Nafplion – Stay in the Midst of Homer’s Greece

Mycenaean Greece was the stuff of myth. Great myth. Mycenae was the home of Agememnon, the ancient king who united and commanded the Greeks during the Trojan war.

The site of Mycenae is just a short car trip or bus ride north of the port of Nafplion. Mycenae is where you’ll walk through the famous Lion’s Gate, said to be the oldest known monumental sculpture in Europe. It’s darn impressive.

Yes, Greece isn’t all islands loaded with loaded students. Some pretty amazing history took place on the Peloponnese, which would be connected to the Greek mainland if it wasn’t for the impressive canal at Corinth. There’s a small car bridge there that dunks under the water when the big boats come through so close they seem to be scraping the sides of the canal. When it comes up to become a bridge again, people have told me it sometimes brings up a quantity of fish. After watching it all summer while working on an archaeological project nearby, I have come to the conclusion that there are no more fish, or that I’m quite the unlucky one who tries to fish using bridges.

In any case, there’s so much to see here that you’ll want a comfortable spot to come home to.

Ever been in a Greek house? How about a holiday cottage like the one over there to the left?

Look relaxing? You’ll need it after climbing the 899 steps to the top of the Palamidhi Fortress. Really, the view is worth it if you have the legs. And you’ll have the legs if you survive the 700 meter climb.

Then hire a boat and have a go around to the nearby islands. Hydra is my favorite, if only because there are no cars. It’s nice to be in a civilized place without all the chugging reminders of civilization sometimes.