Nafplio Old Town

Nafplio occupies a narrow promontory on the shore of the Argolic Gulf in the northeastern Peloponnese, and its old town is widely considered one of the most beautiful and best-preserved in Greece. The city served as the first capital of the modern Greek state from 1828 to 1834, and its layered history encompasses Byzantine, Frankish, Venetian, and Ottoman periods, each leaving a distinct architectural imprint. The old town grid is compact and walkable, with neoclassical mansions, Venetian warehouses, and Ottoman fountains lining narrow stone-paved lanes. The centrepiece of street life is Syntagma Square, flanked by the Venetian Arsenal — now housing the Archaeological Museum of Nafplio — and a former mosque converted to other civic use. Staikopoulou, the main pedestrian street, is lined with jewellery boutiques, pastry shops, and restaurants that spill onto the pavement in summer. The waterfront promenade along Bouboulinas Street offers views across the bay to the fortified islet of Bourtzi, an island castle accessible by short boat trip from the old harbour. Above the town, the massive Palamidi Fortress (separate admission, €8) dominates the skyline at 216 metres and can be climbed via 857 stone steps from the old town or reached by car. A five-minute coastal walk leads to the Arvanitia swimming cove, a small beach accessible via a path cut into the cliff face. Nafplio also serves as the natural base for day trips to Mycenae (26 km), Epidaurus (30 km), and Tiryns (5 km). The old town requires no entry fee and can be explored freely at any time of day. Morning light strikes the Venetian facades particularly well. Weekday mornings are the quietest; the town fills with Athenian weekend visitors from Friday to Sunday evenings.