Magical moments in the rugged & remote Mesa Mani region of the Peloponnese

August 16, 2018 / / 2 Comments
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Beautiful coast and village scenery abounds in Mani, The Luxury of Remoteness — a 4.5-minute video by TAK Films & Frames

 

Rugged beauty: Thanks to amazing experiences in the Peloponnese during three visits in the past three years, the region has become one of our favourite holiday destinations in Greece. Though we have covered considerable ground, there’s one significant part of the Peloponnese remaining on our bucket list — the Mani. 

A rugged and remote peninsula, the Mani appeals to us not only because it’s off the busy tourist routes, but also since its scenic highlights include marvellous coastal landscapes, picturesque fishing ports, charming Byzantine churches and historic ancient sites, and fascinating fortified villages like Vathia, which boasts a striking skyline of imposing stone tower houses.

We’re even more keen to visit the Mani after viewing the video above, which was produced by TAK Film & Frames and posted to its Facebook page just two days ago.

Should watching the 4-and-a-half-minute film pique your own interest or curiosity in the Mani, here are a few articles and online resources you can peruse for further information, inspiration and advice:

♦  Inside the Mani — an online guide to  travel in the southern Peloponnese;

♦  Europe’s hidden coasts: The Deep Mani, Greece —  an article published by the travel section of The Guardian newspaper;

♦ The Mani Region page of the Feel Greece travel website, along with the related blog post 10 things you must do in Deep Mani; 

♦ The Discover Greece web page Mani: Land of tower houses and castles, wild and untamed, plus the associated article Mani: An interplay of stone and light; 

♦ The Mani page on the Hip Greece website for independent travellers; 

♦ The article Spring Destination: Wild yet gentle Outer Mani, from the Greece Is travel, gastronomy and culture website; and

♦ The post Exploring Mani in the depth of the Peloponnese, from the travel blog Two Travelling Greeks.

 

Mani location on Google map

The Mani peninsula is pinpointed by the red marker on this Google map of the Peloponnese region of Greece

 

 

Greece guides featured in June travel mags from UK & USA

June 25, 2018 / / 1 Comment
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Sunday Times Travel magazine

A scenic view from Santorini appears on the cover of the June Sunday Times Travel Magazine, which includes a 24-page “Total Guide” to Greece

 

Travel tips: Spring is the time when international lifestyle magazines and travel publications typically turn their attention to Greece, and that has been the case again this year. 

When I browsed newsstands while we were in Greece from late May until mid-June, and here at home after returning from our holidays, I noticed numerous magazines that featured cover stories or major articles focussed on travel to Greece.

The two periodicals that appeared the most interesting and informative were the June edition of The Sunday Times Travel Magazine, which I purchased at Athens International Airport prior to our return flight, and the June/July issue of National Geographic Traveler, which I bought at my favourite local bookstore a few days ago.

A photo from Santorini island appears on the eye-catching turquoise and white cover of the Sunday Times magazine, where the main cover line proclaims: “We’ve found the tiny, timeless idylls you’re dreaming of” — all revealed in a 24-page Total Guide inside.

The guide includes:

♦ tips on island hopping by ferry in the Cyclades, Dodecanese and Argo-Saronic archipelagos;

♦ short profiles of “heavenly” 5-star hotels on Naxos, Crete, Santorini, Sifnos, and Mykonos islands, as well as in Halikidi, the Peloponnese and the Athens Riviera;

♦ an article about the Arcadia region of the eastern Peloponnese;

 ♦ highlights of three places, away from the “holiday hotspots,” where visitors can “find solitude in a Greece untouched by time: lost in nature, rich in ancient, spiritual sites”;

 ♦ advice for low-cost weekend getaways to Athens, Thessaloniki and Kefalonia; and

♦  recommendations for exclusive rental villas and luxurious all-inclusive resorts.

 

 

National Geographic Traveler Magazine

In the feature article “New Greek Odyssey,” Christopher Vourlias relates what he learned about “home, heroes and Hellenic heritage” during a trip to his father’s ancestral village in Central Greece.

 

The theme of the National Geographic Traveler issue is “Trips to Change Your Life,” and includes two features on Greece:

♦ the intriguing article “New Greek Odyssey,” in which writer Christopher Vourlias describes the personally insightful trip he took with his father to the latter’s home village in Agrafa, a mountain region of Central Greece; and

 ♦ An “insider’s guide to the best of Greece” — short profiles of specific recommended places to visit for food & drink, history & artifacts, islands & beaches, and culture &  people.

And as you would expect, the articles in both magazines are illustrated with tantalizing photos of Greek destinations,  monuments,  and scenery that will make you feel wistful for a trip to Greece — even if, as was the case with me, you may have just had a holiday there.

 

 

Some photo highlights from our return visit to Nafplio

June 1, 2018 / / 7 Comments
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Nafplio waterfront

Nafplio waterfront view to the Bourtzi sea fortress 

 

Back again: Exactly two years ago, we travelled to Nafplio for the first time and spent a full week exploring areas in and around the town. We liked it so much we decided it was high time to come back for a return visit. And here we are, enjoying Nafplio just as much as we did the first time. It truly is one of our favourite places in all of Greece.

Below are some sights and scenes from our first couple of days in the historic Old Town district of the picturesque seaside town.  I will publish more images in separate posts.

 

Nafplio street

A canopy of bougainvillea in a lane in the Old Town district of Nafplio

 

Nafplio waterfront

Cafes and palm trees along the Nafplio waterfront promenade

 

Nafplio street scene

A rustic building on a street corner in the Nafplio Old Town

 

 

cruise ship at Nafplio

The MSC Poesia cruise ship, viewed from the Arvanitia coastal promenade.  Daytrippers from the cruise gave the Old Town a lively buzz, but didn’t overcrowd the streets or make the town feel uncomfortably busy in any way.

 

Banieres swimming area of Nafplio

The Banieres swimming area on the Nafplio waterfront is a popular place for locals to sunbathe or take a dip in the sea

 

a street in Nafplio

One of the colourful pedestrian streets in the commercial area of the Old Town

 

Palamidi Castle and the Land Gate

The Palamidi Castle (top) and the historic Land Gate, the original main entrance to the Nafplio Old Town

 

Palamidi Castle view of Nafplio

An evening view of the Old Town, from a point roughly two-thirds of the way up the nearly 1,000 steps to the Palamidi Castle

 

Palamidi Castle steps

A steep flight of steps leading to the mountaintop Palamidi Castle. I counted 80 stairs on this particular stretch of the climb to the top.

 

Acropnauplia fortress stairs

It’s much easier to reach the Acronauplia fortress, one of the three castles at Nafplio, since considerably less stair climbing is involved. This is the stepped path leading from the upper Old Town to one of the Acronauplia entrance portals.

 

Nafplio coast

Coast and sea views from the Acronauplia fortress

 

Coast views from Acronauplia

Acronauplia fortress views of the sea, coast and Arvanitia beach

 

Arvanitia beach at Nafplio

Part of Arvanitia, a stone and pebble beach that’s popular with locals and tourists alike since it’s only a short walking distance from the Old Town

 

Rooftops in Nafplio

From a vantage point in the Acronauplia fortress, a view of Syndagma Square (upper right) and the first Greek Parliament building — the building with the domed roof at center left.  Nafplio was the capital of Greece from 1823 until 1834, when the Parliament was relocated to Athens. 

 

Syndagma Square in Nafplio

A quiet morning moment at Syndagma Square, which is lined with cafes, shops, restaurants and the archaeological museum (top)

 

a street in Nafplio

A street in the pedestrianized commercial area of the Old Town

 

steps in Nafplio

A long flight of steps on a hillside lane in the Old Town

 

Kapodistriou Street in Nafplio

Part of Kapodistriou Street, where our accommodations were located

 

a lane in Nafplio

A lane near the top of the Old Town’s hillside area

 

Catholic church in Nafplio

A peek at the exterior of the Catholic church in the Old Town

 

Philellinon Square at Nafplio

Philellinon Square and the memorial to the French soldiers who fought for Greece in the country’s war of independence

 

a street in Nafplio

A restaurant patio along one of the main pedestrian streets in the commercial heart of the Old Town

 

steps in nafplio

Steps in a narrow hillside lane in the Old Town

 

Bourtzi sea fortress at Nafplio

Nafplio waterfront view to the Bourtzi sea fortress

 

Bourtzi sea fortress

People can take a small excursion boat to visit the castle. The trips are offered daily and cost €4.50 per person; they include a 20 minute stop for a walkabout on the castle islet (the interior of the fortress is closed for maintenance construction) and a short ride along the waterfront so passengers can enjoy sea views of the Old Town.

 

Arvanitia promenade

The Arvanitia coastal promenade and the Banieres swimming area of Nafplio

 

Arvanitia promenade at Nafplio

A tree-shaded section of the Arvanitia coastal promenade that leads from the Nafplio Old Town to Arvanitia beach

 

Arvanitia promenade

View from the promenade toward Arvanitia beach and the Palamidi Castle, partially visible on the mountain peak at upper right

 

waterfront in Nafplio

The waterfront promenade is lined with palm trees on one side, and boats on the other

 

a building in Nafplio

A rustic corner building on a hilltop in the Old Town

 

 

Savoring the Cycladic scenery: enticing views of Santorini, Mykonos, Milos, Sifnos & Folegandros

May 26, 2018 / / 0 Comments
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Filmmaker/photographer Raphael Pöham created this captivating short video of enchanting scenery on five islands in the Cyclades 

 

Mesmerizing moments: Filmmaker Raphael Pöham took a trip to Greece last year, and produced this stunning video souvenir of scenic holiday highlights from the five Cyclades islands he visited — Santorini, Mykonos, Milos, Sifnos and Folegandros.

The film’s views of beautiful beach, landscape and sunset scenery brilliantly illustrate why the Cyclades island chain is so immensely alluring to travellers from around the world.

The film runs for three minutes, and I enjoyed it so much I wish it had been longer — I really wanted to see more! It also made me feel eager to plan a return trip to the Cyclades.  We have already been to each of the islands that Raphael spotlighted, and recognized most of the scenes in his film, but the video makes me yearn to visit those places again.

Give Raphael’s video a look and see if it puts you in a similarly dreamy Cyclades state of mind, too!

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