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Feedback requested for Athens-Nafplio+ trip (May/June 2026)

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Hello, Fellow Travelers -

We are planning a two-week trip to Greece in early June. Week Two will be touring the Cyclades, but we are still hammering out the details for Week One. I would love some feedback on our itinerary choices for that first week (see below).

I also have two questions about taking local trains:

1) We plan to travel from Athens to Nafplio and back by train + taxi. (We train to/from Corinth and taxi to/from Nafplio). Do we need to purchase our train tickets in advance? Or can we just get them the day of?

2) Do the trains typically run on time? The trains between Athens and Corinth are roughly hourly--but on the day we return to Athens, we are actually going straight to Piraeus to catch an evening ferry to Paros. How much do we need to pad this trip so that we don't miss the boat? (I'm not sure how early to be to the ferry....plus, I want to give room for any potential delays.)

Itinerary Feedback:

  • Day 1: Arrive Athens at night

  • Days 2-4: Tour Athens (acropolis, National Archaeological Museum, Plaka, other wonderful things)
    Q: Should we take a day trip to Delphi?? Or just stay in Athens?

  • Day 5: Transfer to Nafplio via Corinth
    Q: What touring could we do this day? Should we plan to see Ancient Corinth + Acrocorinth before continuing on to Nafplio? Visit Epicurus in the afternoon? Or just spend the day in Nafplio?

  • Day 6 - 7: Visit Mycenae & Epidaurus
    Q: Are these full-day or half-day trips? Can we see them both on the same day? Or visit something else on the days we visit these two sites?

  • Day 8: Transfer back to Port of Piraeus, catch afternoon ferry to Paros

Thoughts? Feedback? My biggest questions is how best to use the 2-1/2 days we have on the Peloponnese. (We had originally planned more time, but we had to transfer to Paros earlier than planned.)

I would love to see something beyond Mycenae, Epidaurus, and Nafplio, but I'm not sure we have time. And, if we do, what sites would be best to see? Monemvassia and Mystra both sound amazing, but they are both quite far from Nafplio (long, windy drives, right?). Anything else great to see? (We will see lots of Cycladic scenery and culture, so I'm most drawn to things Ancient/Classical. medieval, or Byzantine???)

Thank you!

Posted by
8767 posts

Regarding transportation, we had a rental car, so I can’t provide direct experience using trains. As for daytrip transportation from Nafplio, Rome2Rio indicates that, besides driving directly, bus and/or taxi are options.

We saw Epidaurus one afternoon, and Mycenae the following afternoon, partly because they’re in separate directions from Nafplio. But the day we visited Mycenae, we also saw a spectacular sight north of there, Archaia Nemea. It’s got a small museum and the remains from a temple, but also the site of an ancient Olympic-type stadium, in better shape than the one at Archaea Olympia (which we visited later that same trip). There’s also an entryway tunnel that athletes used, with ancient graffiti from one, staying that he’d won! You could, conceivably, see Nemea on your way from Corinth to Nafplio, but it was easy to combine it with a visit to Mycenae, and neither took all day by car.

We saw the ruins at Delphi while staying in the area. I wouldn’t personally go there on a daytrip from Athens.

Posted by
3768 posts

You should consider renting a car to visit Corinth, Nafplio, Mycenae, and Epidaurus.

It will be much easier, faster, and cheaper and you can return the car to the port of Piraeus before taking the ferry to Paros.

If you follow your plan:

On day 5 alone, to take the commuter train from Athens (Proastiakos) to Corinth, you will need to go to the Athens (Larissa) train station. The Corinth train station is isolated, 3 km from the city and far from the archaeological sites. For each trip, you will have to find an available taxi.

Then you will need to find a way to get to Nafplio from Corinth. The easiest way is the KTEL bus, however the bus stop is not in the city but located near the Corinth Canal. So, you'll need another taxi to get there to catch the bus according to its schedule.

From Nafplio, if you're looking for a way to see Epidaurus and Mycenae in the same day, a rental car is once again the best way to do it.

In short, you'll spend most of your time figuring out how to get from point A to point B, whereas with a car you don't have to worry about any of those constraints.

Posted by
174 posts

Hello,

There is a very good 4 day/3 night Classics Tour available through C.H.A.T. Tours. My daughter and I took it and although it was our first tour and we didn't know what to expect, we were really happy with how much it helped having a licensed guide explain everything. (and we have both studied Greek mythology)

The tour covers a LOT of territory, but that's why it was great --- you will make efficient use of your time AND see all the top sights. I hope this helps. I am happy to answer any questions. Whatever, you decide, enjoy Greece! It's one of our favorite places. https://chat-tours.com/tour/4-days-classical-tour-tour-9/

4 Days Classical Tour – Tour #9 €634

Corinth Canal, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nauplia, Olympia, Delphi, Nafpaktos, Rion, Kalampaka, Meteora, Thermopylae

Posted by
3745 posts

I totally agree (as usual) with the expert Jo-Lui ... for practicality and enjoyment. Speaking from experience from Peloponnese trips both by car and public transit (latter more time-consuing/complicated). I also advise you to "flip" your Week 1 destinations, people learn this from experience, but maybe we alert. After jet-lag is Worst time to try to cram Major Sightseeing in a hectic bustling world capital... it will all be a blur. Recover in an isle or the countryside, where you'll learn a bit about Navigating in Greece, and be more efficient visiting sites... And you'll do less backtracking in/out of city... a waste of your limited time.

I suggest when you arrive Athens Airport at night, you go to nearest places you can get a bite to eat & sleep early ;places with free shuttle incllude Hotel Avra in Rafina, HOtel Peris nearby, Hollday Inn Attica. Shuttle Back to airport in AM, pick up car by 10-11 for drive to Nafpkio, sightseeng on way there & back .

This online map, aside from Google, can make the best itinerary clearer -- https://euro-map.com/karty-grecii/peloponnes/podrobnaya-turisticheskaya-karta-peloponnesa.jpg , Do Not try to view on phone or tablet, use computer; click & it gets huuuge - navigate with side-sllides. You will see that modern divided-highway (Big Green Road) totally skirts Athens, no need to turn or touch brakes until after Corinth Canal.

Options Outbound (DAY 2)
Skip Ancient Corinth - you just don't have time, sorry. • 1st Stop - 15 mi past Canal, 5 mi off big high on RH side, ANCIENT NEMEA. As Cyn says, amazing Ancient Stadium... u can appreciate site in an hour, stop at nearby village for quick sandwich? then cross UNDER big highway (see map) for lovely road south toward Nafplio. • 2nd Stop - if very peppy & ambitious, turn off & see MYCENAE -- takes at least 2 hrs, crowds, June heat? If less peppy, continue, and just outside Nafplio, instead stop at TIRYNS -- overlooked gem, another Iliad-era fortress, gigantic-boulder construction, and NO crowds! Arrive NAFPLIO late aft, check into hotel, collapse, then go to wonderful seafront cafe for Best sunsets in Greece!

Options NAFPLIO (Day 3) (Use this fab Guide! http://www.visitnafplio.com/
Still recovering, AM wandering streets & lanes. (find cliffside elevator to Acronafplio parapet). After lunch, find path around base of Peninsula cliff to "town beach" (Arvanita) for sun/swim/nap. Other Options - swell small Arch. Museum. Website has great small tavernas for dinners.

Options (Day 4)
Check out after breakfast -- drive up bck way to mighty Palamidi (this is where you get the high aerial views a la Corinth). gape at view & take pix ... then head EAST (see that map) for Ancient EPIDAURUS ... this avoids backtracking. Onsite, do quickie view of ruins, main thing is Stunning world-famous Theatre! Next, drive on East to seashore... drive N on shore road, stop for a swim? and Lunch at beach taverna? Continue to ISTHMIA, where u can drive out on Old Bridge to view CORINTH CANAL (so deep! so Skinny!) then get back on Big Green Intercity road.... Remember to turn LEFT at Elefsina!!!! to get beltway to Airport & return car ?? by mid-afternoon?? Recommend car-service like Welcome Pickups (same flat-fee as taxi) to your central Athens Hotel .. Option -- if you want another swim & sunset by sea before the Big City, stop for the night at this cute place - http://www.cokkinishotel.com/en/

Days 5-6-7 ATHENS sightseeing ... Remember: unless you ca score 8 AM entry tickets to Acropolis, the next-best choice is late afternoon when crowds are mostly gone... like 5:30 pm. Dont worry about pre-booking tickets to any of the museums.

Posted by
3745 posts

Your Public -Transit options for Peloponnese: -- same time-table but fewer sights"

DAY 2 - Return to Airport via free shuttle, KTEL bus to KTEL Kifiisou Terminal, NAFPLIO Express bus every 2 hours or so. Takes about 2.5 hours on same highway, rest-stop halfway. On arrival NAfplio bus station on Syngrou street ( see on this map - vertical street marking edge of Old Town - https://tinyurl.com/5ahd67zm ) there will be taxis line up across street. TIP: if you want some goodies to enjoy on your balcony, before you enter a taxi, roll your suitcases 1 block toward the seafront, to great local supermarket -- for snacks c heese, wine etc. THEN get taxi. In Afternoon, use TOP website - http://www.visitnafplio.com/ - to explore town. OR, if just jetlagged, use same to find walkway around peninsula base to Town Beach for swim/sun/nap. Ask hotel & check local agency - there is now (finally!) a local tour to both Mycenae & Epidaurus... otherwise, complicated via local busses, cant do both in 1 day with these.

DAY 3 - Local tour as above... also up to PALAMIDI ... taxi or a local "train tour (jeep)" that takes people up & back. Don't miss small & good Arch Museum on Square (closes 3 pm). Local bus 10 mins gets you to TIRYNS right on road outside of Nafplio. To Return, stand on other side of street & flag down any bus going to Nafplio.

DAY 4 - return bus to Athens Kifissou KTEL terminal, taxi to central Athens hotel.

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