My wife and I will be traveling from July 3-12 to Greece with another couple. Here is my initial thoughts on our itinerary.
Fly from Boston to Santorini (2 nights in Santorini)
Fly from Santorini to Athens, rent a car, drive to Nafplion (2 nights in Nafplion)
Use the rental car to check out Mycenae and maybe some other places in Peloponnese
Drive back to Athens via a visit to Corinth
Return car in Athens (4 nights in Athens)
One of the days in Athens we will take a day trip tour to Delphi
Fly from Santorini to Athens, rent a car, drive to Nafplion (2 nights in Nafplion)
Use the rental car to check out Mycenae and maybe some other places in Peloponnese
That doesn't leave much time to explore Nafplion; I would add a night. Other than that it's a good plan.
Hey MaryPat,
Yeah, I was wondering about that part. I originally had 3 nights in Nafplion and 3 in Athens, but since we don't really know much about Peloponnese, I thought that a day and a half would be enough. I don't count the arrival day since we'll have flown and driven in the morning. But then we have a full day, plus half the day for the drive back to Athens. Not enough to explore Nafplion and Mycanae with Corinth on the drive back? What else is there to do with that day and a half?
The top sights in the Peloponnese are Epidavros and the Mycenaen Gate that are in the opposite direction with Nafplio in the middle. It would be nice to spend one full day in Nafplio and the other visiting these two sights. Epidavros Theatre and the archaeological site in Mycenae is about an hour’s drive between the two.
YOu could start early for the Peloponnese, see Mycenae on the way to Nafplio, then at the end of your trip, instead of retracing your route (backtracking), you could drive across the "thumb" of the Pelops to Ancient Epidaurus (the theatre is the main thing, not the ruins or the so-so museum; you could appreciate in less than 2 hrs)... then drive up the coast road to Isthmus, wher you can see the Corinth Canal, then jump on the big intercity road back to the airport.
BTW< the day-tours to Delphi are awful; most of your time is spent on the road, they hustle u thru the site and the museum & rush you off for an unwanted lunch & souvenir shops (all for kickbacks to tour) ... if you really want to see delphi, you should drive halfway back to Athens, then turn NW on road thru Thebes, go up to delphi late in day. See museum before dinner, stay o'night, then enjoy the ruins in the morning, THEN return to ATH Airport.
You could start early for the Peloponnese, see Mycenae on the way to Nafplio
In Jul the Archeological Museum of Mycenae closes at 8p.
the day-tours to Delphi are awful
My sister and brother-in-law were disappointed with their tour in Delphi and it was not a day trip.
BEst way to appreciate Delphi( if you are not a Greek-geek like me, took many courses, have a shelf of books !) is to use a licensed guide to take u thru the site -- the best-known local one Georgia Hasioti is universally praised - https://sites.google.com/view/delphi-guide ... her fee is about €60 per hr 2 hr minimum...( this is standard) The museum itself can be self-guided, very good signage, so one could do this in evening and have guide from 8-10 AM before the bus mobs invade ... a guide can make the ruins come alive. Another option, which I haven't tried but which looks promising, is an audio-guide -- https://www.getyourguide.com/delphi-greece-l116/delphi-archaeological-site-museum-entry-ticket-with-audio-t427238/
Mrhand, I answered this before I saw your post about Santorini, and your wife's limited mobility with bad knees. (I can sympathize, since my left knee went bad, luckily my "titanium joint" has worked perfectly for 5 years, with no pain!). That information makes me think you should really research some sights --- Mycenae is on a high hill, and you must walk up steep inclilne to even enter the fortress, and there is MUCH walking on steep paths there. First time I was there, 20 yrs ago, Crowds poured out of busses, but I saw many left behind, sitting under trees with their canes... paid all that money for tours & were not mobile enough to see ruins.
There are options to consider -- en route to Nafplio, you might want to stop instead about 10-15 miles beyond Corinith Canal... RH side, exit to ANCIENT NEMEA (The "runner-up" to Olympia as Games Site). It has towering temple colums, a nice museum (all thanx to U of Cal Berkelely), and an amazing uncovered/discovered Stadium. You can drive right up to entry to both of these. Nafplio is very enjoyable even for the less mobile, because the Old Town main part is level, and if you can book right hotels, great views from balcoonies. Hotel Agamemmnono is BEST location - one of the few right on Seafront with seaview balconies (good luck & book NOW). It even has elevator! (unusual)... and is moderate price compared to others. A luxury hotel.,Ippoliti, has good location and a rarity in Nafplio, a pool! -- this may be important in July for your wife; for your other couple, there's good swimming nearby also). I suggest you spend at least 2 full days in Nafplio... much to see & do, restful evenings sitting in marblepaved mailn square under the trees, in moonlight. Instead of Mycenae, just outside Nafplio is ANother Iliad-era fortress, with NO bus crowds, TIRYNS. itl's not restored, no museum, but just one steep path to top which is all level. VERY impressive, can be enjoyed in 45 mins or so.
Hey Janet,
Thanks. She has had two knee replacements, and then last spring tore her patella tendon. She's out of the brace now and working back to full strength. I'm hoping by July she'll be all good and can take walking to these sites. I just wanted to see some options we could explore.
