Nafplion Tours

Nafplion Tours (Nafplio in Greek) cover the town that served as the first capital of independent Greece, from 1829 to 1834, before the seat of government moved to Athens. Set on the Argolic Gulf in the Peloponnese, the town kept the fortifications and architecture built up under centuries of Venetian and, briefly, Ottoman rule.

Often combined with the ancient sites of the Peloponnese as part of a wider Greece itinerary, Nafplion tours typically pair a walk through the old town with visits to the fortresses that once guarded the harbor.

Palamidi Fortress

Built by the Venetians between 1711 and 1714, the Palamidi fortress sits on a hill nearly 216 meters above the town, reached by climbing roughly 900 steps or driving the road around the back. Its eight bastions cover a wide area, with views extending across the gulf to Bourtzi and the mountains of the Argolid.

Bourtzi

In the bay just off the old town, the small island fortress of Bourtzi was built in 1471 to block enemy ships from entering the harbor, and later served as a residence for the town's executioners and, in the twentieth century, as a hotel. Short boat trips from the waterfront cross to the island.

The Old Town

Nafplion's old town mixes Venetian buildings with neoclassical houses built during the town's years as capital, laid out along narrow streets that climb from the harbor toward the Acronafplia fortress above. Syntagma Square, at the center, is lined with former Ottoman and Venetian buildings now used as shops and cafes, and the nearby waterfront promenade runs along the base of Acronafplia toward Arvanitia beach.

Beaches Near Nafplion

A short walk from the old town, Arvanitia is a small pebble beach set below the Acronafplia cliffs, while Karathona, a longer sandy bay on the other side of the headland, sits about a fifteen-minute walk or drive away. Further along the coast, the resort town of Tolo offers additional beaches and is a common base for travelers splitting a stay between Nafplion's sights and time by the water.

Side Trips to Mycenae and Epidaurus

Within easy reach of the town sit two major archaeological sites: Mycenae, the Bronze Age citadel associated with the legend of Agamemnon, and the ancient theater of Epidaurus, known for its acoustics and near-complete preservation. The Nafplio - Mycenae with optional Epidaurus Tour from Athens combines a day in Nafplion with both sites on a route from the capital.

Getting to Nafplion

Nafplion sits around 145 kilometers southwest of Athens, roughly a two-hour drive along the Corinth-Tripoli highway, and has no airport or train station of its own, so most visitors arrive by car, bus or as part of an organized tour from the capital. The town's compact size makes the old town, harbor and fortresses walkable once there, without needing further transport.

Best Time to Visit Nafplion

April through June and September through October bring comfortable temperatures for the climb to Palamidi and for walking the old town, while July and August are hot and busier with visitors combining a stay with nearby Peloponnese beaches.