Regional Guides

You can get a good feel for one or two areas in a long weekend. To take in the variety, the history inland, the beaches in the south, the medieval towns, you'll want closer to a week. If you're also looking at property, build in extra time. Viewing homes properly takes longer than sightseeing. Here's how the region breaks down, and how much time each part deserves.

Transferring a car from abroad to Greece is a common issue for those who move to the country permanently or spend a large part of their time here. Although it is a legal and feasible process, the complexity, cost, and time involved make it an option that needs thought and planning.

The Peloponnese looks like an island on a map, and the sea surrounds it on three sides. The Ionian Sea lies to the west, the Aegean to the east, and open water to the south. In the north, though, a narrow strip of land joins it to the rest of the country. That strip is the Isthmus of Corinth, only about 6 kilometres wide at its narrowest point. So the Peloponnese is a peninsula, not an island. That single fact shapes much of what makes it appealing to buyers.

No. If your measure of a Greek holiday is beach clubs and DJ line-ups, the Peloponnese will disappoint you, and it is not trying to do otherwise. This is the Greece of ancient Olympia, Mycenae and Epidaurus, of stone villages, vineyards and two long coastlines, and its evenings are built around the table rather than the dance floor. The honest follow-up, though, is that "not a party destination" does not mean the lights go out at nine. The peninsula has a livelier pulse than its reputation suggests; it just beats in a different rhythm.

If you have spent time in Greece, you may have developed a habit of reaching for bottled water. That habit makes sense in many island contexts, where water comes from desalination plants and the taste reflects it. The Peloponnese is a different story. The peninsula draws its water from mountain catchments and aquifers, and tap water across its main towns and cities meets EU drinking water standards.

If you've seen the famous islands and wondered what Greece looks like with fewer crowds, the Peloponnese is the answer, and yes, it's well worth the trip. This large southern peninsula holds an extraordinary amount in one place: some of the most important ancient sites in the world, Byzantine towns, mountain villages, and quiet beaches, all within easy reach of Athens. It has the history and scenery people travel to Greece for, without the summer crush of Mykonos or Santorini. For visitors and would-be owners alike, that combination is hard to beat. Here's what makes it special.