Excursion to Nafplio
Wonderful sights in a historic city that will offer you unique experiences!
It is one of the most beautiful and romantic towns on Greece’s coast. Get lost in attractive narrow streets, discover neoclassical mansions, visit museums and explore traditional and modern tavernas and cafes all over the town.
Downtown
Nafplio is just two hours away from Athens and also near a lot of ancient sites and cities. Explore by foot the old and also the new town , visit unique tavernas and coffee corners and taste the traditional cuisine.
Old City
Nafplio’s Old Town is the perfect romantic destination. The whole old city was laid out in the time of John Kapodistrias designed by the engineer Stamatis Voulgaris. Its Venetian influences, the atmospheric monuments and neoclassical mansions create the best specifications for a unique hiking. In the old town you can find lots of little shops with traditional products and souvenirs, tavernas and cafes.
Museums
In Nafplio you will explore unique museums. The Archaeological Museum of Nafplio is housed in a renovated Venetian mansion in Constitution Square. You also can visit the War Museum, in an impressive building that once was the first War Academy of Greece, the Folklore Museum of Nafplion with traditional costumes, jewelry, ceramics, works of paintings and sculpture and other folk items and finally the National Gallery which is housed in a restored, neoclassical building.
Churches
Religious monuments of a place are part of its historical past. In Nafplio, there are wonderful churches in the streets of the old city and outside its center as well. Among them you will meet Agios Georgios, Agios Spyridonas (where Ioannis Kapodistrias was assassinated at the entrance of this church) and the Church of Annunciation of the Virgin. In a close distance you can find the unique Byzantine monastery o fAgia Moni dedicated to Zoodochos Pigis.
Palamidi Castle
Palamidi is the fortress that dominates the city of Nafplio. The castle was designed by Giaxich and built by the french LaSalle. The fortress of Palamidi is located above the city of Nafplio with 999 stairs reinforced with small loopholes. According to the Greek folk tradition the 1000th stair broke by the leg of the horse of Th. Kolokotronis- a hero of the Greek revolution. You can choose to visit it by car or climbing the 999 steps.
Bourtzi Castle
The water castle of Bourtzi known also as Castello dello Soglio is a Venetian castle located in the middle of the harbour of Nafplio. The architect Antonio Gambello took over the construction of the castle. Bourtzi was used in a variety of ways. Being, initially, the first prison of Kolokotronis, the residence of the executioners of Palamidi and a luxury hotel and restaurant . You can visit the island by one of the little boats from the dock of Nafplio.
Syntagma Square
Syntagma Square, the heart of Nafplion’s town center, is the meeting point for every citizen and visitor of Nafplio as there are plenty of cafes, restaurants and bars. The square is surrounded by neoclassical buildings, the Archeological Museum, the old State House, the church of Agios Georgios, the house of Theodoros Kolokotronis and the palace of Ioannis Kapodistrias.
