Hidden beauties of Greece

NAFPLION - The charming Greek town.

Olympia| Nafplion|Sparta & Mystras| Kalavryta| Delphi| Meteora|Mt. Olympus|Mt. Pelio|Zagorohoria

Nafplion is a great place to visit, a colourful town with culture, history and natural beauty, that provides entertainment and modern accommodation to its visitors. It is a charming little town with a picturesque promenade, old stone houses, town squares and streets full of life and historic buildings all crowned by a fortress. The stone castle together with the Bourtzi's round fortress that was built in the middle of the harbour, are Nafplion's features.

The old city is the reason why so many people include it in their itineraries. Nafplion is a timeless city. A version of the Athens' Plaka neighbourhood, only more picturesque and beautiful. The main square paved in marble, is also called Syntagma, and is surrounded by historical buildings. The streets approaching it, barely used by automobiles, are full of restaurants, cafes and shops that are selling the same things they have been selling for a whole century and with people who have a simple elegance. Nafplio is a sophisticated little city that will certainly remind you of a more romantic age. There is a beach in town just around the other side of the Akronaphlia, with change rooms, a bar and water sports. 3kms. east of here is the Karathonas beach, and 8 kms. further the town of Tolon with a sandy beach, many hotels, bars and restaurants.

Nafplio became the capital of modern Greece (1829-1834) by Ioannis Kapodistrias, after the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire occupation in 1821.
Kapodistrias and Switzerland. Switzerland would not be what it is today without his exceptional negotiating skills. He gave Switzerland its federal state structure and the policy of neutrality. Known as Conte Giovanni Antonio Capo d'Istria, he was the statesman who played a prominent role in Switzerland's institutional reorganisation and in asserting Switzerland's permanent status as a neutral country.

While you stay in Nafplion you must visit:

  • the Venetian fortress of Palamidi, which crowns the city,
  • Bourtzi the fortified islet as well as
  • The Archaeological and the Folk Art Museum.

Palamidi: The Venetian fortress which dominates the city, is actually three separate fortresses walled together and built by the Venetians in 1714. The engineers La Salle and Giaxich constructed the Venetian fortress, on the top of a hill at an altitude of 216m. It changed hands several times and after Greece’s liberation, Palamidi was used as a prison. Theodoros Kolokotronis, the hero of the Greek revolution was also held here. Inside the bastion of Saint Andrew lies the homonymous church, built in Venetian times. There are 999 steps leading up to the fortress but you can also take a taxi to the top. The Palamidi is open from 8:30 am to 2:45 pm.

Bourtzi: A small island situated at the entrance of the port, 450 meters from the land. It was fortified by the Venetians in 1473 and served for preventing the enemy entering the port. It served as a fortress until 1865. It then transformed into residence of the hangmen who executed the convicts in Palamidi. It also operated as a hotel at a time. In our days it is one of the city's attractions.

See our other destinations to: Monemvasia, Olympia, Nafplion, Sparta & Mystras, The Messinian castles of Methoni - Pylos - Koroni,
Mani - Areopolis - Dyros' Caves, Kalavryta, Delphi, Meteora, Mt. Pelio, Ioannina & Zagorohoria.