Trips throughout Greece

Athens - Pireaus - Cape Sounion - Poros - Santorini - Zakynthos - Rhodes - Mikonos - Delos - Corinth - Theater of Epidauro - Nafplio - Mycenae - Delphi - Arahova - Ioannina - Vikos Gorges - Meteora - Messenia and Peloponnesus

We reached the village and we went directly to the tourist office. We were afraid of problems in finding accommodation because it is a quite frequented destination by Athenians and this weekend was perfect for them. We were lucky. The man in the office told us that he had one free room with a nice price. Oddly the owner of the house was his brother-in-law. We didn't mind that the man in the office makes use of his position to do business because the price and the place were acceptable and this way of carrying things wasn't unknown for us.

Nafplio is an old and calm village, dominated by the Palamedes' stronghold, and situated in front of the gulf of Argolid and the Peloponnesus mountains on the other side.

As habitually in Greece , the place keeps a curious legend history. Palamedes was the son of the founder of Nafplio and grandson of Poseidon. It was considered as the king of the inventors and his contemporary mates attributed to him the invention of the lighthouse, the currency, the weight scales, the military tactics or even the alphabetical order (that it was really introduced in Greece by a Phoenician called Cadmo). He created the dices and the chess to distract the soldiers during the Troy war, where he participated. Ulysses and Diomedes, very jealous of his talent finally killed him.
The Venetian controlled the place from 1388 until they couldn't resist the Turkish pulling in 1540. Again in 1686 the Venetian reconquered the city and it started a period of intense construction of churches, houses, and commercial or administrative buildings. The magnificent stronghold was erected during this period. In 1715 a huge Turkish army of 100.000 people invaded and sacked the city, and they carried out a slaughter among the citizens.
The Greek revolution started in 1821. The Greek fleet blocked the bay and conquered Nafplio in 1822. Since then it became a resistance focus against Turkey . In 1828 Capo d´Istria, the first governor of Greece , arrived into Nafplio.

In 1829 the city was selected as capital of Greece. In 1831 Capo d´Istria was assassinated buy his political enemies and the powers of this moment ( France , England and Russia ) chose the son of Louis I of Bavaria (Oton of Bavaria), as the sovereign. The reign of Oton allowed the construction of several neo-classic buildings that imprint in Nafplio this aristocratic air.

This is a village that invites to walk and relax. The historical centre is very beautiful and luminous, mostly pedestrian, full with shops, taverns and terraces.
We saw a pub really astonishing that I have to mention because the owner has filled it with utensils and junks, giving a very original aspect. If in any occasion you come to Nafplio and you pass in front of it, don't worry because you will recognize it.

In the centre they sell many typical Greek products and for instance there are some stores dedicated to an only thing, such as the honey, that is delicious in this country. We stopped as well in another shop selling the "komboloi", something similar to a rosary that the Greeks use to play with the hands, instead of to pray. You will notice many Greeks playing with these objects and it is one of the most common souvenirs.

This shop was different from those present in the Athens district of Plaka, because in Nafplio we observed real Greeks buying the customized komboloi, looking at the aspect, checking the weight, handling it, choosing the texture and colours. It is a whole ritual that the foreigners don't understand when we go to buy a souvenir.

The old town offers you its terraces to have a coffee or an ice cream. It keeps some interesting spots. Syndagma square is the village heart and you can contemplate the Palamedes' stronghold and the hill from here. Historical buildings surround the square: an ancient mosque where the first Greek assemble was held (1822), a Venetian maritime store from the 17th century, etc. It was a political forum during the revolution.

There is also a cathedral inside the village, from 16th century in a Venetian and Byzantine style that keeps the throne of Oton. There are several narrow streets ascending towards the Acronafplia (the other stronghold in the village). Among those streets we found the medieval church of the Franks , an ancient chapel of a monastery, lately transformed into a mosque that finished depending on the catholic church again.

We also walked near the Saint Spiridon church (from 1702), where Capo d´IStria was assassinated in 1831.
The Acronafplia is a Greek citadel at 90 m. height. It belonged to Franks and Venetians. It housed the hospital, some barracks and jails, but we didn't see that because we preferred to have a look to the Palamedes' stronghold, much more impressive.
While returning to the lowest village we continued enjoying the old slender colourful houses .

The walk near the sea is fantastic, and it is close from the old town. The sea walk is very lively and crowded, full of terraces to have a cup, a coffee or an ice cream. The sightseeings are superb, with the Peloponnesus on the background of the gulf and the fortified islet of Bourdzi in the middle. The Venetians fortified this islet in 1471 to protect the harbour. It can be visited as well.

The sea walk goes on along a path that surrounds the wall of the village and gives fantastic panoramas of the Palamedes' stronghold and a small beach. We continued around the village and we arrived to the first step of the upstairs way to Palamedes.
Be careful and have a look to a poster at this point showing the timetables, this you will avoid disappointing surprises at the summit after the great effort. I suggest to ascend early in the morning, when the hot is bearable. It is a hard way up and we needed to make some stops.

The fortress comes from the second Venetian occupation (from 1686) and it dominates the surroundings from a 200 m. height. It is a sort of labyrinth of towers, vaults and secret passages. It can be divided in 8 parts designed each one to self survive separately in case that the enemy occupies some parts.

The yard is quite interesting and it is the starting point. The sightseeing during the way up and down is splendid, marvellous. You cover with the sight the Peloponneus mountains, the gulf, Nafplio and the Argolid's plain.

We ate nearby the bus station and afterwards we left towards Mycenae.
Nafplio can be enjoyed in one day, but it is so nice that encourage staying for longer. The visit to the stronghold is better when the hot is not so strong.
Nafplio is a magnificent spot to make excursions to Mycenae or Epidaurus.