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Nafplio is a port town and one of my faves in Greece. It is situated on the Argolic Gulf in the northeast Peloponnese. The city has a great deal of Venetian and Ottoman influence, and is very colorful. In the main plaza, you can see a number of colorful restaurants and cafes, and a beach that you can walk to in ten minutes. It's only a 2 hour drive in Athens, and I suggest that for a shorter stay, you can make Nafplio your base. The benefit is that all the other important ancient sites of Myceneae, Epidauros, Argos and Corinth are close by.



The main tourist area is the Syntagma or Constitution Square, which is an arena that is closed off to cars. It is paved in marble and surrounded by historical buildings. I saw a building that looked like a mosque there, and upon asking, found out is was a mosque left over from the times of the Ottomans. Some very popular cafes, and shops are in the area. The streets are colorful and well lit, filled with people casually strolling. We also had some glorious food.



Hands down, Greek food is one of my favorites (better than Korean, Cambodian, Pakistani/Indian or Turkish). The only thing that comes close to Greek food is Sri Lankan food, which I found to be a delightfully fresh cuisine, and not as oily as its South Asian counterparts.  And food was not complete without Greek desserts. I wasn't a big fan as these are too oily and sweet. They were a lot like Turkish desserts like baklava.


Our next stop was the Palamidi Forestes, one of the two fortresses in the city. The Venetians and the Franks had transformed this part into one of the town fortifications. One of the fortifications of the city include the Palamidi, which is located in the middle of the harbour. To reach the top of the fortress there are over one thousand steps. Locals in the town of Nafplion will say there are 999 steps to the top of the castle, and specials can be found on menus that incorporate this number to catch a tourist's eye. An advice is to bring some extra water bottles as getting up some 900 or so steps is no easy task. Take breaks and enjoy the view.


The hill of Palamidi takes its name from the Homeric hero Palamidis and it was only later that it be came a part of Nafplio. In fact, ​​Nafplio was first captured by the Venetians in 1470. During this period, the Venetians strengthened  the castle of Akronafplia without Palamidi. Then, in 1540, Nafplion was captured by the Turks. It was then that for the first time, Palamidi was strategically exploited, although still inadvertent, by the Vizier Kasim Pasha, who during the three-year siege of Nafplion devised the city from there. The Venetians returned in 1686 and under Morozini they regained the area, and after a fierce battle to occupy the Palamidi Hill.  The Venetians then realized the strategic importance of many Greek ports, including Nafplion, and valued the location of the Palamidi rock, which naturally protected the entrance of the Argolic Gulf. 


The construction of the fort was basically carried out during the time of Venetian General Superintendent of the Fleet, Agostino Sagredo, from 1711 to 1714, marking the fort not only as a major feat in terms of its fortifications, but also in terms of the speed with which it was constructed. Since then the castle has played an important role in the history of the area.

The fort of the Palamidi has been preserved in excellent condition, is one of the greatest achievements of Venetian fortification. It is a typical baroque fortress based on the plans of the engineers Giaxich and Lasalle. In 1715 it was captured by the Turks and remained under their control until 1822, when it was captured by the Greeks. 

The eight bastions of the fortress were originally named after the Venetian provveditori (the local governors). However, when it fell to the Ottoman Empire, they were given Turkish names. Lastly, when the Greeks overthrew the Turks the bastions were renamed after ancient Greek leaders and heroes (Epaminondas, Miltiades, Leonidas, Phocion, Achilles, Themistocles. The two remaining bastions were named after St. Andrew (Agios Andreas) and the French Philhellene Robert who died in battle on the Acropolis of Athens. The "Miltiades," was used as a prison and among its walls was also held Theodoros Kolokotronis, hero of the Greek Revolution.


The fortress commands an impressive view over the Argolic Gulf, the city of Náfplio and the surrounding country. 






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Before heading to Nafplion, we visited Mycenae, Tiryns, Argos and Epidaurus, all of which are in close proximity to one another. This allowed us an amazing drive into the countryside. The country side reminded me of northern Pakistan.


Our first stop was Mycenae, where we visited the Mycenae Archaeological Site. Most people know of Mycenae from the story of the Trojan horse. Mycenae was once a mighty kingdom of Ancient Greece, and its ruler, Agamemnon, was considered one of the greatest of them all. When Helen, his brothers wife, was abducted by Paris, the Trojan prince, the history of Greece was consequently about to come into one of the most famous phases: The Trojan War.


Mycenae is also on top of a hill, so it was another acropolis. 


At the top, we visited Grave Circle A and saw part of the Cyclopean Wall marking the end of the fortification. Fortunately this place was not crowded by tourists so we could recreate each room well, thanks to excellent tour leaders. The quiet majesty of the enormous stone-built defenses and singular natural setting seem even more to evoke the former power of this strategically positioned citadel – once inhabited by kings, queens, warriors and priests during the great Late Bronze Age era of Greek heroes.



The view on top of the fortress is amazing and the weather was divine. Imagine that Greek kings and queens lived here!


From there, we visited the Lion Gate which is the main entrance of the Bronze Age citadel of Mycenae. It was erected during the 13th century BC in the northwest side of the acropolis and is named after the relief sculpture of two lionesses or lions in a heraldic pose that stands above the entrance. You can see the two lionesses flank the central column, whose significance is much debated.


At the site was also the Treasury of Atreus or Tomb of Agamemnon. It is a large "tholos" (beehive) tomb on the Mycenaen hill, constructed during the Bronze Age around 1250 BC. The beehive tomb was decorated with columns of red and green “Lapis Lacedaimonius” brought from quarries over 100 km away.


Once we were done with Mycenae, we headed to Tiryns or rather the acropolis of Tiryns, a hill fort with occupation ranging back seven thousand years, from before the beginning of the Bronze Age. The most famous thing in Tiryns is the megaron of the palace of Tiryns. The complex includes the the reception hall, the main room of which had a throne placed against the right wall and a central hearth bordered by four Minoan-style wooden columns that served as supports for the roof.


The ruins amidst the mountains were majestic. 


Once done, we took a detour to Argos to see the Temple of Hera. 


Finally, from Argos, we headed of the visit the sites of Epidavrus. The main archeological site there was the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus and the Sanctuary of Asklepius. The theater was constructed in the late 4th century BC and was designed by Polykleitos the Younger in the 4th century BC and it still operates today during the summertime.


At the same site was also the  Temple of Asclepius. Asclepius was the god of medicine and healing in ancient Greek religion.


On the way, we also visited the shrine of Hera - or what remains of it - in Argos, between the archaeological sites of Mycenae and Midea.


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From Corinth, we continued on the coastal road of northern Peloponnese and crossed the impressive Rio-Antirio bridge, the world's longest multi-span cable-stayed bridge. The bridge crosses the Gulf of Corinth near Patras and connects it to the mainland. 


We continued on to Arachova, which was our base for visiting Delphi. A night at Arachova and then the next day, we headed to explore the Delphi site. 


From there, we had to ascend on the mountain called Parnassus. Nestled amidst the pine forested slopes were the well-preserved ruins of Delphi. Delphi was best known as the supreme oracle site of the ancient Mediterranean world. There, we visited the Temple of Apollo, situated at the foot of Mount Parnassos, the highest peak in Greece after Mount Olympos. This Temple of Apollo which is at Delphi dates from the 4th century BC. This temple was also of the Doric order and had 6 columns at the front, and 15 columns at the flanks.


The view from the top was beautiful.


Then, within the site, we saw the Treasury of the Athenians. It is a small building in Doric order, built by the Athenians at the end of the 6th century BC to house their offerings to Apollo. The treasure is made from marble from Paros, one of the islands.


Another site at Delphi was the omphalos which is a religious stone artifact, or baetylus. It literally means center or navel of the world. According to Greek lore, Zeus sent two eagles across the world to meet at its center, the "navel" of the world. The Omphalos stones marking the centre were erected in several places about the Mediterranean Sea; the most famous of those was at Delphi.


We also visited a spot which is where it is said that Aesop was thrown to his death. Aesop had journeyed to Delphi, where he angered the citizens by telling insulting fables, and was sentenced to death

In the afternoon, we also visited the 11th century Monastery of Ossios Loukas, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and saw the exquisite mosaics. The monastery is situated at a scenic site on the slopes of Mount Helicon and was founded in the early 10th century AD by the hermit, Venerable St. Luke, whose relics are kept in the monastery to this day. The hermit was famous for having predicted the conquest of Crete by Emperor Romanos. It is a greek orthodox chiurch and has a lot of eastern vibes.




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On day three of my Ancient Greece tour, our group drove along the scenic coastal road to Corinth and explored ancient Corinth, the richest port of ancient Greece and also famous for its role in Christianity. On the way to Corinth, you will get to see the Corinth Canal which lies east of modern Corinth. The idea of building a canal through the Isthmus of Corinth (the small land part which connects the Peloponnese to the rest of Greece) was conceived by Periander, a tyrant of the sixth century BC. However, he never managed to make it due to financial and technical challenges. After a difficult history of conception and failed implementation, the canal was opened in July 1893, and open to navigation only until the following November, due to landslides. Now its open for cruises!


We didn't do a cruise and instead proceeded to Ancient Corinth, where most of the ancient ruins are, and this is approximately 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) southwest of the modern city. The ancient city is in good shape and has been left intact by the Romans when they redeveloped the city as their provincial capital in 44 BC. 

One of the main sites at the ruins is the well-preserved Temple of Apollo with its massive Doric columns. The Temple lies on a low hill and dominates the entire ruin site. It was built around 540 BC, on the site of an earlier seventh-century-BC temple. Today, only seven monolithic limestone columns remain, but originally there would have been six along the front and back of the temple, and fifteen down each side.


Within this same area was the theater of Corinth which dates back to the late 5th c. B.C. It included fixed seats and a wooden stage. In the early 1st c. A.D., the gradient of the seats became steeper and a covered stoa (a walkway) was added to its upper part. During late Antiquity, theatrical aesthetics changed and the theater orchestra became a gladiators’ area.



We also saw the remains of the Roman temple attributed to Octavia, who was the sister of Augustus (1st century BCE). The temple was enclosed with Corinthian columns and built on a podium surrounded by stoas.


The ancient ruins of Corinth also include the Fountain of Peirene. The fountain is named for Peirene, a woman who wept so hard when she lost her son that she finally dissolved into the spring that still flows here. The first indications alluding to its use date back to the Neolithic period, while the first spatial configuration dates to the geometric and archaic period.



Peirene Fountain was an elaborate structure that served as a meeting place for Corinthians. The
arched openings led to bowls carved in the rock where water was collected.


Within the ruins was the Lechaion Road that once stretched from Corinth to the port Lechaion, hence its name. This ancient avenue devised out of 8 yards slabs of limestone made an effective means of transportation for all the citizens of Corinth.


Along the road is also the Bema of Saint Pail, who is also known as the Apostle of the Nations because of his missionary journeys throughout the eastern Mediterranean for the dissemination of Christianity. In this context he visited several Greek cities, including the island of Samothrace, Philippi, Thessalonica and Veroia in Macedonia, Athens and, most importantly, Corinth. Corinth, a Roman imperial colony and capital of the province of Achaea (Peloponnese and Central Greece), experienced a period of great prosperity during the Roman era. Saint Paul arrived in the city in the mid-1st c. A.D. and took up lodging and work with the Jewish tentmakers Aquila and Priscilla. At the same time, he reasoned and preached the Gospel to the Jews of the city, being confronted, however, with strong opposition from several members of the city’s large Jewish community. During Paul's stay in Corinth, he was brought for judgment before the proconsul Lucius Junius Gallio Annaeanus, also known as Gallio, on the accusation of conducting illegal teachings. Gallio, however, refused to judge what he considered to be a mere religious dispute among the Jews. According to tradition, the site of Paul's trial was the Bema, a large elevated rostrum standing prominently in the centre of the Roman Forum of ancient Corinth and from where the city's officials addressed the public. Probably because of the monument's connection to Saint Paul, the Bema was transformed into a Christian church during the Byzantine period.

Finally, after visiting the main site, we went to the Archaeological Museum of Corinth, which was small but where we saw this famous Sphinx from a funerary monument. Traces of painted decoration are preserved on the torso and the wings. Corinthian product, dated to the middle of the 6th century B.C.


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You know those sweepstakes you hear about where someone wins a million dollars? Well, I won a FREE trip to Greece, all expenses paid! I stayed in some really great places, with great character and food -  It was glorious. But what is even more is that I went on a tour with the most renowned historians on Greece (I can tell you about that later) which allowed me to immerse in Greece in a way I could never have if I went on my own!

My first day was in Athens, the capital and largest city of Greece. Of course, it's certainly not the prettiest of cities, but it is one of the world's oldest cities, with its recorded history spanning over 3,400 years, and its earliest human presence starting somewhere between the 11th and 7th century BC.


The main site in Athens, which is where our tour began was the Acropolis, where the Parthenon and other key historical buildings were built. The term acropolis means upper city and many ancient city states of Greece were built on an acropolis where the inhabitants could go as a place of refuge in times of invasion. It's for this reason that the most sacred buildings are usually on the acropolis. The Acropolis of Athens is basically a flat-topped rock that rises around 500 ft above sea level in the city of Athens.

Most people can identify the Parthenon - it is perhaps the most recognizable landmark in Greece. It was a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, who was the patron of Athens. The building was designed by the architects Kallikrates and Iktinos as the home of the giant statue of Athena, taking 9 years to build and was completed in 438 BC. It is arguably the most important surviving building of Classical Greece, and its decorative sculptures and friezes are considered some of the high points of Greek art.

It is believed that the Parthenon itself replaced an older temple of Athena, which historians call the Pre-Parthenon or Older Parthenon, that was destroyed in the Persian invasion of 480 BC. From a temple it became a church, a mosque and finally as a storage facility for Turkish gunpowder.



What makes the Parthenon so fascinating is that to look at it, you would think that it is made up of inter-changable pieces. For example the columns are stones placed on top of each other and you could replace one piece of a column with any of the others. Not true. Each piece of the Parthenon is unique and fits together like the world's biggest and heaviest jigsaw puzzle. Lines that look straight are actually not.



Below the Acropolis is the theater of Herod Atticus built by Herodes Atticus in 161 AD in memory of his wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla. It was originally a steep-sloped theater with a three-story stone front wall and a wooden roof made of expensive, cedar of Lebanon timber. It was used as a venue for music concerts with a capacity of 5,000. It lasted intact until it was destroyed and left in ruins by the Heruli in 267 AD.


Today, it is still used for classical concerts, ballet, performances of high cultural value. 


At the western end of the Acropolis is the Propylaea. In 437 BC, Mnesicles started building the Propylaea as a monumental gate of the Acropolis with Doric columns of Pentelic marble, partly built upon the old propylaea of Peisistratos. They were built under the general direction of the Athenian leader Pericles.They are on the west side of the hill, where the gate of the Mycenaean fortification once stood.





At the top of the acropolis, from the back side, you can also see the temple of Thission or Hephaistos. This temple is Doric, peripteral, with a pronaos and opisthodomos. The temple was dedicated to two gods, Hephaistos and Athena The temple is infact known as the Thission and was supposedly named for Theseus because his exploits were shown on the frieze. It is now believed that it was actually a temple to Hephaestos and Athena. Unfortunately they realized their mistake too late and the entire neighborhood is called Thission. The temple was used as a Church, dedicated to Saint George, known as Saint George the Lazy because it was only open one day of the year.



The view from the top is amazing is well and you can spot the Theatre of Dionysus dedicated to Dionysus, the god of plays and wine (among other things). The theatre could seat as many as 17,000 people with excellent acoustics, making it an ideal location for ancient Athens' biggest theatrical celebration, the Dionysia. It was the first stone theatre ever built, cut into the southern cliff face of the Acropolis, and supposedly birthplace of Greek tragedy.



The view from the top of the Acropolis of all of Athens.



Once we were done with the Acropolis, next stop was the Museum.




Although we didnt visit it, we passed by Hadrian's Reservoir - The Hadrian Aqueduct and Reservoir were the main sources of water for the city of Athens in the years that followed. It operated without change until the time of the Turkish Occupation (which began in 1456).



Finally, we arrived at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, Greece. It is the largest archaeological museum in Greece and one of the most important museums in the world devoted to ancient Greek art. It was founded at the end of the 19th century to house and protect antiquities from all over Greece, thus displaying their historical, cultural and artistic value.






The museum had so many sites but some stood out. Of these was the Artemision Bronze statue - an ancient Greek sculpture that was recovered from the sea off Cape Artemision, in northern Euboea. It represents either Zeus or Poseidon, brandishing a missing thunderbolt (if Zeus) or trident (if Poseidon) with his raised right hand and sighting over his extended left hand. The statue is called the Antikythera Ephebe.


Then, there was a Voldemort look alike. I think this guy was related to Caesar in some sort of way.


There were lots of gold  leaves, wheels, cups, earrings, pendants and pins from Shaft Grave III, "Grave of the Women", Grave Circle A, in Mycenae.The amazing wealth of the grave gifts reveals both the high social rank and the martial spirit of the deceased: gold jewelry and vases, a large number of decorated swords and other bronze objects, and artefacts made of imported materials, such as amber, lapis lazuli, faience and ostrich eggs.

   

Once we were done, it was night time and all of Athens was lit up.






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About me

Hi everyone! I'm Galati. Welcome to my blog! Here, you'll find stories of me and my family as we explore the world. It's not easy traveling when you often need visas, or you have kids, but we have made travel work for us! Join us, as we make some curious discoveries of history, food and culture while treading on new paths.

Where am I?

Vancouver, BC

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