A trip in Greece

Five destinations for a moody autumn

The time is finally here when you can spare a few days for yourself to relax. So, you think about taking a trip to somewhere. For you who live far away from Greece, if you have a few more days available, only one thing can happen. Return home! Of course, your plan should be to spend some time with your family and friends. To sit around a table all together and have a drink (maybe more!). You wish to go and visit all the places you used to hang out and relive those old days with nostalgia.

But, why should you not visit some other places in Greece too? In this article you will find five destinations in Greece, which if you have not visited yet, autumn is a very good season to do so. Surely, there are so many more places in Greece. This article aims to propose to you some of the best places for you to relax and get in touch with nature in Greece, no matter what your tastes are. Take your camera with you and begin your trip.

Metsovo

Up on the mountain range of Pindos, just below 1.200m altitude, there is a large village, which is worthy of its reputation. Metsovo, the village of vlachi people and where many of the big Greek national benefactors come from, is part of the Ioannina County. Those who love nature will love Metsovo too! It is located inside the Pindos National Park.

Close to it, lies the famous valley of Valia Calda, which in autumn is at its finest. If you have an appetite for exploration, the routes available for you are limitless and all should be painted with the colors the autumn brings. This magical scenery will serve as the background for the chances you may have for activities in the nature, such as rafting, horseback riding, hiking, or climbing. All these should offer to you some unforgettable experiences.

Even if you are not a big fan of intense physical activity, in Metsovo you will find something to suit your taste. By car, you should visit so many beautiful, scenic, and secluded places around the area. The beauty of the landscape and the fresh air will be the company to your cup of coffee that you will have on a beautiful stone-cobbled square. Believe mr, it will be so refreshing!

Furthermore, in Metsovo you will find developed winery and cheese making traditions, that offer wine and cheese tasting events. Take every advantage of them! All the local products are of the highest quality. The restaurants are top-notch and the tavernas know very well what to do, so as you to have an exceptional culinary experience. Metsovo is an ideal destination to enjoy the beauty of the Greek nature in autumn. A season when it will still not be crowded with tourists.

Prespa Lakes

If tranquility and to get in touch with nature is what you are looking for, Prespa Lakes should be the destination for you. A landscape totally different from the Greek classics we all know and love. It will take you back in older times and in this area, you should be able to feel the uniqueness of the Balkan inland. Located on the borderline among Greece, Albania ang Northern Macedonia, the Lake Great Prespa is the largest lake in the Balkan peninsula. It is separated from the Lake Little Prespa by a narrow strip of land.

As a National Park, the Prespa Wetland is a suitable place for someone to get in contact with the area’s flora and fauna. The beautiful villages around the lakes’ shores are considered to be typical examples of the local architecture. On the Lake Little Prespa, there lies the small island of Agios Achillios, where you can arrive after an amazing walk on a wood pontoon bridge which connects it to the lakeshore. There you will be able to see some of the greatest medieval monuments surviving in this area that, just like everywhere in the region, Byzantium can still be seen at its glory. If you are lucky enough to book a boat excursion on the Lake Great Prespa, you can visit all the chapels and hermitages which still stand since that period. Only then you should have acquired a fulfilled sense of the whole experience.

Apart from naturalistic or historical interest, the whole area can offer a wide range of activities. While hiking or cycling, you can follow mapped routes around the lakes and get “lost” in nature. For those who want to spend some time with meraki, you will be totally pleased. Local taverns provide all the renown local products like beans, lake fish, bell or chili peppers and (of course) tsipouro. All these, prepared under the instructions of traditional local recipes, guarantee the best times during the (really) chilly lake nights.

Nafplion

Oh, Nafplion! The first capital and one of the most beautiful towns in Greece. A must-visit destination for romantic, autumn getaways. It is part of Argolida County, part of the Peloponnese, only a couple of hours drive from Athens. The old town will amaze you while strolling through romantic cobbled alleys among neoclassical villas. On the beach front of Arvanitia, you will be startled by the colors of the autumn nature, reflected by the sea.

This place is fulfilled with attractions and brimming with history. You will ascend up to the Palamidi Castle (by car, let the 999 steps for another time!), the fortress that once was the prison of Theodoros Kolokotronis and which provides a magnificent panoramic view of the town. Then you will admire the castle of Acronafplia, the acropolis of Nafplion and then, the famous Mpourtzi, the keep that once guarded the entrance of the town’s port. You will be able to walk through history in Syntagma Square, which is surrounded by historic buildings. Outside the church of Agios Spyridonas, you will see the place where the first governor of modern Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias was murdered in 1831.

After all, you will enjoy a romantic and relaxing trip. Your stay will be luxurious and of high standards. State of the art facilities or boutique hotels located in historical buildings guarantee this. Modern restaurants and traditional taverns will provide a culinary experience for every taste. Relax while drinking your cup of coffee on the seaside. Wander around through traditional alleys and enjoy aspects of Greece, you can only find in history books.

Mount Pelion

I am sure that Mount Pelion, as a cliché, can be found in every travel guide or article. Besides, who would not like to spend some days there? In the winter, staying at the traditional stone-built villages of Portaria and Makrinitsa, or skiing at the Agriolefkes ski resort. Later in the cold winter evenings, dining local specialties and drinking wine and tsipouro at the village of Hània. In the summer, everyone heads for the dreamy beaches of the Aegean Sea side.

But what about the autumn and the raising romantic sensations it evoques? There can be an alternative proposition! A trip to Southern Pelion. During autumn it is at its best. Nature has already begun to alter its colors. Trees have begun to shed their leaves. All around, the shades of yellow, orange, brown and red are prevalent. Combined with the morning mist, they conjure a sweet melancholic feeling. The appearance of the sun and the sea view later in the day, should restore the merry disposition.

To those who love activities, hiking through traditional stone-cobbed trails will excite them. Once they were the only means of communication among the villages. Today, they provide joy to nature-loving hikers. Through forest-covered slopes, one can travel to every village in the region. From the mountainous villages of Milies, Pinakates, Tsagarada, Zagora, Neochori or Lafkos to the seashore villages of Gatzea, Horto and Milina. Those unwilling to hike, you can always visit each village by car. That way, the view during the short drives will also be satisfying.

Search for local products provided by nature: mushrooms, chestnuts, forest fruits and herbs. They thrive this time of the year. Have a cup of coffee while enjoying a magnificent view from a mountainous village square or by the sea. Enjoy a tsipouro with meze. Those are the small pleasures that cannot be found away from Greece.

Trikala

Yes! I mean Trikala city in Thessaly! The city of Trikala is widely known as the Greek capital of Christmas (check for Mylos ton Ksotikon) and is famous for its river (Lithaios) and the (very) hot, rural plains’ summer. Though in the autumn, when temperature falls and the colors around become mellow, it is beautiful to wander beside the river banks and up to the castle hill. It, definitely, is worthwhile to take advantage of the city as a base for trips to destinations all around, located at a close distance.

Leaving Trikala to the direction of Pyli, you leave behind the plains and enter to the mountainous region of Koziakas, in Pindos. The landscape is entirely different there. You drive through steep slopes, covered with forests of beech trees, aspens and (on higher altitudes) spruces. Small creeks, the shores of which are connected by ancient, stone-built bridges divide them. Further down the road, you reach the beautiful mountainous villages of Elati, Pertouli and Neraidochori. Those are famous winter destinations but they feature a unique beauty when wrapped in the colors of the autumn. You should definitely stop and have a cup of coffee or local food while enjoying the view and the mountain chills. The road continues up to Meteora, but it is worthy to stay and explore this side of the mountain for the day.

The Meteora are at a distance of 21 kilometers (14 miles) from Trikala, so visiting the area is quite easy. Nevertheless, it is not that easy to leave once you get there! The view is breathtaking. The famous rocks crowned with ancient monasteries, are monumental. Dedicate a whole day here. It is worthy! Visiting the monasteries and hiking around the trails is a rewarding experience. Early in the afternoon, you will enjoy a hearty lunch in Kalambaka, having in front of you the magnificent view of the rocks.

Finally, even though it is located in the Karditsa County, Lake Plastiras lies at a distance of 48 kilometers (29 miles) from Trikala. The idyllic landscape of the lake, surrounded by the Agrafa mountains, is completed by the thriving nature covered by the autumn colors. You will definitely feel calm and relaxed after a stroll around the lake shores. Even those who seek for more intense activities, they will be totally pleased. Excursions with lake boats, fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking and even archery, are only some of the possibilities available. Furthermore, the landscapes and monuments, on top of the magnificent local food, guarantee an amazing day trip.