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Nafplion © Greek National Tourist Office

Overview
Nafplion is a favourite holiday destination for hot and bothered Athenians, and no wonder because it is not only a lovely city, but exudes a cool and relaxed atmosphere soothing to busy locals and foreign tourists alike. Nafplion was capital of the Greek state from 1828 to 1834 after the war of independence, although its history is modern compared to the rest of Greece, and particularly the Peloponnese. Nafplion is a popular holiday spot for its charm alone; it gets by without any classical ruins, and the town is home to picturesque streets overhung with wooden balconies cascading with bright flowers. Some lively outdoor cafés and fascinating churches and mosques add to the atmosphere. There are several art galleries and interesting museums dedicated to archeaology, folklore, Komboloi (worry beads), and even Ouzo. Energetic holiday visitors and cruise ship passengers can climb the 857 steps to the Venetian Fortress of Palamidi that overlooks Nafplion, but most prefer to just enjoy the tavernas on the waterfront, the open-air cinemas and the beaches, while using the town as a refreshing and comfortable base from which to explore the archaeological sites of the Peloponnese. Nafplion is also popular as a port of call for cruises in the Greek islands.

Nearby Attractions

Sparta

Made popular again by the 2006 film 300, the ancient city of Sparta sits in the middle of the Plains of Laconia in the Peloponnese, which is one of the most historic regions in the world. You can visit the tomb of King...  see full details

Ancient Corinth

The ruins of ancient Corinth, a short drive from the modern city, are spread around the base of the rock of Acrocorinth, which forms a natural acropolis for the city. Most of the surviving buildings are Roman rather than Greek, dating from the...  see full details

Epidaurus

A definite must on a tour of the Peloponnese is the famed ancient theatre of Epidaurus, built in the 3rd century BC and so well preserved that with little or no restoration it is still in use today for regular summer dramatic performances,...  see full details

Mycenae

This ancient site, 31 miles (50km) south of Corinth, bears the remains of the ancient palace and citadel of Mycenae, a place of archaeological controversy but fascinating for the lay visitor. Homer's fabulous story has it that the kingdom of Mycenae was dripping in...  see full details