My Greek journey was slowly coming to its final leg and the town of Nafplion became my base for the last week. Located by the Mediterranean and actually the capital of Greece during a few years in the 19th century, Nafplion it's a beautiful blend of Venetian and Greek architecture and actually a summer resort for the Greeks themselves, being just a couple of hours drive from Athens.

Not too far away from Nafplion you find the ancient site of Mycenae and Tyrins. The first is the obviously more well-known site and the place told in the Iliad and the Odyssey by Homer. At the time of my visit, luckily Brad Pitt had just ensured that the site was completely flooded with American tourist through his unforgettable interpretation of Akilles in the re-make of the movie Troy. Somehow I doubt that Brad will stand the test of time, compared to Homer though..!

If Mykene was over-crowded, Tyrins was completely empty, though part of the same Heritage Site. Unless you are absolutely dying to see the Lions Gate at Mycenae, Tyrins is also quite a good example of a Mycenean fortification. My personal suggestion is that you visit them both. Either with a car or by bus, it's not problem visiting them both in a day.