On a bright April morning, fourteen intrepid travellers set out on an adventure to explore the historic ancient sites of the Peloponnese in Greece. After a relatively straightforward journey from Manchester to Athens via Easyjet, we were met by our larger-than-life Greek guide, Irini Nerantzi, or, “just call me Irene”. Having boarded our chariot, Demetrios, our extremely helpful and very professional driver, whisked us down the motorway to Napflio, our base for the next few days.
Our comfortable 4-star hotel was situated in the peaceful surrounds of lemon and orange groves, just a short drive from the centre of Napflio. We had several opportunities to explore and enjoy this lovely little coastal town. The old town is a maze of small streets, shops and squares, with the C17th Castle of Palamidi dominating the skyline. Dating from ancient times, the town has been inhabited in turn by Byzantines, Franks, Venetians, and Turks. In 1827 when Greece first gained independence from the Ottoman Empire, it became the country’s first capital, later being replaced by Athens.
With the promise of sunshine and blue skies, we enthusiastically set off for our first visit of the holiday which was to the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Mycenae. Dating back to the Second Millennium BC, Mycenae was one of the major centres of Greek civilization. At its peak in 1350 BC, the citadel and lower town had a population of 30,000 people. Arriving at the famous Lion Gate, we were awed by the enormous size of this military stronghold and city. Built on a hill, 900ft about sea level, the view from the summit overlooking the beautiful mountainous scenery was breath taking. Greek mythology tells us that this was once the home of King Agamemnon, one of the Greek heroes immortalised by Homer in The Iliad, the story of the Trojan War. Standing on this hillside surrounded by so much ancient history, you really did feel that you had stepped back in time and were part of those great myths and legends. Returning to earth with a bump, we drove back to Napflio and enjoyed some free time relaxing with a drink in one of the cafes in the main square and watching the world go by.
The following day we visited the smaller site of Tiryns, situated on the outskirts of Napflio. We then had the opportunity to see some of the wonderful artefacts found on both sites at the local museum. This included some of the treasures and a copy of the golden mask of Agamemnon which had been found at Mycenae. After lunch, we arrived at the stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site of Epidavros. This is the site of the Sanctuary of Asclepius, a healing sanctuary, and a beautiful ancient theatre which is still in use today. The theatre dates from the C4th BC and originally had 20,000 seats. It has a reputation for exceptional acoustics; the unamplified spoken work can be heard from the stage at any part of the tiered seating. This was ably demonstrated by one of our number, Anne, who nimbly climbed right to the top of the theatre and called down to us. Set in the most beautiful surroundings of forests and mountains, this truly was a most memorable place.
The next morning, we said goodbye to Napflio and set off for our next destination, Sparta. Heading further south, we had a stop in Argos considered to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. We had a chance to visit the imposing, though rather sadly neglected, theatre before enjoying some free time in the nearby small town. Continuing our journey, we reached the modern city of Sparta which would be our base for the next couple of nights. Modern Sparta sadly haslittle in the way of atmosphere and character and does not live up to the glory of its distant past. The remains of ancient Sparta survive on the outskirts of the town but are a poor reminder of its former splendour.
However, the next morning, just a short drive away, another amazing place was waiting to be explored. We were to visit the extremely beautiful and fascinating dead city of Mystras. Nothing could prepare you for the sight of this old city of ruined houses, palaces and churches clinging to the steep hillside. As we wound our way slowly uphill, we were delighted by the great variety and colour of the many different wild spring flowers. Situated on Mount Taygetus, Mystras served as the capital of the Byzantine region of Morea in the C14th and C15th. It was a very important cultural centre which attracted artists and architects. The city remained inhabited until the 1830s when it was finally abandoned. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its only inhabitants are a small group of nuns residing in the Pantanassa Monastery. Several of us managed the extra climb to see the little community who live in a sheltered courtyard ablaze with plants and flowers and skinny cats of all shapes and sizes dozing in the warm sunshine. From their small cell like rooms, the nuns have an uninterrupted view of the surrounding mountains and countryside. Wondering how they managed for food deliveries, we saw a monk slowly making his way up the steep footpaths leading a donkey laden with panniers of supplies. This was a sight that most of us will never forget.
Packed up and raring to go, the next day we moved on, ever further south, towards our destination, the coastal resort of Gythio. However, first there was another treat in store for us, the UNESCO listed archaeological site of ancient Messene. The city, founded in 369 BC by the Theban general Epaminondas, is very well preserved and illustrates many aspects of the ancient Greek way of life. These include the magnificent ruins of the ancient Stadio and the Odeon, along with the remains of several temples, residential buildings and the agora or marketplace. The setting of this ancient city was truly picturesque with the vast ruins occupying a huge bowl between the surrounding mountains. As we wandered around this peaceful, tranquil site enjoying the scent of the wildflowers, it was quite thought provoking to remember that this had once been a bustling, vibrant, and commercial city.
Ever onwards, our coach sped down towards the coast and the town of Kalamata, famed for its brand of olives. Thissmart, vibrant coastal town was a welcome stopover for a chance to stretch our legs and enjoy a drink in one of the many waterside cafes. A stroll along the promenade to view the sleek yachts in the harbour and a glass of ouzo whilst watching the world go by soon restored our spirits and energy for the last lap of our journey.
Our home for the last two nights was at the Aktaion Resort with accommodation provided in little bungalows dotted around the pool and grounds of the hotel. Apart from a rather noisy cockerel crowing in the dawn, we rose eagerly to enjoy our last full day of the holiday. We were not to be disappointed as at journey’s end we arrived at the picturesque city of Monemvasia. Situated on an island linked to the mainland by a short causeway, this fortified hillside town was once one of the most important commercial centres in the Eastern Mediterranean. Founded in the C6th, the city has in turn been inhabited by the Normans, Venetians, and Turks, all having left their own distinctive styles of architecture behind. Today, the centre is a mass of delightful, cobbled lanes and squares which wind their way past colourful houses, shops, cafes, and exquisitely decorated Byzantine churches. Those who made the climb up the steep path to the ruins of the medieval crusader castle were rewarded with spectacular views of the town below and surrounding seascape. What a high note on which to finish the holiday.
After a leisurely breakfast we set out on the homeward trek to Athens. We had an enjoyable, scenic journey with a brief stop to view the Corinth Canal. Once back in the capital, Irini treated us to a panoramic tour of some of the main attractions of the city, followed by a short walking tour of the Plaka, one of the oldest areas of Athens. We finished the day with supper at a local taverna before returning to the airport. What a shame that the only thing to mar what had been a fantastic trip was the late arrival of our plane back to Manchester. However, we took it all in our stride and eventually arrived tired but happy back home in the early hours of the morning.
