From Wikitravel

Nafplion (or Nafplio) [1] is a small town in Peloponnese (Greece). Many times it is also referenced as Nauplio, Nauplia or Nafplia. The name is the remnant of the old venetian name Napoli di Romania, from the greek "nea poli"="new town" of Romania, the name of the area during the late byzantine times.

A lovely romantic downtown with cozy streets, a great place to stay for radial travelling around Peloponnese.

[edit] Understand

Nafplio was the first capital of newly formed Greece until the capital became Athens. It is an historical city due to its meaning to the Greek Revolution. It has a fantastic centre with small neoclassical historical houses, squares and churches.

It is the capital of the prefecture of Argolida.

[edit] Brief history

A sovereign naval nation-city in ancient times, Nafplio was founded and named after -according to Greek mythology- by hero Nafplios, father of Palamidis. A target for Franks, Venetians and Ottomans, they all repeatedly tried, and succeeded quite a few times, to conquer it. In 1829, after the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire, Nafplio was chosen as the first capital of the new-founded state and democracy.

[edit] Today

Nowadays, when taking a walk in the picturesque alleys of the Old Town, visitors are drawn by the venetian balconies and the wonderful neoclassical buildings and mansions, images that bring feelings of sweet nostalgia. Relax at the numerous cafés on the port whilst viewing the sea, and visit Palamidi fortress for a scenic view of the Argolic gulf.

Travelers mix: Many Greeks come here for weekends from Athens.

[edit] Getting there and away

[edit] By car

From Athens the trip is 1.5~2 hours by car (147km).

[edit] By bus

Buses connect the town with Athens, Salonica and all the major cities of Peloponessos. From Athens, there are 12 to 14 daily buses. The buses of KTEL [2] leave Athens from Terminal A in Kifissos central bus station. The journey takes about 2.5 hours and the price is 11.3 euros (June 2009) in one direction. Return tickets get a discount. You can buy tickets online.

There are buses from the Corinth-Channel Bus Terminal of Proastiakos suburban train to Nafplio via Argos (Nov. 2008), I guess they come from Athens.

[edit] By sea

the town has a good protected port which can host several yachts providing them with all facilities.

[edit] By train

There is a train connection, but it is not the best way to travel. There are two daily trains to Athens, arriving at nearby Argos town, from where you may take a bus or a taxi to Nafplio (12km).

[edit] Get around

Nafplio is a good base to head out to the numerous archeological sites surrounding it. Epidaurus, Mycenae, Tiryns are just some of them. Nearly all towns villages and tourist spots are serviced by local buses at all times.

The bus station is at the end of the park, just before the old town, at Sygrou str 8. For tickets/schedules check the link[3]. It is here you may catch the bus to the ancient (but still servicing) theater of Epidaurus, the ancient town of Mycenae.

Very close it is Argos, the most ancient town of Europe, now a quiet agricultural town. It has a castle overlooking the town, the ruins of its theater and the remainders of ancient settlements, and some interesting nearby monasteries.

It is also worth exploring the quiet nearby fisher-villages such as Vivari (with its lagoon and its wonderful sandy beach Kondyli), Hermioni town, Porto Heli with the ancient port of Aliis, the small fisher port of Koilada with its adjucent prehistoric Frahthi cave and the miniature churches in the doline wells near Didyma.

[edit] Orientation

The town is built in two parts, the old, covering all the peninsula and the new, expanding to the north and the east. Upon your arrival you will probably drop off at the central bus station, which is at the east end of the old town, or at the port, hosting a large parking area, at the north seaside of the town.

It is sometimes confusing to some that the hill overlooking the town is on the south of the town and the sea on the north. But once you notice it is easy to walk around the orderly shaped blocks.

The major reference point of the old town is Syntagma sq., a very large square, where the Venetians held their headquarters at old times. Just two blocks north and west is the Philelinnon sq., by the sea and at the end of the seaside part of the road. Here lies also the old Customs building.

The reference point for the whole town, new and old, is the conjunction of the road coming from athens (Argous str) and the one going east to Epidavros and Porto Heli (Asklepeou str). It is named "endekate", meaning eleventh, after the bus-stop numbering system of old times. It is from here that a large park starts, covering the old train route, leading to the beginning of the old town.

[edit][add listing] See

To an uneducated traveler, Nafplio looks like an Italian city because of its architecture and the colourful houses. More fundamentally, Nafplio has a quite an interesting architecture, with many traces of eighteenth century european towns, byzantine and ottoman influences. Many of the old town's buildings are traced back a hundred or two hundred years ago. Characteristic are :

• Vouleftikon, the first parliament of the Greek Nation, right south of the Syntagma sq, earlier used as an ottoman Jami.
• Venetian Headquarters on the same sq, now an archeological museum
• St Spyridon church, (1702) where the first governor of Greece was killed, with traces of the killing bullet,
• St George, (17th century), the metropolis of the town, on Plapouta str
• St Nicolaus, (18th century)
• Small Jami, on the east of Syntagma sq, now used as a theater

There are also five museums: the Archeological museum, the War museum, the Folk museum (PLI), the Komboloi museum and the Ouzo myseum.

The Archeological Museum

The museum is right on Syntagma Square, in a Venetian building of 1714 with impressive stone arches. Recently renovated and restored internally and externally (reopens October 2008 after 5 years), it includes new showcases and exhibits, accessibility and facilities for people with disabilities, and air-conditioning. In the new multimedia hall you can see documentary films, whereas children can take part in the regular programs that take place. The most important exhibit of the museum is the impressive bronze armor suit dating back to the 13th century B.C. and once worn by a Mycenaean soldier. Get the full story in the multimedia hall and travel through time to the era of ancient Greece.

The Komboloi Museum

The first Komboloi (or worry-beads) Museum – said to be the only one worldwide – was founded in Nafplio in 1998 by Aris and Rallou Evangelinos, who have been collecting and studying the history of komboloi since 1958. The museum has had more than 55.000 visitors so far and the unique collection consists of approximately 1500 kombolois (from Asia Minor, Greece, Syria, Egypt, Turkey, Persia etc) that date from 1700 to 1950 and are made of various precious and rare materials. On the ground floor there is the workshop where old kombolois are repaired and new, either original or copies of the old ones, are produced. Museum & shop open: Monday to Sunday 09:30 – 21:30 Entrance fee for the museum: € 3,00

The Peloponnesian Folklore Museum (PLI)

The permanent exhibition at the museum is dedicated to the “Greek town – Nafplio 1822-1922”. On the ground floor, miscellaneous museum items are presented in a daring and free arrangement in order to emphasize on the multiformity of the collections, while one can also visit the new expanded museum shop. At the old Nafplio railway station, Stathmos (station), the first childhood museum in Greece, houses daily educational programs for children. Exhibition – Museum shop opening hours: 09:00 – 14:30 & 18:00 – 21:00 Exhibition: Closed Tuesday morning Museum shop: Closed Sunday afternoon

The Ouzo museum

belonging to Karonis distilleries, it is located at Ag. Paraskevi area[4].

[edit] The Castles

Palamidi

Standing like a crown over Nafplio, Palamidi fortress (build by the Venetians around 1686 and completed to its present form in 1714) was so well designed that all attempts to conquer it were unsuccessful, making it a legend at the time. Finally, in 1822, the Greeks succeeded, creating surprise and amazement. In very good condition, you can visit it by taking the legendary 999 (in fact 857) stair-steps, or simply drive there. The view is unique, and you will also see many historical monuments, such as the small cave-prisons (also prison of the national hero Kolokotronis) and the church of Saint Andreas. At night, drive back there to enjoy a scenic view of Nafplio under the moonlight, as well as a big part of the Argolic gulf and plain, the lighted castle of Argos to the north, and the lights of small villages along the road to the neighboring prefecture of Arcadia and the town of Astros, at the north-west.

Bourtzi

The Venetian fortress of Bourtzi was built around 1698, on top of a rock-island at the entrance of the port. During its history it has been used as a fort, as a shelter for Greek government, as a home for unwelcome executioners, even as a hotel. Today, it only takes 5 minutes to visit Bourtzi with the small boats available at the port and observe the town from the opposite side. Don’ t miss it.

Old town fortifications

All of the town used to be fortified, with two parts, the seaside merchant quarter, being the present old town, and the uphill, the barracks quarter, now an open archeological site, partly hosting a hotel. At the old town fortifications only remain in the east limit, just in front of the central bus station. The large protecting trench now has been covered and it is part of the city's park.

[edit] Curiosities

At the other end of the gulf there is the undersea fountain of Anavalos, protected by an in-sea dam, hydrating all the area.

Due to the quality of the soil there a lot of dolines in the prefecture, large wells, some of which are hosting various old relics.

[edit][add listing] Do

Strolling in the old city of Nafplio

One of the best characteristics of Nafplio is that everything in the Old Town is within walking distance. In fact you can walk from one end to another in less than 15’, and that’s why you can see couples in love, happy kids, and large groups of friends everywhere in the town, at the port, in the alleys, always walking around and enjoying every part of the town. Because of the small distances and the paved ways, there are few areas cars are allowed to pass, and there is no bus service in the old part of town, only the central station that takes you to the new part of the town and the rest of the prefecture. So, leave the car in the parking and enjoy walking around Nafplio all year round. Alternatively, you can take the horse carriage or the small train for a tour in the town.

Palamidi

Climb 999 (in reality 857) stairs to the castle of Palamidis. You may get tired but the view is said to be worth it. We walked the paved road down to the crossing and went right down to "Karathona Beach". From "Karathona Beach" there is a walking path along the coast-line back to "Arvanithia Beach" and Nafplio. Its a nice scenic walk and takes about 1 hour.

Psaromachalas

During your strolls in Nafplio, it is worth adding 10 minutes to your schedule to walk around Psaromachala (meaning fishermonger's), the area under the rocky hill of Acronafplia. In contrast with the large, classical style mansions and open spaces of the main parts of the old town, here you will see small, white houses, with yards filled by flowers, narrow alleys and stairways, cats lurking and mewing, and in general the feeling of a small, traditional neighborhood, reminding to many the Greek islands. Add to the picture some larger mansions that have been renovated and turned to guesthouses and hotels and you have a unique part of Nafplio, with great view and good hospitality.

Enjoying the sea

Very close to the town is the quiet sandy beach of Karathona, just south of Palamede castle hill. There the locals gather to enjoy swimming in this blue flagged[5] clean beach.

[edit][add listing] Buy

Nafplio has a history of Greek traditional culinary products, based on the tradition of locally produced crops.

In the last decades it has also become famous for its kombolois[6], or else worry-beads, made from amber and other materials. There is a museum for kombolois as well as many such shops.

[edit] Entertainment

In the town there are two cinemas. One serving during the wintertime and one serving during the summertime. This last one is a must go open air, well in the greek open air cinema tradition. Usually it hosts all latest productions. It is located on 25th Martiou str, at the east end of the park, just underneath Palamede castle.

There is also a theater, on Syntagma sq., serving various plays during all year long.

During the first month of summer the Nafplio Festival[7] takes place, very much worth attending.

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Snack

One has to try some of the goodies served in the various traditional bakeries around the town. The hit of the period is the bakery at the middle of Sid. Merarhias str.

One should also try the locally made ice creams.

[edit] Budget

Zorbas the Greek: family run, staff very nice. Salad, drinks and main for two persons about €27.

There is also the usual choice of the greek fast restaurants, best exemplified by Goodie's, at the west end of the park, just before the end of the old town, a hundred meters from the bus station. Of course also numerous souvlaki and pizza spots, most around the north of the park area.

[edit] Mid-range

There are many restaurants with medium quality, usually targeted around the greek tradition. A lot of them are spotted across Staikopoulou str. in the old town, or in the streets near the promenade. A few proposals:

• Kipos (Garden) is probably one of the best choices, just over Philellinon sq or one block west of Syntagma sq. (Ethnikis Antistaseos str. 5),
• Omorfo Tavernaki is a good medium priced choice (if you manage to get a table), at the first parallel behind the port, Kotsonopoulou and Vas. Olgas str,
• Allaloum next to the Saint Nicolas Church.

[edit] Splurge

The top ranged hotels of the area host some of the best reastaurants of the town, mainly for their settings and views.

[edit][add listing] Drink

• iliostasio a cafe & cocktail bar opposite to bourtzi, a beautiful and romantic place, at the end of the promenade,

• to Lathos (the wrong), one of the most atmospheric-psychedelic bars in Greece(!), at Vas. Konstantinou str, a few meters east of Syntagma sq.

• the cafeterias in the Syntagma sq, a quite atmospheric place for all times, where a lot of locals gather,

• the cafeterias by the sea, west of Philellinon sq, offering superb views of the Bourtzi castle and the sea, but a little more pricey,

• the train station cafe, within the park, not very much known, but keeping something from the old times of the area.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

The best choices might be found in the new town, north of the train station/park, or along the Argous street. In the villages around there are various choices also, ranging from rented rooms, camping sites, to small hotels.

• Camping Xeni, [8] in a neighbor village Assini. Very hospitable people and near a small beach.

[edit] Mid-range

A lot of good choices in this range, most of which are around Syntagma sq., offering views of the old town and local mood.

• Amymone Pension, [9]. Small and cozy family-run pension. Artistically decorated rooms, each inspired by its own flower -- and derives color from it. Daily room cleaning and change of towels. Internet (128kbps) available in suites. Common area on the ground floor -- great for a group of 5-6 people spending time together indoors. Double: €65 (breakfast included).
• Marianna Pension, [10]. Cozy hotel overlooking the downtown from the mountain, close to one of the fortresses. Roof cafe for breakfast, great view on the town. Be prepared for 5 minutes stair climbing to reach it from the downtown; may be also reached by car from the fortress side. Single: €65, double €75.
• Rigas Pension, Kapodistriou Str. 8, [11]. A charming place in the center of Nafplio. Its rooms are neat and perfectly clean in old town-house style. It offers any comfort: ensuite bathroom, tv, fridge and air cond. From the second floor you have a nice view above Nafplio. The owner is Greek, speaks English, and is aimed to make your stay as pleasant as possible. doubles start at €50.  edit

[edit] Splurge

• Grande Bretagne Hotel [12] - a very charming and small hotel but excellent service, beautiful view of the port and very good rooms,
• Amalia Hotel, at the outskirts of the town, spacious, with a good value for money ratio,
• Nafplia Palace [13] - the best hotel of Nafplio, with a magnificent view, overlooking the city and the sea. Bangalows with private pools.

[edit] Contact

Nafplio Bus Station 27520 27323

Nafplio Post Office 27520 24855

Nafplio Taxi Station 27520 24120

Nafplio Tourist Office 27520 24444

Nafplio Port 27520 22974

Nafplio Hospital 27520 27309

Nafplio Tourist Police 27520-28131

[edit] Stay safe

There is almost zero violence or mobbing in the city, except the occasional pick pocket when you relax too much under the sun. Nights are safe, you can walk around at all times with no danger. It is considered one of the safest in Greece (which itself is also considered one of the safest countries).