3 of the best road trips in Greece and Cyprus

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There’s nothing quite like hitting the open road on Greece’s mountainous mainland. With the windows down and the wind in one’s hair, evocative mandolin music on the radio and lunch stops in tranquil villages, a road trip is a great way to get under the skin of this beautiful country – and with so many off-the-beaten-track spots, clients won’t see too many cars, or even people.

 

Cyprus shouldn’t be left by the roadside either, as the island offers sun, sea, sand, scenery and driving on the left, making for easy-breezy motoring. Got your client’s attention? Here are three routes they can try on their next Hellenic adventure.

 

1. The Peloponnese

 

Flying into Athens or Kalamata, clients can pick up a hire car and head to mystical Mystras, Greece’s best preserved Byzantine settlement. This once-thriving city is spread across a hillside, peppered with medieval palaces, houses, frescoed churches covered in images of the saints, plus the remains of a formidable castle.

 

From Mystras, Sparta is a 10-minute drive away. Not much remains of the ancient city, but the archaeological museum is full of statues and treasures. Meanwhile, the Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil displays ancient presses and even fossilised olive leaves.

 

Heading south for 90 minutes, clients will reach Monemvasia, a fortified town on a rocky outcrop. The lower town, with winding alleys and stone houses, is a delight, while the climb to the upper town is rewarded with panoramic vistas at Agia Sofia church.

 

Recommend staying in Monemvasia for a night or two, as there are a handful of trade-friendly boutique hotels. A two-hour drive along the rugged Mani Peninsula leads to Cape Matapan, where a cave nestled among deep forests is said to mark the entrance to Hades’ underworld.

 

Heading back towards Kalamata, suggest a pit stop in seaside Kardamyli to cool off. Should clients want to continue their adventure, a detour north leads to Olympia, where the Olympic Games began in 776BC – and where the modern Olympic flame is lit.

 

Another option is to visit the beautiful city of Nafplio, and if clients are feeling adventurous, they can clamber up 857 steps to the castle for stunning views of the Argolic Gulf.

 

Book it: Inntravel offers the 12-night Peloponnese Journey with Olympia from £1,810 per person based on two sharing. Includes breakfast, car hire and flights to Athens from London for departures in October.
inntravel.co.uk