Peloponnese – Greecel.com S.A.

Tripoli

vagelis — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 14:39:32 +0000

The violent recent history of Arkadia’s capital, Tripoli (tree-po-lee), is in stark contrast with its peaceful rural surroundings. In 1821, during the War of Independence, the town was captured by Kolokotronis and its 10,000 Turkish inhabitants massacred. The Turks retook the town three years later, and burnt it to the ground before withdrawing in 1828. Tripoli itself is not a place where tourists tend to linger, but it’s a major transport hub for the Peloponnese and hard to avoid if you’re relying on public transport.

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Nafplio

vagelis — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 14:36:38 +0000

The secret is out about Nafplio, one of Greece’s prettiest and most romantic towns. It occupies a knockout location – on a small port beneath the towering bulk of the Palamidi fortress – and is graced with attractive narrow streets, elegant Venetian houses, neoclassical mansions with flower-bedecked balconies, and interesting museums. Overseas visitors have caught on to why weekending Athenians love this lively, upwardly mobile
place that is jammed with quayside cafés, posh boutiques and many comfortable hotels and guesthouses. The town, 12km southeast of Argos on
the Argolic Gulf, was the first capital of Greece after Independence and has been a major port since the Bronze Age. So strategic was its position that it had three fortresses – the massive principal fortress of Palamidi, the smaller Akronafplia and the diminutive Bourtzi on an islet west of the old town.
Removed from the spotlight as capital of Greece after Kapodistrias’ assassination (by the Maniot chieftains Konstantinos and Georgos Mavromihalis), the town of Nafplio is regaining attention as a trendy resort (it does get somewhat overcrowded in high season and holidays). With good bus connections and services, the town is an ideal base from which to explore many nearby ancient sites.

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Mycenae

vagelis — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 14:34:05 +0000

The modern village of Mycenae (mih-keenes), 12km north of Argos and just east of the main Argos–Corinth road, is geared towards the hordes of package tourists that visit Ancient Mycenae and has little to recommend it other than its proximity to the ancient site, 2km to the north. There is accommodation along its main road. There’s no bank, but the mobile post office at the ancient site has a currency service (summer only).

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Argos

vagelis — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 14:25:33 +0000

Argos is the oldest continuously inhabited town in Greece (stretching back an astonishing 6000 years). Today most vestiges of its past glory lie buried beneath the existing modern town. Argos is overshadowed by its nearest neighbour, Nafplio, which makes a much more appealing base to explore the region.
Argos itself is mainly used by visitors as a transport hub for buses. However, it’s an extremely pleasant, genuine and busy town; it’s worth stopping for a quick look at the town’s museum, as well as the ruins and fortress out of town. There are worse places to be stranded if you do end up here a night.

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Olympia

vagelis — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 14:09:03 +0000

With countless overpriced souvenir shops and eateries, the modern village of Olympia (o-lim-bee-ah) panders unashamedly to the hundreds of thousands of tourists who continually pour through here on their way to Ancient Olympia. Despite this, the town is far from kitsch. Beyond the well-kept leafy streets are several even leafier walks, including that along the Kladeos River. Only 500m south of town is Ancient Olympia, one of the most luxuriantly green, beautiful and historically important sites to be consumed. Try to head to the site as it opens and savour a few quiet minutes before the hordes arrive. Lone entry to the site’s stadium is guaranteed to give you goose bumps.

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Korinthos

vagelis — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 11:13:29 +0000

Modern Corinth (ko-rin-thoss), located 6km west of the Corinth Canal, is the administrative capital of Corinthia prefecture. The town was built here after the old town was destroyed by an earthquake in 1858. The new town was wrecked by another, equally violent and damaging, earthquake in 1928 and badly damaged again in 1981.
The rather dull, modern town is dominated by cold concrete edifices, built to withstand future earthquakes. But it has a pleasant harbour,
a thriving stretch of café-lined beachfront and helpful, friendly locals. Unless you’re stuck here for transport reasons, it’s not an especially compelling destination to hang around.

Orientation & Information
Corinth is laid out on a grid of wide streets stretching back from the waterfront. Social activity clusters in the café-lined pedestrian Pilarinou, and the nearby Kalamia Beach, 1km west of the port. At the time of research major works were disrupting the (formerly) social square by the harbour, Plateia El Venizelou. Administrative activity is around Plateia Kentriki, 200m inland on Ethnikis Andistasis.

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Peloponnese

vagelis — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 11:12:41 +0000

The Peloponnese (pel-o-pon-ih-sos) is the stuff that legends are made of. Numerous myths were born and borne out here – it is where many a Greek god or hero strutted their stuff (and aired their bodies). Today this region is far from a fable. It boasts historical sites, with classical temples, Mycenaean palaces, Byzantine cities, and Frankish and Venetian fortresses.
You can rub shoulders with the ghost of Agamemnon at Mycenae, mighty redoubt of a once great civilisation, or flex your muscles at ancient Olympia, spiritual home of the Olympics. You can cite Oedipus in the Theatre of Epidavros or be entranced by Mystras, where the Byzantine
civilisation died in the 14th century. Greece’s first capital, Nafplio, is today a cosmopolitan and romantic city; captivating, too, is the Venetian stronghold of Monemvasia.

The region’s natural playground truly mesmerises, with lofty, snowcapped mountains, lush gorges, valleys of citrus groves and vineyards, cypress trees, streams and sun-specked beaches. Spring is the perfect time for DIY explorations. Hike in the wildflower-covered mountains of Arkadia, or in the rugged Mani, which bristle with fortified tower houses. Summer is a beach bum’s delight: the beaches of Messinia are among Greece’s finest. Winter brings snow to the higher ground and a chance to launch yourself down Mt Helmos on skis.

For centuries Greeks have fought hard against invaders of their Peloponnese paradise, today foreigners are far from repelled (ask the permanent influx of Brits). Filoxenia (hospitality) is as strong here as anywhere in the country. The locals claim to have the best of everything
to give. And that’s no myth.

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Epidaurus

vagelis — Wed, 28 Dec 2016 14:15:40 +0000

In a canyon, in 340 BC, an Argos architect Polykleitos the Younger, built, according to Pausanias, the theatre of Epidaurus. Among all the ancient theatres, Epidaurus theatre is the most beautiful and best preserved. Destined for the fun of the patients of Asklipieio, it had a capacity of 13.000 spectators. It was divided into two parts: A 21-rows of seats part, aimed for the citizens and a 34-rows of seats part aimed for the priests and rulers. The superb acoustics as well as the very well preserved construction, contributed to the creation of Epidaurus Festival S.A., an institution that contributed to the cultural revival of the theatre. Great actors have acted at such as Alexis Minotis, Thanos Kotsopoulos, Anna Synodinou, Thanasis Vengos and the famous Greek soprano Maria Kallas.In a canyon, in 340 BC, an Argos architect Polykleitos the Younger, built, according to Pausanias, the theatre of Epidaurus. Among all the ancient theatres, Epidaurus theatre is the most beautiful and best preserved. Destined for the fun of the patients of Asklipieio, it had a capacity of 13.000 spectators. It was divided into two parts: A 21-rows of seats part, aimed for the citizens and a 34-rows of seats part aimed for the priests and rulers. The superb acoustics as well as the very well preserved construction, contributed to the creation of Epidaurus Festival S.A., an institution that contributed to the cultural revival of the theatre. Great actors have acted at such as Alexis Minotis, Thanos Kotsopoulos, Anna Synodinou, Thanasis Vengos and the famous Greek soprano Maria Kallas.

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