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Kja - Like other Naxophiles, I'm pleased you were able to see so many of its highlights, driving on your own. Add-on comments:

• Re bus route - u & Heimdall correct ... I guess I was mainly remembering the long trek from St. George beach, not from bus circle for other beaches.

• About Ag. Drossiana churchyard - yes, Greek churchyards continue to be in use, due to a longstanding (and very devoutly handled) custom. The departed are buried without modern" preservatives, just in a simple shroud, and left undisturbed for at least 5 years - ample time for "dust to dust" to occur, leaving only skeletal remains & coverings. Then in a very moving ceremony, these remains are caringly removed with prayers & blessings, lovingly rewrapped, enclosed in a small metal box and carried down stairs to the "ossuary" where there are shelves for each family. If you have photos, look and you may find, to one side the inconspicuous entry & stone steps.

• Naxos' Archeological Museum has perhaps world's top collection of those mysterious amazing figurines; when a world-famous exhibit of prehistoric Cycladic art was mounted in NYC in 2002 or so, most of its most notable objects were from Naxos. NYC's Met today devotes a full room to just 6 such figurines -- Naxos has 6 CASES of them, from 3" to 3 feet tall.

• Your village encounter reminded me of a key Greece tip; anyplace where u need to find someone who speaks English, look for someone under 20! Greek kids now start English lesson in kindergarten, and unless shy like your little helper, they enjoy showing off what they know.

Well kja you have perfectly described what Naxos is like and why so many of us just keep returning. Even after 13 visits over the past 20 years we keep finding new things to see and do.
Still enjoying your report.

@ Heimdall: Thank you for the compliment! … I seriously envy those of you who have been able tp visit Delos multiple times, but mostly, I’m just incredibly grateful that I got there (at least) once.

@ travelerjan: Thank you for the information about Greek Orthodox burial customs – fascinating! I did see quite a few ossuaries, but had thought them part of a centuries-old past. … That collection of Cycladic figurines at the Archeological Museum in Naxos is truly outstanding. :-) It was an enormous privilege to see it. … I was very impressed with the command of English by the vast majority of people I met in Greece. But of course, I welcomed a non-English speaking local after a half hour of complete disorientation! ;-)

@ stanbr: Given your experience with Naxos, it’s very nice to hearthat I described it well. I always worry about misrepresenting places, because – of course – I can only describe them through my biased perceptions and limited experiences.


<b>Another note about Naxos:</b>

I forgot to mention that there is – or at least was – a group bus tour that one could take to see most of the places I visited on my day’s drive around Naxos, and maybe a few other places, too. It wasn’t available every day, though. I could have taken it the day before, but Delos was a priority, and I was loathe to delay my trip to Delos in case the weather prevented the boat tour from going the next day.

A short post today:
<b><u>Cape Sounion to (but not yet into) the Peloponnese</b></u>

Day 12, cont.

Picking up my rental car at the Athens airport was extremely easy -- the Hertz office there is commendably efficient.
• I was soon on the road, becoming acquainted with my new car and,
• finally becoming re-aquainted with my freshly-endowed-with-maps-of-Greece TomTom (which I had last used two years before).
• Night fell before I reached <b>Cape Sounion</b>, but it wasn't difficult driving -- at least
• Not until I caught my first glimpse of the lit Temple of Poseidon, and nearly drove off the road!

I quickly checked into a spacious room at the <b>Aegeon Beach Hotel</b> and
• Almost immediately left for the <b>Elias Fish Restaurant</b>, where
• I enjoyed a glorious view of the temple, a tasty portion of grilled octopus, and the gracious patience of my servers, who let me take my time even though I was the only person there.
• Back at my hotel, I enjoyed a last glass of wine on my balcony.
• I could see the temple and hear the rote of the surf and feel some freshening breezes and listen to the gentle sounds of the few boats in the harbor… one can do worse! (And trust me, I have done worse!) ;-)


<u>Day 13</u>

Awakening to the sight of the dawn lightening the very pretty harbor,
• I ate my breakfast outdoors, fighting a few very aggressive birds and
• Admiring a view of the temple and trees near it being seriously whipped around by the wind
• Until a few drops of rain began to fall.
• Making sure that I was prepared for chilly wind and rain, I checked out and drove to the

<b>Temple of Poseidon</b>. What a glorious temple! And what breathtakingly beautiful views!
• It did sprinkle a bit while I was there, and the winds were incredibly strong -- enough so that it was difficult to stand.
• Clouds scudded across the skies, creating wonderfully dramatic and ever-changing patterns of light (where the sun's rays shone through spaces between clouds) and dark (where the clouds' shadows fell) over the water and the islands and surrounding mountains and the temple itself….
• I'm sure that sunsets must be magnificent here, and I would have loved to see one if I could, but it was glorious during the day, too. :-)
• In truth, I feel very fortunate to have seen it and experienced in this particular weather: I found it a powerful reminder of the forces of nature with which Poseidon and the ancient (not to mention current) Greeks struggle.

Upon leaving Cape Sounion,
• I headed along the coastal road (ooh, such lovely glimpses of the sea!) and then through the nexus of expressways around Athens.
• Once on the expressways (what fortuitous timing!) it began to rain varying from the mild sprinkles to decided (but thankfully, not horrendous) storms.

l was fortunate to reach the <b>Corinthian Canal</b> during a break in the weather.
• At one level, I can understand that the canal is less than enthralling -- it is, after all, essentially a big ditch, the dimensions of which are hard to grasp unless there is a ship passing through, and there was no such ship when I visited. But
• I'm a bit of a sucker for feats of engineering, and IMO, this canal easily qualifies! I'm very glad I made it a point to stop there.


Next up: To, In, and Around Nafplio

travelerjan:

Thanks for the advice on where to stay in Naxos. I travel during shoulder seasons, April/May or Sept/Oct, pretty much like you. This trip would probably be mid to late September. As far as my interests, my boyfriend and I are nature lovers so we enjoy countryside and beach walks, along with visiting villages, a few museums of interest, churches, etc. What we don't do is lay on the beach or even go in the water, nor do we care about nightlife. Oh, and like most people, we appreciate good food particularly reasonably-priced, fresh seafood which is hard to come by here in the mid-Atlantic US.


I would probably spend a week on Naxos, there's so much to see, rent a car for a few days and take buses to see the villages. My concern is that because it's not high season, buses may not run all that often. And as far as where to stay, seems like Naxos town itself (excluding the Kastro, don't want to do all that climbing after walking all day, thanks for the tip!)is the best option since it should be quieter in September. Can you tell me about how long a walk it is from the town center to the bus station? I am lousy at gauging distance on a map. Thanks.

kja:

Wow, where to begin! I have been reading up on Naxos and the more I learn about and see of the place, the more I understand why there are so many Naxophiles on Fodor's. I can't believe how long it's taken me to discover it.

I am enjoying, and learning a lot from, your descriptions of things. Those varied landscapes you mentioned are a big draw for me, and what a lovely experience at the church. Very nice. I get the sense that Naxos is a place where a sizeable number of people actually live as opposed to it being geared mostly to tourists. You can see folks just going about their day and the towns look lived in with a few bits of debris here and there as you said. The postcard-prettiness of Santorini was really off-putting for me, but alas that's just the way it goes with uber popular tourist spots. May that never happen to Naxos!

The archaeological museum sounds like a gem, and a manageable size. Speaking for myself it's often the smaller museums I end up liking the most. You mentioned wanting to see an olive press. Was your intention to go to the Eggares Olive Press museum? Heard it's pretty fun, and informative.

And the Temple of Poseidon, a site I wanted to see while in Athens but just couldn't fit in. Sounds like a pretty powerful place and how brave of you to drive there or anywhere near Athens. I'd have to opt for a tour where someone else does the driving!

Tralfaz77, since you are travelling in September you will be there around the time grapes are harvested, so may even have a chance to see the process of pressing grapes to make wine. If too late for that, you may have a chance to see how the grape skins left from the vintage are distilled into the potent raki: http://www.greeka.com/cyclades/naxos...y-festival.htm

Naxos Town is very small, and I doubt it would take more than five minutes to walk from one end of the harbour to the other where the bus station is located. Even the walk from St George Beach to the bus station takes no more than 10-15 minutes. If you are staying in the harbour side of kastro hill you will be near just about everything.

Heimdall:

Wine, raki? That's all I need to hear. I would definitely go in September now. Thanks for this as well as the logistics info. Cheers!

I took a public bus from Athens to Cape Sounio, but it did take a while to get there. I had to be careful not to miss the last bus back, but it was worth it. No need for a tour, the bus ride was more interesting.

http://ktelattikis.gr/en/en_markopoulo_lavrio

thursdaysd, thanks, I prefer to set my own schedule and save myself the cost of a tour. I'm assuming it'a a pretty scenic drive, with a fair portion along the coast.

Tralfaz ... do not base location decision on desires for quietness .. Sept is not noisy period. And having stayed up in Kastro area, AND up in Grotta area, these (with climb/walk requirement) are the only town areas with any view. So I still firmly recommend staying in St. George by the beach... not for the swims or sunbathing, just so lovely to wake up, have balcony breakfast or patio breakfast w. sea view. Look, I'm no spring chicken, I like convenience, but since you have problem w judging map distances, look at Skymap http://www.skymap.gr/apps/site/viewm...pid=29&cid=305 Figure out how to zoom in/out (I use wheel on my mouse) and mov around on this fab 3-dimensional naxos town map -- and you will see that St. G. Beach is just an extension of the town -- in fact, it begins directly behind Town Hall!

BTW, if you found something in the town lanes near sea front, you might just happen to be near one of the 2-3 clubs that play music late. So you see.

OK, now about Seafood. Dining out is amazingly economical in Naxos, half that of the most popular Santorini spots. You can eat your fill of traditional Greek cookery for under €30 per couple including carafe of house wine... and that can include various recipes of seafood like grilled octopus, calamari, small fish like sardines and marides (the latter are tiny! yummy!), shrimp. What WILL cost a bunch -- and this is all over Greece AND other countries bordering the Med/Aegean -- are large fresh fish. They're priced (untrimmed/unfileted) by the Kilo (2.2 lbs), and Then prepared... thus a large broiled mullet w. sides could cost €40+. Delicious! but certainly sticker-shock.

The reasons?? Longstanding -- dating to WW II. 1945 found people all around the Med starving (Nazis took ALL of Greece's food supply... Greek starvation deaths the worst in occupied Europe!). Salvation lay in the sea... so for decades the Med/Aegean was so overfished, that the fish stock could not recover. Today the small-scale types are abundant, but the rest are scarce & costly. Any tuna-cod-sole etc are from Atlantic, flash-frozen. Do not be annoyed/frustrated; understand the history, and enjoy the VERY fresh varieties that are on offer.

kja -- Don't fret at missing Sounion sunsets; I was told on my first trip that early-morning light is just as delightful, with solitude to contemplate and that Alas! commercial allure of sunset visits has brought SO many tour busses that they cluster like Elephants around a water-hole, making it hard to get an unobstructed view, and certainly, no silence for serene contemplation.

Tralfaz77, it's beginning to look like we are hijacking kja's wonderful thread. How about starting your own thread with questions about <i>your</i> trip?

travelerjan:

That map is a huge help, thanks. Now I get it. Normally when I hear beach I don't imagine it to be THAT close to the town. Bear with me, just getting to know Naxos.

Food in Greece was a bargain when I visited many years ago, good to know it still is. Lucky for me I prefer the more inexpensive (and less healthy!) type seafood like cephalopods and shellfish. Interesting history on why fish prices are as such.

So glad thursdaysd told me you can reach Cape Sounion via public transit. For some reason I was under the impression a car or tour bus were my only options. After reading your post to kja I thought, oh dear god I don't want to contribute to the scenario you described. Reminds me of Oia, Santorini only without the busses. Sunrises were much more civilized.

@ Tralfaz:
... I’ve found the walking times on google maps to be surprisingly accurate, based on a normal pace of about 1 mile in 20 minutes (i.e., about 1 km in 15 minutes). Add time if you want to windowshop or stop for a lot of photo ops or whatever.

... Yes, the olive press I hoped to visit was the Eggares. It is only open during high season, so you’ll want to confirm whether you can visit it when you are there. It actually opened for the first day this year on the day I did my drive around the island – which I know, because the same people who own the Hotel Grotta own it, and I had mentioned my interest to them.

… I didn’t drive IN Athens at all – just on major highways around it.

… As for fish, not all fish in Greece is actually fresh, as travelerjan mentioned. In theory, there will be a letter “k” on the menu indicating that it was frozen at some time. I must admit that I had at least one occasion to seriously doubt that the fish had been properly labeled, and so opted against it.

… While I don’t mind the hijack, I would strongly encourage you to start your own thread when you are ready to do so. IME, context is critical when providing advice about a trip, so you should give people a chance to know what itinerary you are considering, in what time frame, with what goals, and with what constraints. And perhaps even more importantly, many Fodorits who are experts, or who have relevant experience, don’t read trip reports (and so will never see your comments here), but they are VERY responsive to requests for input on planning threads. You would do well to seek that input.

… As you research, be sure to consult some really good guidebooks (e.g., the Rough Guide and Michelin Green Guide) and take a look at rome2rio.com to figure out how to get from place to place. You will need to confirm anything you read there, as it is not sensitive to seasonal variation, but you can get a good sense of your options, with links to the companies that offer public transportation.


@ Heimdall:
... I bet the grape harvest season is a delight!

… and thanks for your compliment on this thread as you wisely recommended that Tralfaz start her own one.


@ thursdaysd: The scenery I saw on the road to Cape Sounion was impresive! I’m glad I saw it, even if I didn’t have the uninterrupted views that you would have had from the bus.


@ travelerjan:
... FWIW, there are rooms with balconies at the Hotel Grotta that offer sea views including the Portara. And that hill is, IME, nothing like the Kastro hill. JMO!

… Thanks for the reassurances about missing the sunset at Sounion. Really, it would be ridiculous to worry about that, when I had the privilege of seeing and experiencing so many glorious moments in Greece!

<b><u>To, In, and Around Nafplio</b></u>

Day 13, cont.

Leaving the Corinthian Canal, I soon saw a massive mesa rising steeply from the surrounding land and thought, surely THAT is not Acrocorinth, is it? Those can’t be castle walls on top, are they? But yes, and yes!
• From a nearly flat road, I turned onto the switchbacks scaling this dominating geological feature.
• Up and up and around and up and around and it began raining lightly again and gusts of winds kicked in…. An, uh, interesting drive!

When I finally reached the parking lot of <b>Acrocorinth</b>, I was very, very glad that I had my rain jacket and few items for warmth at hand.
• As soon as I protected myself from the elements as well as possible,
• I headed to the ticket gate, where I learned that, for some unstated reason (or at least a reason I didn't understand), the site would be closing early on this day:
• I had only 30 or 40 minutes to visit before closing.
• Fortunately, my primary goal had been to see the views.

I made my way up the treacherously steep and slippery cobbled lane to and through just one gate beyond the entrance (so through two gates in all), and was rewarded for the effort:
• OMG, what a view!
• Clearings among the clouds chased after rain clouds at Olympic speeds, coloring the fields and buildings and waterway well below my vantage point in glorious, saturated shades of blue and green and gold and rust and
• Imbuing the area with a powerfully dramatic effect and
• Again, reminding me that the ancients didn't live in everlastingly sun-drenched and breeze-less heat.
• I found it hard to pull myself away from theses breathtaking and rapidly shifting views, but
• I eventually began my slow, careful descent of that steep, cobbled lane.
• I felt enormous sympathy for the skimpily clad young woman wearing dainty sandals who was struggling with both the weather and the surface. Poor thing! I couldn't help but wonder what she thought of her male "friend's" unwillingness to assist her.
• Before I got in my car, I noticed a couple of very large birds who seemed to be suspended in the air just out of reach – they were flying straight into the wind, matching it’s force and so appearing to be stationary. Cool!

It wasn't far to <b>Mycenae</b> and
• my first exposure to the impressive stone work of this culture -- OMG, the Mycenaens were master builders!
• The weather remained much as at Acrocorinth -- awesomely dramatic skies, rain that ranged from drizzling to drenching, and winds that were sometimes strong enough to make it hard to keep one’s footing.
• I was impressed by the <b>Lion Gate</b>, not just for its execution, but also for its abstract features; and the palace – what a location! – and the grave circles, and “Lion Tomb” and the ceremonial walk….
• The Museum held quite a collection, and helped me see the differences between the Minoans, the Mycenaeans, and later ancient Greeks -- not that I can clearly articulate those differences, but I gained enough to provide some insights and serve as a bit of a compass for my further experiences.
• One warning, though: There are no WCs in the museum itself. Argh!
• I found the nearby <b>Treasury of Atreus</b> interesting, but more for how similar it seemed to the tombs of ancient Silla (in South Korea) than for its design <i>per se</i>. I guess there are a limited number of ways in which one can construct a burial chamber with stone and earth, and so independent derivation of such tombs isn't that surprising. (But both of them were notably different than the tomb at Locmariaquer in Brittany....) Or maybe I just failed to see the important ways in which Greek tholos tombs differ from Silla's tumuli! The Treasury of Atreus was much taller, so it probably required a different distribution of stress along its walls....

As the weather cleared, I headed to <b>Nafplio</b>,
• and a <s>few</s> LOT of frustrating moments as I tried -- and tried and <u>tried</u>! -- to find a place near my B&B where I could park long enough to leave my luggage. No luck!
• I eventually chose an illegal parking space (blocking access to a short alley), took my suitcase up some stairs and into the B&B, got directions to parking options, and
• Trotted back to the car, grateful that no one was there, waiting for me. Whew!
• Once I got my bearings (or, to put that a bit differently, after taking just about <u>every</u> wrong turn possible),
• I found a free parking space in a lot by the harbor -- and had the foresight to take several pictures of the area, which proved quite helpful the next day when I tried to figure out which of several adjacent parking lots held my car. ;-)

Finally ready to check in to the delightful <b>Pension Dafni<b>, Sonia welcomed me warmly with a glass of her homemade liqueur, made of ouzo and orange rind and spices and oh, I wish I had her recipe!
• I settled into my comfortable room, complete with a complimentary bottle of Nemean red wine (which I saved for another time), and freshened up before
• Heading to <b>Ta Fanaria</b> for dinner and
• My first taste of rabbit stifado -- OMG, that was good! :-)
• Returning to the hotel, I savored another small glass of Sonia's liqueur and
• spent a few moments on my room's small balcony, which offered views along a quiet street in this old section of town.


<u>Day 14</u>

After a generous and tasty breakfast, complete with Sonia's incredibly moist orange cake, I headed out to explore Nafplio.
• I began with the <b>Church if the Transfiguration</b>, a converted mosque, and then the
• <b>Church of St. Spiridon</b>, with some richly detailed frescoes in need of restoration, and the
• Turkish fountain across from it, and then the
• <b>Vouleftikon</b>, another one-time mosque, now a meeting hall, with another Turkish fountain outside, and then a
• Much appreciated orange juice at one of the tree-shaded tables of Nafplio's lovely marble-paved <b>Syntagma Square</b>.

Nafplio's <b>Archeological Museum</b> is housed in a wonderful Venetian palace and
• Holds fascinating prehistoric hearths, a wide and well-curated collection of Mycenaen artifacts, including figurines and a full set of bronze-age armor, and any number of other treasures.
• After a stop at one more church, the lavishly decorated <b>Church of the Panagia</b>,
• I managed to find my car and drove to...

<b>Tiryns</b>.
• I again admired the building skills of the Mycenaeans,
• Not to mention the views!
• Unfortunately, the signage was minimal, and there was little to see other than building foundations and some massively imposing and incredibly well-fitted walls, but
• I thought the palace courtyard quite lovely, and perhaps because I was becoming more familiar with Mycenaean culture, it seemed easier for me to picture what that courtyard must have been like than I experienced with many other ancient palaces. :-)

Next: <b>Epidaurus</b>.
• I welcomed a large beer at a shady table before exploring this extensive and fascinating site.
• For me, the highlights included the
• Healing hall, with its stone-work lattices for privacy; the
• Grandeur suggested by the remaining bits of the Propylon;
• The remants of the Tholos Temple, including those in its museum, and of course, the
• Stunning theater with its incomparable acoustics (and sweetly welcoming little cat).

Returning to Nafplio, I freshened up before heading out for a long sunset stroll around the outside of it's peninsula,
• starting at the <b>Arvantia Beach</b> and ending
• at the harbor and its views of the <b>Bourtzi Fortress</b>.
• It was a perfect evening for a long walk, and
• the skies offered an array of changing colors above distant mountains and reflected in the gently undulating sea.
• A number of people were out, and it was a pleasure to see the joggers and young lovers and elderly couples and families with strollers or children enjoying the promenade and its sights and the pleasant breezes of the early evening.
• Toward the end of my walk, the lights of the city and the Bourtzi Fortress and properties along the waterfront, near and far, began to come on, and
• their reflections glittered and swayed in the water … Nice!

For dinner, I went to <b>Alaloum</b>, where
• I enjoyed welcoming service; the food (I never expected to say these words, but OMG, those mashed potatoes were amazing!); and
• a trio of musicians playing mostly traditional Greek pieces.
• And then a slow walk back through charming Nafplio.


<u>Day 15</u>

After another satisfying breakfast, I
• I stopped briefly in the <b>Komboloi Museum</b>, which is really a shop selling every style and variety of worry beads imaginable.
• And then I thoroughly enjoyed a leisurely visit to Nafplio's fabulous <b>Peloponnesian Folklore Foundation Museum</b>, with its excellent display of folk costumes and other objects. Then a
• stroll through a lively <b>farmers' market</b>, something I always enjoy!

Next, I drove to <b>Nemea</b>, where I particularly enjoyed
• entering the stadium through the athletes' tunnel;
• the athletes' quarters,
• the Museum, with its starting blocks and illustrations of the ways the ancient Greeks tried to eliminate and identify false starts; and the
• Partially reconstructed <b>Temple of Nemean Zeus</b>, where one can roam in and around the temple (not just outside it) and admire the three columns that have withstood the ravages of time. Wonderful!

Eager to sample some <b>Nemean reds</b>, I drove along the labeled route of wineries.
• If any were open, I didn't find them. Maybe the wrong day of the week, or time of year, or time of day?
• I stopped at one taberna, in case it offered a tasting; no luck, nor could they tell me of any place where I could do that. Ah, well,
• sip & spit is not my favorite way to sample wines, and that's what I would have done.
• I just made it a point afterwards to sample Nemean reds any time I could! ;-)

Back to Nafplio and its <b>Palamidi Castle</b>, which I reached by car.
• Kudos to each and every person who has climbed those 999 stairs, or even some of them! Maybe in my younger, fitter days, but on this trip? No way!!!
• But I enjoyed my time in the ruins of the castle:
• I roamed the battlements and savored the stunning views.

I then welcomed a refreshing cold beer with a view of Nafplio's lovely harbor.
• I decided to forego visiting the Bourtzi, opting instead to take a long, leisurely stroll through various charming streets and plazas before
• returning to my B&B for a long shower and a few moments with a very pleasant Nemean red on my tiny balcony. :-)

For dinner, I went to <b>Mezedopoleio Noulis</b>, where I found the service brusque, but competent.


<u>Day 16</u>

With one last delicious breakfast, I left Nafplio and
• enjoyed some lovely scenery along the coast before
• stopping briefly in Lerna, for a visit to the interesting <b>House of Tiles</b>.


Next up: Mystras and a tiny bit of the Mani

Thank gosh you're safe. When I recommended Pension Dafni I didn't tell you the following. We were standing outside the hotel when the nozzle of a hose hit one son on the shoulder at very high speed. The nozzle had fallen off a hose being used by someone to water flowers up a few floors. A couple of inches over and sonny boy would have been hosed.

Isn't that a beautiful town?

Lerna ... Lerna. In 8 visits to Nafplio area, haven't made it to Lerna, which I've wanted to, ever since my 1st Greek Archeology course at Penn. Can u imagine -- it was built BEFORE the Minoans or Mycenaeans, before the bronze age, 3000+ BC. Amazing. Kudos to u, kja.

Kia, so enjoying your TR! Thank you, as always! Looking forward to seeing your photos!