How would you spend 5 nights in Nafplio?
 

If you had a rental car, how will you spend 5 nights or 4 full days in the Peloponnese in the second week of October ? This is basically our situation. We will be driving in
from Athens and will stop in the Corinthian canal and Nemea enroute to Nafplio.

One option I'm considering is to extend our stay in Santorini from 3 nights/2 days to
4 nights/3days and shorten Napflio from 5 nights to 4 nights.

Your input is much appreciated. Thanks.

Your best option would be to leave Nafplio to the end of your trip so you are on the mainland before your flight back home.
It is a good plan to visit Nemia and Ancient Corinth on your way to Nafplio that turns your commute into a day trip. Nafplio itself takes at least two days to fully explore and there are really good day trips from there. If you really appreciate antiquities it is best to keep that extra day for the Peloponnese.
While Santorini is well worth 4 days many people are quite content with 3.
Nafplio and Peloponnese http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632094108982/

Also you can visit Epidavros on your way back to Athens, taking the old scenic route to Corinth.

Spetses Island would be an easy day trip if you drive to Kosta and take a boat.

From your base in beautiful Napflio you can easily visit the ancient Mycenae, Tiryns, Epidavros, Nemea and Corinth.. A little farther away, we found Byzantine Mystras (near Sparta) an interesting contrast, beautiful frescoes.

Thanks for all your input. Is It better to day trip to Hydra from Nafplio or from Athens? I think we.can day trip to Hydra from either place.

Hydra is off Ermioni a short way from Nafplio and a beautiful place I'm told. You can take a short boat trip across from there or Porto Heli nearby for a good day out....

I would say three nights is fine for Santorini - it is beautiful certainly but you can do everything in that time. Seems to be lots more to do in the Peloponnese.

We are arriving in the Peloponnese at the end of April and have about 2weeks. Plan to go straight to Nafpilo (with a stop at Corinth). Should we base ourselves there for up to 4 days and drive out or stay 2 nights there and 2 in Ermioni before heading west?

For our upcoming trip, I booked north & south. I always like to stay in at least 2 different ares to see more of the country. We have 3 nights in Chania & 3 nights in Zaros (with a car) & we will stop at Knossos on the way to Heraklion for our last night before a ferry to Santorini.

Ian

Ignore post above - wrong thread.

I think it would be pretty easy to take the ferry to Spetses and/or Hydra from the Pelop. I did it in reverse as most do but it is close to the mainland of Pelop. I would highly recommend a side trip to Monemvasia. I would even recommend it over Spetses. Can't say that about Hydra because the island captivated me and I want to go back to it.

Chania
i totally agree, even better i would recommend an overnight in Monemvasia, as the area has so much to see :)

Thanks chania and clausar. Ok we will look into spending a night in Monemvasia. According to viamichelin, it's a 4 hour drive from Nafplio. Should we go to Monemvasia first or Nafplio first - we will be driving into Peloponnese from Athens? If we go to Monemvasia first, then Nafplio, we will be closer (around 7 hours? ) to Meteora. Is there a better way to go to 1) Nafplio 2) Monemvasia 3) Hydra then
onwards to Meteora where we will have the least amount of driving? Our lower backs will thank us for that!

We have flexibility with Hydra because we can visit it by ferry from Athens. We will be in Athens for 4 days, which I think might be too long if it's just all Athens. We want to spend 1 of those 4 days on an excursion outside Athens.