2 March 2025 – Nafpaktos

Miles driven today = 30

Total Miles to date = 1,560

Last night’s parking spot turned out to be nowhere near as dreadful as we feared it might be.  There were still a few cars driving past and turning round at the dead end at the Salt Museum after we turned in for the night and for a while I wondered if we might be in the local dogging spot but by midnight they either stopped or I was so dead to the World I didn’t hear them.  It was certainly all very serene when we got ourselves underway this morning and when we drove back along the causeway the slight mistiness on the glasslike surface of the lagoon gave the flamingos an ethereal appearance.

Our journey today wasn’t a long one and Google Maps reckoned the toll road would only save us 10 minutes so we stuck to the old trunk road and were glad we did when we were able to take in the view of the bridge spanning the mouth of the Corinthian Gulf from an elevated position rather than the inside walls of yet another tunnel.

Our stopover tonight is just a kilometer along the beach from the old fortified town of Nafpaktos.  When we arrived there were already 2 British vans here and a third arrived later together with 2 more of their friends who are staying in a hotel in the town.

Nafpaktos is the largest settlement on the northern shore of the Gulf.  It’s overlooked by its Venetian Castle which you can see to the top left of the picture with curtain walls plunging down the hillside to either side of the old town.

The Castle is mainly 15^th Century and contains the remains of an Ottoman Mosque and also some Byzantine Baths, both of which have been converted into chapels.

Most of the town has a one way traffic system but we entered via an old gate which is now pedestrianised.

The curtain wall drops all the way to the shoreline.

The town’s harbour is fabulously picturesque.  It’s 2 arms stretch out like crab’s claws.  The western arm has a statue of the Spanish author Cervantes

While the western arm has another mosque.

It was busy.  Really busy!  We discovered that clean Monday represents the beginning of Lent to Greeks and so this weekend is their final blow out before they abstain from all the good stuff.  If we had got here yesterday they were giving out free nosh courtesy of all the local businesses. 

Most of the shops in the central area were open including this one selling local honey and other produce.

The sea facing castle wall with the bridge across the mouth of the Corinthian Gulf. 

It’s a steep climb up to the Castle.  Lisa was feeling a little under the weather and my knees weren’t really up to the challenge.  Plus we’ve already seen a few Venetian Castles over the last week, so we gave it a miss..

All the central tavernas and restaurants were heaving and a PA in the main square was blaring out Bamboleo and The Macarena so we headed back to the serenity of the van.  It sounds from a distance like they’ve gone full on rave this evening, complete with fireworks.

Another shot of the 2.8km long bridge to the Peloponnese.  We’ll be heading on over there in the morning.

And once some low cloud had cleared this was our view of the snowcapped peaks other side of the Gulf.

Rather than heading back into the town this evening for the festivities we’ve contented ourselves with walking on the beach and skimming stones.  We’ve also spent a good while chatting and having a drink with our Brit neighbours and their friends.  They’re definitely an interesting bunch.  Most of them live here in Greece so we’ve been able to pick up a few hints and tips as well as exchange stories of our travels.

3 March 2025 - Into The Peloponnese