Thursday 25th September 2025 – near Tripotama, Greece

It was time to say goodbye to all at Aginara Beach and continue on our trip but we will definitely return to this excellent campsite when we next holiday in the Peloponnese.
One thing that we love about the Peloponnese is the mountains and it was time to visit some of them.
We started off across flat land before gaining height to join the main Patras – Tripoli road, the 111, at Panopoulos. Although it is described as a ‘highway’, it is actually very quiet and has great views of the mountains. Just before we reached the 111, we passed a smallholding with pigs, chickens and a large flock of free-range geese – fortunately, they hadn’t strayed on to the road although there was nothing to stop them doing so. Just beyond, but not too close to the geese, we pulled in for lunch and just a few metres further on were many multi-coloured beehives.
We drove on past lovely scenery, avoiding flocks of sheep and goats corralled by sheepdogs.  We reached Psofida Tripotama, the word Tripotama means ‘three rivers’ and it is indeed at the confluence of three rivers. This made it strategically important and in ancient Greek times they built the city of Psofida. We decided to have a wander around the small settlement and came across a beautiful old (Turkish period?) arched bridge. Bridges would have been important here since ancient times in order to provide a safe crossing over the rivers. I followed a small path from close to the bridge and it was obviously going to a nearby hamlet further up the valley. However, I soon came to some suspiciously large stone blocks and decided to investigate. It soon became obvious that I had stumbled across the base of a tower and the city walls of Psofida. It made sense that, although the main city was further up the hillside, the walls would have come down close to the river confluence to protect the crossing.
We backtracked a few kilometres to an informal layby where we could spend the night. We were visited by a flock of sheep and their sheepdogs and ate our meal looking out at the mountains and listening to the bells of the goats in the valley below. We have seen no sign of shepherds with the flocks but we did hear the farmer calling the goats in.
Photos: We stopped at a bakers soon after we left and I couldn’t resist this loaf, or the tyropita (cheese pie), spanokopita (spinach pie) or the baklava; A random view from the road as we climbed to meet the 111; There are so many chapels in Greece but this one was especially pretty; The ruins of the Psofida tower; The arched bridge in Tripotama; One of the views from our wild camping spot – this is Mount Afrodisio and there is a temple to Aphrodite nearby; Another view from our camping spot – the bare mountain has turned pink as the sun goes down – no photo editing, that really is how it looked.

Wednesday 24th September 2025 – Paralia Glyfa, Greece

Another bike ride today. I started by heading for the nearby monastery of Panagia Eleousa but, rather than taking the main (very quiet) road, I decided to take a back road from Glyfa. The back road turned out to be a track and I should have turned back. My folding e-bike is definitely not designed for off-road cycling and, although it was possible to cycle on most of the track, there were many sections where the gravel and sand meant that I had to push the bike.
The monastery is quite intriguing as it has a tower in the centre, which was obviously designed for safety. The entrance to the tower is 3 or 4 metres above ground level and would only have been accessible by a ladder. The monastery is not a tourist venue and is only open for religious visits for a couple of hours each day. In its grounds is a small, locked shrine that covers the narrow entrance to a cave. Apparently, the cave has stalactites and stalagmites and is now considered to be a sacred place.
Back on asphalt, the going was much easier and I headed towards my goal – Machos. I was a little concerned as I descended a very long hill as I knew that it will feel like a much longer hill on the way back. Turning off the main road at Vartholomio, I followed the winding, minor road through olive and citrus groves to reach Machos. My idea was to see a small rural village and have a snack in one of its three tavernas or its café. However, one taverna was no longer in business, another, although obviously still operating, was closed and the last taverna, with a very old sign outside, looked dubious. I went in and asked but it was closed, possibly permanently. The café may have been open but there were no customers and it looked unlikely that they would supply any food. Back then to Vatholomio where I found a snack bar on the main road. Suitably refreshed by a wonderfully cold beer and a Greek salad, I was ready for the climb back up the hill, made much easier by the power of the e-bike.
I had spotted on a Google maps that there was a small harbour just along the coast from the campsite. Jane had walked there earlier and I called in on the way back.
Photos: The Panagia Eleousa Monastery with the tower visible above the wall; The sacred cave of the monastery; A valley near Glyfa – the 3 (or possibly 4) storey building must have fantastic views including ones of Zakynthos that you can see in the distance; The small harbour; The beach at the campsite with the lights of Zakynthos in the background.

Tuesday 23rd September 2025 – Paralia Glyfa, Greece

This was an opportunity to use my e-bike and I planned a route towards the port of Kyllini. The ride took me past the resort of Loutra Kyllini where there are remains of the Roman hot springs and there is still a spa hotel using the hot waters. A long climb took me to Kastro, dominated by Frankish castle of Chlemoutsi and heading towards Kyllini port , I was rewarded by views of the large island of Zakynthos (or Zante) with its bright yellow ferry heading for Kyllini.
I headed back to Kastro, admiring its church before stopping at the Kafenio (café) Alexopoulos Nikolaos for essential rehydration. I had stopped there before and was very impressed by their meze (snacks) that they serve with alcoholic drinks. Two beers followed and I didn’t need any lunch after the meze.
Back then to Aginara Beach by a different road, past many olive groves and lovely views.
Photos: The church at Kastro with the castle behind; My first Greek coffee of the holiday, as always, served with a very welcome glass of cold water; And my beer with meze at the Kastro café; The Chlemoutsi Castle.

Sunday 21st and Monday 22nd September 2025 – Paralia Glyfa, Greece

More relaxing!
Photos: The beach at Aginara Beach; Our pitch; This hen was a regular visitor.

Saturday 20th September 2025 – Paralia Glyfa, Greece

After a fairly hectic time in Italy, we had decided that our visit to the Peloponnese would be a relaxed one. So, for the next few days, we won’t be doing much. We will however be using the excellent restaurant.
By using Bluetooth tethering, we were able to use my tablet to watch the Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-finals with England winning at excellent match against France. With Canada beating New Zealand, we are looking forward to the England v Canada final next weekend.
Tonight I had one of my favourite dishes, kouneli stifado, rabbit cooked in a tomato sauce with small onions. In 2022 I spent some time with Roula, the chef, who showed me how she made beef stifado and this was equally delicious. The menu is extensive and, as there is no printed menu (it changes from day to day), the waiter reads it to you. It is so long that I have normally forgotten the first options by the time he gets to the end. I do remember that there were three stifado options – rabbit, beef and the rarely seen, octopus.
Photos: Watching the Women’s semi-finals; The kouneli stifado.

Friday 19th September 2025 – Paralia Glyfa, Greece

 

The ferry stopped at Corfu and Igoumenitsa during the night – we both heard the docking at Corfu but slept through Igoumenitsa.
After breakfast we enjoyed the journey down Greece’s west coast and past the islands of Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithica before entering the Gulf of Corinth and heading to Patras. We had a good view of the, relatively, new Rio-Antirrio Bridge that links the Peloponnese with central Greece. We arrived on-time at 13:00 – I think that is the first time that we have ever been on a Greek ferry that left and arrived on-time.
We discovered that they are building a new (or upgrading an existing?) motorway south from Patras and that was causing chaos. Going south out of Patra, we had reduced speed limits and a few minor queues but going towards Patras there were major queues that would have resulted in very long delays.
We managed to find a shady parking space next to the sea for a very late lunch. There was evidence here, and earlier in the journey, of the very serious fires that this area of the Peloponnese had suffered this Summer.
When the signs showed that the motorway was open to traffic, we chose to stay on the old road, which was very quiet. Later, we turned off onto more minor roads and headed for the small village of Glyfa and the Aginara Beach Campsite at Paralia Glyfa.
We have stayed at Aginara Beech twice before in 2022 and thoroughly enjoyed it. This time, as before, we were greeted by the campsite owner, Agelika, and we selected a pitch with plenty of shade. The site was busy – being next to the beach and having large, shady pitches is part of the attraction but the friendly staff, especially Agelika, are an important factor. For us, the campsite restaurant is also key. It is the best campsite restaurant that we have ever found and, probably, the best Greek restaurant that I have sampled. Not fancy food but excellent, honest Greek fayre with many pre-cooked dishes in addition to the standard grilled dishes. Almost all of the tables were taken when we sat down to our meal – green beans in tomato sauce as a starter followed by chicken in lemon sauce for Jane and meatballs in lemon sauce for me – absolutely delicious!
Photos: View from our cabin; The island of Atokos just off Ithaca; The island of Okia; The Rio-Antirrio Bridge with central Greece in the background and Patras off picture to the right; Meatballs in lemon sauce at Aginara Beach.