Greece 2025 Recap
Every time I leave “my little Greece,” I ask myself “why is it so difficult to depart from this beautiful place?
What makes it hard for me or anyone to say, “so long for now.”
Could it be that the soon to be absence of the Greek golden sun glistening over the sea, the natural fortification of the land, the welcoming people, fresh home cooked food and profound history passionately penetrates the soul?
I’m confident, and most agree, it’s all the above.
Join me now as I recap my most recent adventure, my little Greece, the land of Poseidon, Plato, Zeus and almighty God Himself.
First stop, Corinth for my niece’s wedding. Here we commemorate family, tradition and antiquity. The perfect location for three hundred and fifty of us to revel in the opportunity to celebrate the sacrament of a Greek Orthodox wedding in the Peloponnese region where my parents, and the bride Vanessa’s Yia Yia and Papou, were born, and refamiliarize with the past.
This long journey abroad linked us to our deep rooted and meaningful Hellenic heritage while reuniting us with family we had not seen for years.
Vanessa and Taso’s wedding weekend was nostalgic in that it bound past with present, like the characteristics of Corinth.
Corinth is world renowned for several reasons. It is highlighted in the Bible through the Apostle Paul’s missionary work.
It is also home to the Isthmus of Corinth, the canal, which is four miles long and divides the Saronic Gulf from the Gulf of Corinth.
In the late 1800’s this canal, a symbol of Greek ingenuity, was the path to allow ships a savings of 300 miles as a they sailed from the Ionian to the Aegean Sea. Today small vessels and tourist ships sail and bypass a 700-kilometer detour. Yes, you can take a group on a boat and tour the area as you sail through the canal.
Nemea, the birthplace of my beloved Manoula, is renowned for its red wines. Plenty of wineries to check out like Semeli Estate, recently purchased by basketball player Giannis Antetokounmpo and his family.
While in the Corinthian city of Nemea, make certain to walk the grounds of the archeological site of the 4th century Temple Zeus. Nearby is the original stadium where the Nemean Pan-Hellenic Olympic games took place.
Close in proximity to this is the Archeological Museum of Nemea, opened in 1984 as a gift from the University of California. You will see artifacts here from the Helladic era to early Christian period.
The mainland of Greece has just as much if not more to offer than the islands. For people outside of Greece a place like Kalamata is not a first-choice vacation destination, but it should be on your top ten list.
As you know, Kefi Life extra virgin olive oil is produced in Kalamata. The land is fertile here, the area is full of olive trees everywhere, and the beaches are some of the most beautiful in Greece. The thalassa water is warmer that the rest of the country. It’s easy to take little road trips all over the Kalamata region and experience the real flavor of the Greek simple life.
One of my favorite towns outside of Kalamata is Pylos. I love this place. Fun little restaurants, a nice pier with boats, and you can walk everywhere and its inviting.
Also nearby is the town Gialova and you must go! Eat at the restaurant Elia, it is in front of the sea and the food is sensationally traditional.
If you want to take in the Greek life with comfort, authenticity and Greek heritage, stay at Costa Navarino. This remarkable destination is sustainably developed in the most breathtaking landscape. I cried leaving this southwest region of the Peloponnese.
For those who love the island life, Paros, voted best place in Europe to vacation in 2025, is a gem of an place. Pease see my blog from last week for information on this darling destination.
Hope you enjoyed some of my travels. As Helen Keller once said,
“Life is either an adventure or nothing at all.” I’ll take the adventure any day.
Sending you filakia-kisses,
Ola kala-
Kiki