We could have walked to a museum or to a church. We could have hiked to the Palamidi Fortress. We could have taken a boat out to the Bourtzi islet.
“Let’s just take a quick walk around here to see what’s nearby,” my husband suggested after the two of us finished breakfast our first day in Nafplio, Greece. “Just scout out this area by our hotel.”
We could have done that, too. And even though that’s what we set out to do, we didn’t.
A hint of refreshing coolness still clung to the morning air when we stepped out of the hotel and into the small side street that led to the sparkling gulf. Already high in the stark blue sky, the sun assured us warmer temperatures would follow.
We walked down to the water where the few small boats we’d seen the previous evening were still moored. A right turn would take us back toward town, down the water-side street we’d explored upon our arrival. A left turn toward the tip of the peninsula? Something new awaited us in that direction. But what?
My husband and I decided to find out. We turned left and walked several yards until the sidewalk reached the water’s edge. To our right, a modest sea wall that had remained in our sight stretched out into the gulf. To our left, a sidewalk that hugged the base of the rocky cliff curved until it faded out of sight.
This would have been a good place to have wrapped up the “quick walk” around the area near our hotel. But the strong pull of what awaited us around the cliffside corner, and each ensuing corner, lured us farther and farther into the maze of this enchanting Peloponnese town.
A few steps away, a couple of fishermen patiently waited for nibbles, while a trio of women waded into the water for a swim. Eventually, our path, the promenade, led to Arvanitia Beach. Here, many had already gathered, having secured their places with towels and with totes at umbrella-covered chairs or on the stone-covered beach. We grabbed a few chairs in the shade.
As music gently played from the patio of the nearby restaurant, more beachgoers steadily arrived. To witness a sense of familiarity among them wasn’t surprising, as Nafplio is a popular weekend retreat for Athenians. Not to mention, we’d been the recipients of so much kindness our entire stay in Greece.
Deciding to yield our seats to those planning to stay for the day, we left the beach and climbed the steep stairs up to the parking lot and had a decision to make. By this time, we had been out for a few hours. Should we return to our hotel by backtracking and following the route we’d already taken? Or, should we take another path back to the hotel?
We chose the latter, which led us down stone stairways. And through picturesque passageways. It led us past shop owners preparing to open for the day. And cafes already open and serving their first customers.
That morning in Nafplio, we opted to forego our typically purposeful explorations in exchange for spontaneity. And so what if the “quick walk” turned into something much more? We can do that.
(Note: Marjorie Appelman is an English, communications and journalism teacher at Mason County High School and co-founder of the travel blog Tales from the Trip, which is on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. She can be reached at marj.appelman@gmail.com.)
