Alexandroupoli is a city in the Thrace region of Greece, in the extreme east of the country, the closest Greek city to the border with Turkey.
Church in Alexandroupoli in Thrace
Although written off in some books about Greece as being mainly a military base, Alexandroupoli in Thrace is in fact a very pleasant seaside resort with a long promenade and a long stretch of sandy beach. It is very much a family resort, and the beach has lots of facilities for children, as well as water-skiing, parascending and other watersports for the adults.
Alexandroupoli’s Narrow Old Town Streets
Beyond the promenade is the old part of the town, a warren of narrow streets with a delightful mix of workshops, junk shops, food stores, souvenir shops, bars and several good restaurants and cafés.
In the evening the promenade fills with Greeks – locals and visitors alike – doing their evening volta, or parade up and down, prior to eating and drinking. It is a lovely sight, when you will see grandparents walking hand-in-hand with tiny grandchildren, and groups of girls and boys taking the chance to eye each other.
The Alexandroupoli Lighthouse
Also on the promenade is the town’s most notable sight, its lighthouse, which was built in 1800 and is illuminated at night to add to the atmosphere. Alexandroupoli is a port as well, with ferries to the north-east Aegean islands and as far south as Rhodes and Kos in the Dodecanese.
It is also the closest town to the Turkish border (about 45kms/28 miles by road), and has rail links with Istanbul in Turkey, Sofia in Bulgaria, and with Athens via Thessaloniki.
Despite these links the town is not as multi-cultural as Komotini or Xanthi, say, as it only expanded in 1878 during the Russian-Turkish war when the Russians turned it into a purpose-built modern city. It was known then by its Turkish name of Dedeagac, which it had had since the 15th century, when it was merely a small and insignificant fishing village. It only acquired its modern name in 1919 after the then Greek King, Alexandros. It still is a military base, and you will certainly see soldiers in the streets, but it is much more pleasant than that limited description implies.
Map (c) Google Maps
Alexandroupoli’s Museums
Alexandroupoli is home to several fascinating museums that showcase the region’s history, biodiversity, and cultural heritage:
Ethnological Museum of Thrace
Housed in a neoclassical building, this museum offers a deep dive into the traditions and folklore of Thrace. Exhibits include traditional costumes, tools, and household items, providing insight into the daily lives of Thracian people.
Archaeological Museum of Alexandroupoli
This museum displays artifacts from the Neolithic to the Roman period. Highlights include pottery, coins, and sculptures unearthed from nearby ancient sites like Mesimvria and Traianoupoli.
Natural History Museum of Alexandroupoli
Dedicated to the biodiversity of the Evros region, this museum features exhibits on local flora, fauna, and ecosystems, including the Dadia Forest. It’s an excellent stop for nature lovers and families.
Other Things to See in Alexandroupoli
Central Market
Located near the port, the market is a lively place to shop for local produce, spices, and handmade goods.
Church of Saint Eleftherios
This beautiful Orthodox church is known for its architecture and serene atmosphere. It’s a peaceful place to reflect and admire religious art.
Makri Beach
A short drive from the city center, this beach offers clear waters and a relaxed vibe. It’s perfect for swimming, sunbathing, or enjoying fresh seafood at nearby tavernas.
Traianoupoli Ruins
Just outside the city, these ancient Roman ruins include thermal baths and remnants of a once-thriving settlement. They offer a glimpse into the region’s classical past.
Food and Drink
Alexandroupoli’s culinary scene reflects its multicultural influences and coastal location:
Seafood Tavernas
Fresh fish, octopus, and mussels are staples in local tavernas. Try grilled sardines or shrimp saganaki with a glass of ouzo.
Traditional Thracian Cuisine
Dishes like kavourmas (preserved meat), bougatsa (custard-filled pastry), and local cheeses offer a taste of regional flavors.
Cafés and Bars
The city’s waterfront is lined with stylish cafés and bars, ideal for enjoying a coffee or cocktail while watching the sunset.
Festivals and Events
Summer Cultural Festival
Held in July and August, this festival features concerts, theater performances, and art exhibitions.
Carnival Celebrations
In February, the city comes alive with parades, costumes, and music.
Alexandroupoli: More Information
You can find out more about Alexandroupoli on the city’s official website: alexpolis.gr
See Greece reviews the travel memoir An Aegean Odyssey by novelist Kathryn Gauci, an account of a journey to Athens, Chios, Lesvos, Rhodes, Karpathos & Crete.
By Mike Gerrard
What’s most interesting about An Aegean Odyssey for me, a writer, is the fact that the author made her journey through Greece and kept her journals before she had written a single book. She was learning to write as she travelled. She then put the journals away and only returned to them after she felt she had learned to write, as her numerous books and awards testify.
We readers can be thankful for that, as An Aegean Odyssey is an excellent and evocative tale of travels in Greece to very contrasting destinations: Athens, Chios, Lesvos, Rhodes, Karpathos, and Crete.
Gauci had worked in Greece, in Athens, as a carpet designer in the 1970s. About thirty years later, in 2005, she decided, almost on a whim, to put on hold her business as a textile designer in Melbourne and return to Greece in order (she hoped) to become a writer. Her husband, who sounds like a saint, readily supported his wife’s wish to travel halfway round the world and be away from home for two months, in order to try to become a writer… with no indication that she had any writing talent.
Well, her journey did produce a book, but it wasn’t the expected travel diary. It was a novel, which begins in 1822 in one of the places she visited, Chios. The story then moves to Smyrna in Turkey and then to Athens, another stop on the author’s Aegean Odyssey.
An Aegean Odyssey: Athens
An Aegean Odyssey
The first stop on the author’s journey is Athens, where she stays well away from the city centre and the tourist crowds, and reflects on her previous time in Athens, looking for the carpet factory where she works. She makes friends with neighbours and finds out just how much Athens (and she herself) has changed in the thirty years since she lived there. This is not a book where the author visits the familiar sites, and is all the better for it.
To Chios
The author then goes to Chios, a choice influenced by a painting she saw in the Louvre in Paris, Delacroix’s Scenes from the Massacre at Chios. This was painted in 1824, and the author’s first novel begins on Chios in 1822, so you can see how her trip inspired her future fiction writing.
An Aegean Odyssey: The Author
Kathryn Gauci is a British-born award-winning best-selling author who worked in Athens for six years as a carpet designer before settling to live in Melbourne, Australia. Here she ran a textile design studio before turning to writing, her work influencing her first novel, The Embroiderer, set in Greece.
Gauci has subsequently written numerous novels set in both Greece and Turkey, including an acclaimed series set during World War II. She became a USA Today Bestseller and an Amazon Bestseller, and has won several awards for her fiction.
History-Lover
The author is certainly a lover of Greek history – the Chios chapter begins with several pages of it – so if you’re as interested as I am in it, you’ll probably love the book, and the author’s historical novels.
But it’s not all dry factual history. If you’re a lover of good writing, you won’t be disappointed. Take this, for example:
I was surrounded by a palette of diverse, rich colours. Everything was saturated with the Mediterranean sunshine. Glowing purple aubergines contrasted with brilliant red tomatoes and glossy red peppers, bright green peppers, fresh green parsley and baby courgettes. Braids of garlic cascaded everywhere, and the carrots, potatoes, and onions still had a damp smell as if they had just been pulled out of the earth. There were mounds of beans in all shapes and sizes, enormous bunches of spinach, and my favourite of all, the delicate yellow-tipped courgette blossoms. In summer, fragrant fruits added another rush to the senses. Dark, velvety grapes, blush-coloured apricots, and orange-fleshed melons bursting with perfume made one feel glad to be alive.
What a beautiful vivid description – and the book is full of them. The author is clearly very observant, and she draws your attention to aspects of Greek life that you might take for granted, like the sound of church bells or the hand-drawn signs above shop doorways, like this:
The best and most creative signs of all are the milk and cheese shops, vegetable shops, and especially the butchers. They are in the centre of the old market streets, adding extra character to the area. Some of these signs take up the whole of the shop front, covering every centimetre of the wall except for the windows. One butcher has named his shop Eclectic and underneath is written Meats. On each side are stylised images of a leg of lamb and a chop.
I especially liked this comment:
I flop on my bed and watch the news on the BBC, where I am faced with wars, terrorism, and economic doom and gloom, with a little Hollywood gossip thrown in to add spice. I switch it off. Now I know why I left the real world behind me.
I was glad I left the real world behind me in the time I spent reading An Aegean Odyssey. It’s one of the best travel books about Greece that I’ve read in the past few years.
Patras, or Patra, in the Peloponnese is Greece’s third-largest city, home to Greece’s largest Carnival, with many Roman and Greek remains, museums and churches.
Patras Harbour
Although it is Greece’s third-biggest city, Patras in the Peloponnese isn’t much on the tourist trail. It doesn’t even have a direct flight with Athens, although you can drive there from Athens in 2-3 hours (and a very pleasant drive it is), or get there on the bus in 3-4 hours. If it’s known for anything it’s for being a busy port and for having the biggest Carnival celebrations in Greece.
Beach near Patras
When to Visit Patras
Patras has a Mediterranean climate and you can happily visit it at any time of year. Most rain falls in the winter and December is the wettest month with an average of 13 rainy days. However, the average temperature in December is 11.9C (53.4F) and it never falls below freezing.
The driest months are June to September, with very little rainfall. The average temperatures for those months ranges from 22.7-25.3C (72.9-77.5F), making it a very pleasant time to visit.
Many people visit in February when Patras holds the most famous Carnival in Greece (see below). The average temperature in February is 10.7C (51.3F) with about 10 rainy days during the month. If you plan to travel then, you should book accommodation well ahead.
Beach near Patras
Getting To and From Patras
By Air
Patras has an airport which gets seasonal charter flights from several European cities, though there are currently no direct flights between Patras and Athens.
By Bus
Patras is well-served with bus connections on the main KTEL network, including with Athens. with a journey time of 3-4 hours.
By Rail
There used to be a rail connection with Athens but today’s train network only extends to a few nearby towns and villages and isn’t likely to be used by most visitors.
By Road
The Rio-Antirrio Bridge near Patras
It takes about 2-3 hours to drive from Athens to Patras. From Patras you can easily get around the Peloponnese. If you want to avoid driving into the city then there is a ring road which takes you around it. You can also cross the Gulf of Corinth into Northern and Western Greece using the impressive and graceful Rio-Antirrio Bridge (officially the Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge).
By Sea
Patras has long been one of Greece’s major ports, both for commercial trade and passenger transport. It has ferry connections with several of the Ionian Islands, with the city of Igoumenitsa, and with several Italian ports, including Venice.
The Pier at Dusk in Patras
Things to See in Patras
Although it is a busy port, and many people pass through it every day, Patras has more than enough things to see to warrant a stay of a few days.
Patras Archaeological Museum
The building itself is strikingly modern, and it houses an impressive collection as Patras has many fine ancient archaeological sites.
Roman Remains
Patras was a major city when the Romans invaded Greece, and many Roman remains can be seen. These include the Roman Theatre from 160AD, a nearby Roman amphitheatre, an aqueduct, the ruins of a stadium, and parts of walls and bridges.
Greek Remains
Just outside Patras is a Mycenean Cemetery, which is one of the most important Mycenean sites outside of Mycenae itself.
Patras Castle
Overlooking the city, the castle dates back originally to the 6th century AD, although the walls you see today are from the Venetian period of the 17th-18th century. The interior has been turned into a public park.
St Andrew’s Cathedral
St Andrew’s Cathedral in Patras
St Andrew’s Cathedral is the most imposing church in Patras and is dedicated to the saint who was crucified in Patras in 69AD. The church was built on the spot where it is said to have happened.
Patras Carnival
Patras Carnival is famous throughout Greece, and is in fact one of the biggest Carnival celebrations throughout the whole of Europe. It’s been taking place for over 160 years. Events usually start in late January, depending on the dates of Greek Easter, and go through till the first Monday in Lent, known in Greece as Clean Monday. You can find out all about the Patras Carnival on the Carnival website.
The Mani in the south of the Peloponnese is the most southerly part of the Greek mainland and famous for its rugged landscape, historic feuds and tower houses.
Coast of the Mani
Of the three peninsulas that jut southward on the Peloponnese, the central ‘finger’ is the Mani. Its tip at Cape Matapan (Akra Tenaro) is the southernmost point of the Greek mainland, and the legendary entrance to Hades (Hell). Even without such associations, you know that when you enter the Mani you are entering a very special part of Greece.
The landscape becomes much more barren and rugged in the south of the region, known as the Lower Mani, where you will start to see the distinctive stone tower houses that hint at the violence that existed here in the past.
In the Mani on the Peloponnese
History of The Mani
The remoteness of the Mani meant that it was always a place of escape or refuge, and the families who settled here in the 15th century became very clan-like, fighting bitterly for the best areas of land. The Nyklian family were dominant and at first they alone had the right to build onto their properties the characteristic tall, square, stone towers, which were used for both defence and attack. The taller the tower, the easier it was to fire down on enemies through the narrow slits of windows.
Tower Houses of the Mani
Tower House In the Mani on the Peloponnese
Eventually other families began to build towers, each trying to build as high as possible. If one family offended another, or killed someone, then a feud began, heralded by the ringing of church bells and a retreat by the respective families into their towers. Such feuds often lasted for years and down generations, as the sense of honour was great. There was no difficulty in keeping the tower houses supplied as women were protected and could continue to bring food and drink into the towers for the men.
The only hiatus in the feuding came at harvest time when a truce was called. A feud could only be ended by total annihilation or capitulation by one party. The last recorded feud of this kind took place in 1870 in Kita, and was stopped only by the intervention of the Greek army.
Where to See the Tower Houses
Kita is one place where the tower houses survive, and there are also several clustered dramatically in the village of Vatheia, in the far south of the Mani, but you will see others as you travel around, sometimes just a single tower in an isolated village.
Travel Writers in The Mani
Kardamyli in the Mani
There is much more to the Mani, though, than feuds and a barren landscape. Several delightful fishing villages welcome visitors in summer, such as Stoupa and Kardamyli. In a grave just outside Kardamyli is the grave of the British travel writer and novelist Bruce Chatwin (1940-1989) who loved the area. He was inspired by one of his heroes, another British travel writer, Patrick Leigh Fermor. Fermor lived in Kardamyli for many years and his house still stands. His travel book, Mani, is essential reading if you plan to travel in the region
Around the Mani
Stone Wall in the Mani
The northern region, known as the Outer Mani, is dominated by the mountain range of Taygetos, a defiant spine of rock climbing to a height of 7,885 ft (2,404 m). The lower slopes offer wonderful walking opportunities, as well as a scenic backdrop of pine forests, but seek the advice of local guides if you plan to do anything more adventurous.
The main town of the Inner Mani, the southern part of the peninsula, is Areopoli. This town provides all the facilities you might want, including a few hotels, but it is not the best place to be based for any length of time. On the coast a few miles south of Areopolis is one of the region’s main attractions, the Spilia Dirou, or Diros Caves.
You can combine a 30-minute boat ride into the underground cave network with a short exploration on foot of the Alepotripa Caves. Both have dramatic stalactites and stalagmites. Those in the Diros Caves are enhanced by the echoey, damp atmosphere and striking reflections in the water.
Githio
Githio
The main town on the east coast of the Mani is Githio, which is also the capital of the whole area but very different in style from the rest of the Mani. It’s a busy and prosperous little port, with several good restaurants around its attractive harbour. With the remains of a Roman theatre, beaches on its outskirts, and a wide choice of accommodation, it’s a good place to be based and to relax while you make forays into the rest of the Mani.
Sparta (or Sparti) in the Peloponnese of Greece was one of the most important city-states of ancient Greece and has significant archaeological remains.
View of Modern Sparta and Mount Taygetus from Mystras in the Peloponnese in Greece
Sparta isn’t on most people’s list of must-see places in Greece, but it has a distinguished history and an archaeological site which makes it worth visiting for a day or two. See our list of the Top Archaeological Sites in the Peloponnese.
The History of Sparta
The long and remarkable history of Sparta has filled many books, so we won’t try to emulate those here. The city is thought to have been founded in about the 9th century BC, and by 650 BC was the greatest military power in ancient Greece. It fought and defeated Athens in the Peloponnesian War of 431 to 404 BC, though began to go into decline after the Romans conquered Greece in 146 BC. Today it is the capital of the Greek region of Laconia, and has a population of under 40,000.
What to Do in Sparta
Ancient Sparta
Ruins of Ancient Theater at Sparta on the Peloponnese in Greece
The site of Ancient Sparta is just a few minutes’ drive north of the city centre, where housing gives way to agriculture. If you leave the city on the main road to the site you will first come across the Statue of Leonidas. Leonidas was one of Sparta’s prominent kings, and his tomb can be found at the site of Ancient Sparta.
As well as the tomb of Leonidas, at Ancient Sparta you will also find the remains of a theatre, the acropolis, ancient walls, a temple, and a 10th-century monastic church.
Sparta Archaeological Museum
Entrance to the Archaeological Museum in Sparta on the Peloponnese in Greece
Sparta’s Archaeological Museum naturally has the rich finds from the site of Ancient Sparta. It’s one of the oldest archaeological museums in Greece and was the first outside Athens when it opened in 1876. It’s now a listed building and also contains Roman remains, Roman mosaics, and finds from the wider region of Laconia.
On the very southwestern edge of the city is this absolutely fascinating museum which explores everything about the olive and olive oil, both central to the Greek economy. You’ll see fossilised olive leaves that are 60,000 year old, learn about the history of the olive tree from prehistoric times, the harvesting of olives, the many uses of olive oil, and see examples of olive presses throughout history as well as working miniature models of olive presses.
Sparta City Centre
Getting to Sparta
Sparta is in the centre of the southern half of the Peloponnese. It’s to the east of Mount Taygetos in the Evrotas River valley.
Sparta is about an hour’s drive east of Kalamata if you take the much longer but much quicker route via Gefyra, and about 90 minutes if you take the straight route due east through the mountains. It’s almost a two-hour drive southwest from Nafplion, and three-to-four hours from Patras.
If you’re flying, the nearest international airport is in Kalamata, with a wide range of seasonal flights from throughout Europe. The other alternative is to fly to Athens and rent a car. It’s a two-to-three-hour drive to Sparta if going direct from Athens International Airport.
The See Greece travel guide to Ancient Olympia in the Peloponnese of mainland Greece, home to the original Olympic Games.
Ancient Olympia on the Peloponnese in Greece
Olympia attracted athletes and spectators from all over Greece to take part in the Olympic Games, which were held every four years without interruption for over 1,000 years.
History of Ancient Olympia
The games were first officially held at Olympia in the Peloponnese in 776BC and contests ranged from chariot races to poetry and music, but it is the running track here which is the site’s greatest attraction to many of today’s visitors. Temples and other buildings may have crumbled, but the simple running track with its starting and finishing lines still intact seems to put us in more direct touch with the Ancient Greeks as people just like us.
Ancient Olympia on the Peloponnese in Greece
Entering the Stadium
Walking down the entry tunnel and under an arch that dates back to the 3rd century BC takes you right into the stadium itself. Stand in the centre of the stadium, which was built in the 4th century BC, and it is easy to imagine the 20,000 spectators sitting all around and cheering the contestants on. Their prize for the winners was traditionally a branch from a sacred olive tree, but perks from their home towns were certainly also available.
Lighting the Olympic Torch
Ancient Olympia on the Peloponnese in Greece
This is the stadium where the Olympic torch is lit every four years and then carried around the world to the host city of the next Olympics.
There is much more of interest at the site than simply the stadium, however. It’s surprising how large the site is, a reminder that it was the ancient equivalent of modern Olympic villages, catering for the arrival of thousands of competitors, and their entourages.
Great Temple of Zeus
Ancient Olympia on the Peloponnese in Greece
The remains of the Great Temple of Zeus (5th century BC) show the effects of an earthquake in the 5th century AD which threw its columns to the ground. It was the centre of the site and the same size as the Parthenon in Athens, giving an indication of its importance.
At the opposite end of the scale is the studio of the sculptor Pheidias, who worked here on making the statue of Zeus for the temple. Pheidias is also the man who was behind the work on the Parthenon in Athens. Across from the studio is the Leonidaion, which is the guesthouse where VIPs would stay.
Behind this is the Bouleuterion, which was a meeting house where the equivalent of today’s International Olympic Committee would hold their meetings. It’s also where the competitors would swear to uphold the Olympic rules, before making their way into the stadium.
Ancient Olympia Site Museum
A cup inscribed with the name of Pheidias was found on the site and is on display in the excellent site museum, which rivals museums in places like Athens and Delphi. It was the cup which helped archaeologists identify the location of the workshop, and tools from there are also on display. There are also well-lit displays of some fine statues, as well as bronze heads, helmets and a gallery of items directly connected with the Olympic Games. These include a bronze discus, stones used by weightlifters and some starting blocks which pre-date the existing stadium.
Hermes of Praxiteles in the Museum at Ancient Olympia
The star attraction in the museum is the Hermes of Praxiteles, a glorious marble carving of the messenger of the gods, sculpted by Praxiteles and considered to be one of the finest Classical statues to have survived the centuries.
The Pentathlon
One of the most important events at the original Olympic Games was the pentathlon, which was added to the list of events in 708BC. It combined discus, javelin, jumping, running, and wrestling. The exact order in which the events were held is unknown, but ancient texts reveal that wrestling was always the last in the line-up.
The ultimate victor needed to excel in speed, strength, skill, and endurance, accounting for each event’s own peculiarities.
For the discus throw, the athlete stood facing the opposite direction of his intended target (a delineated area of 40-60 degrees) holding the discus along the outer edge with the tips of his fingers. He then quickly rotated through 540 degrees and released it, flinging it as far as possible into the marked area.
The javelin was made of wood with a metal tip, and had a leather handle attached in the middle for increased accuracy.
For the long jump, the Olympians used lead ot stone weights, called halteres, to help lengthen their jump. By swinging the halteres backward in mid-jump, the shift of momentum carried them further.
The fundamentals of running were very much the same for the ancient athletes as they are today, but the foot events weren’t always so streamlined. The hoplitodromos, for example, required the competitors to race in military armour that weighed about 40-60 pounds (18-27 kg).
Ancient wrestling, too, was somewhat similar to today, except that the men were naked. Biting and genital grabbing were not allowed, although the competitors did try to give themselves a strategic edge by coating themselves in lard.
Ancient Olympia was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989 and you can learn more on the UNESCO website.
The See Greece guide to Nafplion in the Peloponnese, one of the loveliest towns in Greece and close to Tiryns, Mycenae and Epidavros.
Bourtzi Castle off Nafplion in the Peloponnese
Nafplion in the Peloponnese was the Greek capital before Athens and today is a charming waterfront town with good restaurants, museums, shopping, beaches, old fortresses and a delightful atmosphere.
Nafplion (or Nafplio) is one of the most appealing towns in Greece, perhaps even in Europe. It has a lovely waterfront with beaches nearby, a fine headland with wonderful views, several fortresses, some interesting museums, an offshore island to admire, a sophisticated feel to the town with some chic hotels and so many good restaurants that, no matter how long you can manage to stay, you’ll wish you were here for longer.
Much of its charm stems from the medieval architecture of its old town, dating from the second Venetian occupation (1686-1715), not to mention its looming castles and watery vistas. The narrow streets and pristine whitewashed houses of the old town are reminiscent of the Greek islands.
Nafplion is also a convenient base if you want to visit ancient sites including Mycenae and Epidavros, both within a 30-minute drive, and Tiryns, which is only five minutes away.
Bourtzi Fortress
What to See in Nafplion
Archaeological Museum
The Archaeological Museum of Nafplion offers a captivating journey through the ancient history of Argolis, housed in a stunning Venetian-era building in the heart of Nafplion.
Located in Syntagma Square, the museum occupies a two-storey structure originally built in 1713 during the second Venetian occupation. Since its conversion into a museum in 1926, it has become a cultural landmark showcasing artifacts from the Paleolithic to Roman periods. The museum’s collection highlights the rich archaeological heritage of southern Argolis, with a particular emphasis on Mycenaean civilization.
One of its most remarkable exhibits is the Dendra Panoply, a complete bronze armor set from the 15th century BCE, discovered in a Mycenaean tomb at Dendra. This rare artifact, accompanied by a boar-tusk helmet, offers a glimpse into the martial traditions of ancient warriors.
Visitors can also explore finds from Franchthi Cave, one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in Greece, along with ceramics, tools, and burial items from various prehistoric and classical periods.
Bourtzi Fortress
Bourtzi Fortress
The Bourtzi Fortress is a striking sea castle perched on a small islet in Nafplion’s harbor, offering a glimpse into the town’s layered history and Venetian legacy.
Built in 1473 by Italian engineer Antonio Gambello during the first Venetian occupation, Bourtzi—meaning “tower” in Ottoman Turkish—was designed to protect Nafplion’s port from pirate attacks and naval invasions. Its strategic location allowed it to work in tandem with the land-based bastion known as the “Five Brothers,” effectively controlling access to the harbour.
Bourtzi Fortress
Over the centuries, the Bourtzi served various roles: from a military outpost to a residence for executioners during the Greek War of Independence, and later as a hotel in the mid-20th century. The fortress features three levels connected by movable stairs, with entrances on both the north and south sides. Its compact design and panoramic views make it a popular destination for visitors, accessible by a short boat ride from Nafplion’s port.
Folklore Museum
The Folklore Museum of Nafplion, officially known as the Peloponnesian Folklore Foundation “Vasilios Papantoniou,” is a celebrated cultural institution preserving Greece’s traditional heritage.
Founded in 1974 by costume designer Ioanna Papantoniou in memory of her father, the museum is housed in a beautifully restored 19th-century neoclassical building in Nafplion’s historic center. It gained international recognition in 1981, winning the European Museum of the Year Award for its innovative exhibition on natural textiles in Greece.
The museum’s extensive collection includes traditional costumes, textiles, household items, tools, musical instruments, and photographs that reflect everyday life in the Peloponnese from the 18th to the 20th century. Highlights include intricately embroidered garments, bridal attire, and silver jewellery, showcasing the artistry and symbolism of Greek folk traditions.
Visitors can explore themed exhibits on weaving, dyeing, embroidery, and the role of textiles in marriage customs and dowries. The museum also features temporary exhibitions, educational programs, and a well-curated gift shop offering high-quality local crafts.
Its Kale Fortress
Its Kale, also known as the Acronafplia Fortress, is the oldest fortification in Nafplion, Greece, perched on a rocky peninsula overlooking the Argolic Gulf. The name “Its Kale” comes from the Ottoman Turkish for “inner castle,” reflecting its strategic role during Ottoman rule.
Originally dating back to prehistoric times, the fortress evolved through the Byzantine, Frankish, and Venetian periods, each leaving architectural imprints. Its massive stone walls, some rising over 85 meters, once housed military prisons and offered commanding views of the city and sea. Today, Its Kale is a serene historic site offering panoramic vistas and a glimpse into Nafplion’s layered past
Palamidi Fortress
View from Palamidi Fortress in Nafplion
The Palamidi Fortress is a majestic 18th-century stronghold towering over Nafplion, offering breathtaking views and rich historical intrigue.
Constructed by the Venetians between 1711 and 1714 during their second occupation of the Peloponnese, Palamidi is one of the best-preserved examples of baroque military architecture in Greece. The fortress was built in record time and strategically positioned on a high hill, 216 meters (709 feet) above sea level, to defend against Ottoman advances.
Palamidi has eight bastions, each named after a different figure or saint, and interconnected by a network of walls and stairways. One of its most famous bastions, Miltiades, served as a prison for Theodoros Kolokotronis, a hero of the Greek War of Independence. Visitors can explore the cells, battlements, and panoramic viewpoints that stretch across Nafplion, the Argolic Gulf, and the surrounding countryside. Palamidi is accessible by a scenic drive or a climb up the 999-step staircase from the town below.
View of Nafplion from the Palamidi Fortress
War Museum
The War Museum of Nafplion offers a compelling look into Greece’s military history, housed in the country’s first military academy building, originally established by Governor Ioannis Kapodistrias.
Operating as a branch of the War Museum of Athens since 1988, this museum is located in Nafplion’s old town. The building itself is a historical landmark, once serving as the first War Academy of Greece. Inside, visitors encounter a rich collection of artifacts spanning from the Greek War of Independence (1821–1832) to the Balkan Wars, World War II, and other pivotal conflicts.
Exhibits include original weapons, uniforms, medals, flags, and personal items that belonged to soldiers and revolutionaries. The museum also features paintings, photographs, and documents that narrate Greece’s struggle for freedom and sovereignty. A highlight is the display of handmade war flags and the bust of Kapodistrias, symbolizing the nation’s enduring fight for independence.
Ioannis Kapodistrias
Ioannis Kapodistrias (1776–1831) was a distinguished Greek statesman and diplomat who became the first Governor of independent Greece.
Born in Corfu under Venetian rule, Kapodistrias studied medicine, law, and philosophy at the University of Padua. His early political career began in the Septinsular Republic, where he served as Secretary of State. His diplomatic talents led him to the Russian Empire, where he became Foreign Minister under Tsar Alexander I, playing a key role in shaping European affairs, including the reorganization of Switzerland.
Kapodistrias was a fervent supporter of the Greek War of Independence and resigned from Russian service in 1822 to advocate for the Greek cause. In 1827, he was elected as the first Governor of Greece by the Third National Assembly. He arrived in Nafplion in 1828 and began building the foundations of a modern state—establishing schools, reorganizing the military, and centralizing administration.
Despite his reforms, Kapodistrias faced fierce opposition from regional leaders and foreign interests. His authoritarian style and resistance to local autonomy led to political unrest. On September 27, 1831, he was assassinated outside the church of Agios Spiridon, by two villainous chieftains from the Mani region in the southern Peloponnese. You can still see the bulletholes in the wall of the church. Three years later, in 1834, Athens became the new capital of modern Greece.
Nafplion Restaurants at Night
Shopping in Nafplion
Shopping in Nafplion is a delightful blend of tradition, artistry, and boutique charm, especially in the cobbled streets of the Old Town.
Start by walking along Staikopoulou Street, the heart of Nafplion’s shopping scene, where souvenir shops, artisan boutiques, and local craft stores line the marble-paved walkways. The town is known for its handmade leather sandals, evil-eye jewelry, and locally produced ceramics. Shops like Polytimi Pottery offer exquisite candle-holders and decorative items crafted with creative glazing techniques.
Beyond souvenirs, Nafplion boasts fashion boutiques, art galleries, and specialty food shops selling things like olive oil, honey, and herbal teas. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, with many shopkeepers eager to share the stories behind their products. Hidden alleys reveal treasures like Antiminsio, a gallery and gift shop praised for its curated selection of Greek art and design.
The ruined Byzantine city of Mystras sits on the top and the slopes of a hill that juts out from the plain and is one of the most remarkable places in Greece.
Mystras in the Peloponnese
A wander around this magical Byzantine city in the Peloponnese is a sheer delight. Its setting is spectacular, on a hill rising from a plain at the edge of the Taygetos Mountains, which thrust down into the Mani. Atmospheric ruins sprawl over the top and slopes of the hill, with enough remaining to give a good idea of what life must have been like for the 42,000 people who lived here in the 15th century.
History of Mystras
View of Modern Sparta and Mount Taygetus from Mystras in the Peloponnese in Greece
The city was founded in 1249 by the Franks, who had taken control of Greece at the start of the 13th century. It owes its existence to Guillaume II de Villehardouin, who planned Mystras as the third of his strongholds in this region, the others being Monemvasia, and Tigani in the Inner Mani. He saw Mystras as a replacement for nearby Sparta, which lies in the plain.
Mystras fell to the Byzantines in 1262, but the new town that grew up in and around the fortress began to flourish. It developed as a notable centre of artistic excellence, attracting painters from as far afield as Italy and Constantinople (Istanbul).
Mystras in the Peloponnese
Entrances to Mystras
There are two entrances to the site. Approaching from Sparta, you first come to the lower entrance. The second entrance is at the top of the hill, and both have parking. There is no particular advantage to either of them, although if you don’t enjoy a lot of climbing you might want to explore the lower slopes first before driving to the top and then looking around there.
Whichever you choose, a map is essential and there’s a decent one in the guide we recommend, the Bradt Guide to the Peloponnese, which we recently helped to update. It’s a real labyrinth and you can’t explore it all without some doubling back.
Mystras in the Peloponnese
The Mitropolis
If you begin at the bottom and turn right you come almost at once to the Mitropolis, the cathedral, which dates to 1309, making it the oldest church in Mystras. Inside are some 14th-century frescoes and, conspicuous on the floor, a stone with the Byzantine double-headed eagle carved into it. On this spot the man who was to become the last Byzantine emperor, Constantine XI Paleologus, was given the title of Despot of the Morea in 1443. He became emperor in 1449 and ruled until 1453.
Mystras in the Peloponnese
Mystras: Convents and Monasteries
Beyond the Mitropolis is the convent of Pantanassa, whose few remaining nuns are the only people still living in Mystras. They sell refreshments and their own handicrafts at busy times of the year. Not surprisingly, the church of this working convent is the best preserved in Mystras. Built in 1365, it was the last to be constructed in this walled hillside town.
Turn left at the bottom entrance to reach the Perivleptos Monastery. The church here has particularly fine 14th-century frescoes around the dome which, in accordance with Byzantine convention, carries an image of Christ Pantokrator (the Almighty or All-Powerful).
Mystras in the Peloponnese
Kastro
The dominant feature at the top of the site is the castle, or Kastro, though first you come to the Palace Chapel of Agia Sofia with its stunning marble floors. Below here it is possible to walk around the castle keep, which gives wonderful views over the ruined city. This dramatic spot is where the German writer and scientist Goethe (1749-1832) set the meeting between Faust and Helen of Troy in his famous play, Faust.
Mystras in the Peloponnese
Despots’ Palace
In addition to the Kastro, there is also the Despots’ Palace. The first Byzantine rulers here were the Despots of Morea, Morea being the name for this whole region of Greece. The palace has survived well over the centuries. One wing dates from the original Frankish days, and another was added in the 14th century. This section includes a throne room that was used for the coronation of several Byzantine kings. The palace has been closed for extensive renovation for many years with no note of when it might re-open, though when it does it will certainly add even more glory to the remarkable site of Mystras.
Monemvasia in the Peloponnese is the Greek Rock of Gibraltar, a huge offshore rock which conceals a tiny town connected to the mainland by a single road.
Monemvasia
It’s astonishing that the name of Monemvasia in the Peloponnese is hardly known outside of Greece, because it’s one of the most extraordinary towns in the whole country. The result is that it remains relatively unspoiled, though it can get busy when there’s an influx of cruise ship passengers. Those who do venture to Monemvasia can discover for themselves what a very special place it is.
A huge mountain of a rock stands offshore, linked to the mainland by a single stretch of road. This is Monemvasia, known as the Gibraltar of Greece. When you approach it for the first time you may feel that, yes, it is an impressive site, but once you’ve seen it, what then? Well, then you walk or drive along the road to the entrance. If you drive, be ready to leave your car outside.
Monemvasia
The word Monemvasia means ‘single entrance’. To discover the secrets of this remarkable island you must walk through the single doorway, as if entering a medieval castle or something from Game of Thrones. The doorway is only wide enough to accommodate a loaded donkey.
Entering Monemvasia
As you pass through that entrance, you feel as if you’re stepping back in time to the 15th century, when Monemvasia was a busy Byzantine city of some 50,000 people. Today its permanent population stands at about 50, leaving it full of ghosts and echoes of the past. Some of the old houses have been renovated and turned into hotels or other accommodation, and others have become restaurants or gift shops.
A Friendly Local Welcome
But developments have been on a very small scale and the atmosphere remains unique. The hotels are small, so if you want to stay in the old town and experience the full flavour of Monemvasia, then make reservations well ahead. There are also several small and simple hotels in the modern town across on the mainland, where the bulk of the population lives, about 1,500 people, many of them going into the old town to work.
Monemvasia
The History of Monemvasia
The rock of Monemvasia became an island when it was severed from the mainland by an earthquake in 375AD, and the first people moved in to live on the island when the first road was built in the 6th century. It became a vitally important port, controlling the passage of ships travelling around the southern Peloponnese between Italy and Constantinople (modern Istanbul).
Monemvasia Church
With its one entrance and sheer sides, the rock was virtually impregnable, and the only time it fell was in 1821 during the War of Independence when Turkish occupiers were trapped here and besieged by the Greeks. After five months the people inside were reduced to eating grass, rats and even, it’s reputed, each other before they surrendered.
Spot the Town!
Dining on the island today is, you’ll be pleased to know, more sophisticated. Whether you visit by day or in the evening, allow time to wander through the streets – not just the main streets but the back streets too, where crumbling churches and houses create a picture of what life used to be like here, though it is still hard to imagine 50,000 people being crammed into this space.
Yannis Ritsos
Monemvasia
Immediately on your left as you go through the entrance gate is the house where the respected Greek poet Yannis Ritsos (1909-1990) was born. At the far end of the village, look for the church of Panagia Chrysafitissa. Its original date is uncertain, but it was restored by the venetians in the 18th century. Its bell hangs from an acacia tree. Close by is the larger church of Agios Nikolaos, built in 1703. All these are in what is known as the Lower Town.
Monemvasia’s Upper Town
Church of Agia Sofia in Monemvasia
The approach to the Upper Town at the top of the rock is by a zigzag stone path which leads to another entrance, still with its original iron gates. All that remains of the Upper Town, however, is the 13th-century Byzantine church of Agia Sofia, standing alone at the very top of the site. Do try to make the effort to reach it, because the views along the coast from here are very impressive.
Kalamata in the Peloponnese is the area’s second-biggest city and is world-famous for the quality of its olives and for the nearby site of Ancient Messene.
The Marina at Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city in the Peloponnese after Patras, with a population of about 70,000. Like Patras, it’s never really become a big tourist destination. Instead, Kalamata’s top-quality olives have made its name known around the world. In Greece it’s also known as the home of a dance called the Kalamatianos.
Kalamata History
Kalamata’s history spans from Homeric times to its pivotal role in the fight for Greek independence, making it one of the Peloponnese’s most storied cities. Kalamata traces its roots to ancient Pharai, mentioned in Homer’s Iliad as part of King Agamemnon’s realm.
During the Mycenaean period, the surrounding region of Messenia was a major center of civilization, with nearby Pylos as a powerful hub. In classical antiquity, Messenia often fell under Spartan control, though it retained cultural distinctiveness.
Kalamata at Night
Kalamata gained prominence during the Byzantine era, especially after the decline of neighboring cities. Kalamata Castle, built in the 6th century and expanded by the Franks in the 13th century, reflects this medieval growth.
On March 23, 1821, Kalamata became the first Greek city liberated from Ottoman rule, marking a key moment in the Greek War of Independence. Today, the city blends its rich past with modern vitality, known for its olives, cultural festivals, and historical landmarks like the Church of the Holy Apostles, where the revolution was declared.
Map (c) Google Maps
What to See in Kalamata
There are a few things for the visitor to see in Kalamata, including a municipal art gallery and a folk art museum. Some of the other attractions include:
Archaeological Museum of Messenia
The Archaeological Museum of Messenia naturally contains finds from all over the region, especially from Ancient Messene (see below). They’re displayed in four different sections for the four different regions making up Messenia: Kalamata, Messene, Pylia and Triphylia.
Cathedral of Ypapanti
The Cathedral of Ypapanti in Kalamata is a revered religious and architectural landmark, central to the city’s identity and spiritual life. Built between 1860 and 1873, the Cathedral of Ypapanti tou Sotiros, to give it its full name, stands on the site of earlier temples destroyed during conflicts in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was badly damaged in the major earthquake which devastated Kalamata in 1986, and was subsequently restored.
Church of the Holy Apostles (Agioi Apostoloi) in Kalamata
It showcases neo-Byzantine architecture, with twin bell towers and a grand dome. Inside, it houses the miraculous icon of Panagia Ypapanti, discovered in Ottoman ruins and believed to protect the city. Each year at the cathedral on February 2nd, Kalamata celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, drawing pilgrims and visitors alike.
Kalamata Castle
Kalamata Castle is a medieval fortress perched on a hill overlooking the city. Built in the 13th century by the Franks of the Principality of Achaea, the castle incorporates remnants of earlier Byzantine and ancient Pharae structures. It played a strategic role through centuries of conflict, passing through the hands of Byzantines, Venetians, and Ottomans.
A church within the castle once housed an icon of the Virgin Mary, inspiring the name “Kalamata” from “Kalomata” (beautiful eyes). Though partially ruined, the site offers panoramic views and a glimpse into the region’s layered history and cultural resilience.
Kalamata Back Street
Kalamata Municipal Railway Park
The Kalamata Municipal Railway Park is the only open-air railway museum in Greece. Established in 1986 and fully opened in 1990, the park spans 5.4 hectares on the site of the old Kalamata-Limin station. It features a rich collection of historic locomotives, including steam and diesel engines, passenger cars, and freight wagons donated by the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE). Visitors can explore railway platforms, a metal footbridge, and a water tower, all set within lush greenery. The park is ideal for families and history enthusiasts, offering a nostalgic journey through Greece’s transportation past.
Ancient Messene
The site of Ancient Messene is about a 40-minute drive northwest of Kalamata, and not to be confused with the modern town of Messini which you pass through on the way. The archaeological site is 25 minutes further on, after you drive through Messini.
The site sprawls over the sides of Mount Othoni, which is about 800m (2,625ft) high and which is also home to the lovely little village of Mavromati. There are some rooms to rent here if you want to spend the night, rather than down in Kalamata. If you climb to the top of Mount Othoni you’ll get great views over a lot of the southern Peloponnese.
When you see the extent of the remains you realise what an important city this must have been. What’s also remarkable is that the city was protected by walls which were about 10m (33ft) high and ran for 9km (5.6 miles). The walls were built in about 369BC and stood almost undamaged for 750 years.
Kalamata Olives
Kalamata Olives for Sale
Kalamata is part of the Messenia regional unit, one of several regional units that make up the Peloponnese. According to European Union (EU) law, only olives grown in this region can be called Kalamata olives. The same applies to olive oil from the region. However, this type of olive is grown in many other parts of the world where there’s no law against calling them Kalamata olives.
Kalamata olives are dark brown olives that are very plump and meaty, which is why they are so highly-regarded. They are a dark purple/black colour, and must be hand-picked to help prevent them getting bruised. If you ate one straight from the tree it would taste very bitter, which is why they are first soaked, with various methods used to get almost all of the bitterness out of them.
See Greece picks the best time to visit Zakynthos, with a monthly summary of the weather, plus hotel prices and special events to help plan a visit.
Zakynthos
Zakynthos in the Ionian Islands is a paradise known for its Mediterranean climate, with warm summers and mild winters. It’s a place where you can enjoy the sun, sea, and sand, but also explore historical sites, enjoy local cuisine, and participate in cultural events.
But when is the best time to visit Zakynthos? Let’s take a month-by-month look at the island’s weather, hotel prices, and special events.
Best Time to Visit Zakynthos: Month-by-Month
January is the coldest month in Zakynthos, with average temperatures ranging from 41°F (5°C) to 55°F (13°C). The average rainfall is around 3.9 inches (99mm), and snowfall is rare. Hotel prices are at their lowest, making it a good time for budget travelers.
February sees similar temperatures to January, with averages between 41°F (5°C) and 57°F (14°C). Rainfall averages at 3.1 inches (78mm). Hotel prices remain low, and while there are no major events, the island’s natural beauty is still a draw.
In March, temperatures start to rise, averaging between 45°F (7°C) and 60°F (16°C), with rainfall decreasing to 2.4 inches (61mm). Hotel prices remain relatively low, and the Zakynthos Carnival, a vibrant event filled with parades and parties, takes place.
April sees a significant increase in temperature, with averages between 50°F (10°C) and 66°F (19°C). Rainfall further decreases to 1.6 inches (41mm). Hotel prices start to rise slightly, but it’s still a good time to visit before the peak season. Greek Easter often falls in April, a very special time to visit Zakynthos.
May marks the beginning of the warm season, with temperatures ranging from 57°F (14°C) to 75°F (24°C). Rainfall is minimal at 0.8 inches (20mm). Hotel prices continue to rise, but it’s a great time to visit for the Zakynthos Flower Festival, a celebration of spring and nature.
June is a popular month to visit Zakynthos, with temperatures between 64°F (18°C) and 84°F (29°C). Rainfall is almost non-existent at 0.4 inches (10mm). Hotel prices are high, but the island’s beaches and waters are at their best.
July is the hottest month, with temperatures ranging from 70°F (21°C) to 89°F (32°C). Rainfall is minimal, and hotel prices are at their peak. The Zakynthos International Music Festival also offers a unique cultural experience.
August continues the heat, with temperatures between 70°F (21°C) and 88°F (31°C). Rainfall remains low, and hotel prices are still high. The island’s nightlife is best during this month, with numerous beach parties and music events.
September sees a slight decrease in temperature, averaging between 64°F (18°C) and 82°F (28°C). Rainfall is still low at 0.8 inches (20mm). Hotel prices start to decrease, making it a good time to visit for those looking for a balance between good weather and affordability.
October brings cooler temperatures, ranging from 57°F (14°C) to 73°F (23°C), and rainfall increases to 2.8 inches (71mm). Hotel prices continue to decrease, and the Zakynthos Autumn Festival, a celebration of local culture and cuisine, takes place.
In November, temperatures drop further to between 50°F (10°C) and 64°F (18°C), with rainfall increasing to 3.5 inches (89mm). Hotel prices are low.
December marks the beginning of winter, with temperatures between 45°F (7°C) and 59°F (15°C), and rainfall at its highest at 4.3 inches (109mm). Hotel prices are at their lowest, making it a good time for budget travelers.
Best Time to Visit Zakynthos: Summary
In conclusion, the best time to visit Zakynthos depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re after warm weather and don’t mind the crowds or higher prices, June to August is your best bet.
If you prefer milder weather, fewer tourists, and lower prices, consider visiting during the shoulder seasons of April to May or September to October.
And if you’re a budget traveler who doesn’t mind cooler weather and fewer events, the winter months of November to March could be for you. Regardless of when you choose to visit, Zakynthos is sure to offer a memorable experience.
The Temple of Bassae in Messenia in the Peloponnese of Greece is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece.
The Temple of Apollo Epikourios at Bassae in the Peloponnese
The Temple of Bassae (or Vassae) is also known as the Temple of Apollo Epicurius. The name Bassae is an Ancient Greek word meaning ‘the little vale in the rocks’. It was the first place in Greece to be included on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites, even ahead of the Acropolis.
Bassae is one of the least visited of the many important archaeological sites in the Peloponnese. It’s in a remote setting in Messenia, about a 20-minute winding drive south of the mountain village of Andritsaina. It’s a rugged part of the country, and visiting here is real Greek travel. We spent the night in Andritsaina and drove straight to the Temple of Bassae after breakfast. It is a truly remarkable place.
Andritsaina
Andritsaina is somewhere between a town and a village, with a population of about 2,000 people. Although it’s not on the well-trodden tourist trail, it does have a few small hotels and tavernas. It’s well worth a night’s stay before or after visiting Bassae, for some hearty mountain food, and some great views.
Andritsaina stands at an elevation of 705 m (2,313 ft), with the Temple of Bassae even higher at 1,131 m (3,711 ft). It’s only a few miles from Andritsaina to the temple.
Map (c) Google Maps
Visiting the Temple of Bassae
What’s unusual about the temple is that it is considered so precious that a huge protective covering has been erected over it, to shield it from the elements, while excavation and conservation work is carried out. It’s a very strange experience, as from the outside it looks a bit like a circus tent, and you feel privileged to pop your head inside and see the temple itself.
It’s also a very dramatic experience, and the intimacy of being inside the tent with the temple makes the well-preserved building seem all the more impressive and imposing.
History of the Temple of Bassae
The temple was built in the 5th century BC and dedicated to Apollo Epikourios (Apollo the Helper). It’s believed to have been designed by the architect Iktinos, who was one of the two architects responsible for the Parthenon in Athens.
The temple was used up until about the 4th or 5th century AD, when the Romans closed what they regarded as pagan temples in Greece. It’s unusual in that it has examples of all three styles of Greek columns: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. In fact the Corinthian capital here is the oldest known example in Greece.
As with the Parthenon in Athens, the temple was plundered by the British, including the magnificent frieze. This is now on display in the British Museum in London, alongside the Parthenon Marbles. Is it too much to hope that one day it will be returned and put back in its right place on the Temple of Bassae?
Architectural Significance
Three Classical Orders: It is unique among ancient Greek temples for incorporating all three classical architectural orders: Doric (for the exterior peristyle), Ionic (for the interior columns), and the earliest known surviving example of a Corinthian capital (on a single column in the center of the interior).
Architect: The temple is traditionally attributed to Iktinos, the famous architect who also designed the Parthenon in Athens, though this attribution is sometimes debated by modern scholars.
Unusual Orientation: Unlike most Greek temples that are oriented east-west, the Temple of Bassae is oriented north-south, believed by some to be for cultic reasons, such as aligning with the summer solstice sunrise.
Design: Built between approximately 420 and 400 BC, it combines archaic features (such as its elongated shape with a 6×15 column ratio) with the serenity of the Classical Doric style and daring innovations, marking a turning point in temple architecture.
The See Greece guide to exploring Evia, covering its most beautiful towns and villages.
Evia
There are lots of pretty towns and villages to explore on Evia, and here in alphabetical order are some of the places worth seeking out, in addition to the capital Chalkida and the important archaeological site of Ancient Eretria.
Exploring Evia
Cape Artemisio
One of the finest exhibits in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens was hauled from the sea here off the northern corner of Evia. The stunning bronze statue of Poseidon was found by local fishermen in 1928, highly appropriate as he was the God of the Sea who lived on Evia.
In 480BC the waters here were churned and tossed as it was the site of the Battle of Artemisium, when the Persian fleet of King Xerxes defeated the Greeks before moving on to take Eretria, only to be finally defeated at Marathon.
Karystos
Almost at the southern tip of Evia, Karystos is an attractive town of mainly modern origin, having been built up only after the War of Independence. The first King of modern Greece, Otto, liked the location so much that he modestly renamed the town after himself, Othonoupolis, and decided it would be the new capital of Greece.
He invited a Bavarian architect to create a grand town plan of long, wide streets lined with mansions, but not long after this first stage was completed, Otto was gone and Karystos reclaimed its name and kept the streets. Today it is one of the destination points for the ferries from Rafina on the Greek mainland, making it rather busy, especially in summer, but in an appealing, lively way.
Dominating the town is the Castello Rosso, a massive medieval fortress that looks over modern Karystos from the site of the ancient acropolis. Nothing much remains inside the fortress, which gets it name from its ruddy-coloured walls, but it gives good views back down over the town and further inland to Mt Ochi (see below). Karystos also has an Archaeological Museum worth visiting.
Kymi
Kymi on Evia
Kymi is a town halfway along Evia’s northern coast. There’s a Folklore Museum here, which has fascinating displays on local life. There’s an extensive collection of local costumes and embroideries, and much of the fascination comes from a large collection of old photographs showing life in the last century in this quiet rural place, set among vineyards and orchards.
Its sleepy nature and remote location belie its rich past, evident from the fine 19th-century mansions which line some of the streets, the wealth coming from a combination of local silk production and international maritime trade.
Kymi also has a lovely church dedicated to the Panagia Koimisis, containing a very rare 7th-century icon of the Madonna and Child, while north of the town is the dramatically situated clifftop monastery of Moni Sotira, built in the 17th century and still inhabited today by a small number of nuns. Note that men are not admitted.
Limni
Limni is a fairly quiet fishing village, which is starting to wake up to the tourist trade, but it lacks the good beaches of Loutra Gialtron, Loutra Aidipsou and some other Evia resorts. For the moment, then, it remains a low-key Greek village of whitewashed red-tiled houses, boats bobbing in the harbour, 19th-century mansions built from past maritime wealth, and a relaxing waterfront with cafes and tavernas.
More energetic visitors make the 8km (5 miles) walk to the Byzantine monastery of Moni Galataki, the oldest on Evia, with remains going back to the 13th century though most buildings date from the 16th. Its church has frescoes that also date from the 16th century, several of which have survived in vivid detail, including a Last Judgement so frightening it would turn anyone onto the path of righteousness.
The monastery was deserted for many years but reinstated as a convent in the 1940s and is still inhabited by nuns today. There are no formal opening hours but anyone arriving in the mornings or early afternoon will be welcome to look around, if respectably dressed.
The Rocky Coast of Evia
Loutra Gialtron and Loutra Adipsou
At the remote northwestern end of Evia is a beautiful wide bay surrounded by wooded slopes, with spa resorts sitting on either side of the mouth. The smaller Loutra Gialtron is a pretty harbour town with an old windmill and a decent beach, and with access to even better beaches out towards the extreme northwestern tip of the island.
Across the bay, Loutra Aidipsou is the largest spa town in Greece and renowned for its sulphur springs, bringing visitors flocking here every summer at the prospect of being made young and beautiful. It is not the best time of year to turn up without accommodation booked.
At other times, the summer demands of visitors means that there is ample accommodation (many hotels have their own hot springs) and you can enjoy its excellent beach and the picturesque charm of a working fishing harbour, and the prospect of making day trips to the Sporades.
Mount Ochi
At 1,398m (4,587ft), Mt Ochi is the highest point in the south of Evia and is surrounded by lovely villages, both inland on its slopes and on the surrounding coasts. A popular hill village is Mýli, which overlooks Karystos near the Castello Rosso and is the setting-off point for those wishing to climb the mountain. This is a serious 4-hour hike, for which you will need to be fit and have a good map or guide, but your rewards will include exceptional views and the sight at the top of one of Évvioa’s so-called Dragon Houses.
These stone buildings are also found near Stýra, and named because it is thought that only dragons could have transported the huge stones to the high locations where the houses are built. Their purpose is not known for sure, but it is thought they may have been miniature temples for the worship of Poseidon, who made Evia his home.
Evia Sunset
Ochthonia
The hill village of Ochthonia is an atmospheric place, its prosperous past hinted at by the Neo-Classical mansions and ruined towers that can be seen as you walk the streets, and by the remains of the Frankish castle above the village. Down below on the coast are long stretches of sandy beach which are rather too remote to attract crowds in large numbers, so are good places to aim for if you like to sunbathe in seclusion.
Prokopi
Prokopi is another mountain village, this one overlooked by the highest point in the north of the island, Mt Kandili (1,361m/4,465ft). Our drive in northern Evia includes Prokopi, where it’s well worth breaking the journey. Many pilgrims do so in order to visit the church of Agios Ioannis o Rosos, which contain the remains of St John the Russian, who was in fact a Ukrainian.
He served in the Tsar’s army, was captured by the Turks, made a slave and then killed by the Turks in the town of Prokopi in central Turkey. With the exchange of populations in 1923, his devoted followers brought his bones to Greece, and they named their new settlement Prokopi and built a church to house the relics. You may see Russian Orthodox visitors here too, as St John was also canonised by the Russian Orthodox faith, in 1962.
Steni
The mountain village of Steni has developed into quite a thriving tourist town, brought on by its location at the foot of Evia’s highest point, Mt Dirfys (1,740m/5,709ft). The peak naturally gives breathtaking views over the island, out to the Aegean and back towards the Greek mainland. It is also relatively accessible, provided you are reasonably fit, and it’s a good day out to take the four-hour walk to the summit and enjoy a picnic lunch at the top.
You will need a good map, but the walk begins at the end of the main road that runs through Steni, which peters out into a car park after about 3km (2 miles). Follow the track, watching out for cars as some people prefer to drive up as far as they can go. Look for the turning to the left which is clearly signposted: Fountain of Liri Refuge. From the Refuge another track marked with dabs of red paint on rocks leads in a straightforward if demanding manner to the summit.
Evia Horses
Styra
On Evia’s west coast the port of Nea Stýra (New Styra) has ferry connections with Rafina on the mainland, and has developed into a small holiday resort especially popular with Athenians, who can reach it very easily. It has a lovely, long sandy beach, which will be packed in midsummer, but at other times it would make a convenient base for a few days.
Climb inland for 5km (3.1 miles) and you reach the hill village of Styra itself, a quiet place most noted for having several examples of Evia’s ‘dragon houses’. These are just outside the town and are thought to date from the 6th century B.C. The fanciful theory that the vast stone blocks must have been transported by dragons is very likely to have had a more prosaic explanation in reality: that the stones were carried by slave labour.
See Greece’s guide to Ancient Eretria, the most important historical site on Evia, a city that at one time fought with Chalkida for dominance of the island.
Eretria on Evia
Eretria, a coastal gem on the Greek island of Evia, offers a rich tapestry of ancient history, stunning archaeological remains, and a museum that brings its storied past to life—making it a must-visit for history lovers and curious travelers alike.
📍 Eretria: Location and Setting
Eretria Location Map (c) Google Maps
Eretria is located on the western coast of Evia, directly across the South Euboean Gulf from the region of Attica. It’s about a half-hour drive from Chalkida. This strategic position made Eretria a vital maritime hub in antiquity, connecting it to the Greek mainland and the broader Mediterranean world. Today, the modern town of Eretria sits atop the ruins of its ancient predecessor, offering visitors a unique blend of seaside charm and archaeological intrigue.
🏛️ Historical Overview
Eretria on Evia
Prehistoric and Early Settlements
The earliest traces of human activity in Eretria date back to the Neolithic period (3500–3000 BC), with pottery shards and stone tools discovered on the Acropolis and surrounding plains. During the Early Helladic period (3000–2000 BC), a small settlement emerged on the plain, featuring granaries and kilns. However, flooding forced inhabitants to relocate to the Acropolis during the Middle Helladic period (2000–1600 BC). By the Late Helladic period (1600–1100 BC), the site was sparsely populated and likely served as an observation post.
Archaic to Classical Period
Eretria truly flourished during the Greek Dark Ages and Archaic period, emerging as a powerful city-state alongside its rival, Chalcis. The city played a pivotal role in the Greek colonization movement, founding colonies in Italy (Pithekoussai and Cumae), Halkidiki, and the Black Sea region. Eretria’s influence extended to the development of the Greek alphabet, adapted from Phoenician script around the 8th century BC—a foundational moment for Western literacy.
Eretria’s military and political might were evident in its control over nearby islands like Andros, Tenos, and Ceos, and its involvement in the Lelantine War against Chalcis. The city also contributed ships to the Trojan War, as mentioned by Homer in the Iliad.
Persian and Roman Destruction
In 490 BC, Eretria was destroyed by the Persians during the Greco-Persian Wars. Though it recovered, the city faced further devastation in 198 BC when it was plundered by the Romans, and again in 87 BC during the Mithridatic Wars, leading to its decline.
🏺 Archaeological Site Highlights
Eretria on Evia
The ancient city of Eretria lies beneath the modern town, with many structures excavated and partially restored:
Sanctuary of Apollo Daphniforos: This central temple complex dates from the 8th to 5th century BC, with preserved foundations and sculptural fragments from its Doric temple (520–490 BC).
Monumental Fountain: Located southeast of the temple, this 4th-century BC structure features a colonnade and served as a public water source.
City Walls: Remnants of Eretria’s classical fortifications (4th century BC) still trace the coastline and descend from the Acropolis.
Heroon: A Geometric-period burial site (750–680 BC) near the western gate, containing aristocratic graves and votive offerings.
House with Mosaics: A luxurious 4th-century BC residence showcasing intricate floor mosaics, located along the city’s main artery.
Theater: Built in the 5th and 4th centuries BC, the theater is one of Eretria’s most iconic landmarks, offering insight into ancient performance culture.
Sanctuaries and Public Buildings: These include the Temple of Dionysus, sanctuary of Isis, Thesmophorium, and sanctuary of Artemis, as well as gymnasiums, baths, and banquet halls.
Macedonian Tombs: These elaborate burial structures reflect the city’s Hellenistic period and its connections to Macedonian culture.
🖼️ Archaeological Museum of Eretria
Located near the excavation site, the Archaeological Museum of Eretria is a treasure trove of artifacts that span millennia. It houses finds from Eretria itself, as well as nearby sites like Lefkadi and Amarynthos.
Museum Highlights:
Polychrome Antefixes: Decorative roof tiles featuring mythological motifs, including Gorgons.
Statues and Sculptures: Notably, a statue of a youth from the gymnasium, now displayed in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
Pottery and Votive Offerings: Items from domestic and funerary contexts, including cups, figurines, and ceremonial vessels.
Architectural Fragments: Columns, capitals, and sculptural reliefs from temples and public buildings.
Funerary Artifacts: Grave goods from aristocratic burials, including jewelry, weapons, and inscriptions.
The museum provides context for the ruins and helps visitors visualize the grandeur of ancient Eretria.
🧭 Tips for Visiting Eretria
Visiting Eretria is both educational and scenic. Here are some tips to make the most of your trip:
Best Time to Visit: Spring and early autumn offer pleasant weather and fewer crowds.
Getting There: Eretria is accessible via ferry from Oropos on the mainland or by car from Chalkis, the capital of Evia.
Local Attractions: Beyond the archaeological site, enjoy Eretria’s beaches, cafés, and waterfront promenade.
Guided Tours: Consider joining a tour led by experts from the Swiss School of Archaeology, which has been excavating the site since 1964.
Nearby Sites: Visit Amarynthos, known for its sanctuary of Artemis, and Lefkandi, another important prehistoric site.
Dining and Accommodation: Eretria offers a range of traditional tavernas, boutique hotels, and guesthouses with views of the gulf.
🌟 Why Eretria Matters
Eretria’s legacy is woven into the fabric of Greek civilization—from its role in colonization and alphabet development to its architectural and artistic achievements. Though often overshadowed by more famous sites like Athens or Delphi, Eretria offers a quieter, more intimate encounter with antiquity.
Whether you’re a history buff, a curious traveler, or someone seeking a scenic escape, Eretria delivers a compelling blend of culture, heritage, and natural beauty.
Modern Eretria
Eretria on Evia
In the centre of the modern town can be seen the foundations of the Temple of Apollo, and the site of the agora. The modern town now sprawls along the coast as one of the island’s main resorts, given its proximity to Chalkida, but while the remains of the ancient city ought to be seen, the modern town is not the most appealing place to stay on Evia. There are far lovelier towns and resorts all around the island.
This drive exploring northern Evia takes you from the busy town of Chalkida out into the mountains for a glimpse of life in the rugged north of the island.
Chalkida Bridge to Evia
Assuming that you enter Chalkida from the mainland across the bridge, keep on the main road through the town centre, turning left onto route 44 and then right onto route 77, marked for Mantoudi.
Note that when you are outside the main town the road signs are mostly written only in Greek, so you need to be careful to follow directions and at the very least have a copy of the Greek alphabet with you, so that you can hopefully stop and make sense of the Greek place names.
If asking directions, stress is all-important in the pronunciation of Greek. The stressed syllable is usually the penultimate one, and if you get the stress wrong the listener may not understand, even though you think your pronunciation is reasonably close.
North from Chalkida
Chalkida on Evia
The road north out of Chalkida takes you through some salt marshes and along the coast with lovely views across to the mainland. After about 12km (7.5 miles) look for the right fork on a local road marked for Psakhna, which you reach after 2km (1.2 miles). Psakhna is an attractive market town, worth a brief stop as the main church has some 13th century frescoes.
Into the Mountains
Continue on from Psakhna by following the signs for Prokopi, which takes you back to route 77 with Prokopi being 30km (18.6 miles) further on. The road to it is a marvellous drive through olive groves and later up into pine forests as the scenery becomes more mountainous. There are now even more spectacular views back to the mainland, as well as vistas over Evia itself, showing how green it is especially in the spring and early summer. For a time the road runs alongside a river, through the narrow and wooded ravine in the Kleisoura Valley, before reaching Prokopi.
Evia
Prokopi
Prokopi is an essential stop, a village which built up after the arrival of Greeks forced out of Turkey during the population exchanges in 1923. Its church of Agios Ioannis o Rosos (St John the Russian) contains the bones of that saint, brought from Turkey. Prokopi is also the home of the Candili Centre, a base for arts and crafts holidays, retreats and seminars, based in the estate of Edward Noel, a British relative of Lord Byron. It is worth visiting just to see the house and grounds, even if you have no time to stay and join one of their holidays.
Mandouli
From Prokopi continue on route 77 following the signs for Limni and Mandoudi, which you reach after 8km (5 miles). Mandoudi is a beautiful village of whitewashed houses, about 1km (0.6 miles) off to the right of the main road. Don’t hesitate to take the slight detour to stop off here for a while and relax in its pretty main square.
Limni
Go back to route 77 and turn right, continuing on, following the signs for Strofylia and Limni. The road takes you through more agricultural land, past rows of vines, bent under the weight of the grapes in the autumn. In Strofylia the road forks and you follow the left fork, which passes through a few more hill villages until you drop down suddenly towards the pretty little coastal village of Limni where a good seafood lunch or supper awaits.
Evia Sunset
If you’re driving back to Chalkida from Limni, it should take you about 90 minutes without stops.
The Dadia Forest Reserve in Thrace is famous for its wildlife, especially raptors, with accommodation and information available at the Dadia Ecotourism Centre.
Sign at the Dadia Forest Reserve
Head north-east from the Evros Delta and you will reach the small town of Féres, which would make a good base for exploring the area to the north of here, the 32,500-hectare Dadia Forest Reserve. Set in the Evros Valley and overshadowed by the Evros Mountains, this is another scenically splendid area of Greece and mostly visited by those with an interest in its wide range of wildlife. It’s especially noted for the fact that 36 of Europe’s 38 species of predatory birds can be found here.
Dadia Forest Reserve Information Centre
There is an information centre in the forest, at the Dadia Ecotourism Centre, reached from near the village of Likófi. At the centre you will naturally find a lot of information about the flora and the fauna of the Reserve, which is especially noted for its rare birds of prey. At the centre you can also get advice on exploring the Reserve, which can be done by way of an organised tour van, which goes into the areas where cars are banned, or on foot.
There are two main footpaths to be followed, and these are well-marked. One leads to the highest point in the Reserve, at 520 meters (1706ft), and the other to a hide which looks out over the Mavrorema Canyon, giving chance for visitors to see some of the raptors as they soar on the thermals that rise out of the canyon.
Golden Eagle
In addition to the eagles and vultures, other species seen here include the lanner falcon, black kite, goshawk, Levant sparrowhawk, honey buzzard and the increasingly rare black stork, although there are only a few of these in the forest.
Crested Goshawk
Accommodation in the Dadia Forest
It is quite possible to stay in the Reserve, as there are 20 rooms available at the Dadia Ecotourism Centre, which also has a restaurant and café. You would need to book ahead as it gets full at busy periods such as migration times in spring and autumn. There is a café nearby, and more eating options and shops in the village of Dadiá, about 1km (1/2 mile) away.
See Greece visits and tours the Manousakis Winery on Crete with a wine-tasting and a chance to buy their tsikoudia, sea salt, olive oil and other goodies.
A twenty-minute drive southwest from Hania brings us to the delightful Manousakis Winery. Their name will be more familiar to you when you know that it’s here they make Nostos Wines, a familiar name on some of the better wine lists in restaurants around Crete.
The winery is very attractive, set out like an old Cretan village, and extremely colourful with flowers growing in old olive oil cans, basil plants in ceramic pots, and a huge rosemary bush growing around the base of a tree.
Flowers in Cans at the Manousakis Winery on Crete
There are tables with bright tablecloths, where people are enjoying meals or snacks, or doing wine-tastings. To one side of the central courtyard, a cookery course is taking place, one of the many events the winery holds, including live music concerts.
Winery Shop
Sea Salt for Sale at the Manousakis Winery on Crete
We explore the winery shop, where we find some of the produce they make here, in addition to the wine. There are pots of sea salt, jars of olive oil, bottles of the Cretan spirit tsikoudia, ceramics made by a local artist, and t-shirts with funny slogans on them. We can’t resist buying the one that says ‘We are what we drink’. In that case, at the moment we’re 50% Cretan wine and 50% raki.
Love Story
Ashfin Molavi, Co-owner of the Manousakis Winery on Crete
Like most vineyards on Crete it’s a family business. The winery is run today by Alexandra Manousakis (whose parents now live in the USA) and her husband Ashfin Molavi. Alexandria had been born in Washington DC and was living in New York when she decided to return to Crete to run the family vineyard.
Ashfin was born in Sweden, trained as a sommelier, and then moved to Athens where he worked in a top restaurant. Here he met Alexandra, who was travelling back and forth from Crete to Athens trying to get the best restaurants there to stock their wines. Before long they were married, and Ashfin was helping run the winery. Ashfin does the blending, and they also have a winemaker and a viticulturalist.
Charity Support
Signs at the Manousakis Winery on Crete
“A percentage of the profits from the first two wines and from our sea salt and olive oil go to a charity for handicapped children,” Ashfin tells us as he gets ready to do a wine-tasting with us. “It goes to a school for children with special needs in Hania. Alexandra had two sisters who were both born early and had problems. We have a saying that ‘many small creeks turn into a river,’ so we do what little we can. Alexandra is on the board of the school as it is something that is very dear to her heart.”
Manousakis Wines
In the Gift Shop at the Manousakis Winery on Crete
“My father-in-law went to the USA at the age of 11 because of poverty, looking for a better life. . He refurbished the house here before the winery existed. He was coming back visiting for 20 years and then in 1993 decided to start the winery. Alexandra took over in 2007, and then I came in 2010. So, let’s try the wines!”
Manousakis Wine Tasting
We started with their 2 Mazi White, which is a blend of two grapes, Roussanne and Vilana, and is made in cooperation with the Lyrarakis vineyard. It’s beautifully fresh and aromatic, with a light citrus aroma, and an easy-drinking white that’s 12% ABV. There’s also a rosé and a red in the same range.
A Wine Tasting at the Manousakis Winery on Crete
“We do 60,000 bottles a year in total,” says Ashfin, “and are a small boutique winery. We plant all our own grapes. We don’t buy in. My father-in-law wanted to make wine that was good enough to be sold in the USA, and not just locally, so he set high standards.”
Next in the tasting is an interesting-sounding wine, a Nostos Muscat of Spinas. Spinas is a village to the west of the vineyard where there are 120-year-old vines of the Muscat grape, originally from Samos. Muscat wine is more associated with Samos, and mainly as a dessert wine. Here at Manousakis they age theirs for 5-6 years and the result is an excellent and very floral regular white wine. It has grassy and citrus notes, as well as the floral sweetness you get from Muscat grapes. It’s also really inexpensive for a wine of this quality, at only 13 euros a bottle at the time of our visit.
A Wine Tasting at the Manousakis Winery on Crete
We then try another white, their Nostos Vidiano 2015. “This is the number one grape variety on the island,” Ashfin explains, “and the number one up-and-coming grape in Greece.” Aged for 6 months in oak barrels, it has that lovely buttery-oaky taste that you get in my favourite chardonnays, and yet this too is only 13 euros.
“You can find our wines in Hania at Salis, which has 500 wine labels on the list. Also at other restaurants, in wine shops and at hotels around Crete. Some go to Athens. We export 30% to Sweden, Denmark, and other European countries, ten countries in all, including the USA.”
We try their Nostos Roussanne 2015, which has the buttery-oaky quality of the Vidiano but with a nuttiness to both the aroma and the taste. Ashfin gives us a taste of the same wine from 2012, and it’s developed a darker colour and an even richer and thicker taste.
A Wine Tasting at the Manousakis Winery on Crete
The Nostos Rosé is pink, very balanced, not too sweet, striking a good balance between light and drinkable, and more complex. The first red we try is the Nostos Grenache 2015. They only plant three red grape varieties, of kinds that you find all around the Mediterranean: Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Grenache is originally from Spain, then moved to France, and has been grown on Crete for hundreds of years. It’s a lovely, light and fruity red.
They produce more than three reds, though, as they blend them in different ways. Nostos Alexandra’s is 40% Syrah, 40% Mourvèdre and 20% Grenache Rouge and is a deep ruby red colour with a thick and rich taste of strawberry, cherry, other fruits and spices. It would be wonderful with a good meaty meal.
Vats in the Winery at the Manousakis Winery on Crete
We sip our way through the Cuvée Alexandra (their flagship wine), the Nostos Blend and the Nostos Syrah, whose label shows Alexandra’s grandfather, a carpenter who built the building that became the winery. When you talk about family wineries, this is the kind of thing you mean.
Finally Ashfin kindly treats us to a glass of their Nostos Mourvèdre 2012. They’re the only vineyard on Crete which grows the Mourvèdre grape, and they only have one small plot of it. They only make two barrels a year of this 100% Mourvèdre red wine, which is deliciously rich, fruity, full-bodies, meaty, peppery, floral… the aromas and tastes just go on and on.
Tsikoudia Bottles from the Manousakis Winery on Crete
It’s a perfect end to our Manousakis wine tasting, a rare wine which only they produce on Crete. It’s what wine tourism is all about – meeting with the makers, and trying their unique wines.
Manousakis Wine Tastings
Tours must be booked in advance through their website. It’s not necessary to book tastings in advance although it’s advisable during the busy summer months. https://www.manousakiswinery.com/visit
Our visit to Manousakis was part of a food and wine tour of Crete booked for us by the excellent www.gocrete.net.
See Greece tours the Lyrarakis Winery on Crete, and learns about Crete grape varieties such as plyto, dafni, vidiano, vilana, mandilari and kotsifali.
Touring the Lyrarakis Winery on Crete
The Cretan wine business is booming, a fact that was recognised recently by Wine Enthusiast magazine. It nominated Crete on its shortlist for Wine Region of the Year, along with Champagne, Provence, Sonoma County and the eventual winner, Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Illustrious company indeed.
Touring the Lyrarakis Winery on Crete
Vineyards at the Lyrarakis Winery on Crete
On a tour of one of the island’s biggest wineries, Lyrarakis, we learn one of the reasons why from our guide, Eva Gouvianaki. ‘There are lots of parents who started wineries,’ she says, ‘and now their children are the second generation. They are educated as oenologists, whereas the parents learned simply by doing it. Right now we have specialists, and the wine is better. The parents started and the children took it further. But here we believe in meraki – it means if you’re going to do something you want to do it with passion.’
The Founding of Lyrarakis
Flowers at the Lyrarakis Winery on Crete
Lyrarakis was founded by brothers Manolis and Sotiris Lyrarakis in 1966 and they made an unusual decision which turned out to be farsighted, and another reason for the current success of Cretan wines. They concentrated on growing two local grape varieties, plyto and dafni, which no-one else was using to make wine and which might well now be extinct if not for the Lyrarakis brothers.
Today there are over 50 wineries on Crete, many of them growing familiar imported grape varieties like syrah and merlot, but Lyrarakis and others prefer their native varieties like plyto, dafni, vidiano, vilana, mandilari and kotsifali. They make distinctive wines that are part of the terroir of Crete, the largest and most southerly of the Greek islands.
Karoula Wine Press
Karoula Wine Press at the Lyrarakis Winery on Crete
Before we tour the winery and tastes the wines, Eva drives us out to see another of the Lyrarakis brothers’ legacies, the Karoula wine press. Crete is home to many ancient wine presses, including the oldest known press in the world, some 3500 years old. The Karoula press dates from the 14th century and is carved out of the area’s natural rock.
‘It was a communal press,’ Eva explains, ‘where everyone would bring their grapes to tread them, and the juice would flow down the slope. There was a second pressing nearby. Everyone knew that the press was here, but one of the founding brothers thought it was important to protect it so he reported it to the authorities to help preserve it for future generations. Those are our vines behind the press, the plyto grapes. At one time this whole valley would have been filled with vines.’
Karoula Wine Press at the Lyrarakis Winery on Crete
Cretan wines have a distinguished history. Homer reported that they were known and loved throughout the known world. The Minoans exported wine to Egypt, which is about 400 miles away across the Libyan Sea. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Cretan wines were exported to Venice, where they were rated very highly indeed.
Lyrarakis Today
Snacks Accompanying a Wine Tasting at the Lyrarakis Winery on Crete
Today Lyrarakis, the biggest and oldest winery in the Iraklion region, produces a million litres of wine a year, half of which is exported to the USA, Japan, China and several other countries. In the UK the importers are Berry Brothers and Rudd, who have supplied wine to the royal family since the reign of King George III.
Tasting Room at the Lyrarakis Winery on Crete
Lyrarakis is now run by the second generation, the five children of Manolis and Sotiris Lyrarakis. As we enter the tasting room and impressive restaurant, a young girl enters and skips through the room.
‘And here comes the third generation,’ Eva laughs, as we sit down to taste the wines, and pair them with cheese and other Cretan delicacies. We try the dafni, which has hints of rosemary and lavender – and which you can buy in M&S in the UK. Their Legacy rosé is unusually dark for a rosé, almost a plum colour, while the intensely delicious Malvasia of Crete dessert wine uses a blend of plyto, dafni, vidiano and vilana grapes which are dried in the sun for nine days to concentrate the sugars.
Wines for Sale at the Lyrarakis Winery on Crete
We also try their Symbolo wine, a complex and fruity wine, heavy on the tannin. It’s a flagship wine, only made when the grapes are excellent, and last produced in 2012. The good news is… 2016 was an excellent vintage on Crete, making 2017 the perfect year for wine-lovers to visit.
The Kalimera Archanes renovated stone houses are in the village of Archanes, about 7 miles (11 kms) from the Lyrarakis Winery, and a similar distance from Iraklion Airport. They can be booked through Sunvil Holidays.
The best things to do on Skiathos include seeing Skiathos Town, enjoying its beautiful beaches, hiking in the forests, and visiting ancient monasteries.
Skiathos Town
Best Things to do on Skiathos
Skiathos Town
If you’re not staying in Skiathos Town then it is well worth a day trip. It’s a pleasant place to wander round, do some shopping, visit the art galleries, and have lunch or a drink in one of the places lining the waterfront.
Papadiamantis Museum
You can also visit the Papadiamantis Museum. Alexandros Papadiamantis was an acclaimed writer of both fiction and poetry, born on Skiathos in 1851 in the house that was previously on this site. His father built the present house in 1860 and it is now a museum devoted to the author.
It’s worth seeing even if you haven’t read any of his books, several of which have been translated into English and are still available. He has been called the Dostoyevsky of Greece, and Skiathos features prominently in his work, though in his day it was a very different place, of course, and very poor.
Skiathos Town
Cathedral
Another place to see is the town’s cathedral, Trion Ierarhon, or the Church of the Three Bishops. It was built in 1846 and has some excellent icons, including the one which inspired the building of the Monastery of Panagia Kounistra (see below).
If you are in Skiathos Town, a great day out is to take a boat trip around the island. There are lots of options that stop off at different beaches on the way – and there are plenty of beaches on Skiathos to choose from!
Beaches
Skiathos
With dozens of beaches, Skiathos will keep beach bums happy for weeks. There are two dozen along the south coast alone, all easily reached in the summer by a regular bus service that stops at all of them. It does mean they get crowded, though.
One of the quieter ones is Mandraki Beach as it takes a bit of a walk from the bus stop to get to, and that reduces its appeal to some people, though others appreciate the walk through lovely woods. It’s about a 30-minute drive from Skiathos Town, has nice golden sand, and a taverna in summer.
There’s another bunch of beaches on the northeast coast, one of the best being Lalaria Beach. You can only reach it on a boat trip from Skiathos Town, and take provisions with you as there are no facilities. There’s also no shade. It’s the only beach on Skiathos that is made up of small pebbles rather than sand.
One word of warning: in the northeast you can get strong winds, so always ask about wind conditions before booking. If the wind is too strong the boats will take you to different beaches, and you won’t get your money back if they can’t get into Lalaria.
Skiathos is terrific if you like hiking, as 70% of the island is forested so there’s lots of shade. Bird life is abundant, as birds appreciate the shade too. In all there are 26 recognised hiking routes, and of course many more informal one. You can get lots of information on the Hiking Skiathos website, which is highly recommended.
Monasteries
Skiathos has several old monasteries that can be visited. The most notable is the Monastery of Evangelistria (the Annunciation), which is a 10-minute drive or an hour’s walk north of Skiathos Town. The monastery was founded in 1794 by monks who came from Mount Athos, and it is revered because it was used as a base for freedom fighters during the Greek War of Independence.
In 1807 they designed a new Greek flag, a precursor of today’s flag, which was made here at the monastery. You can still see the loom on which it was made, and this was the first place in Greece where the national flag was raised.
Panagia Kounistra
The Monastery of Panagia Kounistra is a 25-minute drive or a 2-hour hike to the west of Skiathos Town in a lovely location in the middle of a pine forest. Its name translates as The Swinging Virgin (!), as the story goes that in 1650 a monk found an icon of the Virgin Mary swinging from the branch of a pine tree, and it inspired him to build the church here. It’s noted for its fine frescoes and its wooden iconostasis. You can see the icon in the cathedral in Skiathos Town.
Skiathos easily has the best beaches in the Sporades, and some of the best in the Greek islands, ranging from busy and crowded to quiet and remote beaches.
Skiathos Beach
The excellent beaches are just one reason that holidaymakers flock to Skiathos, more so than the other Sporades islands. In fact it’s one of the busiest islands in Greece. This does mean that its beaches get very crowded, especially in the summer months, and that’s what a lot of people want. A crowded and busy beach means more facilities like watersports, beach bars, and tavernas.
The bus which goes around the island stops at the main resorts and main beaches, which is why some of them get so busy. Others are easily reached by car, so if you want a bit of privacy and quiet you should aim for the beaches that are hardest to get to, or have no easy road access.
Apart from hiking to them, you could also hire a boat as some beaches can only be reached by sea. Alternatively you could hire someone with a boat to take you there and call back for you later on. This can be a bit nerve-wracking, as the Greeks don’t exactly have a good reputation for punctuality, and you might begin to worry you’ll be stranded… but most are happy for you to pay them at the end, so you can be confident they will return for you.
Skiathos
Meltemi Wind
One problem the beaches on the north side of the island have is that this is the direction that the summer meltemi wind comes from. As well as being uncomfortable, they can prevent boats from sailing. If you book in advance on a boat to take you to Lalaria Beach, for example, because you want to see the best beach on Skiathos, and the meltemi blows up on the day you’re booked to travel, the boat may have to take you to another beach that is sheltered from the meltemi.
The meltemi wind mainly blows up in the afternoon, so even if there’s no wind in the morning, the boat owner will have checked the weather forecast in the afternoon, and if a strong wind is coming he can’t take the chance of leaving you stranded so he will have to make alternative arrangements. You can use a weather app yourself, or an app like Windfinder, to help you plan your beach visit.
Skiathos is said to have over 60 beaches in all, so that does mean that there are also quieter beaches in more remote parts of the island, so there should be a beach on Skiathos to suit everyone. Here are some to choose from, in alphabetical order.
Skiathos
Best Beaches on Skiathos
Aselinos Beach
Aselinos Beach is actually two beaches, Megalos (Big) and Mikro (Small), and they’re about a 25-minute drive from Skiathos Town around on the north-west coast. They’re both sandy beaches, and the bigger one has a bar and taverna, with the smaller beach being much quieter. Bear in mind that because of the hilly terrain, you can’t easily walk between the two beaches so pick your spot. If you want the quieter beach, take your supplies with you.
Kastro Beach
Kastro Beach is a small beach in the north of the island, a mix of sand and rocks, and with coves to explore. It’s just to the west of Lalaria Beach and some boats from Skiathos Town offer you the chance to make a visit to Kastro Beach before going on to Lalaria Beach. You might want to take this option as there’s a bar at Kastro Beach, and there’s also the ruins of an old town up the hill behind the beach.
Lalaria Beach
Lalaria Beach is at almost the northern tip of the island and is drop-dead gorgeous. With its rocky backdrop it’s often used in posters to help attract visitors to Skiathos for its beaches. The backdrop, though, means that there is no way to get down to the beach on foot so you’ll have to take a boat. Water-taxis take people there and back twice daily from Skiathos Town, though, so that’s not a problem. The trip takes about 40 minutes.
Lalaria Beach is made up of white sandy pebbles, which is very pretty but make sure you have something comfortable to lie on. You will also need to take all your provisions with you, as there’s nothing there. There’s no shade either, so take an umbrella, although in the afternoon the rocks start to shade the beach.
Maratha Beach
Maratha Beach is on Skiathos’s south-west coast and is about a 20-minute drive from Skiathos Town, or you could take the bus. It’s a 25-minute walk from Troulos (see below), so if you don’t want to take food and water with you it’s easy enough to get to Troulos to eat and drink. Maratha Beach does have a beach bar and sunbeds to hire.
Megas Gialos Beach
Despite the fact that it’s only a 10-minute drive from Skiathos Town, this remains a fairly quiet beach. You can also walk there in under an hour. There are no facilities so you’ll have to take everything with you, and it’s not far from the airport so does get some noise. It’s a mix of sand and pebbles and is also popular with nudists. It’s also popular with divers and snorkelers.
Troulos Beach
Troulos Beach is in the village of Troulos and is one of the most popular on the island. It’s a 15-minute drive west from Skiathos Town, or you can get there by bus. It’s also walkable, though it will take you two hours. It’s a sandy beach with umbrellas, loungers, watersports, and eating options.
Tsougrias Beach
Tsougrias Beach is an attractive beach on Tsougrias Island, which is just over 2 miles (3.5 kms) south of Skiathos Town, where you can get a boat to take you there and back. It has some small beach bars and sun beds and umbrellas you can rent.
Vromolimnos Beach
Vromolimnos Beach is on the south coast, which where most of the busiest and best Skiathos beaches are. This one is a 15-minute drive south-west from Skiathos Town, and is also on the local bus route. It has a taverna, sun beds to rent, and you can also rent surfboards, paddle boards, and water skis etc.
These are a good cross-section of some of the best beaches on Skiathos, but remember that there are several dozen more to discover!
