The Peloponnese region of Greece, a land steeped in tradition, a pillar of Ancient Greece’s might, the site of Modern Greece’s first capital and a tourism hub and home to nearly 600,000 people. The Peloponnese region obtains even more historical relevance this year, of all years, as Greece celebrates 200 years of freedom from the Ottoman Empire, a struggle for independence that began in the heart of the Peloponnese. It will be no surprise to our readers to know that the Peloponnese is the most popular region of mainland Greece in the context of tourism.

A little known fact about the Peloponnese region is that it is actually the region of Greece with the most archaeological sites. Among the sites where visitors can marvel at the immense amount of remains from antiquity, there are also important historical traces of modern Greece.

As previously mentioned, the first modern capital of Greece, Nafplion, is a small seaside town which has imposing centuries-old fortress coupled with boutique hotels, resorts with plenty of wonderful dining options for visitors looking for a wide variety of activity away from Greece's larger cities. Combining culture and antiquity, a visitor to the Peloponnese can catch a performance of an Aristophanes classic play at the ancient theatre of Epidaurus which was constructed in the fourth century BC.

In addition to all eyes being on the Peloponnese Region due to the 200 year anniversary of the start of the struggle for Greek independence, this year also happens to be a year in which the Summer Olympics will be hosted in Japan, and a visitor to the Peloponnese can travel to the original home of the Olympic Games and where the Olympic Flame begins its journey prior to every modern Olympics, Ancient Olympia. For those cinephiles and history buffs out there, the ancient military powerhouse of Sparta was located in the Peloponnese where the modern city of Sparta is now located.

Sparta also left its marks on the Athens region. Nearby one can visit what may be one of the most consequential battlefields in human history, at Thermopylae where Leonidas and his 300 companions made their last stand against a Persian army at least 10,000-strong who invaded Greece. King Leonidas sacrificed himself and his men in the defense of the Hellenic World.

As history-rich as the Peloponnese is, it's not the only thing that the region offers. With the area accounting for approximately 9 billion euros of Greece's annual GDP, the Peloponnese is a critical agricultural center for the country. Few places illustrate that better than the thriving city of Kalamata, world-famous for its high quality olives and where one can tour the olive groves and go olive tasting.

The Peloponnese is a region for all tastes. With historical landmarks, wonderful Cuisine, picturesque cities and towns, crystal clear waters, pristine beaches. It leaves little wonder as to why more and more visitors are choosing the Peloponnese for their holidays and will undoubtedly continue to do so in droves. Get to know the Peloponnese more through the pages of The National Herald and book your trip today – and don’t forget, there is more to Greece than its legendary Sea and Sun – marvelous visits await deep into Autumn, and the silver lining of the pandemic is that employees and managers now know they can work from anywhere, and vacations can be extended to ‘workations’.