Greece: The Peloponnese

Andrew Bostock first travelled to the Peloponnese as a 15-year-old backpacker and spent his first night sleeping under a bush in the car park, having watched a performance of Oedipus at Colunus at the great theatre of Epidavros. He kept coming back with various companions before moving there with his pregnant partner in 2005 - their daughter was born in Kalamata. Andrew spent the next five years guiding tours around the area, exploring its lesser-known bits and writing about it for magazines and newspapers. The first edition of his Bradt guide was published in 2010. The family return to Greece most years and dream about the olive groves, mountains and the sea when they are not there. This edition has been updated by Philip Briggs, one of the world's most experienced and prolific guidebook writers. He has been associated with Bradt since 1991, since when has written or updated guides to more than 20 other destinations, many of them pioneering the way to places that were then practically uncharted by the travel publishing industry. Researching this new edition of the Peloponnese fulfilled a longstanding dream of exploring the historical sites of Greece and the likes of Delphi, Olympus and Mystra didn't disappoint, especially as he was fortunate enough to visit in spring when wildflowers were abundant (and other tourists rather less so). Philip still spends at least four months on the road every year, usually accompanied by his wife, the travel photographer Ariadne Van Zandbergen, and spends the rest of the time battering away at a keyboard in the sleepy South African coastal village of Wilderness.

Contents
Introduction

PART ONE GENERAL INFORMATION
Chapter1 Background Information
Geography and climate, Natural history, Mythology, History, Recent politics, Administrative regions, Economy, People, Language, Religion, Education, Culture
Chapter2 Practical Information
When to visit, Highlights and suggested itineraries, Tour operators, Red tape, Embassies, Getting there and away, Health, Safety, Travellers with a disability, Travelling with children, Gay and lesbian travellers, What to take, Money and budgeting, Getting around, Maps, Accommodation, Eating and drinking, Public holidays, Shopping, Arts and entertainment, Photography, Media and communications, Buying a property, Cultural etiquette, Travelling positively

PART TWO THE GUIDE
Chapter3 Corinth and the Argolid
Corinth, Nemea, Mycenae, Argos, Nafplio, Tolo, Epidavros, The southeast, The southwest
Chapter4 Arcadia
Tripoli, Levidi, Megalopoli, Karitena, Andritsena, The Lousios Gorge, Vytina and around, Mount Parnonas and the Arcadian coast
Chapter 5 Laconia
Sparta and Mystra, Towards Monemvasia, Monemvasia, Vatika Peninsula, The coast north of Monemvasia, Kythira
Chapter 6 The Mani
History, Gythio and around, Areopoli, Into the Deep Mani, North from Areopolito Stoupa, Stoupa, Kardamyli, The mountains above Stoupa and Kardamyli, Leaving the Exo Mani
Chapter7 Messinia
Kalamata, Ancient Messene, South to Koroni, Koroni, Finikounda, Methoni, Pylos and Gialova, Northern Messinia
Chapter 8 The North
Olympia, Ancient Elis, The coast from Pyrgosto Patra, Patra, The north coast, Kalavryta, Mount Killini
Chapter 9 Beyond the Peloponnese: Athens and Delphi
Athens, Delphi

Appendices
Language
Further Information
Index