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Scenic routes

We going to Greece, rent a car. Any scenic routes on the way between Athens, Nafplio, Meteora? Thanks

Posted by
16895 posts

If you have a paper copy of the Michelin Greece driving map, they run a green line or even double green line along the edge of the most scenic routes. Some other brands might do the same.

Posted by
3399 posts

Short list of things to view enroute --
• SEA -Road goes along the seacoast a lot of the time before corinth, yo can see many freighters & vessels
• BRIDGE -When you near Corinth on the big intercity highway, when you see the sign "Isthmia," you can take that exit for a half-hour stop ... doing this enables you to cross the "old Bridge" where you can look down directly on the Corinth Canal (so deep! so Skinny!) and then hop right back on the Biggie Highway.
• SACRED GAMES SITE - About 15 miles along is where the turnoff SOUTH is signposted to head for Nafplio. But just before that, there's a brown sign (meaning Ancient Landmark) signalling turn-off to the NORTH for just about 5 miles -- to NEMEA. This is the "runner up" to Olympia as ancient Sacred Games Site. Practically unexcavated until 50 years ago, When UC Berkeley took it on -- and it's Glorious!!! Temple columns, little museum, ruins, wonderful Stadium!! The racer's running-blocks still in place over 2000 yrs later! takes only 45 minutes or so, but so rewarding... NO crowds.
• VINEYARDS -- Nemea is in the middle of Pelop's biggest vineyard area. In little ivllage of Nemea, there's a vineyard bottling plant right on the main street, with huge barrels of wine, tastings etc. Pick up some NEMEAN RED to enjoy on your Nafplio Balcony.
• VIEWS on ROAD -- When you turn south to Nafplio, its a small 2-lane road but almost no trafifc, thru citrus orchards, olive grove, rollling hills, high hills in distance with ruins atop. You'll go thru ARGOS (a city with untold treasure buried beneath its modern buildings!), and onward to Nafplio.
• FORTRESS -- You'll pass the signpost to turn off for Mycenae but save that for another day. Just before you reach Nafplio, you'll see a sign on your left for TIRYNS. This is a fort/castle same age as Mycenae, but not restored. It's just 5 mi outside Nafplio, never any crowds... not as showy, but its huge boulders are awe-inspiring.

.... On your drive BACK to Mainland, you can cut across the "thumb" of the peninsula, and see EPIDAURUS on the way, then take the coast road north to Corinth area. In fact, if you didn't have time for the Canal stop going out, you can do it inbound.

Posted by
1446 posts

Just a quick addition to Jans comments. On the way south to Nafplio you wail come to a T intersection to get to Argos you have to turn right. To get to Nafplio you turn left. Luckily that means you don't have to drive through Argos. I would not suggest you take a tour of Argos as part of your day getting to Nafplio. As Janet says most of its history is still under the town Traffic is heavy in Argos and with essentially a one way system you can easily spend 45 minutes just trying to get out of the traffic and back on the road to Nafplio.
Save Argos for a morning trip if you have exhausted all the really good sites nearby.