The fortified ghost town of Vathia, on Greece’s Mani Peninsula, was once as wild as our Wild West.

The fortified ghost town of Vathia, on Greece’s Mani Peninsula, was once as wild as our Wild West.

Rick Steves: The best way to spend two weeks in Greece

The nation’s true joy and character can be found outside of touristy Athens and the islands.

I was in Athens, at a rooftop restaurant under a floodlit Acropolis, marveling at how a Greek salad never gets boring. It was the last day of a long trip. I was reviewing, as I always do after completing an itinerary, how effectively my time was spent. I had kept my focus more on seeing historic sights on the mainland rather than luxuriating on Aegean Islands. Given that focus, here are the top stops — in itinerary order — that make what I consider the best two weeks Greece has to offer:

Athens, a big sprawling city, has obligatory ancient sights (the hilltop temple of the Acropolis, and the ruined forum of the Agora); an extremely touristy old quarter (the Plaka); and fine museums — the best in the country. Its 3 million people sprawl where no tourist ventures, including immigrant zones with poor yet thriving communities. For most, the joy of Greece is outside of Athens. See it and scram.

Delphi is a touristy little mountain resort with a breathtaking setting. It’s a long way to drive (three hours from Athens) for some ancient ruins. But learning about the oracle (whom the ancients consulted for advice) and being there in the empty cool of the early evening, you know why, in ancient times, this was considered the center of the world.

With Olympia’s once majestic temple columns toppled like a tower of checkers by an earthquake, the site is as evocative (with the help of its excellent museum) as anything from ancient times. And you just have to play “On your mark, get set … go!” on that original starting block from the first Olympic Games in 776 BC.

Kardamyli, a humble beach town, has a “Bali in a dust storm” charm. This handy base for exploring the desolate Mani Peninsula works like a stun gun on your momentum. I could stay there for days, just eating well and hanging out. It’s the kind of place where travelers plan their day around the sunset.

The Mani Peninsula is tumbleweeds stark. If Greece had a Tombstone and an OK Corral, it would be here. The awe-inspiring fortified ghost hill town of Vathia is vendetta ville — it seems everyone lived in forts and sat in corners looking out. While the peninsula in general is bleak, I enjoyed walking through its nearly dead towns and popping into once-sumptuous old fresco-covered churches.

Monemvasia, a Gibraltar-like rock with a Crusader-style stone town at its base, has ruins all across its Masada-like summit. It’s connected by a causeway to the mainland. Summiting Monemvasia is a key experience on any Peloponnesian visit. Rather than sleep here, I chose Gythio: This workaday fishing town, with little tourism and a hearty charm, has a harborfront perfect for a sunset stroll and plenty of cheap restaurants and good affordable hotels.

Consider a stop at Mystras. Once the cultural capital of the Byzantine Empire, its churches represent some of the finest surviving examples of late Byzantine architecture in Greece. Mystras spills down a mountain over the town and the scant ancient ruins of Sparta. Sparta — where mothers famously told their sons to “come home with your shield or on it” — is a classic example of how little a militaristic society leaves as a legacy for the future.

Charming Nafplio, though it has plenty of tourism, is both elegant and proud. It’s a must-see on any Greek visit because of its historical importance (the first capital of an independent Greece), its accessibility from Athens (an easy 2½-hour bus ride), and its handy location as a home base for touring both Mycenae and Epidavros. The town has a beach, great restaurants, a thriving evening scene and a good balance of local life and tourist convenience.

Mycenae is the ruined capital of a civilization that was as mysterious to Socrates and Plato as those guys are to us … a thousand years older than the Acropolis and other Golden Age Greek sights. After climbing through its ruins and unforgettable tombs, cap your visit in its fine museum.

Nearby Epidavros has a lousy museum and forgettable ruins. But its magnificent theater is the best of the ancient world and still used for plays today. For that reason alone, Epidavros is an essential stop.

The island of Hydra, just a quick hop from the mainland, gave my trip a fine island paradise finale. Hydra, so close to Athens (with a direct two-hour hydrofoil connection about hourly), is amazingly laid-back and real with just enough tourism to make it fun and lively.

Many tourists spend their entire time on Greece just island-hopping, setting foot on the mainland only to fly in and out of Athens, but there’s much more to see, learn, and experience in this ancient land.

Edmonds resident Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European guidebooks, hosts travel shows on public TV and radio, and organizes European tours. This column revisits some of Rick’s favorite places over the past two decades. You can email Rick at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Photo courtesy of Graphite Arts Center
Amelia DiGiano’s photography is part of the “Seeing Our Planet” exhibit, which opens Friday and runs through Aug. 9 at the Graphite Arts Center in Edmonds.
A&E Calendar for July 10

Send calendar submissions for print and online to features@heraldnet.com. To ensure your… Continue reading

Snohomish County Dahlia Society members Doug Symonds and Alysia Obina on Monday, March 3, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
How to grow for show: 10 tips for prize-winning dahlias

Snohomish County Dahlia Society members share how they tend to their gardens for the best blooms.

What’s Up columnist Andrea Brown with a selection of black and white glossy promotional photos on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Free celeb photos! Dig into The Herald’s Hollywood time capsule

John Wayne, Travolta, Golden Girls and hundreds more B&W glossies are up for grabs at August pop-up.

The 2025 Audi A3 premium compact sedan (Provided by Audi).
2025 Audi A3 upgradesdesign and performance

The premium compact sedan looks sportier, acts that way, too.

Edmonds announces summer concert lineup

The Edmonds Arts Commission is hosting 20 shows from July 8 to Aug. 24, featuring a range of music styles from across the Puget Sound region.

Big Bend Photo Provided By Ford Media
2025 Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend Increases Off-Road Capability

Mountain Loop Highway Was No Match For Bronco

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Mustang Convertible Photo Provided By Ford Media Center
Ford’s 2024 Ford Mustang Convertible Revives The Past

Iconic Sports Car Re-Introduced To Wow Masses

Kim Crane talks about a handful of origami items on display inside her showroom on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Crease is the word: Origami fans flock to online paper store

Kim’s Crane in Snohomish has been supplying paper crafters with paper, books and kits since 1995.

The 2025 Nissan Murano midsize SUV has two rows of seats and a five-passenger capacity. (Photo provided by Nissan)
2025 Nissan Murano is a whole new machine

A total redesign introduces the fourth generation of this elegant midsize SUV.

A woman flips through a book at the Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Pop some tags at Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley

$20 buys an outfit, a unicycle — or a little Macklemore magic. Sales support the food bank.

Kathy Johnson walks over a tree that has been unsuccessfully chainsawed along a CERCLA road n the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest on Thursday, July 10, 2025 in Granite Falls, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
How Roadless Rule repeal could affect forests like Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie

The Trump administration plans to roll back a 2001 rule protecting over 58 million acres of national forest, including areas in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie area.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.