Day 6, September 27, 2024 Mycenae/Epidaurus/Nafplion

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Today the three D’s as we are called by the group decided to stay in town and explore Nafplion instead of following the itinerary. We walked to the town square and looked in all the shops. Later we had delicious chicken soup with zucchini, carrots, and potatoes in broth and had lunch on the terrace of the hotel overlooking the Aegean Sea. 

This was the itinerary for the group: We embark on an exploration of the Peloponnesian Peninsula today, beginning with the imposing ruins at Mycenae, a hilltop UNESCO site that represented the pinnacle of Greek civilization from the 15th to the 12 centuries BCE — and is one of the oldest archaeological sites in Europe.

In fact, this period of Greek history is called the Mycenaean, as this Peloponnesian city’s dominion extended throughout the whole of southern Greece. 

A key influence on the development of classic Greek culture (and hence Western civilization), Mycenae also is linked to Homer’s epics, the Iliad and The Odyssey. Mycenae’s King Agamemnon is a central figure of the Iliad, as he besieged Troy in an effort to recover his brother Menelaus’s kidnapped wife Helen.

Our touring here includes the Tomb of Agamemnon, which laid claim to the title of world’s highest and widest dome for more than a thousand years. We also see the Lion’s Gate, Mycenae’s grand main entrance, and the only known Bronze Age monumental sculpture in Greece.

Afterwards, we visit the ancient city of Epidaurus. Small in size but standing tall in the history and culture of Ancient Greece, Epidaurus was primarily known for two things: healing and the arts.

Epidaurus was rumored to be the birthplace of Asclepius the healer, the Greek god of medicine whose snake-entwined staff is still seen as a symbol of medicine today.

We see the site’s museum, showcasing statues and ruins uncovered at Epidaurus, and marvel at the 2300-year-old theater, a masterpiece of Greek architecture known for its perfect acoustics. Still in use to this day, the theater seats over 14,000 and its exceptional design allows every crowd member to hear unamplified sound from the stage with near perfect clarity.

One member of the tour group told us that our tour guide stood in the center of the stadium and clapped her hands and ripped a sheet of paper to demonstrate the acoustics. The sound could be heard from the top of the stadium perfectly.

We return to Nafplion, a gem of a Venetian/Byzantine town with picturesque narrow streets, fortifications, and a bounty of waterfront cafes and restaurants, for lunch on ur own and an afternoon of leisure.

We dine at a local taverna in Nafplion tonight, then return to our hotel.



























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