A 7 Day Getaway to Breathtaking Greece Part 2: Corinth; Mycenae; Epidaurus; Nafplion

If you missed part one, check it out here.

Our Itinerary: 

Day 1: Athens 

Day 2: Athens 

Day 3: Corinth; Mycenae; Epidaurus; Nafplion

Day 4: Nafplion; Olympia

Day 5: Olympia; Patras; Delphi

Day 6: Delphi; Thermopylae; Kalambaka

Day 7: Kalambaka; Meteora; Athens

On day three of our journey through Greece, my friend and I rose early, grabbed a quick bite, and climbed aboard the bus our tour group would be using for the next five days. We sat in the comfort of the bus’s soft, plushy seats and took in the view as it flew past our window. After about an hour, we arrived at the beautiful city of Corinth.

The ancient city of Corinth has been inhabited since the Neolithic period (c. 5000 BC) and the city features heavily in various mythological tales. The mythical founder of the city is King Sisyphus, who was made famous not for his life, but for the eternal punishment he received after death. In Hades, Sisyphus was forced to roll a boulder up a giant hill; but, each time the boulder reached the top, it would roll back down again and the cycle would continue on into eternity. You may also recognize this setting as the place where Jason and Medea made their home once Jason had finished looking for the golden fleece.

Outside the realm of myth, in the 8th century BC, Corinth became famous for its unique style of pottery, which was exported across the country and remained in style for two centuries.

We stepped off the bus to a gorgeous, sunny day. As a group, we toured the ruins that make up the ancient section of the city. Situated atop a rocky hill, we spotted the ruins of the temple of Apollo, the sun god. Even after millennia, its Doric columns are beautiful as they dominate the landscape.

We then proceeded to the Corinth Museum. From the towering Kouroi burial statues to its stunning array of pottery, the museum was a delight to tour. There is also an outdoor gallery, primarily featuring stone objects—made of material that will sustain much less damage from the sun.

During the Bronze Age (c. 3000-1200 BC) the Mycenaean civilization was flourishing on mainland Greece, around the Aegean sea. This civilization was best known, in part, for their luxurious palaces, their weapons, and their extravagant grave goods; when the site was first excavated, a significant amount of gold, silver, and bronze, as well as precious stones were found at the site.

The ancient city is situated on a small hill. As we began the climb, a black and white dog crossed our path as though they were guarding the city. We crossed under the Lion Gate and began our trek higher and higher up, toward the top of the citadel. Whenever we paused to look back, our canine friend wasn’t far behind.

The climb to the top didn’t take long and was gently sloping enough that it wasn’t overly strenuous. However, even if the climbing conditions had been more taxing, the view from the top would absolutely have been worth it!

Built in the late 4th century BC and made to seat 15, 000 theatregoers, this ancient theatre is best known for its incredible acoustics; it is said that you could hear the actors’ voices even from the very back row.

Nafplio: 

After a day of exploring, we arrived at our hotel in Nafplio. The hotel itself boasted large, aesthetic grounds, which we took advantage of during our evening walk. Because of the time we reached the hotel and the hotel’s location, however, we, unfortunately, did not get much of a chance to explore the lovely town.

If you decide to visit Nafplio, you may wish to visit the Palamidi Fortress, built between 1711 and 1714*. We caught a glimpse of it from across the water; hopefully next time, we can take a closer look!