01
Palamidi
The Venetian fortress, 216 metres above Nafplio. By car, or up the 999 steps. The sunset view is worth all 999.
Town · Nafplio
The first capital.
Capital of the Greek state from 1828 to 1834. Venetian, Ottoman, Greek. Ten minutes' drive.
Before Athens, before any major Greek urban centre, there was Nafplio. Ioannis Kapodistrias was sworn in here as the first governor of independent Greece. He was assassinated here a few years later. Here, King Otto became the first king of Greece.
Before that, it was Venetian for 200 years. Before that, Ottoman. All those layers leave their marks in the alleys of the old town — on façades, on staircases, on faces.
What you'll see
Six places to pause.
02
The Old Town
Venetian alleys, squares scented with jasmine, stone façades in pastel colours. Get pleasantly lost.
03
Bourtzi
A small island fortress in the middle of the harbour. Until recently a hotel. Now open to visit by small boat.
04
Akronafplia
The oldest part of the city. Starting point for the famous promenade — a path around the headland to Arvanitia beach.
05
Syntagma Square
The soul of the town. A mosque-turned-library, a Venetian fountain, marble paving. Sit at a café and watch the day pass.
06
The seafront
From the harbour to Akronafplia. Hotels, bars, statues, fishermen. Your best walk in Nafplio.
Eat well.
Nafplio fills with tourists. Many restaurants ride that wave. Few deserve your time. On our restaurants page we list the tested ones — the same places we send our friends.
Tip: dinner in Nafplio, not lunch. Parking gets tight at peak hours — leave your car outside the town and walk in.
Practical info
The visit.
Getting there
10 minutes' drive. Also KTEL bus from Tolo. Parking outside the centre or at the harbour.
When to go
Best in the evening.
Palamidi: sunset.
Epidaurus Festival: Fri-Sat in summer.
Combine with
Tiryns (20 minutes). Arvanitia beach before sunset. Our OliveVine apartments for a night in town.