Wildflowers and a Mighty Wind:
Nine days in the Peloponnese and Athens.
Nine days in the Peloponnese and Athens.
Mycenae: Bronze Age equinox
After a fitful night of sleep the alarm sounded at 8 am. Allie and Marisa got
ready while Chris took some time exploring Acronafplio, the semi-fortified
upper part of town. The skies were perfectly sunny-up and the views were
stunning, so once we were all dressed and ready we all checked it out
before breakfast. Nafplio is a strikingly beautiful town in any light, but it was
particularly gorgeous on this day.
Breakfast was served at Pension’s sister property; an excellent spread of
baked goods, fresh fruit, meats & cheeses. We loved the spinach pie,
fresh squeezed OJ and moist chocolate cake. Even though Allie despises
orange, she thought the orange juice was pretty darn good here!
We walked around town for a bit more, discovering the beautiful town
square that serves as a communal outdoor living room for residents and
visitors alike. Returning to the car, we set off for ancient Nemea, via the
modern town of Argos. It seemed like we’d gone too far or turned wrong,
so we turned around and ventured back to ancient Mycenae, which we
explored for 2.5 hours. This site is almost inconceivably old; it was already
a venerable old ruin when the Romans took over here, 2,000 years ago.
Climbing over these rocks, once can’t help but envision the way it must
have looked during the Bronze Age 3,700 years before us. Highlights
include the Treasury of Atreus, Clytemnestra’s tomb, and the “secret
stairway” to the underground cisterns (smart tip: if you want to descend into
the ancient cistern, don’t even attempt it without a light source).
The day (vernal equinox, the first day of spring) was mostly sunny, very
pleasant, and every square inch of land was bathed in an impossibly
varied assortment of wildflowers. We had been told about the colorful flora
before the trip, but we didn't realize how abundant they were…or how much
they added to the beauty of the land. The situation here at Mycenae was
nearly perfect, with dramatic views over the surrounding valley in all
directions, all generously dappled in flowery splendor. The site was fairly
crowded, but easily manageable.
We doubled back to Nemea, discovering that we had come short of the
correct turn-off point by about 200 yards before; unfortunately, they were
closing early due to having a slow day. The good news: we got free
admission and a good 20 minutes to explore the fairly small site. Just right
for a quick photo shoot! We did, however, miss the stadium, which is about
a quarter-mile down the road.
We headed back to ancient Tiryns, on the way back to Nafplio, but
discovered it was closed too. Back at Nafplio, we parked the car and
refreshed ourselves back at the room, got dressed, and headed out for
dinner in town. We chose a place recommended by the hotel, Omorfo
Tavernaki and proceeded to claim the only available table. We enjoyed a
very good dinner consisting of dolmades, mixed mezedes for two,
spetsofai, souvlaki, fresh fried small fish, liter of house retsina, and Coke,
all for 43 Euro.
After a satisfying dinner, we wandered along the scenic Nafplio waterfront
and sat at an outdoor café with wonderful views of the harbor and its small
island fort, called the Bourtzi. About seven or eight cafes in a row offer
relaxing couches and overhead gas heaters to keep you comfy. We
unwound with some ice cream (Allie), white wine (Marisa) and ouzo with
ice (Chris). Afterward, we walked a bit and shopped in town. We concluded
our day on the early side, and were probably the first people in town to go
to bed on this lovely Saturday night.
Next: To the theater! Epidaurus
See all of our Greece photos
our travels
home
contact us
After a fitful night of sleep the alarm sounded at 8 am. Allie and Marisa got
ready while Chris took some time exploring Acronafplio, the semi-fortified
upper part of town. The skies were perfectly sunny-up and the views were
stunning, so once we were all dressed and ready we all checked it out
before breakfast. Nafplio is a strikingly beautiful town in any light, but it was
particularly gorgeous on this day.
Breakfast was served at Pension’s sister property; an excellent spread of
baked goods, fresh fruit, meats & cheeses. We loved the spinach pie,
fresh squeezed OJ and moist chocolate cake. Even though Allie despises
orange, she thought the orange juice was pretty darn good here!
We walked around town for a bit more, discovering the beautiful town
square that serves as a communal outdoor living room for residents and
visitors alike. Returning to the car, we set off for ancient Nemea, via the
modern town of Argos. It seemed like we’d gone too far or turned wrong,
so we turned around and ventured back to ancient Mycenae, which we
explored for 2.5 hours. This site is almost inconceivably old; it was already
a venerable old ruin when the Romans took over here, 2,000 years ago.
Climbing over these rocks, once can’t help but envision the way it must
have looked during the Bronze Age 3,700 years before us. Highlights
include the Treasury of Atreus, Clytemnestra’s tomb, and the “secret
stairway” to the underground cisterns (smart tip: if you want to descend into
the ancient cistern, don’t even attempt it without a light source).
The day (vernal equinox, the first day of spring) was mostly sunny, very
pleasant, and every square inch of land was bathed in an impossibly
varied assortment of wildflowers. We had been told about the colorful flora
before the trip, but we didn't realize how abundant they were…or how much
they added to the beauty of the land. The situation here at Mycenae was
nearly perfect, with dramatic views over the surrounding valley in all
directions, all generously dappled in flowery splendor. The site was fairly
crowded, but easily manageable.
We doubled back to Nemea, discovering that we had come short of the
correct turn-off point by about 200 yards before; unfortunately, they were
closing early due to having a slow day. The good news: we got free
admission and a good 20 minutes to explore the fairly small site. Just right
for a quick photo shoot! We did, however, miss the stadium, which is about
a quarter-mile down the road.
We headed back to ancient Tiryns, on the way back to Nafplio, but
discovered it was closed too. Back at Nafplio, we parked the car and
refreshed ourselves back at the room, got dressed, and headed out for
dinner in town. We chose a place recommended by the hotel, Omorfo
Tavernaki and proceeded to claim the only available table. We enjoyed a
very good dinner consisting of dolmades, mixed mezedes for two,
spetsofai, souvlaki, fresh fried small fish, liter of house retsina, and Coke,
all for 43 Euro.
After a satisfying dinner, we wandered along the scenic Nafplio waterfront
and sat at an outdoor café with wonderful views of the harbor and its small
island fort, called the Bourtzi. About seven or eight cafes in a row offer
relaxing couches and overhead gas heaters to keep you comfy. We
unwound with some ice cream (Allie), white wine (Marisa) and ouzo with
ice (Chris). Afterward, we walked a bit and shopped in town. We concluded
our day on the early side, and were probably the first people in town to go
to bed on this lovely Saturday night.
Next: To the theater! Epidaurus
See all of our Greece photos
our travels
home
contact us
View from Acronafplia Castle
Acronafplia Castle
Mycenae
Mycenae: wildflowers
Mycenae: Clytemnestra's Tomb
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