we are leaving the lively city of athens behind with destination nafplio. short stop at the corinth canal, the six-kilometer waterway connecting the ionian and aegean seas. we continue our scenic drive to mycenae and epidaurus. mycenae, a place intrinsic in the works of homer, 9th century bce poet. enter the mycenean citadel through the lion's gate and wander through the remaining ruins. admire the enormous cyclopean walls - still a wonder how they were created- and enter the imposing lions gate to the site that dates back to 1350-1200bc. just outside the walls, do not forget to visit the vault-shaped tombs of lions, aegisthus and clytaemnestra, and the treasury of atreus. also visit the third-century theater of epidaurus, one of the best-preserved classical greek structures renowned for its superb acoustics. epidavre site was set up in honor of the god of medicine, asklepios, son of apollo and coronis and enjoy the wonderful location of the shrine which is on the unesco world heritage list. sick people came on a pilgrimage to the shrine to spend the night in the hope that asklepios would appear in their dreams with a diagnosis and a prescription. asklepios could not only heal the living, but also raise the dead to life to such an extent that hades from the underworld complained. our day ends in nafplion, considered one of the prettiest towns in greece, the first capital after independence and a major port since the bronze age. on nafplio. distance: 135km's about 2 hours drive
