The Peloponnese at your own pace: ancient sites and turquoise coves

Arrival at Athens airport. You collect your car and take the road to Ancient Corinth, which marks the entrance to the Peloponnese. The Corinth Canal is worth a first stop, then settle into your accommodation. If the afternoon allows, stroll through the old town: the Temple of Apollo, the Pirene fountain, the small archaeological museum. Or simply take a seat at a taverna terrace and savour your first Greek salad of the journey.

This morning, climb to Acrocorinth, one of the most impressive fortresses in Greece, perched on its rock facing the isthmus. The panorama from the ramparts embraces two seas. Then the road winds towards the mountains of Arcadia, in the heart of the Peloponnese. Along the way, the Nemea valley invites a gourmet stop: its red wines, from the Agiorgitiko grape, are among the finest in Greece. Arrival in Vytina, a charming mountain village surrounded by fir trees.

A short taxi transfer drops you at the mountain village of Elati. You follow the Menalon Trail, a perfectly waymarked path winding through the heart of the Mylaonta river valley. Along the way, surprises punctuate the walk: a carved stone spring, an old stone bridge, small churches tucked in the woods. The mountain scenery, almost alpine, is an unexpected side of Greece. Arrival in Vytina, then a short drive to Dimitsana, a perched village of stone-slab roofs.

A day devoted to the Lousios gorge, a natural jewel of the Peloponnese. Several paths are available depending on your mood. The gentlest option leads you to the Monastery of Filosofou, clinging to the cliff face deep in the gorge, a striking spectacle in a lush setting. The coolness of the gorge is pure delight, and a swim in the clear waters of the river is entirely possible. Return to Dimitsana for a peaceful evening in the village.

The road descends from the mountains of Arcadia towards the sea. You pass through Kalamata, where the famous olives demand a stop at the market, before reaching Kardamyli, pearl of the Gulf of Messenia. This village, dear to the writer Patrick Leigh Fermor, sits between the Taygetos massif and waters of a deep blue. A loop walk through the old village and the chapel of Agia Sofia offers fine panoramas over the bay. The day ends naturally with a swim and dinner with your feet almost in the water.

A loop walk from Kardamyli. The path takes you through the Vyros gorge, alternating cool moments beneath the rock walls and luminous panoramas over the gulf. You pass through authentic stone villages, where small Byzantine churches and kafeneia invite a pause. On the return, the village of Agios Nikolaos welcomes you for a taverna lunch facing the beach, before a final swim.

You leave the Gulf of Messenia for Nafplio, one of the most charming towns in Greece. Cobbled lanes, Venetian facades, cascading bougainvillea: Nafplio lends itself to wandering like nowhere else. You might visit the castle of Akronafplia or the fortress of Palamidi, which commands the town and offers an exceptional panorama. A coastal walk to the beach of Karathona completes the day in beauty.

A day between nature and heritage. The theatre of Epidaurus, a masterpiece of the 4th century BC, is one of the most moving sites in Greece. Its perfect acoustics, its architectural harmony and the atmosphere of the Sanctuary of Asclepius leave an imperishable memory. In the afternoon, return to Nafplio to enjoy the beach, or an escape to the small seaside resort of Tolo and its turquoise waters.

Drive to Athens with an essential stop: the citadel of Mycenae. The Lion Gate, the royal tomb circle, the Treasury of Atreus, every stone bears the imprint of the Homeric heroes. Then Athens welcomes you for a final Greek evening: the illuminated Acropolis seen from a Plaka terrace, the flavours of a shared mezze, and that distinctive light of the capital.