Iasos!!

Or maybe it's "Yassos!!". Either way it's the greeting here in Greece that's accompanied by a huge smile and a (very cold) coffee. Which is a good thing, because it is HOT!!

Phil has just commented that the weather is ridiculous... Greece in summer in the low-30s?? He is now talking about escaping to Scotland and Northern Scandanavia...

We have spent the last week in Nafplio, the ancient capital of Greece, a gorgeous holiday town in the Peloponnese region by the sea with Lex and Louise.

Nafplio has turned out to be a perfect choice for intensive relaxation in a gorgeous spot with stunning scenery and great food.

It is part of the Greek mainland (ie not technically an island) but it has a wonderful quiet beach town feel, with holiday apartments everywhere and a slow pace of life. Local shops sell kids beach bucket sets and the town is full of casual tavernas, souvlaki shops and beachwear.

We've been lucky with our airbnb pick here which is an elegant, sprawling house in the centre of town overlooking a park and a huge hill with the Palamidi castle at the top.

The owner is an artist and so is her mother, so the place is absolutely covered with drawings, paintings and sculptures and filled with vintage furniture. The best feature is the balcony which is a perfect, shady spot to watch Greek life go by, catching the evening breeze while reading a book and sipping a beer.


Our arty hallway

The week started off a bit variable - a bit of sun, a bit of rain. But over the last few days, summer has arrived and a bright, beating heat has the outdoor cafes filled with groups drinking iced coffees, smoking, eating and clicking Greek worry beads.

So one could say we haven't been up to very much... or you could say that we've been active participants in the Greek cultural experience!!

We have certainly been getting into the Greek food culture. Between Greek salads, grilled octopus and souvlakis, there was a night where Phil declared himself defeated by food!! This has literally never happened before... Donuts may have played a minor role...

We haven't just been sitting around drinking coffee... We (minus Phil who is not a huge fan of boat travel) spent a day on an island cruise to check out the nearby islands of Hydra and Spetses.


Hydra... breathtaking

It was a big day - 12 hours in all - but we all loved the gorgeous Hydra with its donkeys (which are virtually the only transport on the island), filled with souvenir shops and jewellery stores and eateries. We picked one with a view to die for:


Food wasn't bad either!!



Spicy mussels

What struck me about Hydra was how incredibly busy it was after the much sleepier Nafplio, which has tourists, of course, but in much lower doses.

Spetses on the other hand was deserted on our arrival. Here in Nafplio there is a long afternoon siesta where commerce grinds to a halt - and that was about the time we hit Spetses. It was a touch deserted - but still, it had gelati!


Spetses

What else? We visited the museum one day which had a fantastic photography exhibition- and a boatload of school kids. We've spent some time (mostly window) shopping in the old town and wandering down by the waterfront.




Nafplio Old town filled with picturesque alleys and interesting cafes

We also discovered a beach club just a few minutes away which is an ideal spot to sit in the shade, have a cold drink and watch people splashing about the water.

Yesterday we went slightly further afield and came across a beautiful little pebble beach with water so clear I could see the little clear fish swimming around my feet!!


View on our walk to the beach

Sadly, Lex had to head home on Thursday and we've only got another two days before its time to leave Nafplio ourselves!!



Even the stray dogs came to see Lex off!! You can also see my handmade Nafplio sandals in the corner which became an essential purchase as the heat rose this week!!

Then it's on to Athens for a couple of days of sightseeing with Louise followed by a couple of days of exploring on our own.

It's going to be very hard to leave!!! After dreaming about a Greek island experience for aaages, imagining warm sun, crystal clear waters and delicious salads and seafood, Nafplio has delivered in spades. I'll leave you with a final pic.


Feel free to book your tickets immediately!