Please comment on our Greece Itinerary
 

After three full days in Athens we will rent a car and leave in the morning as early as possible for Peloponnese. <BR>These are places we are planning to visit:<BR>Nafplio for 3 nights<BR>Monemvasia - 2 nights<BR>Mystra area - 2 nights<BR>Arcadia area - 3 nights (hiking)<BR>Ancient Olympia - 2 nights<BR>Delphi - 2 nights<BR>We chose these area because of our interests: ancient sites, walking/hiking, birding, wildflowers, undiscovered villages.<BR>Thank you for your comments and suggestions on how to get from Olympia to Delphi<BR>

Why not stay in Delphi just one night and Kalambaka one night? Then you can see Meteora as well. It's amazing.

I must agree with Grasshopper! With 2 full weeks available it would be a pitty to skip Meteora. IMO, though, to have a full day available in Meteora, 2 nights are called for in Kalambaka. Question is where should one steal 2 nites from.<BR><BR>I'd take one off Mystra. Unless you plan to drive back and forth to Nestor's Palace, I can't see much use for 2 nites there. You'll be disapointed with Sparta. Not much to enjoy. <BR><BR>I'd probably steal the 2nd night from Olympia. Are you going to have a fixed base in Arcadia? Where? Dimitsana/Langadia or further south (Andritsaina/Megalopolis/Vytina)? If you manage to visit Bassae either while in the area or enroute to Olympia, I don't think you'll need the 2 nites there, specially considering that the drive to Delphi would be approx. 3 hours.<BR><BR>I'd maintain the 2 nites in Delphi, once Osios Loukas and Arachova are also "musts".

I did the Athens-Delphi-Olympia-Nafplio-Athens loop by car 2yrs ago. You'll want to take the car ferry for the Olympia to Delphi leg. Look at a map ~10km NE of Patra you'll see where the Peloponnese and the mainland almost touch. The ferry runs between these 2 towns Rio and Andirrio. Very easy, if you see a car ferry that is it:) just back-on, tickets are purchased on the ferry. A small compass might come in handy if you get lost. The "Blue Guide Greece" covers these sites & museums nicely (check museum hours esp on Mondays). "...as early as possible..." Gina how early? Myself, I would rent the car the night before and leave ~6am. I left at ~6:30am and got stuck in traffic, due to an accident but still there was a AM rush hour *out* of the city at that time. 10 days later I crossed Athens ~noon on a weekday and was 2hrs in just the bumper to bumper traffic not including the heavy traffic getting into/out of the city. Regards, Walter

Forgot to add: Ancient sites, I wrote a trip report on the location of Socrates' Prison & Cell in the Athens' Agora. In the "Text Search" at the top of the page type-in socrates click-on "Greece" and "Find", it titled "Socrates and the Hemlock". If you're into history spend a night at the "Belle Helene Hotel" (1* shared bath) but *only* if you can book room #3. It's where the famous or infamous:) archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann stayed for 2yrs while uncovering Mycenae. The room has an antique iron bed and period furniture. The hotel has a history Viginia Woolf, W. Faulkner, Agatha Christie, Claude Debussey have all stayed there. On the downside so have Himmler, Goering and Goebbels:(. (Tel 76 225 Fax 76 179). Regards, Walter

Are you flying in from the States? If not, why do you need three full days in Athens? I would definitely delete a day and a half there and add it on to the Peloponnese. Just a thought. Have fun!

Your ideas sound wonderful, I have visited all the places you mention (except Monemvasia) and love them all.<BR>Only one word of caution, be really careful with your carhire. We hired with Avis, Athens airport and suffered brake failure in the middle of the Peloponnese. Check brakes carefully, demand a new car if they begin to sqeak, try to get a pretty new car and avoid fiat bravo (we found out some had been recalled for bad brakes). Our treatment form avis was very bad, I would suggest you avoid them, especially as I have heard several similar stories since. <BR>Back to the positive, Nafplio is really beautiful - great choice.<BR>Athens - three full days sounds good to me. It is nice at the beginning of a trip not to rush too much, more so after a long flight. <BR>Have a wonderful trip <BR>Carol