The hidden path to the fortress

Distance: 8 km
Level: Easy
Way of crossing: On foot
Elevation differences: Very few
Hot spots: Hiking through the countryside and provincial roads, picturesque chapel, ruins of the fortress dated from 3^rd century AC (Hellenistic period), panoramic view of the Argolic gulf & Argolic plain at an altitude of 198m
Visit tipe period : All year

Kria Vrisi- The balcony of Argolic gulf

Few words…

Within 45 minutes you can be from the down town of the city of Nafplio, to the beautiful mountainous village, Kria Vrisi (means cold fount).

It is a traditional uninhabided village.The residents use their houses mostly in summer time or at weekends. The locals love their land so they have signaling and opened paths that visitors can walk or cycle in a variety of levels.
The village is build at an altitude of 800m under the foothills of Chtenias mountain which is natural border between Argolis & Arcadia.
Τhe view is majestic and panoramic you can observe everything ..surrounding mountains, villages, argolic gulf, hawks, eagles.
You can collect eatable plants & herbs for your salad, you can explore the area on foot or by bike, you can do yoga exercises in the nature, you can drink cool water from fountains, you can taste traditional dishes at home with wine & tsipouro from locals!

Let us guide you to the isolated beauties!

Starting point: Kria Vrisi (28 km away from Nafplio 45min driving)

Distance: A lot of paths from 5km-25km

Level: All ( Easy, Medium, Advanced)

Hot spots: Pyramid of Hellinico- archeological interesting, mountainous traditional village of Argolis at 800m altitude, panoramic view of Argolis gulf, the imposing foothills of the mount Chtenias 1634m altitude (natural borders Argolis-Arcadia prefectures) running waters from natural sources, traditional stone made  fount, old threshing floor.

Visit time period: All year

 

 

Olive oil & nature

A few words..

Greece holds the third place in world olive in oil production (after Spain and Italy), with more than 140 million trees, which produce approximately 450,000 tons of olive oil annually, of whom 75-80% are virgin.

In the Mediterranean area the trees bloom late at spring season (April-May) while harvesting starts from October and ends in February.

The olive tree lighted, nourished, healed, posed up and identified with high ideals and inspired for many years the thriving civilization of  eastern Mediterranean

Symbol of knowledge, wisdom, abundance, peace, health, strength and beauty was worshiped for thousands of years
It is a vibrant place a heavy heritage of legends, traditions and religious rituals closely associated with flowering, harvesting and oil production

The prefecture of Argolis in the Peloponnese, is one of the few areas where the harvest of the fruits of the olive trees, are still made by hands and not with the help of machines.

It is a very good opportunity to get acquainted with the collection of olives engaging yourself in the process, to see how the procedure of the olive fruit is, and then taste the famous virgin Greek oil, along with other traditional delicacies of the place.

We can combine harvesting the fruits of olive tree, the production of making olive oil & tasting local delicacies which have base the famous Greek olive oil with activities in the surrounding area of Nafplio.

We suggest you the following routes:

** The God’s healing path

Starting point: Ligourio surroundings
Distance : 1.800 m
Visit period: All year
Hot spots: Ancient path, preserved imprints of chariot lanes (armatrochies), two ancient Herms, inscription of the 3rd century BC, naturalist route through vegetation and stream.

Brief description:

Our tour starts few km away from Ligourio to walk part of the ancient mycenae path.
One inscription of the 3rd century BC, that exact copy has been hacked at the entrance of the reconstructed area welcome us and say to us :
‘This pathway traveler will leads you to the sanctuary of the God of healing”
We walk through vegetation & pine trees and with the voice of stream & birds to acompany us.
In a few minutes we approach the river bed which in winter, autumn & spring time we will find water.
Continue on the path goes uphill and we will see within the path the two ancient Herms & the preserved imprints of chariot lanes (armatrochies).
At the end of the route will find a small picturesque chapel where ‘Pausanias has a story to tell us’..
We will walk totally 1.800 m at the today’s survival ancient path which connected the sanctuary of ancient Epidaurus with the port of Epidaurus & also it was the only one ancient Mycenean path which connected the argolic towns with the ancient port of Kechries of Saronic gulf.

It is very interesting route despite its length.Plenty of archeological & naturalist interesting in such a few meters.

** For those we want more walk we can combine an other one  path which is also a part of ancient path which will lead us direct to the ancient theater & sanctuary of Epidaurus.
This will be extra route besides the above of 1800m  which is 3.5 km.

**Ancient path to the theater of Epidaurus

Starting point: Ligourio surroundings
Distance : About 5.5 km
Visit period: All year
Hot spots: Ancient path, preserved imprints of chariot lanes (armatrochies), two ancient Herms, inscription of the 3rd century BC, naturalist route through vegetation and stream,olive fields,the theater & the sanctuary of Epidaurus.

** For those we want to do cycling in the area we can do small surroundings routes (8-10km) around to the archeological site of Epidaurus & through provincial roads with olives trees fields or we can make a bigger route (about 15 km) to the old town of Epidaurus to see the small ancient theater of Epidaurus and its picturesque port.

Ancient Kleones-Ancient Nemea-Prefecture Κοrinthia

** Ancient Kleones-Ancient Nemea-Prefecture Κοrinthia

Starting  point: Ancient Kleones

Distance : 8 km

Level: Easy  

Ways of crossing: On foot, by bicycle

Main sights: Temple of Hercules (2^nd century b.C), the endless vineyards, local wineries guide for the procedure of making wine, wine tasting, the temple of Nemean Zeus, the ancient stadium of  Nemea

Βrief Description

Our route starts from the mythical and historical city of ancient Kleones in where the ruins of it’s acropolis are not exist  .We can see only the hill on where the acropolis was built .
We will visit the temple of Hercules where Kleones worshiped Hercules as their main hero of the 5th century B.C & this is testified through their currencies.

Continue on, we walk to an asphalt provincial road , with the direction to ancient Nemea we pass through countless vineyards.We can also visit one winery for wine tasting & guided tour to know about the procedure of making wine

Once we get to the ancient Nemea we can visit the ancient stadium and the Temple of  Nemean  Zeus.
You will stay speechless until nowdays  in front of this greatness that harmonises the ideal choice of the site and the structural integrity in their most austere forms. The ancient Nemea  joined in to the circle of the Greek national Games in 573 BC. They  had, great prestige, they held every two years alternately with the struggles of Olympia’s Delphi ,Isthmian, under the supervision of the ancient  Kleones.

Every 4 years the local club of Nemean games revives the Nemean games  from 1996.
Τhere is a ‘Neamean game’s club which organize the revival of the games. Their goal is the participation, on the sacred ancient earth of Greece, of anyone and everyone, in games that will revive the spirit of the Olympics. They have succeeded to relive the authentic ancient athletic customs in the ancient stadium of Nemea.

It’s worth many congratulations to the president of this club Mr Stefan Miller for his life dedication tο highlight this place & our homeland..

The Temple of Zeus at Nemea developed in the early 6th BC century,  with the introduction of the Greek national Nemean games, in an area, where witnessed evidence of human activity, since prehistoric times.

There is something that you will never forget: passing the hidden entrance Wherever at the Nemea archeological site, you can see & hear the modern world constantly.You hear, feel, smell what the ancient athletes heard, felt & smelled in.. there; Αt either end of the stone-chill darkness, you see the same hot jab of light.

It is one tour that you will not forget..

Cave ‘Selinitsa’-Prefecture Messinia

** Cave ‘Selinitsa’

Located in: Prefecture Messinia-about 230 km away from Nafplio city

Difficulty: Easy

Techniques of descends: Walking horizontaly

Brief Description:

The entrance of this cave is impressive , majestic and consists the estuary – exit of the old river. At the coast has formed an ” amphitheater ” from the outfall of the underground river . An ” amphitheater “, which with it’s large smooth limestons and the fragments  of marbles  is considered one of the finest places of natural beauty in the world. Walking the cave is like passing through of  the dry  riverbed of underground river.
In the past an underground river passing by it, opening a labyrinthine canal system within marbles.

To cave belongs to the same karstic system with the river called Dragon as this river until today outfalls  its waters underground at a depth of 10 meters from the sea level .
The decoration especially at the end of the cave is magical because an entire cave’s room sparkles from rare formations of stalagmites, which really leaves you  speechless in front of this splendor of nature.

Velanidia village-Cape of Maleas-Perfecture of Lakonia

Starting point: Velanidia village
Level: Medium

Distance: About 16 km

Hot spots: Traditional village, walking on a sea path which is the second most southerly point of mainland Greece,majestic sea view.

Brief discription

Our walking tour starts from the small village Velanidia which located near to the tip of the peninsula of Malea, on the eastern side of Mount Krithina and looks at the Myrtoo pelagos & it is tucked in a gorge on the slopes of Mt. Krithina.

The cape of Maleas is a peninsula and cape in the southeast of the Peloponnese in Greece & it is located to the perfecture of Lakonia. To distinguish it from the cape, the peninsula is sometimes referred to as “Epidavros Limira” peninsula, after the most prominent ancient city located on it. It separates the Laconian Gulf in the west from the Aegean Sea in the east. It is the second most southerly point of mainland Greece (after Cape Matapan) and once featured one of the largest light-houses in the Mediterranean.

Walking downhill to dirt road will lead us close to the surface of the sea, which from there, starts beside the sea, the narrow dirt path to the lighthouse.On our left side we see the endless blue of the sea,on our right side we see rocks with wild goats looking at us from safety distance..Continue on with a lot of turns and with the scenary changing often from wild rocks beside the sea into vegetation & wild olive trees at an altitude 200m.Finally we meet the famous lighthouse which is first went into operation in 1883 and in 2006 was designated a listed monument. It is one of the oldest but also the most perfect one lighthouses in the Mediterranean.Since being restored with funds from the Ekaterini Laskaridi Foundation in 2009, it has been maintained by two lighthouse keepers.
Τhe way back is from the same path and we can visit near to village vellanidia one of the most beautiful & rare tourist caves in Greece: the cave of Agios Andreas, with 18 large and small chambers, it has rich decor of stalactites and stalagmites.The extent of the cave is 1500 sqm, divided into two levels and the visitor enters a route of 500m.

 

Petrified forest-Saint Eirini-Perfecture of Lakonia

Starting point: Saint Marina’s bay
Level: Easy

Distance: About 10km

Hot spots: The unique phenomenon of petrified palm forest in Laconia, which appears to be one of its kind throughout the world, walking through the forest & across the coast line with breathtaking view.

The Petrified Forest of St Marina in cape of Malia will find the visitor about 18 km south of Naples,perfecture of Lakonia,municipality of Voies,8 km from the village of St. Nicholas.

Our walking tour starts from the isolated bay of sent Marina with titurquoise clear waters.There is a kiosk at the beginning of our walk which has some information about the protected area.
The palaeontologic studies which have been conducted show that the petrified tree trunks occupy an area which covers St Nikolaos and St Marina and reaches Neapoli and Elafonissos. The tree trunks date back to between two and three million years and they are indeed a rare find, since they were petrified by the sea and they were not turned into silicon dioxide by volcano ashes. Experts believe that during this time, Greece had a subtropical climate with a mean annual temperature of around 18 C with plenty of rainfall.
The palm trees which grew in the area extended right up to the beach. At some point, sea level began to rise and eventually covered the trees, which began to petrify and calcify as a result of the calcium carbonate. Later, the sea level dropped and marine organisms, such as shell-fish, remained on the trunks and were also found in their petrified form.
On our left side we can see all the mountain hill with the petrified tree trunks & on our left side is the endless horizon of the Mediterranean Sea.
Continue on the dirt narrow path, which has a lot of small turns, we walk across the coastline, which has uphills & downhills with the highest altitude at 75 m. At its end we meet the picturesque chapel of Saint Eirini which we can take a break with a panoramic sea view.The path continues for a little bit more, for an other one smaller isolated chapel of Saint Nikolas, which that spot is the end of the path.The way back is from the same path.

Islet Psili-Argolic gulf

Starting point: Iria village

Level: Medium

Distance: About 5km

Hot spots: Walking in such isolated place,the different view from island to land,amazing view from the top of mound,isolated beach with clear turquoise waters for swimming, ruins of ancient tower

Ways of crossing : By boat crossing the sea

Psili islet which is means (high) is rocky uninhabited island of the Saronic Gulf. Located south of the Argolid Gulf, opposite Iria. Its area is 2.1 km ².
Our experience starts from the port of Iria village. We have arrange our transport opposite to the islet with the local’s fishboat.It will take us half an hour to reach the isolated islet.
When we get there we see an abandoned army outpost.There is an obvious path which starts behind the army outpost. This path has opened from local hunters because the area has a lot of rubbits & partridges.Τhe dence vegetation reminds you a jungle. Wild oaks,carob trees,thorns make the path in some spots gnarled. We need to be careful cause in some spots, the signs which have put the hunters don’t exist & it is easy to get lost.
While we walk uphil  the view behind us is breathtaking.You can see the island Spetses,the city Portoxeli, the land opposite with the surrounding mountains. When you get to the peak at the altitude 240m, you can see ancient ruins of a towel. Unfortunately there aren’t much information for those ruins.
When we return back from the same path we can enjoy swimming to the clear turquoise waters! Returning to Iria village we can have a tasty menu with fresh fishes, local tasty recipes in a traditional tavern.

Prosymni-Mycenae

Starting  point: Mycenae or Prosymni

Distance : 11 km one way

Level: Medium  (one way) Advanced: (double way 22km)

Ways of crossing: Οn foot

Main sights: Acropolis of Mycenae, walking the same ancient path that the King of Agamemnon walked,Hellenistic tower,Roman baths.

Brief  description

This route follows the traces of an ancient road that connected Mycenaean citadel of Mycenae with the basin of Prosimni, which its passed the shortest route (Kontoporeia) linking Argos with Korinthos.The route passes from many points of great archaeological interest: Hellenistic tower near Prosimni,Roman baths and a cistern,from a very odd little church next to the baths, vaulted Mycenaean tomb, ruins of a Mycenaean settlement on the hill called ‘Mastos’ and at the end of our walk the citadel of Mycenae. The total length of the route is 11.1 km(one way) and the altitude is no more than 230 meters. The beginning of the journey can be made ​​by the Prosimni, a picturesque village on the highest point of a small basin, which is separated from the plain of Argos with the narrow gorge Klisoura.

      

 

Drepano-Marathia-mound of Vivari village-Drepano

** Drepano-Marathia-mound of Vivari village-Drepano

Starting  point: Drepano

Distance : About 16 km

Level: Easy 

Main sights: Panoramic view of argolic gulf & it’s surroundings,vivari’s lake, traditional villages

The tour starts from the center of village Drepano we follow the main road with the direction to Vivari & after 200m we turn right to provincial road through orange fields.We start cycle in an uphill asphalt road we can meet local farm & nice view while we mount.When we reach to the top of mound Vivari after about 1km with a lot of turns in an uphill dirt road we can admire the amazing view of argolic gulf & it’s surroundings at an altitude of 200m.Continiue on, the path starts to downhill with a lot of turns we reach the main road which will lead us to Drepano with a small detour from the lake of the picturesque village Vivari.