Nafplion

"You said there is no Paradise. Yet, I live in Nauplio" (Christos Katsigiannis). Indeed, many are of the opinion that Nafplion is one of the most beautiful towns in Greece.

Today Nafplion is a cosmopolitan town and a great base from which to explore the Argolis region. Neoclassical buildings, historic squares, old churches and Turkish mosques tell the history of the town through the ages.

Climb the 999 steps to the Venetian fortress of Palamidi - from here the views are magnificent. Back in the town wander down through quaint alleyways to the seafront - here you'll find a good selection of tavernas and coffee shops. From here you can look towards the prison island of Bourtzi.

Nafplion is a great base from which to explore the stunning Argolis region - olive groves, forests, meadows, mountain villages and peaks abound; and we mustn't forget the area's beautiful beaches.

• Epidavros is what the ancients called a “sight to please the eye" and is ranked as one of the most important archaeological sites in the country. This amphitheatre was built in the 4th century B.C. and is known for its incredible acoustics. Theatre comes alive every summer thanks to the Epidavrous Festival, celebrating performances of ancient drama.

• Mycenae is the centre of Mycenean culture and dates back to 3000 B.C. This area was excavated by the German archaeologist Henrich Schliemann in the 1850s. Here you can see the ruined city as well as its Acropolis, the Lions Gate, the Mycenaean Palace and the Mycenaean Tombs. The richest discovery was the 'Treasure of Atreus' or the Tomb of Agamemnon with its large, richly decorated dome. Agamemnon, son of Atreus, was the leader of the Greeks during their victorious expedition against Troy. This man's turbulent life as well as his family's fate was the main source of inspiration for 5th century dramatists whose tragedies remain unsurpassed to this day.

• Lesser known sites of historic interest in the Argolida are the World Heritage site of Tiryns, reputed birthplace of Hercules, plus a huge variety of smaller lesser-known sites such as Lerna, Midea, Kazarma or the Pyramid at Ellinikon. Also pay a visit to Argos, the oldest continually occupied city in Europe.

"the hotel in Naphlion is not where Google maps thinks it is. It would be better to advice parking on the quayside and walking down to it as it is difficult to find by car, and nowhere near the Google map position. Otherwise the maps were fine and the hotels generally easy to find. The hotels generally very good, very clean. The Epineau in Litochoro was the worst but mainly because customer service was poor. The best hotel was in Athena and the view from Delphi was astounding.."

L Bray, July 2013

"We are safely back from a truly memorable holiday, and we do want to thank you so much for all you did to make it such a success. Everything worked like clockwork and we had a wonderful time. I find it hard to believe that we have never been to Greece before - but we are already planning our next trip! The weather was perfect, the people very friendly, and all the Classical Sites and museums just wonderful. We managed to avoid the worst of the crowds - we are not good with coach parties!! I am a true anti-social Rushton (Liz's and my fathers were brothers!) when it comes to crowds. Our half-day tour of Athens and the Acropolis was wonderful and we had a marvellous guide - Michaela, who you may know. We met her again, quite by chance, at Olympia, where she was taking another party. We were very glad we had changed our one-night stands to two nights - and wished we had spent three nights at Nafplion. Another time! I have to say that our only criticism was of the Hotel Neda at Olympia - definitely not up to your standard, and it seems rather run-down. I don't know how long it is since you, or someone from Argonaut Travel, have visited it? It was way below the standard of all the other hotels, and the management seemed rather lackadaisical. The breakfasts were not up to scratch either. If we went again, we would definitely be asking for a better hotel. We are talking about taking our motor bike on a trailer to Brindisi, leaving the car and trailer there and hopping on a ferry to Patra, and doing another, similar, tour by bike. How would you feel about putting that together for us? It would not be until next September at the earliest, as our son is getting married in Australia in April, and we have a mass family evacuation Down Under first. Having heard my glowing reports, my brother is now keen to do a similar tour - but again, that won't be until after Australia. I will make sure he gets in touch with you when he is ready. Very many thanks, Dawn. I am so glad I found you on the internet!"

S Dearling, October 2012

"Thankyou, all went according to schedule with out a hitch. The Amalia in Nafplio and the Europa in Olympia were excellent. The Pantheon in Gythio was well placed on the sea front and the staff were very pleasant but the building had seen better days and the breakfast was awful. What struck me as particularly bad, was twin pipes approx 1 foot long near the foot of my bed, which were disused and had been sliced off at an angle, so as to leave a dangerous spike. This was room 109. The Lazaretto at Monemvasia was very interesting and the staff were pleasant. No glasses or soap were provided and the washrooms were rather cramped, so that one banged ones elbow on the shower glass side panel while getting on and off the WC. I felt it was worth it as I have a particular interest in leprosy, but that is not usual. The setting for breakfast was marvellous and the restaurant next door was good. The Enalio studio in Lecheo gave us a very good breakfast but the greek Taverna they recommended 5 mins away was very poor. The washrooms were cramped but this was only for one night and fullfilled the need satisfactorily. The owner/manager took great pains with the breakfast. The car was very good and the boot adequate. On arrival there was some difficulty as Kyros stand in was at B4 departures gate and not at Arrivals. We had to ring him as we could not find him. All in all we had a very good holiday thanks to you!!"

Beryl Palmier, September 2012