Hi friends and Happy Friday! Welcome to new subscribers both paid and free. I’m so glad you are here. I’m also happy that you are back for part two of the big fat Greek adventure.
As you may know, my husband and I recently traveled to Greece for a special anniversary. Last week, we talked all about Athens and the food scene there. The post is here if you missed it.
And I have an update on the magazines I was waiting for! I received my order of National Geographic School Bulletin and here is the issue I mentioned. I was super thrilled when a subscriber (Hi Kim!) told me that she remembers this magazine from her childhood, too.
This week, we are delving into the treasures of the Peloponnesian peninsula.
If you’d rather listen than read, the audio is posted above.
Peloponnese
This peninsula is basically an island connected to the mainland of Greece by an isthmus. If you remember your junior high geography, an isthmus is a sliver of land with water on either side and connects two larger land masses. Most folks are familiar with the one in Panama.
In this region of Greece, the isthmus in Corinth has a canal that provides quicker passage between the Aegean and Ionian seas and connects the peninsula to the rest of Greece.
What makes the Peloponnese so special? It is home to many UNESCO World Heritage archaeological sites. They are in Epidaurus, Mycenae (if you’ve read the Iliad and Odyssey you will recognize this name), Mystras, Olympia (where the Olympic Games were born), and Tiryns. The peninsula is also home to Corinth, where the apostle Paul traveled and where his letters in the New Testament are addressed to in 1 and 2 Corinthians.
Foodies love this peninsula because of the diverse agriculture grown here. Of course, there are olives from Kalamata and grapes, raisins, and wines from Nemea. But this region also produces other foods in abundance like artichokes, fresh feta, figs, honey, lemons and oranges, potatoes, wild greens of all sorts, and wheat. This is a great area to take food and wine tours. I did both and will talk about them in a minute.
But first, let’s talk about where we stayed.
Nafplio
Our home base for the week was Nafplio. This seaside town was once the country’s capital until the capital was moved to Athens. It is a good place to call home while you explore the rest of the peninsula because of its proximity to many of the UNESCO sites, stunning beaches, and ports to catch the ferry to Greek islands. Another reason: it has great sunsets.
The town has had its trials and tribulations through the centuries, having been conquered and occupied by many different powers including the Franks, Venetians, and Ottomans until finally, Greek independence. But now Nafplio is filled with pretty shops, restaurants, and hotels. We saw more Greek and Italian tourists than anyone else, along with a few British and German families and a handful of Americans.
We rented an apartment for seven days on a small side street near a Greek Orthodox church. The chimes of the church bells woke us each morning and was the last thing we heard at night before the Advil PM kicked in. It was actually lovely.
Last week I joked about everything in Athens being an uphill walk with stairs. Well, that was even more true in Nafplio. I did not see any gyms or fitness centers here and I know why. It’s because stairs are a way of life.
A popular tourist spot, the Palamidi Fortress, sits atop a high hill overlooking the entire town and seashore. It is a good place to visit for the breathtaking views of the gulf and surrounding area. There are two ways to get to the fortress. You can take a 10-minute drive to get there or walk up the 999 steps.
We decided to drive.
Behind the Wheel
Driving in Greece is an adventure. We didn’t attempt it in Athens but in Nafplio our apartment came with a rental car. So we took it out for the occasional spin.
Before leaving the U.S., my husband and I got our international driving permits. Please don’t be impressed. It consisted of filling out a form, having a terrible photo taken at the local AAA office, and paying $20. Voilà. International drivers we are.
We found that Greek drivers are bold. Highway lanes and parking spaces are mere suggestions. But the drivers don’t have road rage like we do in the U.S., they just know what they want and where they are going. If you hesitate, you lose your turn even if it’s your turn.
Decisiveness and situational awareness are your friends if you drive in Greece. Since those things are not my strengths, my husband drove and I was his special helper, the official Google Maps navigator. Something else to know if you choose to drive here: gas is $8 to $10 per gallon.
Thankfully, someone else did the driving for the two tours I took.
Organic Farm Tour
The first tour was to an organic, or “bio,” farm. People have farmed in Greece for many centuries in an organic way but farmers now are becoming identified and labeled as such. No pesticides and no poisons, just chickens to eat the bugs and distribute their poop. The tour included visiting orchards, sampling produce, helping to prepare dinner, and eating dinner.
But let me back up for a moment.
Earlier in the day, a non-Greek woman was furiously typing on her computer next to us at a cafe. I thought, “Oh look, a digital nomad working from a Greek cafe. How glamorous is that!” We jokingly told her that she had a great office. The woman laughed as she dashed off to an appointment. Waving goodbye, she said that she hoped to see us around town again.
That afternoon, I arrived at the bio farm for the tour and much to my surprise, the woman from the cafe drove up a few minutes later! She was a travel writer for the Lonely Planet travel books. Other tour participants included a mother-and-daughter duo from New Jersey, and a cute family from Atlanta.
The bio farm was very much a family affair with the husband and wife running the farm, their kids helping out and also running their hotel in town, and their extended family providing land on which to grow crops. They explained how they took care of their orange and olive groves, what causes fluctuations in the price of olive oil, and the local connection to the myth of Hercules.
Sitting on their patio, we enjoyed a dinner at sunset with local wines and great conversation. It was such a lovely experience and provided a glimpse into life on a small family farm in Greece.
Even though I worked in the California wine industry for several years, I knew next to nothing about Greek wines so I was especially excited about this next tour.
Wines of Nemea
In last week’s article I mentioned that April is shoulder season for tourism in Greece. Not as many tourists as usual. After signing up for a small group tour of the wineries of Nemea, I soon discovered that I was getting a private tour. It was just me and the tour guide.
Amazingly, her name was Betty.
I found Greek Betty to be highly knowledgeable and super fun to hang out with. As an oenologist and a vintner herself, she was a wealth of information about Greek wines and their history.
Wine has been made for thousands of years in Greece. However, the wine industry has had a couple of setbacks. When the country was under Ottoman rule, wine production drastically decreased because vineyards were destroyed and alcohol consumption was prohibited.
After the Greek nation gained its independence, wine production started again only to be derailed by phylloxera. This insect decimated vineyards all over North America and Europe as well as Greece. One of the few places that escaped infestation? The island of Santorini.
Because Santorini is the caldera, or rim, of an ancient underwater volcano, its soil is comprised of volcanic basalt with very little clay content. It is this condition that has made the vineyards of Santorini some of the oldest in Greece and immune to pests like phylloxera. I was able to taste a white wine from Santorini and, wow friends, I fell in love. The vineyards of Santorini are now on my list of must-see places to visit.
Never mind what we think of as varietal wines such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc. Those are French in origin. Greece has over 300 grape varieties. Some that are grown in the Peloponnese include
Agiorgitiko. A dry red wine that is smooth, lush, and velvety. Lots of berry and cherry notes with oak, medium acidity, and soft tannins. A new favorite!
Assyrtiko. A bone-dry white wine that is delicious. It reminded me of Spain’s albariño varietal which my friend Patricia and I discovered a couple of years ago. This wine has a minerality that makes it very crisp and refreshing.
Kydonitsa. A dry white that is smooth and soft. Lots of peach and quince flavors with a crispness that balances it out.
Malagousia. Another dry white with medium acidity and citrusy, apricot aromas. Very drinkable and refreshing.
Each of the wineries we toured was a small, independent operation that ushered the grape from vineyard to crush, fermentation to aging, and bottling to shipping. They did it all right there. Aging happens not only in stainless steel tanks and oak barrels (American, French, and Russian) but also in amphoras or clay vessels.
I found the prices per bottle to be quite a steal and I really regret not bringing an extra suitcase to load up with my favorites and place in checked baggage for the flight home. We live and learn.
Next, let’s talk about food.
The Best Meal of The Trip
There were lots of great meals that awaited us in the Peloponnese. Some restaurants I loved because of their setting, like this one on a side street in Nafplio.
Or this one in Tolo, a nearby beach town.
And this one on the Nafplio waterfront with the Bourtzi water castle lit up.
But the most lip-smacking meal of our entire trip was in a little restaurant a short walk away in a quieter area of town. It was recommended to us by the front desk clerk at our hotel in Athens. When we said we were headed to Nafplio next, her eyes lit up and she insisted, “You must eat here,” as she handed us a sticky note with the restaurant’s name written on it.
Of course we had to go. We chose to sit outside where each tabletop was elaborately painted with fruits, vegetables, or seascapes. And like most Greek cafes, there were stray cats darting around beneath the tables and at patrons feet.
Our selections included the grilled sea bass with grilled vegetables and the fried calamari with a fresh salad. My husband and I shared our meals and ate every last thing on the plates.
Now, you might be thinking, “Well, that doesn’t sound so special.” And on the surface, you are right. There is nothing particularly unique about grilled seabass or fried calamari. But the freshness of the ingredients, the execution of the grilling, the non-rancid frying oil, and other small details contributed to both of these dishes being absolutely delicious. They were simple and spectacular at the same time.
There’s one last thing to share.
Fizzy Drinks
While I enjoy cocktails and liqueurs like Ouzo, there is nothing like a bubbly drink to lift the spirits and the palate. Here are some Greek beers I liked.
Alfa. Light and crisp lager that was refreshing on a hot day.
Dathènes. A craft lager named for Athens. Medium body and hoppy.
Mythos. Probably the most well-known Greek beer. Crisp lager with a malty finish.
And we can’t forget sparkling wine aka champagne!
Amalia. This sparkling wine uses Greek varietal Moschofilero grapes and is made in the traditional method with the second fermentation done in the bottle, trapping all those lovely bubbles. Dry and crisp with floral and citrus notes.
Up Next
Next Friday’s post will be just for paid subscribers. There will be honest reviews of the accommodations, restaurants, tour companies, and wineries I visited with links to all their websites. It’s a nice resource for your upcoming (or someday) trip to Greece!
All subscribers can enjoy Mother’s Day dessert ideas the following Friday, May 10.
Thank you for reading along. If you’re enjoying this newsletter, would you share it with a friend? See you next week!
Loved, loved, loved this.