Greece in October: Chasing Summer in the Peloponnese
We had THE most amazing two weeks in Greece! So good, in fact, that I think we’re going to make it an annual trip. Initially we planned to go to the Islands like most people do, but Covid eliminated that option so we created a road trip across the Peloponnenese. It was so beautiful and thanks to it being October (and because of Covid) there were hardly any tourists. The main stops on our trip are listed below:
Nafplio (3 nights) > Kourouta Beach (4 nights) > Plitra (5 nights) > Mystras (2 nights)
Our first stop was Nafplio, which used to be the capital of Greece. It’s just under two hours from Athens airport and has a charming downtown. We stayed at Anthemion Suites & Villas and I would do it again. Small and lovely with a relaxing pool area and delicious restaurant. The chef learned to make his own sourdough during the pandemic and we reaped the delicious benefits. Chris had the largest filet of local fish I have ever seen. It was as thick as a steak. I got a black-eyed pea salad in a cucumber prison. Finished it all off with Mataxa - the local digestif. I won’t bore you with the details, but suffice to say that every meal here was equally incredible.
The rooms were clean and comfortable and all seemed to have outdoor space. We slept like the dead while we were there, and when we come back to life each morning we enjoyed the breakfast buffet.
On vacation I typically prefer to get my workouts in by way of long walks or hikes and Nafplio really delivers. The town is a 20 minute walk down a rather step hill from the hotel. I believe the street is at a 45 degree angle, but Chris tells me that’s not possible since the steepest street in the world is 32 degrees. So I’m a liar. But it’s still a very steep street.
On the way to town definitely stop to see the Lion of Bavaria. He’s carved out of stone and is perched high up, overlooking a peaceful little park. As you continue into town you’ll pass a number of modern little coffee shops filled with people socialising. It’s such an odd contrast because the town is rather dated, yet the coffee shops are all modern and sleek; almost Nordic.
Something to note: Every Saturday and Wednesday, from early morning until lunchtime there is a farmer’s market. We missed it but might be worth the effort if you’re into that sort of thing.
Finally at sea level we hit the Land Gate. Apparently there used to be a canal that ran right up to this gate and this was the only way into the city. Standing there today you would never know it because beyond the gate there are many blocks of stores and such.
It’s a good looking gate, as gates go, and we enjoy it for a few minutes before heading over to the base of the Fortress of Palamidi.
The view atop the fortress - worth the climb.
The climb to the fortress is not for the lazy. According to local sources there are 999 steps to the top and I believe them. It was quite a hike up to the top and of course there’s an entry fee to visit the fortress, but after that climb, what else could we do but pay the €8. Luckily, the views of the Argolic Gulf and the town of Nafplio are unbeatable and worth every Euro. Pro tip: grab some water in town before heading vertically as there is nothing on the hike.
It’s not immediately obvious where to explore and we tried a few dead ends before finding a stairway that led to the less traveled parts of the fortress. You could climb around here for hours. We spent nearly 45 minutes before heading back to town to search for snacks and a cold beer. The hike down leaves me wobbly legged like that hungry cowboy who hankers for a hunk of cheese.
Everywhere you turn downtown is another perfect view.
Downtown Napflio is everything I imagined a Greek town to be like. Light grey stone walkways between buildings covered in bright pink flowers. Endless rows of shops, bars, and restaurants. The streets all lead down to the marina.
We visited downtown twice for lunch. The first day we grabbed an outdoor table at Omorfo Tavernaki. Patio seating is the way to go here. It’s lively and the scenery is like a postcard. We order what I would consider a traditional Greek lunch: ‘white wine’, a massive Greek salad and pork souvlaki. It’s delicious. The souvlaki comes out on a spit dangling over a pile of fries. Our meal is the envy of the patio.
The second day we went to Mediterraneo - a well-stocked wine bar with snacks and great people watching. Plus they played a slow jazz version of ACDC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” so that made it for me. The woman working there is very knowledgeable so we enjoy a progression of wines and charcuterie. For some reason a lot of people ride by on scooters, which seems ill-advised considering the cobblestones. Plus the town is quite small.
Up and at ‘em for our nearly three hour drive to Kourouta Beach. The ride is scenic and the landscape is diverse - leaving the ocean views and headed towards a drier, more mountainous region.
We arrive at Dexamenes and it does not disappoint, the hotel is a work of art. I cannot wait to come back and stay here again next year. It is self described as:
A postwar winery, has been transformed into a conscious - luxury resort on one of the most unspoiled stretches of coastline in the western Peloponnese
The hotel is only open from April - October and we are there during their last week. I highly recommend this. It’s quiet and it’s still beach weather. I feel like this is the kind of place you would go to get inspired and write a book. I did not write a book here. I spent my days reading, drinking cocktails, eating feta, and, enjoying the open-air design and the simple beauty of everything.
Food was excellent. John Dory filleted table-side was a highlight. Ocean was perfect; refreshing and calm. It did get a bit nippy at night and I was wishing I had an extra layer or two to put on.
The rooms are minimalist luxury, and cozy. Each room has its own front patio with sofa and table and chairs. Perfect for drinking a bottle of wine and playing cards. The beds are outfitted with Cocomat products, which are heavenly. We opted for the courtyard view because it’s a lot less expensive but next time maybe we’ll splurge for the ocean front room.
Although we hate to leave, it’s time for our 3.5 hour drive to Plitra. The roads are bumpy and unkempt for portions of our drive but the scenery is beautiful.
We make a quick stop in Sparta to stretch our legs and stock up on wine for the Airbnb. Owner of Oinopneumata Cava Sparti was very nice and gifts us two tiny bottles of grappa. Definitely swing by there if you need to stock up. But note that Spata’s streets are very busy and lawless. It’s like Frogger out there. Keep your eyes peeled.
Since it’s not too far out of our way, we detoured a bit to see the Dimitrios shipwreck. Parking is easy and it’s about 15 minutes to the shipwreck. Totally worth it. Plus the beach is lovely if you wanted to stop and spend some time there. Water is rather shallow and there’s a bar / restaurant there if you need a quick Spritz.
If you do choose Plitra for your travels, be aware that it is VERY quiet during October. Some of the restaurants were closed and the town was pretty sleepy. This was perfect for us and we stayed in an Airbnb for nearly a week. If you’d prefer a hotel experience, there were two that may be worth checking out: Princess Kyniska Suites or Hotel Plytra Mare. Again, we didn’t go to either of these but they look promising. Plytra Mare was a stone’s throw from our Airbnb to give you a sense of where we were situated in town.
There was a small market in town but the larger grocery stores and such were in a nearby town about a five minute drive from our Airbnb. It’s hard to find online listings for a lot of these little spots but I’ll try. We mainly went to the Super Market Πανάκου because it was well-stocked and the staff was super helpful. On our way to/from the Super Market there is a butcher shop (Butchery Kontes Dimitris - ΚΡΕΟΠΩΛΕΊΟ Κοντες Δημήτρης). There is also an amazing little bakery / coffee shop (Apostolakou Bakery) that offers iced coffees (which can be hard to come by in Europe) and tasty sweet treats and breads.
Look closely and you’ll see 100 goats dotting the hill
There were two walkable beaches from our Airbnb. The first is a perfect little Blue Flag Beach - Plytras Beach. Calm shallow water and soft sand. We were nearly the only people there so spent the day drinking local beers and enjoying the sunny peace and quiet. If you’re feeling more adventurous, there is a more private, isolated beach ~20 minutes from the Airbnb in the opposite direction of Plytras Beach. The walk is hilly and rocky and if you forget something, like we did, consider it gone because you’re not going to want to do this walk more than once. Unlike Plytras it has no amenities but in trade you receive maximum calm and quiet.
I don’t know what this would be like in high season, but in October we had the beach all to ourselves. We settled into our spots and thought nothing of the fact that there were goat hoof-prints all over the beach or that we had passed a few pastures full of goats on our walk. A few minutes later we feel like we’re being watched…then we hear the sound of hooves…then we hear the bleating….we turn and see a herd of about 100 goats heading towards us. Luckily only a few actually came onto the beach. Most stay on the road or rifle through the shrubs on the edge of the beach. I imagined they’d act like cartoon goats and eat our blankets and beer cans if we weren’t careful. My emergency plan was to jump in the water if they got too close because I don’t think they can swim. Luckily it never came to that.
You understand the rock of Gibraltar description as soon as you come to the bridge to Monemvasia.
Because the town was very sleepy, we decided to do a day trip to Monemvasia - a small island off the coast, and home to Greece’s version of the rock of Gibraltar. We parked on the main land and walked across the bridge and up the hill to the town’s main entrance (note: there is parking on the other side of the bridge, you do not need to do what we did). Highly, highly recommend a visit here and I think we might even stay here next time. The charming Lazareto Hotel is on the way up to town, and could be a great stay option. Or there is the one-of-a-kind Almi Guesthouse on the cliff side looking over the water.
Monemvasia maintains a medieval vibe and has windy cobblestone paths to explore the entire island. We got lost no fewer than three times. Tons of tiny shops and restaurants to visit and at the end of the island houses a naval observatory. It’s absolutely worth a day trip. We also stopped for a snack and a beer at the chill rooftop of Emvasis Cafe. A good last stop to take in the views before you head out of town.
A lovely view over the bay of Plytra during dinner.
We did have one dinner at a restaurant in Plitra at Θαλαμηγός (I don’t have a proper translation). This place was excellent. We sat outside, had a bottle of white and ordered everything: Greek salad, spinach and feta flatbread, souvlaki, and a plat of mussels in tomato sauce. I’m not describing the meal well but the main point I’m making is that the meal was outstanding, the service was good, the portions were huge, and it was VERY affordable. There were a few other options that looked promising but most things were closed unfortunately. Just means we’ll have to go back!
After Plitra, we drove 90 minutes to Mystras. Ride was very easy. Mystras is known for its medieval ruins, and beautiful hillside landscapes. We stay at the Mystras Grand Palace Resort & Spa - a complex of individual bungalows and beautiful grounds tucked in amongst five-star amenities. We didn’t plan to do any tours or hikes and I think it was a miss. If we go back here I would absolutely make time to check out the Archaeological Site of Mystras. Fun Fact: It’s an UNESCO World Heritage Site!
Instead we spend a day lounging in a cabana by the pool (there are two - one salt, one chlorine) and enjoy some beers in the sun. And the next day we played tennis before breakfast, but ended up back by the pool for the afternoon.
The landscaping here is impeccable, including a delightful little herb garden. The room decor gives off a “high-end Italian grandmother” vibe and was super clean and comfortable. We also had comfortable indoor and outdoor seating options.
The large fresh water pool was almost completely deserted during our entire stay.
Meals here were mixed. Breakfast was good. Coffee was great and omelet was legit. Lunch was fine. Fries were great. For both dinners we ate at the main restaurant and sat outside at a massive table overlooking the hotel grounds and could see the mountains in the distance. Both nights we choose the prix fixe menu. Things we had - Mushroom soup (good but had to be heated up because it arrived cold), a Greek salad (fine), a green salad (fine), the beef plate (fine), and the pasticcio (hot as lava, high on cheese, low on flavour). Desserts were phoned in: a mille foglie which was some sort of overnight cornflake version and profiteroles that I’m fairly certain had Betty Crocker frosting on them. What was excellent? The service. Our waiter was friendly and offered us at a least a dozen shots of limoncello and the local Matricha? Mixtapa? Needless to say we staggered home to bed both nights.
We spent the last night of vacation at the Athens Marriott, about 2.5 hours drive from Mystras but conveniently 15 minutes from Athens airport.
Cool little rooftop pool deck, not bad for a city hotel.
I really enjoyed this hotel. Breakfast buffet had great variety and great service. Rooftop was very cool - includes a trendy bar with indoor and outdoor seating, a pool, and the restaurant “e&o” - although I imagine that during non-covid times it might get packed up there.
We enjoy dinner at e&o up on the roof. Food is excellent and the restaurant is trendy and lively. We ordered the sushi boat, duck dumpling, pumpkin gyoza, spicy tuna roll, dragon roll, bottle of white - it does not disappoint.
Our room is super nice and we have a balcony that overlooks the Renzo Piano-designed Opera house and we can hear music. It’s wonderful. After dinner we ordered bathrobes and slippers so we could comfortably sit outside and drink wine and play cards. We discuss whether Renzo makes his family visit all of his designs when they are on vacation. I think he does. I would if I were him.
I’m sad to head home, but I know we’ll be back. Looking forward to another Peloponnese road trip next October!
THE LOGISTICS
Travel Date | October 2020
Flights | AMS > ATH on KLM
Lodging |
Anthemion Suites & Villas in Nafplio - the epitome of what it means to be a fantastic boutique hotel. Great, modern rooms (all 12 of them), beautiful pool deck, and a fantastic restaurant. Highly recommend a stay here - and book a table for dinner!
Dexamenes - Kourouta Beach - an architecturally stunning hotel with private beach in a quiet beach town on the west coast. Amenities are minimal but what they do - cocktails, food, service, they do exceptionally well.
Mystras Grand Palace Resort & Spa - five star resort hotel with maximum amenities. Well-kept, cozy rooms if you can appreciate their Greek grandma style.
Athens Marriott Hotel - typical business hotel in a bit of an odd location for Athens tourism but a good launching spot for the airport. Good amenities and restaurant, and recently refreshed rooms.
Transportation | Enterprise rental car.
Pro Tips |
There are endless tolls, luckily they all take credit card. Be sure to read the signs carefully though. They vary between green and blue depending on where you are to know in which lanes you can use credit cards and where you can’t.
Bring layers. Greece in October can be a bit chilly at night.
Renting cars at Athens airport can be a bit of a mess, budget some time.
Drink local! Greek wine has come a long way, and plenty is made on the Peloponnese Peninsula. The beer scene was also pretty fun. There’s lots to try and enjoy.
Even off the beaten path basic English wasn’t an issue, which is good because our Greek is zero.
Coming from Europe you can fly into Kalamata and skip Athens all together, it just depends on the itinerary you’re going for.
#195Postcards
