At the start of March we took off to Athens for a couple of days exploring the city and its key sites. Our loose plan was then to pick up a hire car and wander off around the Peloponnese peninsular for a few days before arriving back in Athens for the last night and day.
Here's a random collection of snaps from the trip. This was more about wandering and exploring than photography, so a camera with just a 35mm lens, no tripod, no filters, no faffing around, just enjoy the experience and capture a few memories!!
Our first view of old Athens!
I was pleasantly surprised by the murals in the city!
Hard to beat a Negroni with a view!!
Sunset brought the Acropolis to life!
Many of the utility cabinets have interesting art works.
The intellectual centre of Athens
Changing of the guard at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier.
With in the National Garden
Historic meaning in these regular guard checks!
Panathenaic Stadium where the first modern Olympic games were held in 1896, now hosting ceremonial events & tours.
Zappeion Hall
Temple of Zeus in Athens
Arch of Hadrian
A fabulous sight on the streets!
Monument of Lysicrates
A old restaurant doorway in Plaka
Streets of Plaka
Museum of Ancient Agora
Inside one of the many fabulous bars around Monastiraki
Theatre of Dionysus Eleuthereus
Passing through the gateway into the old Acropolis
Parthenon
The Porch of the Caryatids
The Porch of the Caryatids
Looking back from Areopagus Hill
Making our way back down, not following the herd meant we wander though these narrow alleys and found some amazing street art!
Nathan Bowen piece, an artist more commonly associated to East London!
Getting out of Athens wasn't too stressful, and once we were clear of the city, the driving was effortless! First stop was Corinthia, then on to Mycenae... but we were too late! Oh well, never mind eh, next time! Onward to Nafplion to find a hotel. Since nothing was planned on this trip, we just took each day as it came!
The next day, after a wander around the castle perched high above the town, we headed east to the ancient harbour at Epidaurus. Definitely worth the trip, even though we had to head back through Nafplion to pick up the Coast Road south. We stopped at Tyros before reaching the pretty little port of Paralia, but like Cornwall out of season, the hotels were all shut up. No worries! A couple of hours further south got us to Monemvasia. It was further than we’d imagined, but despite arriving well after dark, we found a nice hotel and a little spot by the harbour for a fish supper.
Exploring Monemvasia the next morning—wow, what a spectacle! From there we headed into the centre to see the ancient theatre at Sparta, then out west to the coast at Kyparissia.
A nice hotel and meal set us up for the next day, and one of the real highlights: Olympia and the Temple of Zeus. It was stunning in the spring with all the wild flowers bursting with colour. I still can't get over the fact we walked up and down the original athletics track!
We left the Peloponnese via a night crossing over the Gulf of Corinthia on the Rio–Antirrio Bridge. What an engineering masterpiece! Our last night before Athens was spent in Nafpaktos. It has a Venetian castle overlooking the port and loads of bars and restaurants—a really pleasant way to end the trip.
Corinth Canal
The old Isthmus Bridge with the Bungy Jump platform
The Gulf of Corinth
Pegasus Statue
a quick stop at the Archaeological site of Mycenae, but we were too late to enter as 3 hours are recommended - next time!
Nafplion for the night.
A couple of huge yachts in the harbour!
And some more normal size yachts!
Our hotel room in Nafplion
Not a bad spot for to chill!
Ancient Theatre at Demos of Ancient Epidaurus
Ancient Epidaurus Harbor
Arkadiko Chorio
Nice coffee spot ay Tyros
Tyros
Paralia
Paralia
After dark arrival at Monemvasia
Monemvasia
Sparta
Acropolis of Ancient Sparta
Kyparissia
Olympia Stadium at the Archaeological Site of Olympia
Temple of Zeus
Amazing seeing it with all the
Charilaos Trikoupis Rio-Antirrio Bridge across the Gulf of Corinth
Nafpaktos
Back in Athens we took a stroll up to Philopappos Monument to enjoy the sunset and watch night fall over the Acropolis. The next day we took a wander around the central market district and enjoyed a great meal at one of the older family run taverna's before heading for the airport! Great trip.
Viewed from Philopappos Hill
Street performers making a symbolic point!
Guards!
Central Market scenes
