Medieval Enchanting Nafplion - Peloponnese, Greece

Old Nafplion, the former capital of Greece is very reminiscent of Plaka with its name-alike Syntagma Square. Though it is on a much grander scale, the atmosphere is very much the same with its melange of historical buildings, automobile free streets filled with casually strolling people, tourist shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. The waterfront strewn with cafe-bars, fish tavernas is popular with sunset viewers.

With two mountains crowned by medieval fortresses overlooking the town, the small island fortress, the Bourtzi (built by the Venetians to protect the harbour from Pirates), and a beach that you can walk to in ten minutes, Nafplion is a delight and is only 2 hours drive away from Athens.

The Palamidi Fortress overlooking the city is actually three separate fortresses walled together. There are 999 steps leading up to the fortress but for the less energetic a taxi ride to the top or drive up can be a good option. But the excursion is well worth it for the spectacular view it offers of the city, the bay and eastern Peloponessos.

There are a number of important churches in Nafplion and even a mosque. The old town is made up of Venetian buildings and neoclassical mansions, while the new town is a concrete jungle.

There is a little train that cruises the city (reminded me of Montmartre, Paris).

Near the park are the three museums, the Archaeological, the War Museum and the Folklore, all worthy of a visit

If you have time it would be worthy to discover the Psaromahalas or fisherman's district with its unique shops filled with arts and crafts

Behind Acronapflia is a mountain covered in cactus and a spectacular view of the coast. There is a pedestrian road that goes around the Acropolis to the town beach on the other side. It is a good option for swimming as well as snorkelling. Two miles east there is a beach at Karathona, with its long stretch of sand and trees for shade.

Nafplion is a great place to visit especially in the off season when it is cool and the tourists are gone.

It is also convenient to the important ancient sites of Tiryns, Argos, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nemea and Corinth. For more details visit Matt Barrett’s website: http://www.greecetravel.com/nafplio/index.html

How to Reach:

From Athens by Car: Take the National Road that goes south through Corinth and towards Tripoli. Take the Sterna exit and go east through Argos to Nafplion. The trip will take you about 2.5 hours.

From Athens airport Nafplion is roughly a 3 hours drive
From Pireas Port the drive along the bewitching coastline takes about 2-2.5 hours.

From Athens by Bus: There are several buses that leave daily for Nafplion from Athens. More information can be obtained at http://www.ktel.org/.
bus terminals.

Accommodation: If you prefer a hotel right on the beach staying in one of the other smaller towns (Astros, Tolon) along the coast can be a good option. From any of these places the entire Argolis peninsula, Mycenae, Epidavros, Argos and Corinth is accessible by local transportation, tours or rental car. The Argolis is known for its citrus fruits and there are stands all through the area where you can buy oranges, artichokes, wine and whatever else is in season.