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Help with itinerary and choose center/West Peloponnese base town after Napflion

Dear all,
We are coming for 13 days to Greece in mid-April, of which we will spend 7 days in the Peloponnese (remainder are accounted for). In the Peloponnese, we will spend 3-4 nights in Napflion, ending on Easter Sunday or the Monday after, and then have 3-4 nights for another stop. We have decided against Olympia and would really like to see Messene and sights in that area.

Can you advise me on an itinerary and a base town? From there we will drive straight back to Athens. We would like a lovely, smaller town with good restaurants and preferably seaside. I have read nice things about Pylos. But I have also read wonderful things about Monemvasia and Mystras - is this all too much to fit in somehow between Napflion and Messene area?

1) 3 nights Napflion, 4 nights elsewhere, or the reverse? Context: Easter! 3 nights has us leaving Easter Sunday, which may be a good transit day. 4 nights means we spend Easter Sunday in Napflion. Another context is that half of the party has been to Napflion before, though it's been 20 years, and are interested in seeing new things elsewhere in Peloponnese.
2) Pylos or do you have another suggestion for a good base from which to see Messene and other sites in that area?

Thank you for your time!

Posted by
1241 posts

I stayed in the town of Petalidi on the east side of the left "finger" of the Peloponnese. It gave me good access to Messine plus many other areas.

It's not overly geared to tourism and has a nice town square with enough shops, markets and tavernas to keep one happy depending on just how much services you want.

It has a long coast line with options for a day at the beach.

Very Greek and has a wonderful Farmer's Market.

Pylos is on the opposite side of the "finger" so it would be a little further to get to Messine and has more of a tourist vibe with lots of options for services. I just spent a couple hours in the area so can't really give more advice on it.

If interested you can read my trip report from another forum on my 13 days in the Peloponnese including photos of Petalidi, Nafplio and Gythio plus Messine and lots of other areas.

Hopefully it will help you make a decision.

Too bad you don't have more time for the Peloponnese as it's a huge area and would take weeks to fully experience.

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

As for Nafplio I've stayed twice and may be there again this April to use as a base as there's more to the area than just Nafplio. Most people just consider Nafplio and the nearby world class archeological/historic sites as the only places to go in the Argolis but you'll miss out on many other areas that are overlooked and offer more options for small villages, beaches, mountains and smaller and less known archeological/historic sites.

Check out the best website for Nafplio and the area and you'll see just what it has to offer:

https://visitnafplio.com/