chep7225

I'd appreciate any advice on my itinerary for a trip round the Peloponnese this spring. I studied Classics and have been to all these sites several times before but this will be my husband's first tour of mainland Greece. I'm finding it hard to edit and, although my husband is keen, I don't want to wear him out with endless piles of obscure rubble (you know what I mean). We've both spent a lot of time more recently in Athens so that will be limited to a few favourite spots and, for personal reasons, I'd like to max out more than before on Mystras, Sparta and the surrounding area. I had hoped to fit in Pylos and a few waterfalls (between Bassae & Ithome?) but I'm struggling with that and have left it out for now.
So, what I'm thinking is:

Day One
Arrive, see something at the Herodeon, stay in Athens

Day Two
Visit the Acropolis & Museum, then the National Archaeological Museum, drive to Sounion, then return to Athens & stay overnight

Day Three
Visit Eleusis, then on to Thiva, Orchomenos, Chaeroneia, stop at Arachova, then drive to Delphi & stay overnight

Day Four
Visit Delphi & stay overnight

Day Five
Drive via Patras to Olympia, then on to Bassae & stay overnight

Day Six
Visit Bassae, then on to Ithome, then drive to Mystras & stay overnight

Day Seven
Visit Mystras, go walking/cycling & stay overnight

Day Eight
Visit Sparta, then on to Amyklas, drive down to Gytheio then back to Mystras & stay overnight

Day Nine
Drive to Nemea, then on to Mycenae, then the Argive Heraion, then drive to Tiryns & stay overnight

Day Ten
Visit Tiryns, then on to Epidauros for a visit & a performance, then drive back to Tiryns & stay overnight

Day Eleven
Drive to Corinth, then back to Athens


Does this make sense and are there improvements I could make? Also, any advice on any of the sites would be very welcome (it's been 20 years...). Thanks!

travelerjan

If wanting best advice, helps to be a bit more specific than "SPring" -- could be early March, could be late May. As for pssible stops ... I am wondering at the Mad Dash from Bassae to Mystras ... speeding by some of the loveliest parts of Pelops IMHO. R u going to stop at Nestor's Palace?? I was there in 2015 & got to Meet Sharon Stocker, the co-archeologist from U of Cincy; and the very next yr she & her husband discovered Amazing Mycenaen knights' grave. - https://www.smithsonianmag.com/histo...u49M1OtvHhX.01 ... might want to contact site/museum to see where new artifacts are.

Then just a few miles onward (about 10 Km N of town of Pylos) is my secret gem, Gialova... a small stretch of pristine beach, wonderful hotel Zoe on the sands, basket chairs under palms... bliss. Even if too early for swims, long beach walk a change from ruins; also wonoderful wildlife sanctuary nearby. Slow down enough to have a drink in the lovely seaview square of Pylos ... (designed & laid out by the French, who know something about town squares). A change from ruins.

BTW, some here may not recognize Ithome & think u are skipping Ancient Messine but thankfully no ... even for non-ruins people, the stunning Great Wall is a super view ... and on a hot sweaty day of ruins-walking my friends took me to a little taverna rigt in the midst of things, way high up, where we had a frosty mythos with an incredible view. Memorable.

chep7225

Thank you; I'm so glad I asked as I keep going back and forth about Pylos. I did originally have Nestor's palace on the schedule followed by some walks to various waterfalls en-route to Ithome (sorry, I automatically call it that as I've been to modern Messini and didn't like it much!). Then I thought that Pylos probably deserved more time and attention than a one day detour... Thinking maybe I could extend by one day and stay in Pylos overnight, maybe...

Btw it was going to be late May but I'm actually now veering towards mid-June as I would like to catch the Athens-Epidauros Festival dates.


Edit: just read the article and had goosebumps. I'll be taking your advice.

travelerjan

Glad to hear of your date(s) ... and in that case I would absolutely urge you to stop at Hotel ZOe at Gialova... and enjoy just a least one blessed afternoon on that beach. Truly beautiful (and I've visited 25+ islands in my 13 trips) -- and as you may not Know, having not been there for so long, change alas is coming to the Peloponnese, and you should pause to treasure it while you can.

First got to ZOe back in 2009, on an adventurous solo trip (multiple busses down West coast). Zoe's parents ran it then, Zoe was 25 (also her Yaya's name granddad named the place for her). Multilingual, smart, welcoming; she's now mgr. Back then, not even beach chairs; Zoe's mom lent me a beach towel to lie on. SINce then -- I went back in 2015 -- they've gone all fancy, but it's still family-run and welcoming... and worth it. Website says "REsort" b ut it's still a family-run hotel w 2 bldgs & a pool in between - get Front bldg, canopied balconies facing sea. In front is a low-grove of Palms, with tables under. At night, japanese lanterns lit up... really magical. https://zoeresort.com Consider staying for a night. I'm usually a total budgeteer, but enjoyed 2nd stay, tickled that so little of the area had changed. Even the little concrete pier didn't have boats, just used for parking.

Gialova is just half a mile long, only 1 other place (small) to stay... you can walk miles N on beach, only a campsite/caravan park ..( but a Huuuge hotel was in the works; I hope the pandemic delayed it). ALso 2 miles away, that amazing circular Vodokilia beach (totally bare, no umbrellas or cafes) WHen I'm stressed-out, I cast my mind back, to sitting in a basket chair, shaded by a palm, reading Evelyn Waugh. Around me, grey-haired Brits reading Trollope. Cars pull up, Greek children pile out, daddies straight from work, shrieks of glee, boisterous water play for 45 minutes.. phone on car hood rings, apparently message from home, mama says come, reluctantly, dripping children towel off, away they go, leaving all of us thinking, wow that looked like fun! So in the water we went for a retiree splash ... Then a drink and a sunset. And so it goes...

chep7225

Gosh, that sounds wonderful; what a magical memory. I'll take note and see if I can rejig. There should be time if I wiz through Corinth (seen, done and can always go back) and go straight to the airport. It's moments like that you describe that make a holiday. Btw I love Evelyn Waugh; can't think of anything nicer than sitting on the seafront chuckling away.