Monemvasia 🚍 Mystras 🚍 Sparta 🍴 🚍 Nafplio 🚶🏼🍷🍴 🛏️
Byzantine Ruins of Mystra |
We begin our day with a ride to Mystra where we enjoy a tour of this Byzantine castle town with our local guide. Built along the steep slope of Mount Taygetos, we start at the top and work our way down, stepping inside several churches to view the incredible frescoes and architecture within.
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Mystras overlooks Sparta and Sparta is where we stop for a lunch arranged by Danae in a Greek family owned restaurant, Elysee. Today's modern day Sparta is built on top of the ancient ruins. There are excavations that have preserved some of the Spartan past.
"Come back with your shield or upon it." Mark quotes the Spartan mothers as they were seeing their sons off to war.
"It's so sad that ancient Sparta is buried under modern Sparta." Becky
Nafplio: Greek Wine and Orzo Tasting
So that's how they do it!!!" Exclaims Becky as she learns the vinters study the scents of wine from little scented practice bottles. We had a chance to test our skills at identifying scents too.
May 22: Nafplio 🚍 Mycenae🚶🏼🚍 Nafplio 🚶🏼 🪕🍴 🛏️
Cyclopean Walled Fortress of Mycenae
From Nafplio we take the coach to Mycenae where we travel back in time to the Bronze Age and the center of Mycenaean Civilization (1600-1100 BC). Our local guide explains how Mycenae dominated mainland Greece with military and economic power, advanced engineering skills and extensive trade. Here we observe cyclopean masonry typical of Mycenae - large boulders roughly placed together.
The Nafplio Challenge
The Venetian built Palamidi Fortress consists of 8 bastions as a defensive measures. The gate is accessed by first climbing 999 steps. Who is up for the challenge? We are! Keep in mind Becky is fighting plantar fasciitis during this trip. 😳 But she makes it! She pays for it later though. 👣
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Danae gives us a surprise at our tour family dinner this evening, in addition to lots of fantastic food to try, we enjoy a unique (to us) musical group.
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The Rebetika musical style originated in Asia Minor and arrived in Greece in 1922 when refugees from Smyrna sought refuge in Greece. The instruments used include baglamas, bouzouki, guitar, tamboutine, violin and santur.
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