michael_cain_77398

Three weeks in Greece was exactly what I needed to break quarantine. It was magical. And it might take me three more weeks to finish this trip report! I have so much I want to share.

But first: This was my first overseas road trip with a car. I really underestimated my ability to drive long distances - I live on an island where a long drive is one hour. And I have zero experience driving on narrow mountain roads. And though the roads were fine, the other drivers were fine, and there was rarely traffic, I was stressed on driving days. There were two sections - into and out of the Pindus Mountains, and driving from Galaxidi to Delphi and back - that I might have had delayed panic attacks. I'm not an anxious person by nature ... this was a surprise for me.

I was supposed to have a friend join me, but he had an unexpected serious family emergency. The route I followed would have been easier with two people, and would be fine for those used to driving in mountains. It was an epic route, despite everything. I don't know what I'd cut.

The route, and brief notes:

- late night arrival, Thessaloniki. It was after midnight, and the streets were filled with music and people out walking.

• 4 nights Saloniki. Two full days would have been fine. I thought of doing a tour the third day, but the options were limited.
• 3 nights Monodendri. Visited Vergine en route. Did day hikes to the Vradeto Steps and the Vikos Gorge. Three days was perfect.
• 2 nights Kastraki (Meteora) . Two days was good, I could have done a third, and done some hiking.
• 2 nights Galaxidi. This was a very long driving day. Galaxidi was beautiful. Base for visiting Delphi.
• 1 night Olimpia. I'm glad I had an overnight.
• 1 night Messene. What a surprise. Easily one of my favorite classical Greek sites.
• 2 nights Mystras. I'm glad I had two nights, so that I could spend a good six hours exploring the city.
• X Monemvasia. Skipped to reduce the driving time. This was a hard choice to make.
• 1 night Mykines. Not my first choice, but it was the only town between Mystras and Nafplio with rooms! Turned out to be a pleasant stay.
• 4 nights Naflpio. It was good to rest a bit. Side trips to Tiryns, Epidaurus. Four days solo here was a bit much; it would have been nicer with a friend.
• 4 nights Athens. Did meet up with a friend in Athens. Three days was enough to see the major sites and museums at a leisurely pace. If we had more time we would have explored more neighborhoods outside of the center.

In general, my pace was to eat a leisurely breakfast, get any driving over as soon as I could, and explore sites in the late afternoon. Then I'd have a tsipouro and an appetizer to hold me over until dinner, and then a proper Greek meal at the proper Greek hour of nine or ten pm.

The small hotels I stayed at were always full, but I heard that the large hotels were empty. I saw very few coach tourists, and the sites were rarely crowded.

Morning in Mykines / Mycenae

michael_cain_77398

Preparations

I used three main resources for planning the trip: trip reports and discussions on this forum (I had actually planned a previous trip that never panned out), the Michelin guide, and reviews on booking.com

I used to like the reviews on google maps, but found them to be generally useless on this trip.


Language

I made a good faith effort to study Greek this past year. I didn't get as far as I had hoped, though I knew far more than other travelers I met. In some ways I aimed too high. I know when to use the aorist, I understand the medio-passive voice, I can conjugate the verbs in my books' exercises - but it was all intellectual knowledge. I struggled with basic conversations. It would probably take me another year to reach a basic conversational level. I'm generally good with languages, so this was humbling.

The best resources were Language Transfer Complete Greek (free, audio only, and I can't recommend it highly enough) and Pimsleur 1 and 2. Pimsleur doesn't teach much vocabulary, but it is excellent for developing a good accent. I also used Assimil Le Grec (French base), but this was a more advanced course. I would have done better to focus intensely on the basics.

The one thing I missed was having one of those old "Teach Yourself" type books. Those were great for having in country, as they allow you to refresh what you have studied, in a way that you can't do with audio or online courses.

Books

I had time to read a lot this past year, and I dove into

The A-List

• Indro Montanelli. Storia dei Greci (Italian). This was a fantastic overview of Greece, from the Bronze Age to the Classical Age. Montanelli wrote a famous history of Italy; I'm surprised his history of Greece isn't as well known.
• Mary Renault. The Last of the Wine. The Alexander Trilogy. I read these on the plane, and in-country. I loved them. Nicholas Gage. Eleni. An absolutely harrowing account of one village under communist occupation during the Civil War
• Euripides. The Bacchae. I read two translations, one by Emily Watson and one by Anne Carson. This play is twisted, and it gives you a good perspective on Dionysus and what the maenads really do up in the mountains.
• Audiobook: Homer. Iliad and Odyssey. Translated by Robert Fitzgerald. Narrated by Dan Stevens. Listening to the epics is infinitely more captivating than reading them - as Homer intended!
• Audiobook: Ovid. Metamorphosis. Translated by David Raeborn. Narrated by John Sackville, Maya Saroya, D Raeburn, Martin Jarvis.
• Podcast: Patrick Wyman, Tides of History. The series is on ancient history, and the most recent episodes were on the Aegean Bronze Age, Mycenaean Greece, and Minoan Crete. It was perfect timing for this trip!

The B-List

• Patrick Leigh Fermor. Roumeli. A mixed bag. Some chapters were interesting, some pedantic.
• Steven Runciman. Lost Capital of Byzantium. The first couple chapters were excellent, but then Runciman gets bogged down in the details of all the various medieval conflicts. He can introduce a dozen new people in a single paragraph. I had a similar experience when I tried to read his work on Byzantium.
• Peter Green. Alexander of Macedon. Starts strong, but I lost interest when it came time for the never-ending war. I switched to Mary Renault's novels.
• Vassilis Vassilikos, Z. An important work about right-wing terror in Thessaloniki, but the hagiographic portrayal of "Z" was a bit much.

Ugh

• Nikos Kazantzakis. Greek Passion. Zorba the Greek. I tried, I know he's an important author, but I just could not finish either. I overlook a lot of misogyny in older works, but Zorba was too much. He's the kind of person I avoid at all costs. I should have just watched the movie. The Greek Passion was actually interesting for the first half - four youth in a village are selected to reenact the Passion. When a group of refugees from Anatolia arrive, and are turned away by the village elders, the youth defy the elders and put their beliefs into practice. By the latter part of the novel, though, the four youths are holier than holy, and the village elders are simple hypocrites - all nuance was lost.

Moderator3

Moved to Europe board and tagged for Greece

michael_cain_77398

Thanks - I have no idea how the post jumped into a board I never visited. Can you add the "Trip Report" tag back too?

michael_cain_77398

Thessaloniki

Thursday: I flew from Marseille to Saloniki via Athens on Aegean. It was a pleasant flight, though it arrived after midnight. The outdoor cafes were all packed, and there was music everywhere. People of all ages were out walking along the promenade. I already like the energy of the city. I walked around for about an hour, then went to bed.


Saloniki promenade

Friday: I spent the morning visiting some of the churches, which were stunning. These along would make Thessaloniki worth visiting.

The city was destroyed in a fire early in the 20th Century, and the downtown was built with a French-style layout. It was very attractive, with wide sidewalks and lots of restaurants. It was pleasant to walk around. Outside of the center was a bit more chaotic, and with more traffic.

My first proper meal in Greece was meatballs, French fries, and red wine. Fries were ubiquitous in the north - they were the standard side for the majority of the meals I ate. The meals were always very filling; the only reason I didn't gain 20 pounds on this trip is that I was out walking all day long.

In the afternoon I visited the Byzantine Museum, which didn't excite me much. I am fascinated by Orthodox churches and monasteries, and have read a fair amount on Byzantine history. Somehow, though, the icons and artwork lose all their power for me when they're on a museum wall.

That evening I walked through the Ottoman-era Ana Poli neighborhood uphill to the Vlatadon Monastery. There were nice views, and I enjoy exploring new neighborhoods ... but it was hardly the "highlight" that my book promised!


Panagia Chalkeon

Saturday: I visited a few more churches, and the Archaeology Museum. It was another low-key, enjoyable day. I was very impressed with the museum. It was smaller than the national museum in Athens, but the layout and design and lighting of the museum in Thessaloniki were far superior - making it a more rewarding experience.

When I had originally planned this trip, years ago, I had envisioned enjoying the cities nightlife. This trip, and in the Covid-era, I wasn't really in the mood. After a late-night gyros and a promenade along the shore I was in bed by midnight.


Bronze medallion with Athena. 2nd c bc

Sunday: I had planned to do a day trip, but there weren't any leaving on a Sunday that interested me - it was mostly boat trips or whirlwind "see Meteora in a day" tours. I thought I could do laundry and get a hair cut (I've been on the road three weeks already), but these things don't happen on a Sunday in Saloniki. It seems like most people spend their Sundays hanging out in cafes. This would have been great if I were with a group of friends! It turned into a lazy day. I did visit the White Tower, which was interesting but not a "must see."


Saloniki nights, every night

Final thoughts: I'm really glad I started this trip in Thessaloniki. I think it would be an excellent place to spend a weekend with friends. As a solo traveler, two days would have been fine to explore at a leisurely pace. The small group tours to the region don't leave every day, so it would be wise to check what's available before you make plans.

I stayed at Ganimede Hotel, which had a nice location downtown and a substantial buffet for breakfast. The room was fine if spartan. I didn't have a street view, but given how late the crowds and music went on that turned out to be a good thing!

travelerjan

Michael, I loved your report ... succinct, informative, candid. U did a lot in the Peloponnese -- surprised u didn't stop by Nestor's Palace -- halfway between Olympia & Messine .. newly re-done for best experience AND site of a stunning discovery (warrior grave). Re Reading -- Totally agree w. you re Kazantzakis & misogyny, also I think over-rated as a whole; I think part of his celebrity IN Greece was as 1st major writer to write in Demotic Greek, not that artificial fake-antique Greek style dreamed up by Phillhellenes. However if u do go to Crete another time, try his Freedom or Death ... again some really awkward prose, far-fetched plot, plus misogyny, but a fascinating look at Cretan resistance toward end of 400 yrs of Turkish occupation/oppression. Especially Heraklion. I will never look at its main square in same way again after the chapter on the hanging tree. Re Mary Renault -- her other historical novels equally good. After reading the Alexander Trilogy, & a nonfic book she did about the route of Alexander, I audited a sr-level U of Penn course on Alexander, didnt have the text, but scored 100% on all tests anyway. The others to check out: The Praise SIngers - about the oral-poetry performers, Homeric era... Mask of Apollo.. protagonist is young theatre apprentice about 450 bc. As in Last of Wine, in the postlogue, she gives the historic research; fab. And of course, for Crete the must is The King must Die.

michael_cain_77398

I was hoping to! But the sites were closed on Tuesdays, which is when I was in the area. It is definitely on my radar for Peloponesse 2 - because I do hope to return!

If !!! Let's say "when." I'm already dreaming of a second trip to the Peloponesse; a trip centered on Rhodes and Santorini; and a trip centered on Crete. There's so much to see in this world.

michael_cain_77398

Monodendri, Zagochoria, Epirus

Monday: I picked up my rental from Centauro (pronounced Kentávro), and headed straight for the Royal Tombs at Aigia in Vergina. This was an easy drive.

Visiting the Royal Tombs were my main reason for starting the trip in northern Greece. Some quick history: It was assumed that the royal tombs had been looted in antiquity, but in recent times historians began to suspect that some tombs remained intact. And in 1977 archaeologists discovered the un-looted tomb of Phillip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great..

In 1997 a museum was opened underneath the Great Tumulus at Aigai containing the treasures from Phillip’s tomb. I loved this visit. It's really unlike any museum I've visited. The visit took longer than I expected, as only a few people were let into the tumulus at a time due to covid restrictions. It was worth the wait, as it meant there were fewer people inside at any given time.



Door to the tomb of Phillip II

I wasn't back on the road until 2 pm. I was getting tired of driving once I neared Ioannina, and pondered just stopping there. It was only 40 km to Monodendri, so I pressed on. But the last half of the climb into the Pindus Mountains scared the ---- out of me. The road was fine, just narrow and with drop offs. I did not like it, and was insanely relieved to finally arrive in the village. That night I kept having visions of cliffs and drop offs. I've never had a panic attack before, so I'm not sure if this was one or not ... but I was generally stressed about the drive back down, and could not stop thinking about it.

Ahh but Monodendri was beautiful.


Monodendri, first look


Monodendri, inside the village

Tuesday: My plan was to hike the Vradeto Steps to the Beloi viewpoint, as a warm-up to a longer hike in the Vikos Gorge. These stone stairs through the mountains were the only way in and out until the road was built in the 1970s. My book said the Vradeto Steps was a "five kilometer there-and-back" hike. I thought that was 5 km total, but it turned out to be 5 km each way. It starts with a 330 meter descent on a trail, crosses a bridge, and then there's a 350 ascent up the stairs. And then you do it in reverse.

Oops. I was not prepared for a 10km strenuous hike! It turns out this is a real hike, and not a warm-up walk like I thought. If I were prepared with enough food and water and a hat I would have done the whole thing. As it was, I walked to the bottom of the valley and only a third of the way up, then turned around. It was still a nice day.

I was also still stressing about the drive back down, so that night I arranged for the hotel owner's husband to drive my car down the hill when I left, and his wife would follow in hers. It was only a ten km stretch that scared me (and I feel lame even admitting this - I'm writing here for the other scaredy-cats!) - and after that I was sure I'd be fine. And once I made these arrangements all my stress just evaporated.


Stone bridge in Zagachoria


The Vradeto Steps - it's only 350 meters to the top!

Wednesday: The Vikos Gorge! This is often ranked as one of the top walks in the world, and it was stunning. The 11 km stretch from Monodendri to Vikos is listed as "moderate", but I would say it's difficult. There is a long descent, a lot of scrambling across boulders in the valley, it is never flat, and there's a switchback up the side of a cliff at the end. This time, though, I was prepared for a serious hike. I had my poles, I had extra water, and Mrs. Stathoula, the hotel owner, loaded me up with food. She was a real Greek mom! I had hard boiled eggs, meats and cheeses, spanakopita, and tiropita (cheese pie). I thought it was too much, but I ate it all.

If you are prepared for a serious hike, this was absolutely worth it.


Vikos - looking back from the finish.

Final thoughts: This is a hard one. I loved staying up in the mountains. Three nights was the perfect amount of time. I could have done a fourth, exploring the villages by car, but I hated driving here. If you're comfortable on mountain roads, or have someone else drive for you, this is absolutely worth the time to visit. I would have been less stressed staying in Ioannina and arranging a tour ... but I would have missed staying in the mountains, and Mrs. Stathoula's wonderful hospitality.

I stayed at Konstantinou & Elenis, a stone mansion that was very comfortable. Mrs. Stathoula (Eleni) cooked massive dinners each night, with greens and broad beans and potatoes and feta and giant Greek salads and pan fried meat (lamb chops one night, chicken the other). The breakfasts were equally great. It was luxurious, especially by my normal budget-hotel standards.

travelerjan

Just let us know when you start planning, and people like me will show up with links and books and maps etc etc .... Besides the Pelops, Crete & Rhodes were on my dream list not for years but for decades (! yes! I had to wait a long time for Greece... but then I plunged in ... 13 trips from '99 to '19) ... pre-reading makes a world of difference ... and staying in the right places, too. Here's a great online Crete map for pondering choices ... click and it gets huuuge & u navigate by side-slides --http://www.explorecrete.com/crete-maps/images/Crete-eot.png Among its advantages; it clearly shows Size of roads, from modern hiway to dirt-track. also shows terrain ... clear indications of difficult drives & shows how mountains lmit yr routes.

michael_cain_77398

Kastraki (Meteora)

Oh la la, what can I add that hasn't been said?

Thursday: Once I was out of the Pindus Mountains the driving was fine, and I arrived in Kastraki mid-afternoon. After a leisurely lunch and a touch of tsipouro I still have time to visit Varlaam and the smaller Saint Nicholas at a leisurely pace. I was enraptured by the landscape and the monasteries and the town of Kastraki itself - this is a "highlight" of Greece, and of the world, for a reason.

Check out the town:


Kastraki at sunset

And check out the view of just one of the monasteries:


Varlaam Monastery

Friday: I visited two more monasteries, Great Meteoron and Rousanou. I ran into a couple I had met in Monodendri, and I learned that my style of sleeping in, and having a lazy breakfast, has its rewards. Every guidebook says "get to the monasteries early to avoid the crowds." Well ... now everyone gets there early to avoid the crowds, making the earlier times in fact more crowded than any other. Even the tour busses now arrive as soon as the monasteries open! The couple said the monasteries were so crowded when they opened that it wasn't pleasant.

After a siesta, I walked along the road to Kalambaki, the bigger town a few kilometers away. It was mid-afternoon and off-season, so the town wasn't very interesting. Everything was closed up and there was no one on the streets. I don't know if this was because it was mid-afternoon, or off-season, or due to covid, or what. I was told that Kalamnaka comes alive in the evening.

Along the way I took a side trail to the hermitage, a collection of hermit caves that aren't on the tourist maps, and not open to visitors. I didn't see any hermits (I think that's the point), but it was fascinating to know they were there.


The Ermitage. There were individual hermit caves in the cliffs surrounding it.

That night I went to the same taverna that I had already had two lunches and a dinner at - and I learned an important lesson about dining out in Greece. The first night you are a stranger and are treated with formal politeness. The second meal the formality fades a bit. The third visit you become a regular ... the waiter brought out a double portion of tsipouro that his dad had made, I was told what the real specials were, the waiters became more tolerant of my attempts to order in Greek, there were friendly pats on the back every time they passed by ... it was a whole different experience. And I am a sucker for this. From here on out I would pick a taverna in town and stick to it.

Final thoughts: I would have not been satisfied with anything less than two days. If I had a third day I would have done some hiking.

I stayed at Kastelia, which was more of a rental than a hotel. I only met the owner once. The room was comfortable, there was a fridge and a mini kitchen to make coffee in the morning, and a shared courtyard where I could chat with other guests. Kalambaki town looked like it had more action, and more connections to public transport, but I'm glad I had a car and could stay in the quieter Kastraki.

Oddly, I was absolutely fine driving the twisting roads here. I was fine parallel parking my manual-transmission car on a slope by a cliff. I was fine weaving my way between large busses. I still don't know what triggers my driving-in-mountains anxiety and what doesn't ... because there will be many more driving adventures to come.

joannyc

Thanks! Looking forward to more!

yestravel

Enjoying your report. We will be in pretty much of the same places doing a reverse order though. Looking forward to hearing about more of yoru trip.

tripplanner001

Thank you very much for taking the time to write this report and share your photographs. Greece is high on my list. I hope to make it there over the next 18 months. Your experiences and insights will go a long way to helping me plan.

michael_cain_77398

Thanks for this link, I love maps! I can see spending a lot of time on them. And agree, pre-reading adds so much to travel.

I'm glad they help! I always devour the trip reports on Fodors; I get a far better sense of what I'd like to do when I read personal accounts - as opposed to guidebooks or professional travel blogs

michael_cain_77398

Galaxidi

Slight spoiler: These will be the last of the genuinely stressful drives I had; my routes in the Peloponnese were much easier.

Saturday: The drive out of Kastraki started off flat and straight foward, but eventually I came to my first mountain. I bet I'll see the sea on the other side of that mountain range, I thought. I went up and over ... and there was another mountain. OK one more mountain, I thought. Up and over and down. And then there was another mountain. And then another ... I really had no idea how genuinely rugged Greece was.

I don't recall how many mountains I crossed that day. Thankfully the roads were wider here, and there were plenty of places to pull over for faster cars, so there was no fear-factor for me. It was just exhausting. When I stopped for lunch I listened in on a group of Americans who were feeling nauseous from the drive. Probably if I were a passenger I'd be feeling the same; as a driver at least I don't get motion sickness.

I finally hit the coast, and I had 15 km left of windy roads. I think the drive took me about five hours, about 50% longer than what I google maps predicted. That seemed to be the norm for me, but at this point I was convinced that I was the slowest driver in the entire country.

But it was worth it; Galaxidi was absolutely charming. Here's the view from my balcony:


Galaxidi view

For lunch I ate at one of the cafes that lined the bay, and had my first rakomelo. This is raki mixed with honey and spices, and served warm. It would make a great cold-weather drink. It was also a bit much for one person, so I had a buzz when I walked back to my place. I stopped at the church, pictured, and was admiring the massive iconostasis when the deacon approached me and asked if I was interested in it. Of course I was! And I was very glad that I had a mask on & that the deacon couldn't smell the alcohol on my breath.

Well. This turned out to be an unexpected treat - the iconostasis (the wooden screen that separates the main church from the sanctuary) was carved out of walnut wood imported from Odessa. It is also one of the top three in the world, per the deacon, but as he also explained: it's not in the tourist books, so it is not famous. He pointed out a lot of the details in the carvings, most of which I would have missed. I only recognized one scene - the guy without a head is John the Baptist, right? - which pleased the deacon. Most of the other scenes were new to me, even though I was raised Catholic.

If you are passing by, and like great art, this church is absolutely worth a stop.

I could have probably spent this entire segment sitting on my balcony watching the colors change:

Sunset means it's only a few hours until dinner!

For dinner I ate at O Bebelis, which is in the center of town and away from the short tourist strip on the water. They specialize in home-cooked regional cuisine. The first night I tried Kelemia Gallaxidiotika: Galaxidi-style stuffed onions baked in a tomato broth. This is nothing I would have picked out on my own, but I was assured that it was a specialty of the house. And yeah, it was delicious. The dessert was complimentary, and one of the owner's own creations: the bottom layer was “something with grapes” (I didn’t fully understand, but it had the consistency of pudding), the middle layer crème brûlée, the top a thin layer of almond crisp.


Dessert at O Bebelis

One of the benefits of traveling solo is you can always get a table. The first night I ate there the hostess was apologetic - all she had was one small table, across the street, on a narrow sidewalk. I took it ... and this became "my table" while I was in Galaxidi. I think I bonded with the little guy. I liked it even more when I saw how many people were turned away because they didn't have reservations.


My cute little table

Sunday: This was going to be a big day - it was my visit to Delphi! It was also a somewhat bittersweet day, as this was the day my buddy was supposed to join me.

Delphi is "just up the hill" from Galaxidi ... which, in Greek, means "hairpin turns on narrow roads with sheer drop offs." There was only maybe 3 km of scary parts, but dang did those 3 km scare me. And this colored most of my visit, because I knew I had to go back down those roads later in the afternoon. My original plan had been to exhaust myself exploring every inch of Delphi. In the end, I probably say what a normal tourist on a coach tour sees. So it was a good visit, but I'm the kind of guy who always wants more than good.


Delphi

And the museum was world class.For some odd reason it was almost empty inside. Among the highlights were the near intact sculptures from the pediments of the temples, and all the statues that other cities had sent as offerings to the oracles. Apparently a certain Lord E. didn't get his hands on the treasures at Delphi.


Scene from the east pediment of the Temple of Zeus: a centaur behaving badly

So I survived the drive back down the cliff face, although at one point I downshifted to first gear and pondered what would happen if I just parked on a hairpin turn and started crying. I'm proud to report that I didn't cry once.

Dinner was back at O Bebelis, and this time I had pork stew with prunes ... again, something that I would never even think to order, but at this point I'd learned to just trust the chef when a dish is recommended to me.

Final thoughts: Sigh. Galaxidi was a delightful short stay. But also, my only real disappointment this trip was that I didn't get to linger at Delphi five or six hours and explore all the hidden corners. I'm going to have to go back one day ... by bus ... and spend the night. For those who like driving, Galaxidi would be a great base for a longer stay.

I had reservations at Ganimede Hotel, but because they had a wedding party occupying most of the rooms the owner moved me to her "Galaxidi Sea View" apartment. It was a beautiful apartment, and I still had breakfast at the hotel. Those breakfasts were wonderful and massive - and far too ample for me. I hate wasting food, but I just could not finish everything that was set before me.

michael_cain_77398

Olympia

Monday: My day started with a drive along 90 km of twisting coastal roads. It was exhausting, but after the bridge at Patras the driving actually became - much to my surprise - pleasant. Almost enjoyable. And for the first time this trip - which surprised me more - I passed other cars. I wasn't the slowest driver in Greece after all! The only real stress was wondering: what comes next? But it all stayed good.

After I checked in and ate I explored the site at a leisurely pace. I had originally planned on seeing the sites in the morning, and driving to my next destination in the afternoon. I realized that I was far more content to get the driving done first thing in the morning, and then explore a site at my leisure in the afternoon. Almost every major site was open until 8 pm in September, and the temperatures in the late afternoon were pleasant. And as a bonus - the few group tours were already long gone. There were very few people here in the late afternoon.

I rented a set of virtual reality goggles at "Olympia Back in Time," which I can highly recommend. It plays immersive animations at roughly a dozen sites in the archaeological park, which really helped you get a feel for what Olympia looked like in its prime. The only drawback was that sometimes I was more involved with the virtual Olympia than the ruins in front of me.

The museum was also fantastic.


Olympia today

Final thoughts:I'm glad I spent the night. I like being able to spend as much time as i want at a place, and then relax and have a meal and a drink after. I like that I don't feel any pressure to get to my car and drive to the night's destination. This would become my m.o for the rest of the trip.

yestravel

I agree - TRs really help me figure out where to go and what I want to see. Much better descriptions. Looking forward to the rest of yours.

"I rented a set of virtual reality goggles at "Olympia Back in Time,"
Do you recall what the rental price was for the VR googles? That sounds like an interesting thing to do.

michael_cain_77398

Messene

Tuesday: This was the first 100% pleasant day of driving I'd had. The car's navigation took me along a lot of country roads through rolling hills. I like this kind of driving. I arrived in Mavrommáti, the town overlooking the old city, had a leisurely lunch at the only taverna, and admired the view.


The view from the taverna at dusk

Towards late afternoon I set out to explore the city. I could see a couple large structures, but what I wasn't expecting was all the small details that survived.

As an urban planner I loved seeing a classical Greek city - unlike Athens or Corinth, or all the Greek cities in Italy and Turkey, Messene wasn't built over by the Romans or other cultures. I was expecting that I would see a lot of building foundations, a la Olympia, but there was far more to the city than I expected.

Since this is a lesser known site - though it should be world famous - I'm going to upload more photos than normal:


The agora


The stadium


Small theater for ritual performances in the Askeplion (the healing center)


Gate to the gymnasium, and a mausoleum


The city just kept going on - it was far bigger than I realized

And since this isn't in all the guidebooks, here's some history I put together, cobbled from different sources:.
Final thoughts: Messene was fantastic. I'm glad I took some Fodorites' advice and made it a major stop, and I am very glad I spent the night. It meant I could explore the ruins at my own leisure. I think it's close enough to the coast that you could do it as a comfortable day trip. The one taverna in town had good food and beautiful views over the valley.

I stayed at "Guesthouse Lykourgos," which might be the only choice in town. It was a perfectly comfortable room, but it was not a hotel. I never met the owner - she left the key in the door for me to let myself in. The only drawback was that there wasn't a store in town, and the only taverna didn't open until after 10 am. I wish I had brought coffee and food for the morning.

michael_cain_77398

It was 20 euro, which I thought was fair. The office is in town, not at the site itself. I didn't reserve ahead, but it might be a good idea during high season. Here's their website: https://www.olympiabackintime.com/

michael_cain_77398

Mystras

I knew I wanted to visit Mystras from the moment I first read that it was the last outpost of the Roman Empire. Let me explain ...Wednesday: The drive here was fine, and I even liked my taste of urban driving through Sparta - my phobias are purely related to heights. I'm fine with chaos. I still had enough time to explore Mystras the first day, but I knew that this was a place I wanted to take my time with. There's not much to do in town, so I had lunch, went to the next taverna, had a frappe, went to the next taverna, had a tsipoura and some fried cheese, made friends with a cat, took a nap, had a beer with the hotel owner, and then it was time for dinner.

My plan had been to explore the upper town one day, and the lower town the next - but the entry ticket is only good for one day. I decided to pack it all into one day.

Thursday: After breakfast I headed out by foot. The walk to the lower entry was easy, and I slowly worked my way to the top of the citadel. I had lunch, and then slowly worked my way down through the other side of the city. I had downloaded a trail map from "All Trails," which was far more useful than the other maps I had. There's a lot to see in Mystras, and the All-Trails map connects them all.

It only took me about five hours to visit the entire city, at a leisurely pace. I was able to explore every building that was open. My watch says I walked 9 km. It did involve a lot of climbing stairs, so it would be challenging for the mobility impaired. For me this was another excellent day.


Every turn had fantastic sights


Parts of Mystras were in ruins


And parts still living - here's the approach to an active monastery


There was no end to the great views


Approaching the citadel at the top

Final thoughts: For me, this was a mandatory stop in the Peloponnese. I'm glad I had a full day to explore. Most people were in and out in the time it took me to have lunch. I would not have been satisfied with only making this a stop en-route to somewhere else. I stayed at Mystras Castle Town, which was good value for the money.