The archaeological site of Lerna is one of the most unknown and most fascinating in Greece.
It was a small village in the Peloponnese, not far from Tiryns and Mycenae, which is older than these 2 and older than the Pyramids of Egypt.
The site has been inhabited from 8000 years ago until the Mycenaean period and with human activity until the Roman period, when it was finally abandoned.
The most important ruins is the “house of the tiles” which is believed to have been a government building of the time, from 2500BC to 2250BC, when a fire destroyed it and a sacred mound was built on top of the ruins.
The house was desecrated 2 times, with 2 tombs 1000 years later, in the Mycenaean period.
The site includes the ruins of a house, from 5900BC, remains of a wall as well as other Mycenaean period ruins.
In mythology, Lerna was known as the lair of the Hydra, the multi-headed aquatic serpent, which lived in a swampy lake, which unfortunately no longer exists.
In this video, we explore an abandoned Roman quarry with several giant columns, high up on a mountain, near the city of Karistos, in the Euboean region of Greece.
The region was very well known and desired in antiquity for its marbles, which adorned the entire Roman world, from Rome to Constantinople.
Today, the region is known in Greece for the stone, to which it calls “Plaka Karistou”.
The quarry that we filmed had 9 enormous columns, plus some smaller columns and others unfinished.
In this video, we show the certificates or accreditations of the Camino de Santiago, what they look like, what the requirements are and where they are obtained, including the Compostela, the Welcome Certificate, the Distance Certificate, the Visit Certificate, La Perregrina, (“the compostela for dogs”), the Cotolaya, the Finisterrana, in Finisterre, the Muxiana, the Pedronia, the Salvadorana and the Ignaciana.
Other certificates/accreditations not included:
La Carta Peregrina, en Sahagún (Tony P )
It indicates the halfway point of the French Way. It is requested at the tourist office from 11:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Weekends closed. Price: 3 €
La Uclediana: (Alfredo Guerra)
Walking the Camino de Santiago in the opposite direction; from the Church of Santiago in Madrid to the Monastery of the Order of Santiago in Uclés.
It also has a specific credential, issued by the Association of Friends of the Uclés Way.
La Lebaniega: Upon completion of the Camino Lebaniego (also has a specific credential)
Prices for the year 2022.
Designs for certificates and accreditation may have changed and the dates indicated refer to the year of delivery, not the year when the design was changed.
It is located on a dry hill near the Greek Public Power Company (DEH) power plant in the Milaki village of Euboea and near a cement factory.
From above there is almost a 360-degree view.
It was probably built in the early decades of the Frankish occupation of Euboea in the 13th century.
It is said that a 1.5 km tunnel connects the castle with Milaki.
The castle remained in use at least until the years of the Greek Revolution when it was a prison for the Turks.
The shape of the castle is a trapezoid measuring 46x30m with an area of 1200 square meters. In the center of the enclosure rises the central tower, almost square. Its dimensions: 7.10 x 7.60 meters. It is preserved to an approximate height of 11 meters.
Of the castle walls, the north and west sides are better preserved. The east wall is destroyed. On the south side, only a part in the west is in relatively good condition. The western wall extends approximately to a length of 42 m.
Outside the castle, to the south and to the west, there was a small fortified settlement consisting of small houses with dimensions of 4x4m or 4x5m, with adobe walls without mortar and with wooden roofs.
We explored the Mycenaean cemetery of Aidonia, located in the northeastern Peloponnese of Greece, near Mycenae and Nemea, as well as Lake Stymphalia.
In the video, we show the 25 tombs in the cemetery, plus 7 other tombs we found nearby.
The cemetery is very well maintained and is open to the public free of charge.
A visit takes between one and one and a half hours.
The cemetery contains almost exclusively chambered tombs, which are entirely hewn from the natural rock and consist of an elongated corridor leading from the ground surface to the underground entrance, through which one enters the burial chamber.
Chambered tombs were used throughout the Mycenaean era (c. 1600/1550-1100 BC) and are often arranged in separate groups.
Unlike other tombs of the same style and period, these are more elaborate, with vertical walls, gabled roofs, and ornate entrances.
The cemetery became famous after it was brutally looted by organized groups of antiquities dealers in the 1970s.
An excavation by the Archaeological Service followed, unearthing finds that were linked to the products of the illegal excavation when these became available for sale abroad in 1993.
The Greek state’s swift action led to the repatriation of the antiquities (1996), which were presented along with the excavation finds to the National Archaeological Museum and are now housed in the Nemean Archaeological Museum.
Numerous relics were found, primarily clay vessels and figurines.
The tomb in the lower group had been used repeatedly, not only during the Mycenaean period, but also during the Geometric and Archaic periods and later.
In this video, we tell you why Greece is paradise for ruin and ancient lovers.
In summary, ancient Greece has left more ruins than anyone can imagine, as well as ruins of all eras, and the majority of the ruins can be visited for free, many of them with free access.
In this video, we show you only a few of the many ruins that Greece has.
In this video, we’ll show you how to properly pack your backpack for the Camino de Santiago. This backpack is suitable for women, for hikes longer than 7 days, and for spring, summer, and autumn. First, we’ll give you general advice, then we’ll explain the reasoning behind some of our choices, and finally, we’ll show you how to pack the backpack.
Packing List
40L/50L backpack
Pair of sneakers/boots
Sleeping bag
2 dry-fit hiking shirts
1 cotton t-shirt for lounging
1 long-sleeved t-shirt
1 pair of shorts for the end of the stage
2 pairs of seasonal dry-fit pants (in this case, one pair of long pants and one pair of shorts)
1 belt with a plastic buckle
1 pair of pajamas
1 coat
1 pair of sandals
Towel, toothpaste, and toothbrush
Toiletry bag
Fanny pack
1 cloth bag
2 sports bras
3 pairs of underwear
3 pairs of socks
Compeed, needles, and thread
Laundry soap with clothespins and rope
Small backpack
Power bank
Water bottle
1 raincoat
Guest ID
1 headlamp
Sunglasses
1/2 roll of toilet paper and small bags
1 hat
Sunscreen Sunscreen
Magnesium
First-Aid Kit
1 Fly and Mosquito Repellent
Disinfectant
Walking Stick (1 or 2)
1 Seashell (optional)
Toiletry Bag includes:
Safety pins
Lip liner
Clean bags
And cotton swabs
Anti-chafing cream and/or petroleum jelly
Small scissors
Moisturizing cream, one for the body and one for the face
Shower gel and shampoo (not available in many hostels)
Deodorant
Hand sanitizer
Comb
First-Aid Kit includes:
Anti-inflammatories,
Blister disinfectant,
Compeed or similar,
Needle, thread, and
Magnesium tablets and/or rehydration solution…
Waist Bag includes:
Earplugs and eye mask
Padlock
Pilgrim’s credential + Ziploc bag ID card
Mobile phone
Charger and cable
Power bank
Headphones
Universal adapter with 2 USB ports
Clean plastic and cloth bags
Wallet includes: ID card or passport Some cash (estimate €20 per day minimum in cash, as of 2022) Credit/debit cards
Not shown in the video, but necessary: Plastic fork/spork (many hostels don’t provide them)
In this video, we show a summary of our day-to-day on the French Way, including towns, parish hostels, hermits, churches and other special moments.
Day 1: Puente La Reina-Estella
Day 2: Estella-Los Arcos-Sansol
Day 3: Sansol-Logroño
Day 4: Logroño-Navarrete-Nájera
Day 5: Nájera-Santo Domingo de la Calzada-Grañon
Day 6: Grañon-Belorado-Tosantos
Day 7: Tosantos-San Juan de Ortega-Agés
Day 8: Agés-Burgos
In the video, the distances, the difficulty and the beauty of the route are included.
