In Greece, mountains and seas are in constant dialogue, and travelers have the opportunity to enjoy their harmonious coexistence in numerous destinations. One of the places that celebrates this classic Greek combination is Nafpaktos and its surrounding area. We recently visited it on a “full” trip and suggest you do the same, especially as we move into spring. To make this trip happen, we needed the right vehicle. We found it by renting a car from Avis.
After a brief search on Avis.gr, we found the ideal vehicle for our journey: spacious enough for four people with their luggage, with good performance, agile enough to navigate provincial roads, and very economical on fuel, a particularly important parameter in times of expensive fuels. We picked up the car at the scheduled time at the Avis station, and after the company’s staff explained everything we needed to know about it, we set off on our adventure.
The construction of the Corinth-Patras motorway has made the once difficult journey to western Greece very easy. The first truly memorable moment is crossing the Rio-Antirrio bridge, the largest of Greece’s bridges and the world’s largest multi-span cable-stayed bridge. Meanwhile, the experience of driving from the Peloponnese to Central Greece on four wheels is always a pleasant driving experience.
In Nafpaktos
Nafpaktos is a small city but with a great history, as its geographical position gave Lepanto, as the city was called during the Frankish rule, wealth and strategic importance. The first stop is undoubtedly the harbor, which resembles a small lake, where we relaxed over a coffee in the sun with views of the high walls and fishing boats. In Nafpaktos, you can opt for a regenerating weekend with plenty of strolls, meals by the beach, and leisurely coffee and drinks at the harbor. You can also go for a more “active” excursion with outings near or far from the city. That’s what we chose.
The closest walk is to the castle of Nafpaktos. It provides a breathtaking view of the coasts of the Peloponnese, the Rio bridge and of course, the city, while simultaneously being one of the finest examples of fortification architecture in Greece. We get in the car for just a few minutes and, after a short while, pass on foot through the stone entrance of the castle. A small cobblestone path leads inside, filled with pines, a wonderful ‘balcony’ with an awesome view. From there, a small path leads to the small church of Prophet Elias. It should be noted, though, that despite the castle being built in the Ancient Greek Era, there are very few elements from that period. Its current appearance is the result of the Venetian and Ottoman eras.
An “Alternative” Route
Nafpaktos can serve as an ideal base for car excursions. One option is Ano Chora and generally the surrounding area of mountainous Nafpaktia, a region that combines wonderful nature and greenery with a “quiet” tourism development. Another option is to continue westward and visit the unique ecosystem of the Messolonghi lagoon. This time, we chose a less touristy route: the dam and lake of Mornos, created in 1981, which cover the water needs of the capital.
The perimeter road around the lake is 70 km long, starting from Lidoriki approximately 80 km away from Nafpaktos. We drove with small detours through mountain villages, such as Lefka and Doriko, in a landscape filled with fir trees, oak trees, and plane trees, and panoramic views towards the lake. However, what stood out on the lakeside road was the site of the ancient acropolis of Kallion and the eponymous spring. The village of Kallio (formerly Velouchi, or Velouhovo), at the foot of the Vardousia mountains, was one of the oldest settlements in Roumeli. It was submerged in the lake, and the residents moved higher up and built anew. Descending to the shores, we see the stone houses of the submerged village mysteriously emerging from the waters.
The Exciting Return Journey
We dedicated the next day -initially- to the sea. Just 10 kilometers from Nafpaktos is Monastiraki, with an excellent view of the Corinthian Gulf and the opposite shores of the Peloponnese, with its own “blue lagoon.” It is a small enclosed lagoon, separated from the Corinthian Gulf by a strip of land, where a beach with white pebbles and gravel forms. Its name comes from the color of its water. The day is quite warm, and the more adventurous of the group dive into the sea. It is certain that there is much more crowd here in the summer.
For the return journey, we chose not to pass through the Rio-Antirrio bridge again but instead to follow the more demanding (but also more interesting) route through Central Greece. The route from Nafpaktos to Livadia is among the most beautiful in Greece. Part of it runs along the coast, with the shores of the Corinthian Gulf on our right, where beautiful beaches form at many points. After a short coffee break in the aristocratic town of Galaxidi, we took the northern road that would take us to Livadia. At one point, a fox shot out in front of us and fortunately, our brakes worked exceptionally well.
After a stroll at the Krya Springs and dining in the city of Livadia, night swiftly arrived, and we were still on the provincial road network. A sudden storm made our journey all the more challenging, but our car, with its excellent motion and navigation assist systems, once again did us proud, and we returned safely to Athens.
We felt justified both in our choice of destination and our car of choice. As some long weekends and gradually Easter approach, we will be frequently visiting Avis.gr, as the offers and opportunities for car rental are constantly being updated, inspiring us to take many more such wonderful trips.
Read also:
Sea or mountains? Nafpaktos combines both and is ideal for two-day getaways
