Nafplio, Greece's Most Romantic Town
Nafplio was the first capital of Greece after Turkish occupation ended in 1823 and Greece re-gained its independence. The city is actually much older than this, however. It even has a place in Greek mythology. Soldiers from Nafplio traveled with Jason and the Argonauts to find the golden fleece and they marched out to join other Greeks during the Trojan War.
Not bad, right?
Falling for Nafplio
Ancient Greeks lived here, Romans lived here and conquerors from France, Turkey and Venice have been here. And now, we're here! Nafplio is a place for peace these days and many people say that this is the most romantic town in Greece. So I guess, let's go fall in love.
There's also a palace here, which is highly visible from points all over Nafplio because it's way up high on a hill. You can go up to the castle, which is called Palamidi Castle, but you have to walk up 999 steps to do it. They would have to be giving away a tiara and let me live in the castle for me to walk up 999 steps, so I did not go up there but people do it and survive it, so it's always an option for you.
Look out on the water to see Bourtzi, which is a small Venetian fortress that looks like it's standing on the water. It's actually on top of a rocky island and it's known as the most photographed spot in Nafplio.
Walking Around in Town
While I was here, I went to explore the Old Town area, which is where you can find Syntagma Square. There's a museum here, two Turkish mosques and lots of nice places to eat.
Nafplio is extremely pretty and it's fun to walk around here and see the shops and the restaurants. I stopped in a bakery here to get some Greek coffee and eat some pastries because I did that a bunch when I was in Greece. It's very charming and beautiful and great for taking photos and for shopping and eating, which is the kind of stuff I like to do.
It's super charming and you can also ride a horse-drawn carriage here.
Hiking Around Nafplio
If hiking is what you like to do, you can go up Acronafplia Hill. This is a high vantage point and there's a path that will take you to the beach and then up the hill all the way up. It is a popular spot to propose for local Greeks and it's a hotspot for photography as well. Take some photos for me while you are up there because I am not going.
If you do like to walk but you're not a hill climbing sort of person, the Arvanitia Promenade is a beautiful walk. It goes around the bottom of the hill, which works fine for me, and it will take you to a pretty lighthouse and chapel. The chapel was actually a secret school during the Turkish occupation, where Greek children were secretly and illegally educated under the noses of their captors.
There is also a beach here, as I mentioned, that is stunning. Lots of people come here just for the beach because it's really beautiful. There are cliffs all around and the Mediterranean waters. The beach is rocky, however, not just soft sand, so please do wear shoes.
Having a Bite to Eat
Nafplio also has a nice foodie scene. There are lots of cafes and bakeries here and lots of places to get seafood because this is a coastal town.
However, Nafplio’s specialty is orange pie, which is a very popular dessert in Greece and which does not really resemble a pie by American standards. It is more like a dense sponge cake and it is very sweet and has a strong orange flavor. You can get it all over Nafplio. They grow a lot of oranges here. They pride themselves on their orange pie, so this is the perfect place to try it.
A Quiet Day in a Small Greek Town
Nafplio is the definition of a sleepy little town. It has a very distinctly Greek look to it and a very nice historical charm. There are museums here, which I didn’t mention but which do exist, and it’s just a great place to walk around and be a tourist in Greece.
There are lots of day trips from Athens that will take you out here, or you can come out here on your own. Nafplio is about an hour and 40 minutes away from Athens by car, longer if you go by bus. Going by car or bus is the only way to get to Nafplio from Athens because public transportation in Greece is fairly hit or miss. So I suggest a group day trip where transportation will be offered.
However you get here, if you go here, Nafplio is a great place to visit!
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