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Nafplio & last night in Athens
We continue from Mystras, my feet aching for a non-castle day. We arrive in Nafplio to our boutique hotel, Gambello Luxury Suites. Our room is on the 3rd floor, which actually is the 4th, since the ground level is floor zero. No elevator here, but Alex is a kind and spry young man who nearly runs up the four flights with our bags! Alex looks like Gaston but doesn’t act like him, at least.
Our room balcony is a rooftop, so our view is 360. And there it is atop the hill, the town castle, taunting us. The rest of the town is interesting enough..we resist the urge.
We explore town and find the Italian restaurant, Itria. On our way back to our lodging, we stumble across another Italian shop. This time it’s gelato: Antica Gelateria de Roma. Marcelo & his wife have been in Nafplio for 20 years dishing out authentic Italian gelato. They also had cakes and many other treats. Definitely worth going when you’re there. The cherry on top is when Tom finds a well-stocked wine shop, just next to our suites.
The next day is spent meandering Old Town, taking in the chill vibe. The harbor is full of yachts and the town definitely caters to tourists, but in a low key way. Having free parking near the harbor is a bonus and keeps the cars off the old roads (mostly). This keeps the roads in Old Town safer for shoppers and dining.
We rise early for our drive back to Athens airport to turn in our car rental. After we taxi to our hotel, Athenian Riviera, we are pleased to be able to check in early. It really seems like the travel season is winding down as we don’t see any other guests. The place is very quiet. The elevators here, and I believe all over Europe, are tiny. Also, we found a hilarious “fire box” in our hotel.
We decide to try taking the Metro Red Line into Athens to spend the afternoon at the Acropolis Museum, which we weren’t able to see our first stop in Athens. Using the metro saved us time and money and would recommend it for navigating the city.
Being in Plaka again is a shock to us. We try to imagine the crowds in summer months and shudder at the thought of the chaos. The cacophony and jostle is counter to the relative quiet we’ve been experiencing in the smaller towns and villages.
We meander through this beautiful museum and marvel at the ancient pieces. While I’m not a curator nor an expert on ruins, Tom is a true artist, and he says the Acropolis Museum is a must see.
Next we leave (sadly) Greece and travel to Dubrovnik Croatia.
Safe travels