3 weeks in Greece

I’d been wanting to visit Greece pretty much forever. I love the food, and I’ve seen some photos of the islands that come close to my idea of paradise. So when Air France started offering direct flights between Nice and Athens (previously, you had to go via Paris, or some other airport that nearly doubled the travel time) my husband and I decided it was a sign. We originally wanted to take a cruise, but as we researched the options, we couldn’t really find one that fit – the boats are either enormous or enormously expensive. We wanted something smallish (maybe 200 people, max) and affordable. When we couldn’t find it, we decided to just travel the way we usually do: pick out some neat places to stay, rent a car, and visit other cool stuff in between. It usually works out pretty well. We decided to spend the first weekend driving around a bit, then return the car and spend 4 days in Athens, 4 days on Santorini, and 4 days on Crete, before returning to the mainland, renting another car, and visiting the northwestern part. All in all, it was one of the best trips of my life.

Greece
Not so spectacular view

Our first night was a bit of a letdown. I’d read somewhere that there’s a spot south of Voula with some ruins and an incredible view of the sunset, so when we got off the plane, that’s where we headed. Unfortunately, either my husband (ahem) or I misunderstood the location, because we didn’t find anything all that special. In addition, we’d chosen a hotel in Voula for convenience rather than comfort, and while it was perfectly fine, it wasn’t anything to write home about. So the first night was kind of a bust.

Loutraki, Greece
Loutraki

The next day we drove to Corinth, which is a surprisingly ugly town. When we failed to find a tourist office (a common problem throughout our trip) or an interesting spot to walk around, we continued driving south and west. Ancient Corinth, though tiny, was much nicer, and the coastal city of Nafplio is lovely. We spent our second night in the touristy town of Loutraki, with its long beach and wonderful views over the water (unsurprisingly, a recurring theme in Greece.) We tasted some terrific wine at a truly spectacular domaine near Nemea, and had a great time chatting with the propriétaire as well as our fellow tasters: three Greeks, a Chilean, and a Brit all traveling together.

Lafkiotis Winery, Nemea, Greece
Lafkiotis Winery

Topics: Greece, Wine
 

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