The Peloponnese has been named as the number one European destination of 2016 by travel guide publisher Lonely Planet.

On its website, the publisher writes: “Now more than ever the Peloponnese is the perfect destination for absorbing traditional Greek life, compelling history and inspiring landscapes.
“Travellers to Greece tend to flock to the myriad islands or marvel at the iconic Acropolis, but one of the country’s most diverse, vibrant regions is often forgotten: the Peloponnese.
“It remains an affordable enclave of magnificent ancient sights like Olympia, Mycenae and Mystras, which are scattered across a rich landscape of stone villages, teal seas and snow-capped mountains.”

The Top Ten experiences listed in the southern Greek region clearly conveyed why it topped the list, with experiences varying from visits to the seaside town of Nafplio, the shipwreck dive in Navarino Bay at Pylos, catching a show at the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus, to bird-watching at Gialova Lagoon, amongst others.

Following the Peloponnese in the Top 10 must see European destinations, were Aarhus in Denmark, followed by Italy’s Venice, the Dordogne in France, Lviv in Ukraine, England’s Warwickshire, Extremadura in Spain, the east coast of Tenerife, Textel in The Netherlands and Croatia’s northern Dalmatian coast.