Greece: Nafplio Gelato

Kaymaria DaskarolisMarch 27, 2007

gelato.

Antica Gelateria di Roma (Farmakopoulon 3 and Komninou, tel: +30-27520-23520), a traditional Italian ice cream shop, is open every day of the week from 8:30 a.m. until 1:30 a.m. or 2 a.m., keeping with Greek tradition of closing whenever the shop’s proprietors decide to shut the doors. On Fridays and Saturdays, it is open until around 3 a.m. The owners, Italian transplants to Greece, speak Greek, Italian, and English, and offer yummy ice cream and a welcoming atmosphere.

Our favorite flavors here are coconut, caramel, hazelnut, and chocolate. The coconut ice cream is refreshing and palate-cleansing. Caramel is mouth-watering, smooth, and creamy. Hazelnut is like cold Nutella, but with a slightly less intense flavor. Bitter chocolate is not quite as bitter as we would have liked, but it’s still a delight for chocoholics. The chocolate with grappa is rich and flavorful. A small cup of this culinary bliss costs only €1.50. We recommend the slightly larger cup, which will set you back €3.50.

About the author

In order to keep a promise she and her brother had made to their grandmother (and to simultaneously fulfill one of her own dreams) Kaymaria left her beloved hometown of Oakland, California and headed to Athens in time for the 2004 Olympics. Today, she continues to work and play in the Greek capital, where you may find her writing atop Lykavittos, road-tripping with overseas guests, enjoying Athens cafés with friends, dancing to Greek hip-hop music, or reading Greek subtitles in an outdoor cinema. The daughter of two life-long educators and enthusiastic travelers, Kaymaria has explored North America, Mexico, and Europe. It was not until she spent a year as an exchange student at The University of York in England, however, that she discovered that she does not actually speak English.

Posted in: Food, Greece, Local Customs