Tommmo

Picking up a little car at Athens airport and heading for Nafplion April 24 for 17 days.Hoping to find a route around Peloponnese that finds the best places and avoids backtracking. We are a bit old for strenuous hiking and enjoy great views, atmospheric sites and good tavernas and pensions . Perhaps we'll restrict ourselves to the best ruins so we don't suffer "ruin fatigue". Monemvassia seems important but then so is the "cog railway" from Kalyvrita, the Mani, beaches and some mountain villages and vineyards too....
Hope someone knows a comprehensive driving route that makes the most of our time and doesn't need more than about 4 hr. daily driving.....

TravelingSeeker

Have you considered to head for the north? To Thessaloniki, Kavala etc?

littlejane

The Peloponnese would be lovely, and 17 days perfect, it should be possible to do a circular drive without too much backtracking. Sorry I don't have a suggestion as to how to do that, we visited a different part each year for a few years, rather than going around in one visit. Click on my name for the report of the hotels and restaurants we stayed in last time we visited, which was to Monemvasia, Gythio and Finiknounda.

To ease your mind a bit on the ruin fatigue:

Monemvasia is not a ruin like all the others, it's just like exploring a medieval town, so I wouldn't say it would add to your ruin fatigue.

You can visit the castles above Nafplio and in Methoni without feeling like you are doing anything other than exploring the town.

The amphitheatre and ruins at Epidavros will be a must-see for most people, but that's the only site out of those listed so far that really feels like you are doing hard-core ruins !! Many of the other sites (Nemea, Corinth and tons of others) are along your way anyway, and you can decide as you go along what you feel like.

We never made it to ancient Olympia but I am sorry we missed that one, if you were doing a loop it might fit in nicely.

Have a great time

Jane

travelerjan

I didn't make it to Olympia until my 8th Greece trip (because don't drive, and it isn't a priority for travel pals, mostly newbies).. but I went solo that time, on a bus for 5.5 hours, quite an adventure! My point: Olympia most enjoyable late afternoon, early mornings (Luckily both ruins site &museum are now open 8-8)…because the bus tours are gone, and, outdoors, the light is best for photos. I arrived at dinnertime, and that evening many bus groups arrived to stay the night. My hotelier's tip for AM -- go to Museum FIRST, because big groups always go to ruins first, and Museum will be empty. He was SO right! I had it to myself, and it was very moving… especially the cases of votives… tiny horses, armor, helmets left as offerings. The site was fun but badly signed/explained; guidebook or online print-out is a big help.

Tommmo

Good tip about the Olympia museum thanks Jan. As we plan to go to the villages of Dimitsana and Stemnitsa it looks to be only a short side trip. We're using this interesting site in our planning...... http://www.routeyou.com/route/view/4...oliday-tour.en
Littlejane we love good ruins, just not in excess. The ruins in Turkey were so spectacular we are a bit spoiled now and more selective,but certainly still appreciative..
Decided to visit Meteora at the end of our 6 weeks trip (after Dodecanese) by train and stay 2 nights before flying home to Brisbane...
Just 12 days to go now.....excited!

cathies

We thought Olympia was wonderful and I would encourage you to include it. We also really liked the Lion Gate at my Mycenae, it was excellent. There is a small hill to make your way up through the gate but it's manageable.

HappyTrvlr

We enjoyed Oympia, Mycenae, Epidavros and Byzantine Mytras which we had almost to ourselves.

Tommmo

To get to Mystras from Monemvassia we could travel Gythio-Sparti-Mystras-Kalamata and down to Aeropoli OR Aeropoli -Kalamata-Mystras and return via Kalamata.
Seems to be high mountain passes twice this way, so I'm wondering which is better?
We would head for Methoni etc. afterwards...

Makeithappen

Tommmo thanks for the route map. That is very helpful and I would love to hear your comments when you return.

Tommmo

You're welcome. And yes we (well the wife) do trip reports on return.

Still hope to advance plan our route Monemvassia to Aeropoli that includes Mystra, the Mani, Kalamata etc. without backtracking .....?

HappyTrvlr

We went from Napflio to Sparta (for Mystras) down to Kalamata , north to Olympia, then north again to Delphi.
Yes, the roads were twisting and mountainous. Wonderful trip!

Tommmo

Thanks. We are booked in for Monemvassia though, and here's the problem - seems we have to backtrack some way, although going back to Skala then West would be ok.....
and we'd miss traversing the Langada pass on the other side of Mystras...

yiassas

I amswered your questions on TA & am copying the reply here for you & any others that might want to do a similiar itinerary:

After 6+ years living on the Peloponnese (& 7 yrs visiting twice a year before that) the route with only a little backtracking that I would take is Nafplio-Leonidio-Kosmas-Monemvasia. From there go to Mystras, a little backtrack down to Gythio, then all the way down the east coast of the Mani & up the west side to Kalamata. Then it's down the east side to Koroni, across to Methoni, north to Pylos & Gialova. Inland to Dimitsana area, then north to Olympia.
If you can highlight any places you particularly want to see in these areas (apart from the obvious!) then timings can be worked out too.

willperson

Do not miss the Many Peninsula. Spent a week there, close to Sparti and further south down to the tip and coast. What a great place to just drive around, stop for a coffee, choose a place to eat because it looks funky and locals are there, be sure to have seafood it is fabulous. I am jealous.

Tommmo

Thank you yiassas. For Messini would it be good to go inland from Gialova or go from Kalamata?