Paradise for CHEAP!!!

Several years ago I went to Greece with the family for UK Traveller. We were on their dime, and staying at some really gorgeous properties. One day, we found ourselves in the smallest little town called Porto Kagio, on the water, in the Peloponnese, specifically, in the Mani area. We had one of the most perfect simple lunches of the whole trip, and afterwards, took a swim, just in front of the taverna. The taverna, called Akrotiri, advertised itself as having rooms above the restaurant, but we weren't looking at the time, so I kind of forgot about it. It always stayed with me as a place I'd go back to, on my own budget, but until just now, I never looked it up. We all know that websites don't do places justice, either for the good or the bad...so, take this all with a chunk of salt. But for the price (a room for four in the highest season is 80 euros and includes breakfast), and the location (you're 15 feet from the most idyllic water--so clean, so warm). It's a tiny little town--it's the only place to stay--so you have to want to be in the middle of nowhere! But you can book boat rides to take you to other magical beaches, and of course you should have a rental car, so you can do nice day trips. It's a perfect spot for at least a couple of days, and it's definitely the right price.

That's the little town of Porto Kagio shot from the road above...and the shots below are from around the area...

Greece Part 1

Last summer we went to the Peloponnese for 10 days, as my husband was assigned to photograph a travel story there. This was our first trip there together as a family, and I wanted to go to an island, as that seemed more like quintessential Greece to me. (I lived on the island of Kalymnos for about 6 months when I was 19 and 20.) But the assignment didn't include any islands, and we didn't have time on either side to add any in, so the Peloponnese it was.  What a wonderful surprise it was--I would say it might be the most perfect introduction to Greece, as it offers everything, but involves no ferry or plane schedules to work around. On our first day, we landed around 10am, and were at the temple in Corinth by lunch. Then we drove by the Corinth Canal, and then about an hour to Mycenae. We ended the day in Nafplia, a town that is close enough to Athens that it attracts wealthy Athenian weekenders, so it's a little on the price-y side, but since it isn't a big tourist town, it feels like a find. We stayed at the Nafplia Palace, a modernist property done in the 60s, which was on the top of the town, with amazing views. Our guidebook the whole trip? This is Greece!