Wildflowers and a Mighty Wind:
Nine days in the Peloponnese and Athens.
Nine days in the Peloponnese and Athens.
Hotel reviews, driving, and other logistics
Hotels
Nafplio: Pension Amfitriti occupies two separate buildings near St.
Spiridon church in the old part of town. We were in the “older” building
(opened several years ago), in the first-floor Nereids room. The room was
perhaps a bit small for the three of us (it had a double sleeper sofa that
took most extra floor space when in use), but otherwise was comfortable,
creatively decorated and nicely equipped—for example, the very modern
shower with about a dozen jets and sprays. The proprietor, Evagelia, and
her sister are helpful and welcoming. We particularly liked the location and
the breakfast—a spread of baked goods, cheeses, meats, fruit and fresh-
squeezed OJ that could keep anyone going for hours. Breakfast is served
in the “new” building (opened last September), and in good weather on
one of several outdoor terraces. 120€ per night for a triple with breakfast
included.
Areopolis: Our base for exploring the "Inner" Mani (the peninsula below
Areopolis) was Limeni Village, a cluster of accommodations built to look
like traditional Mani towers on a cliff outside Areopolis. This is not a luxury
accommodation, but it is comfortable and convenient for the area. Our
room offered plenty of space to spread out, a good-sized mini fridge and
what appeared to be a just-remodeled bath (complete with another multi-
jet shower). The best part was the patio with table and chairs for admiring
the view, when the wind wasn't threatening to blow us over the edge. The
main building includes several levels, with a bar and large sitting area and
a restaurant (closed for the winter). The first night seemed fairly busy—it
was Greek Independence Day. The second night…well, we may have been
the only people staying there. The staff was helpful and accommodating,
and it turns out that our various drinks in the bar were complimentary. 105€
per night for a triple including a very substantial breakfast buffet
Monemvasia: We spent one evening at the Malvasia Hotel. One of a few
hotels in the Kastro, it features modern rooms—ours was on two levels—
with Turkish-inspired interiors (e.g., floor pillows and rugs) and stone
floors. Built right into the side of the mountain, some of the existing rock
figures into the room design. Our small patio had views of the ocean and
the Kastro's east wall. The hotel also has some nice public spaces,
including a breakfast room and an indoor/outdoor bar. It was incredibly
relaxing. One note: it is the last building at the far end of the main street—a
fair distance with luggage. Needless to say, rolling luggage doesn't, uh,
“roll” particularly well on old cobblestone streets. We were happy we only
had 22” bags. 110€ for a triple, including a nice breakfast of breads,
meats, cheeses, yogurt, fruit, and fresh-squeezed OJ.
Athens: We stayed right in the middle of it, at the Electra Palace in the heart
of the Plaka—we loved the location. The Electra Palace is pretty much what
you’d expect in an upper-scale business hotel, with very helpful service.
There’s a nice pool on the roof, but it obviously was not pool weather; we're
not even sure whether it was open. There’s also apparently a full spa in the
basement. We had a standard room, the only type other than a suite that
would accommodate three people. 196€ per night for a triple, including a
full hot and cold buffet breakfast.
Air
We booked our air back in September, as soon as we decided to make
this trip. The price was high for March, at $1,200 per ticket; however, we
were traveling on peak and inflexible dates and around Easter and the
Chicago area’s spring break. I watched prices regularly, as United will give
vouchers for a price decrease (at the time of writing, anyway). The price
never went down. I also checked for better prices on other airlines and
never saw a “good” itinerary for our dates for less than $1,100. It doesn't
always pay to wait.
Flights included:
All flights went like clockwork. The two United flights arrived at their
destinations more than 30 minutes early!
Our only disappointment was being denied access to the Munich
Lufthansa Business Lounge on Marisa's Red Carpet Club card. Boo to
Lufthansa.
Food
The food was excellent and plentiful everywhere we traveled. The value
was better outside of Athens, but the disparity was not as great as you
might imagine. We found that asking for and following waiters'
recommendations was generally a good practice to follow...and in some
traditional places, your only option. We ate more than our share of Greek
salad, spinach pie, stewed pork and veal, homestyle sausages, calamari
and tsatsiki. And we can tell you that Allie is already missing her daily dose
of dolmades! To wash it all down, we found the local house wines to be
pleasant and extremely affordable everywhere we went, served in big liter
carafes with tiny little glasses (we kind of liked it like that). And Chris has
become a fan of Mythos beer, served throughout the country in half-liter
bottles. With two exceptions, both in Athens, our lunches and dinners were
in the 25€ to 45€ range—usually including several mezedes, some main
courses, and beverages.
Driving and getting around
We rented a mid-sized automatic through Auto Europe, with National being
the vendor (~$507 for six days, with insurance). Our Hyundai Elantra had
seen a bit of wear and tear. It had almost 50K miles and plenty of small
scratches and dents all around (noted on our documentation before we left
the lot). Other than a momentary bit of confusion trying to find the rental lot
and then some Friday evening rush-hour traffic on the highway around
Athens, we had no trouble driving on this trip. The car was fine, if a little
underpowered. The drive back to the airport on Thursday afternoon (we
dropped the car there before venturing into Athens) was a breeze, with no
traffic to speak of. We easily found a place to fill up the tank about 10k from
the airport. Oh, and kudos to Chris, who did all the driving on this trip
(Marisa moved the car from one parking lot to another in Nafplio, and that
was it). But, he likes to drive, and she's a better navigator (read: she drives
too slowly), so that worked out just fine.
In most of the places we went on this trip, we found road signs in both
Greek and Roman alphabets, with historical sites well marked with brown
signs. In the few places that only had Greek signage, we didn't find it to be
problematic—you quickly learn to recognize Nafplio or Sparti. There are a
few toll plazas along the highway from Athens to the Peloponnese, but we
had no problem understanding what to do there (which lanes were auto-
pass and which were manned). The tolls were generally in the 2€ to 3€
range, and the attendants can make change. Just to be on the safe side,
we entered an odd amount (190€, I believe) in the ATM at the Munich
airport to ensure that we had some smaller bills upon arrival). The word
“radar” is spelled out in Roman letters in strategic places (can’t miss that);
and some road signs included a picture of a camera, just to make sure
you notice it.
There were a few spots that tested Chris's skills a tad, such as negotiating
blind switch-back turns down a cliff face in gale-force winds with a 20-ton
track approaching fast from behind. We must admit, it can be a balancing
act (just like everything else in the travel universe, we suppose). The trick is
to not look down.
Other forms of getting around (besides on foot)
Since the Metro line to the airport is down, we took cabs between the
airport and the hotel at a cost of 35-40€. Aside from the aforementioned
traffic jam at 4:30am on Sunday morning, this worked out fine.
In Athens, we found the Metro clean, efficient and very easy to use.
Next: Logistics continued, and some final thoughts
See all of our Greece photos
our travels
home
contact us
Hotels
Nafplio: Pension Amfitriti occupies two separate buildings near St.
Spiridon church in the old part of town. We were in the “older” building
(opened several years ago), in the first-floor Nereids room. The room was
perhaps a bit small for the three of us (it had a double sleeper sofa that
took most extra floor space when in use), but otherwise was comfortable,
creatively decorated and nicely equipped—for example, the very modern
shower with about a dozen jets and sprays. The proprietor, Evagelia, and
her sister are helpful and welcoming. We particularly liked the location and
the breakfast—a spread of baked goods, cheeses, meats, fruit and fresh-
squeezed OJ that could keep anyone going for hours. Breakfast is served
in the “new” building (opened last September), and in good weather on
one of several outdoor terraces. 120€ per night for a triple with breakfast
included.
Areopolis: Our base for exploring the "Inner" Mani (the peninsula below
Areopolis) was Limeni Village, a cluster of accommodations built to look
like traditional Mani towers on a cliff outside Areopolis. This is not a luxury
accommodation, but it is comfortable and convenient for the area. Our
room offered plenty of space to spread out, a good-sized mini fridge and
what appeared to be a just-remodeled bath (complete with another multi-
jet shower). The best part was the patio with table and chairs for admiring
the view, when the wind wasn't threatening to blow us over the edge. The
main building includes several levels, with a bar and large sitting area and
a restaurant (closed for the winter). The first night seemed fairly busy—it
was Greek Independence Day. The second night…well, we may have been
the only people staying there. The staff was helpful and accommodating,
and it turns out that our various drinks in the bar were complimentary. 105€
per night for a triple including a very substantial breakfast buffet
Monemvasia: We spent one evening at the Malvasia Hotel. One of a few
hotels in the Kastro, it features modern rooms—ours was on two levels—
with Turkish-inspired interiors (e.g., floor pillows and rugs) and stone
floors. Built right into the side of the mountain, some of the existing rock
figures into the room design. Our small patio had views of the ocean and
the Kastro's east wall. The hotel also has some nice public spaces,
including a breakfast room and an indoor/outdoor bar. It was incredibly
relaxing. One note: it is the last building at the far end of the main street—a
fair distance with luggage. Needless to say, rolling luggage doesn't, uh,
“roll” particularly well on old cobblestone streets. We were happy we only
had 22” bags. 110€ for a triple, including a nice breakfast of breads,
meats, cheeses, yogurt, fruit, and fresh-squeezed OJ.
Athens: We stayed right in the middle of it, at the Electra Palace in the heart
of the Plaka—we loved the location. The Electra Palace is pretty much what
you’d expect in an upper-scale business hotel, with very helpful service.
There’s a nice pool on the roof, but it obviously was not pool weather; we're
not even sure whether it was open. There’s also apparently a full spa in the
basement. We had a standard room, the only type other than a suite that
would accommodate three people. 196€ per night for a triple, including a
full hot and cold buffet breakfast.
Air
We booked our air back in September, as soon as we decided to make
this trip. The price was high for March, at $1,200 per ticket; however, we
were traveling on peak and inflexible dates and around Easter and the
Chicago area’s spring break. I watched prices regularly, as United will give
vouchers for a price decrease (at the time of writing, anyway). The price
never went down. I also checked for better prices on other airlines and
never saw a “good” itinerary for our dates for less than $1,100. It doesn't
always pay to wait.
Flights included:
- Chicago-Munich on United, Economy Plus (767)
- Munich-Athens on Aegean (A320); note, this segment required the
issuance of paper tickets - Athens-Frankfurt on Lufthansa (A300)
- Frankfurt-Chicago on United, Economy Plus (777)
All flights went like clockwork. The two United flights arrived at their
destinations more than 30 minutes early!
Our only disappointment was being denied access to the Munich
Lufthansa Business Lounge on Marisa's Red Carpet Club card. Boo to
Lufthansa.
Food
The food was excellent and plentiful everywhere we traveled. The value
was better outside of Athens, but the disparity was not as great as you
might imagine. We found that asking for and following waiters'
recommendations was generally a good practice to follow...and in some
traditional places, your only option. We ate more than our share of Greek
salad, spinach pie, stewed pork and veal, homestyle sausages, calamari
and tsatsiki. And we can tell you that Allie is already missing her daily dose
of dolmades! To wash it all down, we found the local house wines to be
pleasant and extremely affordable everywhere we went, served in big liter
carafes with tiny little glasses (we kind of liked it like that). And Chris has
become a fan of Mythos beer, served throughout the country in half-liter
bottles. With two exceptions, both in Athens, our lunches and dinners were
in the 25€ to 45€ range—usually including several mezedes, some main
courses, and beverages.
Driving and getting around
We rented a mid-sized automatic through Auto Europe, with National being
the vendor (~$507 for six days, with insurance). Our Hyundai Elantra had
seen a bit of wear and tear. It had almost 50K miles and plenty of small
scratches and dents all around (noted on our documentation before we left
the lot). Other than a momentary bit of confusion trying to find the rental lot
and then some Friday evening rush-hour traffic on the highway around
Athens, we had no trouble driving on this trip. The car was fine, if a little
underpowered. The drive back to the airport on Thursday afternoon (we
dropped the car there before venturing into Athens) was a breeze, with no
traffic to speak of. We easily found a place to fill up the tank about 10k from
the airport. Oh, and kudos to Chris, who did all the driving on this trip
(Marisa moved the car from one parking lot to another in Nafplio, and that
was it). But, he likes to drive, and she's a better navigator (read: she drives
too slowly), so that worked out just fine.
In most of the places we went on this trip, we found road signs in both
Greek and Roman alphabets, with historical sites well marked with brown
signs. In the few places that only had Greek signage, we didn't find it to be
problematic—you quickly learn to recognize Nafplio or Sparti. There are a
few toll plazas along the highway from Athens to the Peloponnese, but we
had no problem understanding what to do there (which lanes were auto-
pass and which were manned). The tolls were generally in the 2€ to 3€
range, and the attendants can make change. Just to be on the safe side,
we entered an odd amount (190€, I believe) in the ATM at the Munich
airport to ensure that we had some smaller bills upon arrival). The word
“radar” is spelled out in Roman letters in strategic places (can’t miss that);
and some road signs included a picture of a camera, just to make sure
you notice it.
There were a few spots that tested Chris's skills a tad, such as negotiating
blind switch-back turns down a cliff face in gale-force winds with a 20-ton
track approaching fast from behind. We must admit, it can be a balancing
act (just like everything else in the travel universe, we suppose). The trick is
to not look down.
Other forms of getting around (besides on foot)
Since the Metro line to the airport is down, we took cabs between the
airport and the hotel at a cost of 35-40€. Aside from the aforementioned
traffic jam at 4:30am on Sunday morning, this worked out fine.
In Athens, we found the Metro clean, efficient and very easy to use.
Next: Logistics continued, and some final thoughts
See all of our Greece photos
our travels
home
contact us
Pension Amfitriti, Nafplio
Our balcony at Malvasia Hotel, Monemvasia,
overlooking the old Kastro wall
overlooking the old Kastro wall
Balconies at Limeni Village, Areopolis (notice the
flag hanging on for dear life in the wind)
flag hanging on for dear life in the wind)
A drive on the "back roads" of the Mani
Seen along the road near Nafplio
A regular part of our day...local rose somewhere
in the Plaka
in the Plaka
Greece home
The voyage to Nafplio
Mycenae: Bronze Age equinox
To the theater! Epidaurus
Madness? This is Sparti! (and Mystras)
Greek Independence Day on the Mani
Monemvasia: a one-way trip to the past
Athens is calling
A rainy day in Athens
Our big, fat Greek finale / the journey home
Hotel reviews, air, driving, and other logistics
Logistics con't, and some final thoughts
The voyage to Nafplio
Mycenae: Bronze Age equinox
To the theater! Epidaurus
Madness? This is Sparti! (and Mystras)
Greek Independence Day on the Mani
Monemvasia: a one-way trip to the past
Athens is calling
A rainy day in Athens
Our big, fat Greek finale / the journey home
Hotel reviews, air, driving, and other logistics
Logistics con't, and some final thoughts