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Itinerary advice 3 days outside Athens

Posted by on

Apologies in advance if I’ve misspelled any destination names!

I am planning a trip for my family (myself, husband, 2 teens – 19 and 16) to Istanbul and Greece in April 2023. We will spend 4 days in Istanbul and then fly to Athens, where we will spend 3 full days / 4 nights. We have another 3 days and I’m having trouble deciding what to do with that time. We all love walking tours, easy day hikes, food and food tours, and beautiful scenery. Some of us love swimming, architecture and history. The two options I’ve been considering are going west to the Peloppenese, and staying in either Nafplion or Monemvasia, or going north and staying in Meteora (with a stop in Delphi). Both Meteora and Monemvasia look like exactly the kind of beautiful scenery we would all enjoy, and the hike with Visit Meteora looks terrific. In reading the forum it’s clear people love Nafplion, I’m just not sure that if it’s a great fit for us, without the ability to go to the beach. I think our crew will be more interested in Greece than in Ancient Greece, and so I’m not sure about basing in Nafplion to visit Mycenae and Epidavros.

Example ideas:
Option 1: Drive north from Athens on Sunday morning, visit Delphi for the day, and continue onto Kastraki. Spend Monday and half of Tuesday in Meteora; drive back to Athens Tuesday afternoon, stay at airport hotel to fly out Wednesday.

Option 2: Drive west from Athens on Sunday morning, and potentially make a couple of stops on the way to Monemvasia, such as Acrocorinth or Nemea. Spend Monday exploring Monemvasia. On Tuesday drive back to Athens, stopping at either Mystras or Gythio.

Option 3: Spend 2 nights in Nafplion, day tripping to local ancient sites.

I guess another option would be to go to an island for those few days; it just feels to me like that's a separate trip, with warmer weather and the option for swimming.

I would appreciate advice or recommendations especially given (a) traveling in April, so not warm enough to do beaches/swimming; (b) if you've traveled with older teens, what they enjoyed the most, and (c) our general interests. This forum has such good insights! Thank you in advance.

Posted by
11569 posts

I vote for Nafplion and visits to the antiquities that surround it.

Posted by
3334 posts

Option one: Incredible scenery and antiquity.

But it depends what you prefer. I find Napflio to not be exceptional other than it's location near 2 sites. But those sites don't compare to Delphi, IMO.

Posted by
3397 posts

When u say "more interested in Greece than in Ancient Greece" I gather you mean that your teens just want swimming, sports etc -- then why not go to the Caribbean? You will have to find a place that will suit the anti-history pair. So I don't think Delphi is it - too much "History." I would suggest that you look Closely at Nafplio , through this Excellent site - http://www.visitnafplio.com - and click EVERY link. Also check these pix by ace phtog & RS contrib "Stanbr" - http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/sets/72157632094108982/

Nafplio has lots of walks in surrounding areas, PLUS the challenge of The Gibralter like Palamidi, with its 999 steps! (you can have the teens climb, while u drive up the back way & meet them -- stunning views/photo ops). Just outside town is TIRYNS - a fab Iliad-era Fort ruin built with boulders the size of cars(!)... and NO crowds.. another great climbing/exploring opportunity. Then there's the fort/castle out in the bay, you can get a boatride out there And what about Acronafplia... the tower & ramparts overlooking the town? To get up there, you have to find an elevator built into a cliffside? and up there, at the peak of the peninsula, amazing park-point with 360° view. Then, check the walk around peninsula at sea-level. FOR those of you not allergic to history or architecture, Old Town is a dream, and the small superb museum (with the world's ONLY Existing Iliad-era suit of armor, 3500 yrs old)

What is more, even for anti-history folk the drive to/from Nafplio has adventurous sights (see this map - https://tinyurl.com/zekuft9) you have a big modern intercity highway to CORINTH CANAL -- but jump off it for 20 minutes to walk out on the Old Bridge to see the amazing canal (SO deep SO Skinny). then, 15 miles later, jump off to see Ancient NEMEA. Archeologists uncovered amazing site of an "OLympia runner-up" Sacred Game site - http://nemeangames.org/ - and now the Revived Nemean Games every 4 years draws thousands from around world; your teens can race from starting blocks 2500years old. (Watch the time; it closes 3pm) Then, on your return to Athens area, you drive instead across the "thumb" of the Peloponnese "Hand" (see map) to EPIDAURUS ... even non-history buffs can appreciate a theatre built in a hillside seating 15,000, so acoustically perfect that the top row can hear a match scratched onstage (you can make the kids climb up there to hear).

Since u say you like food, u are in luck, the small tavernas in Nafplio are acclaimed for tradtional Greek fare, & BTW, the Nemean red wine (called the Merlot of Greece) is my fave... and you can visit vineyards there too.

Or you can go to the Caribbean, and have swimming & steel drums.

Posted by
165 posts

Thank you all, I appreciate the input.
Janet, FWIW, "When u say "more interested in Greece than in Ancient Greece" I gather you mean that your teens just want swimming, sports etc -- then why not go to the Caribbean? " - not at all. We've never been to the Caribbean but our teens have greatly enjoyed Spain, Italy, France, England and Scotland (and not swam in any of them). I guess my comments were misleading, it was intended to demonstrate why I don't think we will try to go to any islands (even close ones like Aegina or Hydra) on this trip.
I'll dig into the sites you listed above.

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