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Olympia, Leaving Pylos
We left the charming town of Pylos with some sadness, though the overcast skies made it a little easier to say adio, or goodbye. The trip was less than 2 1/2 hours, but by the time we arrived in Olympia in the mid-afternoon, it was raining pretty steadily. We had a pleasant lunch at the nearby Taverna Orestis, and then a brief rest at our hotel, the very simple Leonidaion Guestouse, and by then, the rain was merely an occasional drop. As the day was getting later, we thought we might see the museum today and the site in the morning, when it was forecast to be warmer and dry. But when we got to the ticket office, we were told we couldn’t split the visit over 2 days and figured, what the heck, we’d visit the site today. And, focusing on the positive - there were no more tour buses as the rain had chased them away! To be honest, we found the site of Olympia a bit of a let down, not so much because of the weather, but it’s in such poor shape, with so many components to it, we just couldn’t quite wrap our brain around it. It’s difficult to even capture it photographically (you can appreciate how frustrating that is for me!). And we were tired. But we did manage to see the site and to do our best trying to imagine it as it must’ve been several thousand years ago. And of course, it was only when we were there and saw 2 people with these funny-looking cameras that I recalled hearing about the virtual reality experience. Since we hadn’t exactly planned to visit the site at that moment, we hadn’t done any pre-planning. It looked like it would be cool to experience VR as you went through the site as it really is hard to grasp. We were both very glad we’d seen Ancient Messene prior to this one since it helped us understand the layout of the site and the function of the buildings. There are some virtual reality videos on the internet that we saw but it would've been so much more fun to have it when we were actually on the site. Despite our mixed feelings, we’re still glad we saw the site as it’s such an important one in both Greek history and the modern history of the Olympics. The museum and more After touring the site, we went into the Archeological museum (there are 3 museums but we could only manage the one). The Archeological Museum of Olympia isn’t large but it does have some choice objects from the Sanctuary of Zeus and the birthplace of the Olympics. This is a wonderful museum, though we were quite tired by the time we were there, so didn’t do it full justice, but the visit really helped make the site come alive. Walking back to our hotel, we were stopped by a woman who ran a jewelry shop who regaled us with the story of how her brother carried the Olympic torch for a few games. Of course she wanted to make a sale, but it was a genuinely enjoyable interaction and not a hard sell. She brought out the actual Olympic torch and posed with my husband! |
Archeological Museum of Olympia
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Leaving Olympia, arriving Nafpaktos
The drive from Olympia to Nafpaktos was easy - straightforward, and a little over 2 hours. We stopped in Nafpaktos to keep drives between locations under 3 hours and this is a pretty town with an interesting castle overlooking the Gulf of Corinth. It’s got a wonderful old port and Venetian castle. The town was once known as Lepanto under Venetian rule and was the site of the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, when the Holy League, a coalition of Catholic states, defeated the Ottomans. Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote, fought with Spain and there’s even a statue of him in the port commemorating his participation. The coolest thing was driving on the Rio-Antirrio Bridge, the world’s longest multi-span cable-stayed bridge (whatever that is!) and connects the Pelopponese with mainland Greece. Nafpaktos is a small but vibrant town that sits on a bay on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth. The main attractions are the port and the Venetian castle and the Venetian port. We’ve been amazed by how many Venetian fortifications there are all along the coast here. They really were everywhere! The city was once known as Lepanto, and for the Battle of Lepanto, a major naval battle that was the last one fought between rowing vessels. We stayed at the Amaryllis Hotel, right in the heart of town, with a lovely terrace overlooking the old port. It's a charming place though it seems very quiet - it's clear that this is early in the season in this town. We had one full day in Nafpaktos, and Niovi, the receptionist at our hotel (really, the concierge, manager and everything else!), recommended that we stop at the Botsaris Tower, a Venetian-style tower that functions as a museum with a permanent display of the Battle of Lepanto. As we were walking, we found the tower and decided to stop in. We had to ring the bell for entry, and we were the only ones in the museum, a wonderful experience to be inside this old structure. The exhibit was interesting, even though the paintings displayed were all copies! The museum overseer/security (he was the only one there) let us in and, when we were done, handed us a copy of a book on the battle of Lepanto, written by the last owner of the Botsaris Tower. But the main plan for the full day was to walk up to the castle. It’s a steep hike, and there are several levels of walls. It was a decidedly overcast day with strong winds, and the sun never did break through the clouds. As we began our hike uphill, the wind picked up and it began to rain lightly. So we continued our walk up to the castle. A twist here, a turn there, and the views were impressive, although with grey skies, not as sexy as the blue skies we had seen in the recent past! Still, we enjoyed the sight of the bay and the port gates below us. But the winds were picking up and, at one point, I thought I’d go flying over the edge! By the time we got 3/4 of the way up, we decided that fighting the wind was a bit more work than we wanted to do. There was a small cafe along the route and we stopped for a short while to refresh before heading back down the hill. |
Arriving in Nafpaktos
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e0e41c2a7d.jpg Rio-Antirrio Bridge crossing the Gulf of Corinth https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b60d1bf898.jpg Rio-Antirrio Bridge https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...15846f30ba.jpg The view from our balcony at the Amaryllis Hotel https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a60584e99b.jpg The view from our balcony https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d8e2a9f503.jpg The view from our balcony https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c9022fc8d5.jpg Checking out the port & fort https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...47bf192586.jpg Checking out the port & fort https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2907efd333.jpg Checking out the port & fort https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...28ba737619.jpg Checking out the port & fort https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1265fcbe3b.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9d80f1502d.jpg The view from our balcony |
I love your photos of the Pylos Castle, and you are right, the views are gorgeous. I can tell that Pylos and the nearby region with its beautiful coastal scenery, castles, and ancient ruins are my cup of tea. I don't know if we will return to Greece, but if we do, this area will be on my list.
You did a great job capturing the ruins of Olympia. I really like places that haven't been restored or reconstructed. I like to see these historic places in their natural state. Of course, one wouldn't want Olympia to completely fall apart. I hope the Greek government wouldn't allow that to happen. And the town of Nafpaktos is so pretty! What a great place to spend a night or two. And how wonderful that it was so quiet when you were there. The bridge is amazing and is such an interesting contrast to all the ancient ruins and castles you have seen on this trip. |
Great report progol! Can't believe I missed it when you started posting. Just noe all caught up. How was being in Greece over Easter? I know you mentioned the celebrations but did you feel it hampered your trip (things being closed, restaurants not open) or would you visit during that time again? We're thinking about Greece for next year during Easter.
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We'll stay at the same Amaryllis Hotel in Nafpaktos, but we'll only have about 1/2 day there. Castle or port? Do we have time for both?
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KarenWoo, thank you so much for your sweet words, once again! It really helps to inspire me to keep going! 😉
We were very glad to see Olympia but, of all the places we saw, it was rhe one hardest to “feel” a sense of the place. I do think having the virtual reality viewer while looking at the site would be fun. Nafpaktos is very sweet - at least when we were there, it felt very untouristy, though later in the season, I think it would be a bit more vibrant. It was pretty quiet but a relaxed place to be. The drive over the bridge was also great. valgachi, thank you! And we loved being in Nafplio over Easter. When I realized that was when we’d be there, I extended our stay from 4 nights to 6, and I’m so glad I did that, partly because of the site closures but also, as it turned out, we really enjoyed being in Nafplio. Easter in Nafplio was also so special. We didn’t even stay up late to watch all the processions or the fireworks, but the ambience was wonderful. And having lamb at one of the restaurants in town was so much fun. It was definitely a wonderful experience. xyz99, my inclination is to go to the castle, as the harbor (not really a port) and fort are attractive to see but there’s not a lot to actually do or see there. I believe there is a road up to the castle, though since we started to walk up and didn’t finish it, I can’t say what it’s actually like. But I’m a big castle fan and would go to the top of the castle if possible. |
And I'm back!
Dinner at Kouzina Maria Loi The wind was whipping up and the clouds were rolling in by the evening, so any thought to eating at the rooftop restaurant of our hotel quickly evaporated. Niovi, our lovely receptionist, recommended Kouzina Maria Loi, which was perfect as we had watched her cooking show on TV this past year so this appealed to us. Dinner was enjoyable, maybe a 4 out of 5 - shank of lamb (what else?!) and a pasta dish that was delicious. All in all, a good experience. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dab1cf9fe1.jpg Delicious and very, very rich! https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...85753a17a9.jpg This was good though didn't quite match our expectations. |
The Tower of Botsaris, a small and quirky museum
From Greeka dot com: "this museum belongs to the Foundation of Dimitris and Egli Botsari. The tower was built in the 15th century and its architecture is impressive. It was first used as a residence of the Turkish governors but in 1829, after the liberation, it was bought by Notis Botsaris, a politician whose statue lies outside the tower. Today the tower works as a museum and hosts items from the Greek War of Independence, the Battle of Lepanto in 1571 and some rare pieces from abroad." The day was on and off drizzly. Our main plan was to walk up to the castle so stopped off at this small museum. It was one of those small museums that was a delightful experience, even though there really isn't anything that stands out about the place. I wouldn't go out of my way for it, but it was a fun stop. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b83ae0d6b4.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...83b4d721e6.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...78d5d40991.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2bb09ac5e8.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f804aa28a0.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...36d7f0d1b4.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...042cf3a050.jpg dueling camera phones! https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6589436b7f.jpg dueling camera phones! |
The (almost) walk to the Nafpaktos Castle, yet another Venetian castle
This one was the castle that defeated us. We got maybe halfway up, and the views were great, but the wind just got to us. We discovered a small cafe along the way and this seemed to be the answer! https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4757bd3905.jpg Made it up those stairs - not too bad so far https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9560cadcba.jpg Love those tiles!! https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1056f8c7de.jpg A nice view along the way https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...49d394d06b.jpg We are on the right path and we see some ramparts https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2aa9ae7576.jpg Another nice view, through the lower ramparts. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...543924fc5b.jpg And a good view over the rooftops https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2751cf31f2.jpg Yes, we're on the right path...how much longer? https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...97d664f347.jpg Yes, the uphill is getting to be a slog https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...03a609e90c.jpg The castle is still too far away!! https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...187863d3c5.jpg This is pretty! https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8c66306c9b.jpg And it's back DOWN for us now!! |
And, finally, toward Delphi!
Nafpaktos was a perfect stop between Olympia and Delphi. Since the goal was to keep drives to 3 hours or less between destinations, it worked out well for us. I'd considered staying in Galaxidi, either instead of Delphi or as a break on the way, but the drive from Olympia was a bit longer than we wanted. But I wanted to see Galaxidi so we made a brief (too brief!) stop on our way to Delphi. We didn't do the town justice and I would've loved to stay here for at least a couple of nights to enjoy it more. Galaxidi is spread out around the bay and we just managed to stop along one stretch of the waterfront where we had coffee. But we were itching to get into Delphi. And for those who consider using Galaxidi as a base, know that although its a short drive between the towns, it's also a very, very steep uphill with many (many!) hairpin turns! I'm SO glad we didn't stay here and decided to stay in the town of Delphi. I know others recommend staying many elsewhere, but we generally prefer staying in the town of the site we're visiting whenever possible. I had also considered Arachova, but having gone back and forth on this issue, we were glad to stay in Delphi. We did not visit Arachova so can't address what that was like, but we were both glad not to base in Galaxidi for Delphi. The drive would've been too much. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...af694734a7.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...81590d6153.jpg I'm looking at you! |
Progol, so happy to come across your trip report. I always enjoy your photos and report. I have probably asked you another time, but what camera do you use? Your pictures are wonderful. You’re very talented and have such a good eye. I have just returned from a 16 day trip to Turkey and hope to post my report and pictures soon.
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Debbielynn, Thank you for such sweet words! I know I keep planning to finish this trip report but I'm now getting ready for our next big trip to Taiwan and Japan. I do hope to finish this sooner or later!!
I use an iPhone -- I'm still using the now slightly older iPhone 11 pro, but it was one with really good resolution, at least in daylight. But I was a professional photographer so I'm sure that influences what I take and what I show. As an old-timer said to me many (many!) years ago, "Only show the good ones!" And the corollary to that is - take lots of photos to choose from!! |
Delphi, the Navel of the Earth
After a nerve-racking ride up the mountain, arriving in the modern town of Delphi didn’t seem so bad! Maybe because it was early in the season, we didn’t see a huge number of tour buses in town and we easily found our hotel, Nidimos Hotel, a well-run hotel in a great location in Delphi. We had spacious room with a huge terrace and a swing chair overlooking the sea and I was happy as could be. We really liked the hotel — the staff was friendly and helpful, the room was comfortable and the view from the balcony was terrific. And the buffet breakfast was good and satisfying. I highly recommend this place if you stay in Delphi. We arrived in mid-afternoon and planned to visit the site and museum the next day, but we took a walk down to the site just to get a feel for it. Happily, we were able to walk it without difficulty - maybe 20-30 minutes at an easy pace. Dinner was at To Patriko Mas, just across the road from our hotel. Since I no longer take notes, I’ve forgotten what we’ve eaten, but it was very good whatever it was, enough for us to come back the next night, though that was as much for convenience to the hotel as anything else! But service was good, food was good and all in all, it’s a good place for dinner! The visit to Delphi I’d visited Delphi many (many!) decades ago and had always wanted to return with M, my husband. However, by the time we got to Delphi, there was a thick haze that settled over the area and dulled the glorious views. It made it easier to walk uphill without the bright sun…but I must admit, I missed my blue skies of yesteryear! Still, the siting is magnificent! One can imagine the ancients coming up here to the Sanctuary of Apollo to consult the oracle, set within the center of the Temple of Apollo. Delphi was once considered to be the center of the world, represented by the omphalos, or navel of the world. There is a copy of the omphalos at the ancient site, but there is also one at the museum at Delphi with a carved net covering which may be original. One disappointment at the site - the stairs going above the theater and to the arena were closed off for some work (I know they're generally open, though) and we couldn’t experience that classic view overlooking the theater looking down into the valley. The theater is where the very expansive shot of the site is usually taken. We then walked over to the beautiful - and most frequently photographed - Tholos of Delphi at the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia. There were once multiple temples here though the tholos is the only one to be partially reconstructed. Lastly, the Delphi Archeological Museum. This museum is absolutely worth a stop. It’s one of the principal museums of Greece and the artifacts are impressive and, happily, the museum is not so large that it’s exhausting. There are some remarkable objects and I’ll post them separately. |
Hope you have a wonderful trip and hopefully post another trip report for that one. I should have known you were a photographer! My brother is also and he always gets the best pictures!!! I really try my best. I only post the good ones too!!
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Progol, Delphi and the adjoining museum were the highlights of our Greece trip in May 2022, every one of the seven in our group agreed! The museum was particularly interesting and impressive, we also had an excellent guide who brought it all alive for us.
This was my first visit to Delphi, despite several trips to Greece over the last several decades, the first with my parents as a six year old! |
We also stayed at the Nidimos Hotel and ate at To Patriko Mas, right across the street. The breakfast room at the hotel is stunning. The restaurant was just about the only hopping place to eat in Delphi. I took that as a sign we chose well. And we very much enjoyed the food and the dramatic views. There is an enormous, spreading tree that covers just about the entire patio. An impressive sight.
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Progol, Ive been some time away from Fodors but reconnected again this morning. Thank you very much for this superb trip report. It reminded me of previous visits to Greece, a country I have enjoyed very much in the past.
Bill |
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