peloponnese has now become my favorite area of Greece.

I've been to numerous islands and loved them all but the Peloponnese is filled with just about anything an island can offer and more.

Nothing wrong with islands but the Peloponnese is easy and less expensive to get to and filled with wonders from Ancient Greece all the way to modern times.

If you can find the Cadogan Guide to the Peloponnese get it. It was last published in 2010 but it's still the best and filled with more info than any other Peloponnese guide.

If interested you can read a couple of my trip reports with (one with photos) of a trip to the Peloponnese:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g189483-i1277-k14200587-Peloponnese_Trip_Report_Sept_25_Oct_12-Peloponnese.html

Kynouria Trip Report

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g189483-i1277-k14775687-Peloponnese_Trip_Report_Kynouria-Peloponnese.html

Posted by
141 posts

tommyk5, thanks for the photos and link to your trip, I'm adding places to my "maybe we will stop" list!