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Nafplion
Nafplion in the Peloponnese was the Greek capital before Athens and today is a charming waterfront town with good restaurants, museums, shopping, beaches, old fortresses and a delightful atmosphere.
Nafplion (or Nafplio) is one of the most appealing towns in Greece, perhaps even in Europe. It has a lovely waterfront with beaches nearby, a fine headland with wonderful views, several fortresses, some interesting museums, an offshore island to admire, a sophisticated feel to the town with some chic hotels and so many good restaurants that, no matter how long you can manage to stay, you'll wish you were here for longer.
Much of its charm stems from the medieval architecture of its old town, dating from the second Venetian occupation (1686-1715), not to mention its looming castles and watery vistas. The narrow streets and pristine whitewashed houses of the old town are reminiscent of the Greek islands.
Nafplion is also a convenient base if you want to visit ancient sites including Mycenae and Epidavros, both within a 30-minute drive, and Tiryns, which is only five minutes away.
Nafplion Sights and Attractions
Archaeological Museum
The small but fascinating Archaeological Museum of Nafplio occupies two floors of a splendid 18th century Venetian warehouse on the town's main square. It's worth visiting to see some of the Mycenae finds that haven't been sent to the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. There are also finds from Tiryns on display. It's on Platia Syntagmatos (tel: 27520- 27502).
Bourtzi Fortress
The Bourtzi Fortress is unmissable as it stands on an offshore island and is one of Nafplion's most distinctive features. It was built in the 15th century at the time of the Venetian occupation and it owes its importance to the deceptive waters here. They look deep but in fact there is only one navigable passage into Nafplion. The Bourtzi guards could block this passage by stringing chains from the island to the town.
Among the fortress's various functions over the years, it was the home of the town's executioner until 1930, and later a luxury hotel. These days it simply stands there, looking picturesque.
Folklore Museum
The Peloponnesian Folk Foundation runs this very impressive specialist little museum, one of the best in the country in dealing with local crafts and culture. It has a large collection of traditional costumes, household and agricultural items, fascinating old photographs and an excellent handicrafts shop. The address is Ipsillantou 1 (tel: 27520-28379)
Its Kale Fortress
The name of this fortress is the Turkish for Inner Castle, and while it's slightly less dramatic than the Palamidi Fortress (see below), it's still worth a visit. This was the site of Nafplion's original acropolis, and several castles have stood here over the centuries. There are few remains to be seen, but it's a pleasant place for a short stroll. Another good walk leads around the headland on which the fortress stands.
Palamidi Fortress
This massive 18th century Venetian citadel is so large there are several others ruined inside it. You can drive up to the entrance if you have a car, but otherwise it's a steep climb up almost 1000 steps to get there, which indicates how much the fortress dominates the town. There isn't that much to see when you get inside, other than the walls and the remains of three inner fortresses, but the views are really impressive. Tel: 27520-28036.
Our Pick of the Guides to Greece
War Museum
The War Museum in Nafplion is a branch of the excellent War Museum in Athens, and was the first to open outside the capital. It's full of authentic weaponry and historical documents, and has a large collection of moving - and occasionally harrowing - photographs showing the impact of World War II on Greece.
There is also an interesting collection of artefacts relating to the War of Independence, with which Nafplion is closely linked. The town served as the capital of the newly-independent Greece from 1829-1834, when Athens became the capital.
Ioannis Kapodistrias in Nafplion
Ioannis Kapodistrias was born on Corfu in 1776, and became Greece's first president in 1829, based in Nafplio. In 1831 he was assassinated outside the church of Agios Spiridon, by two villainous chieftains from the Mani region in the southern Peloponnese. You can still see the bullet holes in the wall of the church. Three years later, in 1834, Athens became the new capital of modern Greece.
Shopping
For a small town, Nafplion has some very good shopping. Explore the back streets of the old town and you'll find potters, painters and jewelers making and selling their wares, some good bookshops and a more upmarket kind of souvenir shop.
Other Peloponnese Pages
Peloponnese: Travel Information about the Peloponnese in Greece
The Peloponnese in Greece has such sights as Olympia, Mycenae, the Mani, Nafplion, Corinth and Epidavros.
Top Archaeological Sites in the Peloponnese
The top archaeological sites in the Peloponnese in Greece include Epidavros, Olympia, Mycenae, Mystras, Tiryns, and Argos.
Tiryns
The Greece Travel Secrets guide to the ancient archaeological site of Tiryns, near Mycenae, in the Peloponnese of Greece, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Temple of Bassae
The Temple of Bassae in Messenia in the Peloponnese of Greece is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece.
The Nemean Games
The Nemean Games, like the Olympic Games, take place every four years but, unlike the Olympics, anyone can apply to take part and run in the original stadium.
Sparta
Sparta (or Sparti) in the Peloponnese of Greece was one of the most important city-states of ancient Greece and has significant archaeological remains.
Patras
Patras, or Patra, in the Peloponnese is Greece's third-largest city, home to Greece's largest Carnival, with many Roman and Greek remains, museums and churches.
Mystras
The ruined Byzantine city of Mystras sits on the top and the slopes of a hill that juts out from the plain and is one of the most remarkable places in Greece.
Mycenae
Mycenae in the Greek Peloponnese was a royal palace and is famous for the royal tombs, Lion Gate, and was excavated by archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann.
Monemvasia
Monemvasia in the Peloponnese is the Greek Rock of Gibraltar and is a huge offshore rock which conceals a tiny town connected to the mainland by a single road.
The Mani
The Mani in the south of the Peloponnese is the most southerly part of the Greek mainland and famous for its rugged landscape, feuds, and tower houses.
Kalamata
Kalamata in the Peloponnese is the area's second-biggest city and is world-famous for the quality of its olives and for the nearby site of Ancient Messene.
Epidavros
The ancient theatre at Epidavros is one of Greece's greatest attractions, ranking alongside the Acropolis and the Palace at Knossos in Crete, and it is easily the finest theatre in Greece.
Corinth
Corinth has four aspects to it, which are the Corinth canal, the modern town of Corinth, nearby Ancient Corinth, and above that Akrokorinthos or Upper Corinth.
Argos
Argos is one of the top archaeological sites in the Peloponnese, one of the oldest cities in Europe, and with museums and a theatre bigger than Epidavros.
Ancient Olympia
Travel guide to Ancient Olympia in the Peloponnese of mainland Greece, home to the original Olympic Games.
Bradt Guide to the Peloponnese
The Bradt Guide to the Peloponnese is the best book on the Greek region which includes attractions like Mycenae, Epidavros, Olympia, Monemvasia and Nafplion.
Monemvasia Book Review
Greece Travel Secrets reviews the photography book Monemvasia with extracts from works by Yiannis Ritsos and Nikos Kazantzakis.
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