For more travel inspiration, follow Steele Luxury Travel on Instagram: STEELETRAVEL
In case you missed it, the Greek economy deep-sixed two years ago, and has never recovered. The current immigration crisis may have pushed the issue off the front page, but Greece is still very much in what amounts to a depression. The upswing of this is that they really, really, really want your tourist dollars. If there was ever a time to go to Greece, it is now, especially in Spring and Summer. The whole country is one big bargain.
But when you think of a Greek vacation, Santorini or Mykonos are the destinations that probably spring to mind. But what about Nafpaktos?
Haven’t heard of it? Don’t worry, a lot of people haven’t—which is something of a plus. A small town northwest of Athens, Nafpaktos is the most beautiful place in Greece, and perhaps the Mediterranean, that no one knows about. This means that unlike Santorini or Mykonos, the experience you get will be genuinely “Greek.” More over, the prices will be low, which can never be said of Santorini or Mykonos, both of which make price-gouging an art (even during an economic collapse).
Set in the idyllic district of Aitoloakarnania (points for you if you can rattle that off on the first try), Nafpaktos tip-toes between the placid waters and beaches and the rocky, wild geography of mainland Greece to the north. As with much of this part of the country, a walk through town hints that the now serene town was once a hotbed of action; when the Fourth Crusade (1202) dissolved the local Byzantine authority, the town bounced from Angevin to Catalan to Albanian to Knights Hospitaller to become the sole Venetian possession in Greece when the Ottomans roared in. It wasn’t until 1499 that the Turks were finally able to take the town. A lot of the most historic buildings, and the Instagram-ready port, in Nafpaktos date from Venetian rule, and are beautiful to behold. While you are firmly in Greece, the town actually has something of an Italian vibe to it from all the architecture.
That last part is a big chunk of the lure to Nafpaktos: beauty. A 21st Century place, the town is wildly active on social media, and a even a cursory peruse shows why photographers flock to the place. Nafpaktos, and its sister town of Galaxidi, pretty much write the book on a breathtaking locale. The local mojo may be a little more modest than, say, Athens, but that doesn’t mean the place is subdued. You’ll find a top-rate party culture no matter where you go in Greece, Nafpaktos included.
You’ll just get it on the cheap. Be Sure to contact Steele Luxury Travel for all of your travel planning to Greece and its magnificent islands!