| jeff |
Mar 24th, 2002 05:50 PM |
I would suggest you do an excursion from Athens down to the port town of Nauplia in the Peloponnese. You can do it by bus, train, or car. This short trip alone will expose you to several different eras of Greek history. <BR><BR>Along the way, stop first in Corinth. Go see the ancient (mostly Roman) ruins, but don't miss the ascent of AcroCorinth, the mountain in back of the ruins. There's a road that leads to within about a 45-minute climb to the summit. You should be able to hitch or find someone to give you a ride if you lack your own transportation. There's a massive medieval fortress around the summit, and from the peak itself, good views over the isthmus of Corinth and the northeastern Peloponnese.<BR><BR>Next stop: the Bronze Age Mycenean citadel of Mycenae, with its great "beehive" tombs. You can reach on foot from a train station a mile or two away down in the valley, or by bus to the small town of Mykenai.<BR><BR>Just before you get to Nauplia is Tiryns, another huge Mycenean citadel, believed to be the birthplace of Hercules. Amazing galleries through the walls made up of huge boulders.<BR><BR>Nauplia itself is a Venetian fortress-port, defended by three castles. The one on the heights of Palamidi overlooking the town offers extensive views. From Nauplia, you can also take the bus to Epidaurus with its theatre; there will also probably be hydrofoils to nearby islands like Spetsai. Three days would be good for this excursion.<BR><BR>Mykonos will be mobbed in the summertime. There are ruins at Delos nearby, but they wouldn't be worth hanging out in Mykonos for in mid-summer, to me. Crete has wonderful ruins. The Minoan palace at Knossos and the Museum in Heraklion are both fantastic, although Heraklion itself isn't the most charming city. There is another cluster of Minoan and Roman ruins on the south coast at Phaestos, Ayi Triadha (these two are within walking distance of one another), and Gortyn. There are beaches nearby that are popular amoung college-age travelers (Matala?).<BR><BR>The most charming city in Crete, though, from my perspective, is Chania. It's also the base for day-hikes through the Samara Gorge. Some of the beaches in Crete that are a little more remote from the major cities would be a bit less crowded, although nothing in Greece will be deserted in July. The beaches at Phalasarna, Elafonisi, and Moni Preveli, are potentially worth visits.<BR><BR>The island of Santorini is unforgettable, and its Minoan ruins at Akrotiri are some of the most intriguing in Greece. But just about everybody wants to go there, so I imagine it would be pretty crowded in July.
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