Our excursion to Nafplio began at 9am when we boarded the bus. As with our other excursions we stopped for coffee on the way. Our stop was a small coffee shop by the Corinth Canal which is a huge gorge with crystal blue water at the bottom. As for the coffee shop, I decided it was time to try Greek coffee despite being warned not to. I can easily say that was the first and last time I ever drink it. The taste itself wasn't good but wasn't awful, but the combination of bitterness and grittiness isn't the most pleasurable sensation. After this interesting experience, we hopped back on the bus and continued on to Nafplio.
The drive up to the Fortress of Palamidi provided beautiful views of the countryside, town and water. The crystal blue waters of Greece make me feel at home as they remind me so much of the beaches in Australia. The fortress itself was an amazing site, it weaves and winds around until you reach the top. The top provides views ranging from the town of Nafplio below to the Argolic Gulf. My friends and I had a great time wandering around and taking in view. We took around a thousand photos (mostly just to fill in time) and then got back on our bus to head into town.
Once in Nafplio, we headed straight to our lunch reservation. We ate 4 courses at a very nice restaurant and could barely move afterwards. We were then given around an hour to look around the town but unfortunately it was siesta so not much was open. It honestly didn't matter that the shops weren't open because the town itself was beautiful enough to entertain us. Everybody we passed seemed very relaxed, there was no traffic and the streets were the cleanest I've seen in Greece. There were pretty little houses and couples holding hands through the streets. It was truly such a beautiful experience.
Returning back to Agia Paraskevi and reflecting on my experience reinforced just how much I enjoyed my day in Nafplio. As much as I love the fun and excitement of the city, it's nice to be in a relaxing environment for some downtime. Nafplio has been my favourite place in Greece so far, and definitely somewhere I'm excited to show to my sister in May.
Hi Mandy, thank you! I was warned by other study abroad students that the taste was extremely bitter. I knew it was going to be gritty because I'd heard it was similar to Turkish coffee. I'm not really bothered by texture but I will say it wasn't very pleasurable. Mostly just the taste was very bitter and not like any coffee I'd ever had before.
I genuinely enjoy the excursions and am so happy I have been able to visit places I probably wouldn't have heard of otherwise, I definitely plan on going to as many as possible!
Hi Amy! Thank you so much, I've been enjoying teaching myself photography this semester. I did a short summer course in Barcelona my freshman year so I had some idea of what siesta was. Of course in such a big and busy city, siesta wasn't very common. Where I live in Greece most places, besides cafes, are shut for a couple hours. It is common everywhere here besides in downtown Athens where businesses tend to stay open through the afternoon. I think that it's quite a good idea and would love for it to be more universal!
Amazing photos! Why were you warned not to try the coffee?
I am glad you are going on the planned excursions. They do take you to some amazing places.
Hi Mallory! Your pictures are amazing and make the charm and beauty of Greece come alive. Is the siesta time a concept you were familiar with prior to living in Greece? Is this common to the country overall or just this area? I certainly wish a siesta time and more time for relaxation and reflection were part of the culture in the U.S.!