Wednesday 23^rd September – Nisís Trizónia (Návpaktos)

38:22.166N 22:04.490E

After breakfast, with the wind still expected to be strong from the east, we decided to take a day trip by bus to the town of Návpaktos (Lepanto) with its tiny walled, medieval harbour and historic castle.  Návpaktos is approx 12nm west of Trizónia, back towards the suspension bridge.  We did not call in at the harbour with Pyxis as the pilot book tells of how small it is and that a yacht over 12m yacht should not go in as it would probably fill it.  However, the local bus service goes there so off we went on the little ferry across Glifada to look for the bus stop.

We asked in the nearby taverna (where the owner had been treading grapes the previous day) where the bus stop was and the owner indicated outside the taverna and we would have to wait 45 minutes.  We hung around happily for a while; then the taverna owner came to us in his 4x4 and told us to get in as he needed to go to Návpaktos to get a piece of hardware, we think for his wine-making – well he can’t speak English and we can’t speak Greek so the conversation was held by him saying ‘Návpaktos’, indicating for us to get in and waving a hose connector at us.  So the very nice man, who yesterday had pressed grapes on us, today gave us a lift to Návpaktos, about a 20 minutes journey.

Návpaktos is famous for having the Battle of Lepanto fought off its shores on 7^th October 1571 (at that time it was called Lepanto).  Having read up on the battle and the number of ships involved, I can guarantee that they did not all fit in the harbour!  The harbour is really pretty and very small and I could understand the pilot book’s sentiments.  However, in the evening, just before we left, we saw a 12m yacht and a 15m yacht berth stern to a vacant piece of harbour wall, proving both ‘Rod the God’ and us wrong – you can fit a 15m yacht in there, especially if you are Italian.

Battle of Lepanto (as summarised by the Greek tourist board):

The threatening proliferation of the Turks during the 16^th century, their domination over the Aegean and the occupation of Cyprus obliged the Christian forces of the West to act decisively.  On the 20^th May, Pope Pio V achieved the cooperation of the Great Powers of the Mediterranean of the time, Spain and Venice, and formed the ‘Holy Alliance’ (Sacra Liga).

Spain, Venice, Rome, Savoy, Malta, and other tiny Italian states joined forces and organised a holy Crusade in order to stop the Ottoman’s expansion.  The Christian fleet, Admiral of which was the prince of Spain, Don Juan, brother of the king of Spain, and the Ottoman fleet, Admiral of which being Mouezin Zante Ali Pasha, conducted an appalling naval battle on 7^th October 1571.  The Christian’s victory was a milestone in the further course of the Western civilization.

Whilst there is nothing to see of the battle, there is a magnificent castle overlooking the town from the top of the hill.  Needless to say, Richard decided we should climb up to look at it via the side streets.  Our neighbours at the marina had visited a day or two before (by taxi) and said the views were well worth a look and that there are some cafés part way up. 

We got there at 2pm, and found that it closed at 2.30pm; the guy on the gate asked us if we’d walked up the hill and we said ‘Yes’.  He told us to go on in and have a look around (no charge), and come back at 2.30pm and he would give us a lift back down to town!  Two lifts in a day – gosh we love it here.  We actually asked him to drop us off half way down at a café so we could have a drink; he went on his way, pausing only to mention that he was a Stoke City supporter.

We can however report that the castle was worth a visit and that the views down to Návpaktos and out across the strait were very impressive.  After a drink at one of the cafés, we spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the town which sprawls out on either side. 

Unfortunately the buses are fairly limited, with none during the afternoon and then one final bus at 18.45.  Getting the bus back was both interesting and a bit nerve racking as it was the last bus and it turned up late – we were getting concerned that we would have to get a taxi back – we already knew the fare would be €25 from a couple who had been out to Návpaktos the day before (ouch).

We were relieved when it turned up and were only slightly disappointed that, because it was late, we missed the ferry connection to Trizónia and had to around ¾ hour for the next one.  However, on the way back the bus gave us the chance to see some of the other small coastal villages/ resorts as it turned off the main by-pass a couple of times to follow the coast road.

We arrived back at Pyxis around 8.30pm and, hey, what a great day.