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Nafplio

Nafplio is one of Greece’s prettiest and most romantic towns. It occupies a knockout waterside location beneath the towering Palamidi fortress, and is graced with attractive narrow streets, elegant Venetian houses, neoclassical mansions and interesting museums. It’s also chock-full of tavernas, posh boutiques and comfortable hotels and guesthouses. Because it's a popular destination for locals from Athens, it fills up on weekends and gets overcrowded in high season.

Nafplio was the first capital of Greece after Independence (between 1833 and 1834) and has been a major port since the Bronze Age. So strategic was its position on the Argolic Gulf that it had three fortresses: the massive principal fortress of Palamidi, the smaller Akronafplia, and the diminutive Bourtzi on an islet west of the old town.

The town, though quite touristy, is still a charming and ideal base from which to explore many nearby ancient sites.

Explore Nafplio

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Nafplio.

  • Museum

    Archaeological Museum

    Inside a splendid Venetian building, this museum traces the social development of Argolis, from the hunter-gatherers of the Franchthi Cave to the…

  • Fortress

    Palamidi Fortress

    This vast, spectacular citadel, reachable either by steep ascent on foot or a short drive, stands on a 216m-high outcrop of rock that gives all…

  • Museum

    Peloponnesian Folklore Foundation Museum

    Nafplio’s award-winning museum is a beautifully arranged collection of folk costumes and household items from Nafplio’s 19th- and early-20th-century…

  • Museum

    Komboloi Museum

    Whether or not you wish to buy Greece's most popular souvenir item – komboloï (worry beads) – at the gift shop, it's worth popping into the incense…

  • Fortress

    Bourtzi

    Odyssey Cruises runs boat excursions to this island fortress. Built in 1473, it lies about 600m west of the town's port and has served variously as a…

  • Gallery

    National Gallery – Nafplio Annex

    This arm of the Athens National Gallery is housed in a stunningly restored neoclassical building (don't be deterred; the front door looks to be closed)…

  • Beach

    Karathona Beach

    A gorgeous pine-tree-lined 3km path runs from the car park next to Arvanitia Beach to the long, sandy Karathona Beach. It's a flat, easy walk, though the…

  • Beach

    Arvanitia Beach

    This small pebble beach is just five minutes’ walk south of town, tucked beside the Akronafplia fortress, past the Land Gate. It's a nice place for a…

  • Museum

    War Museum

    In a handsome stone building, this collection of paintings, uniforms, sketches, assorted weaponry and photographs traces Greece’s role in various battles,…

  • Fortress

    Akronafplia Fortress

    Rising above the old part of town, the Akronafplia fortress is the oldest of Nafplio’s three castles. The lower sections of the walls date back to the…

  • Church

    Church of Agios Spyridon

    This small 18th-century church was the site of an assassination of great political significance. On 9 October 1831 Ioannis Kapodistrias, elected the first…

  • Landmark

    Town Hall

    Nafplio's Town Hall since the 1990s, this neoclassical building was constructed in the mid-19th century to house a middle school, one of the first in…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Nafplio.

  • Activities