One Day in Nafplio, Greece

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It might not have the popularity of Athens or Santorini, or be one of the Greek islands you need to visit, but as we discovered during our one day in Nafplio, the town is still a favorite destination for those seeking picturesque scenery and history.

We had never heard of the coastal city until we saw that it was on our Adriatic cruise itinerary.

Why spend a day in Nafplion?

Folklore Foundation sign saying Greek Town: Nafplion 1822-1922

We pulled out the computer and had a session with Rabbi Google … only to find out that Nafplion is also called Nafplio and Návplion, which made everything pretty darn confusing. But once we got beyond all that, our research showed us that crystal clear, aquamarine waters, quaint shops, and long scenic walks would await us there.

It’s also a great base for day trips to many of Greece’s most famous archaeological sites (the first two are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites):

  • Mycenae—the capital of Mycenaean civilization, which dominated the eastern Mediterranean world from the 15th to the 12th century B.C. and played a vital role in the development of classical Greek culture.
  • Epidaurus—a vast site devoted to the Greek gods of healing, with buildings that are considered one of the purest masterpieces of Greek architecture.
  • Ancient Corinth—one of the most important cities of ancient Greece, also famous as the site of Paul’s 1st-century missionary journeys.

Lots of history here, guys, both ancient and modern. Since the days of Jesus this town has changed hands a few times. It has been under everything from Turkish to French, Italian and finally Greek rule. An important bit of history is that back in the early 1800s, Nafplio was actually the first capital of modern Greece.

Our day in Nafplio

Nafplion's main plaza, Syntagma Square.

Every one of the excursions our cruise ship offered would have been interesting. However, as you may know, we aren’t too fond of big tour groups. We prefer to strike out on our own to explore and see what a local town has to offer.

We had made friends with another couple on the cruise ship, Celia and I bonding over the fact that both of our husbands are photographers. Jim laughed when we handed us his card; his website is called The Way I See It. Celia is of Greek heritage, and I had asked her to help me learn a few words of the language when we were at our first Greek port, Kerkyra (Corfu). We decided to spend the day together, again.

Spoiler alert: Nafplio was a treat. For such a small port we were surprised at the wide variety of things to do and see.

As usual, we started our day by striking out on foot, beginning with a own self-guided pedestrian tour through the town. (In other words: No idea where we’re going, nowhere we have to be). We really just wanted to be in the moment and enjoy.

The shuttle bus dropped us off in a parking lot not far from Syntagma Square. A lot of Greek main plazas share that name, much as main avenues are often named High Street or Main Street. Syntagma means “constitution.” Greeks are rightfully proud of the fact that their country is a republic.

1. The great road, megalos dromos

one day in nafplio Destinations, Europe, Greece, Itineraries

Shooting off from the main square is a pretty pedestrian street, Vas. Konstantinos. At least, that’s what the official signs say it is. The Nafpliots, however call it megalos dromos, “great road,” because it is the main thoroughfare through Nafplio. As such, many of our fellow cruise passengers made a beeline for it.

Lemmings? Not us. The four of us rolled our eyes and headed in the opposite direction.

As we strolled through the beautiful old town, we noticed that it is packed with intriguing museums and inviting restaurants everywhere, and not just on the Great Road.

Soon, Where to eat? … Where to eat? … kept popping into my mind. I was already thinking about that Greek salad I’d become enamored of, and looking forward to my next one. This was going to be a long morning: We’d only just finished our breakfast.

ALSO READ:
My Big, Fat Greek Salad (Recipe from Greece)

Nafplio’s colorful bougainvillea-laden passageways, weathered buildings and well-worn cobblestone streets heard more than their shares of clicks and whirs as the two cameras eagerly captured every shot.

We wives, in the meantime, shared sighs of relief that the old town area is pedestrian only. It’s really nice when you don’t need to listen for approaching cars.

2. Church of St. George

fresco and chandelier inside Nafplio Cathedral

Wherever we visit, we make an effort to visit a few local worship sites. Here, most people worship in Greek Orthodox churches. They are always beautiful.

The Church of Saint George (Nafplio Cathedral) was a particularly impressive church. Its beautiful frescoes date from Venetian times.

Golden Throne of King Otto

Remember how I mentioned that Nafplio was Greece’s first capital? Alongside its beautiful frescoes, this church also has a genuine royal throne!

Otto, Greece’s first king, who ruled the country from Nafplio in 1832 to 1834, used it when he attended mass here.

3. Nafplio farmers market

Every Saturday and Wednesday, from early morning until lunchtime, there is a huge market on 25. Martiou Street in Nafplio, which they call “Ialki”.

Farmer's market in Nafplion
Four-liter plastic jugs of red and white wine
This is how to buy wine!
oil-soaked grape leaves in crock
Grape leaves

These stalls are filled with all the essentials directly from the producers. We’re talking not only colorful vegetables and fresh fruit, but honey, wine, olives, dried herbs, and fish as well. And that was just the beginning of what was available for sale.

(Confession: I had a hard time choosing which photos to include here.)

Woman making a purchase at a stall
one day in nafplio Destinations, Europe, Greece, Itineraries

Nafpliot housewives (and a few husbands) walked among the stalls, asking about the quality of the vegetables, wine and grape leaves, carrying their purchases and greeting others whom they knew.

4. Palamidi Fortress

looking up at the fortress from down in the town.

One sight was ever-present during our walk: the impressive fortress that looms over the town. It was built by the Venetians in 1714, but apparently it wasn’t very effective because the Turks attacked and defeated it the following year. A century later when they began to use the fortress as a prison they built a staircase up to the castle, courtesy of prisoner labor. (They claim that it has 999 steps, but that’s an exaggeration; there are actually “only” 857.)

ⓘ TIP: If you plan to climb the stairs to the top, start in the morning while they are in shadow. Don’t forget to bring water!

5. Nafplio City tour bus

Aboard the open top tour bus in Nafplio

We wanted to visit the fortress, but not at the risk of ruining our cruise experience with four pairs of sore legs the next day! Instead, we took advantage of the Nafplion open-top tour bus. For €8 (approx. US $9.50), we’d save our legs and a bunch of time.

That meant we only needed to climb three steps to get to the castle—the ones to get on the bus!

The nice thing about hop-on/hop-off buses like this is that it’s an easy way to get from place to place. Plus, the recorded tour (available in 8 languages) gives more context and tells you about the sights you’re passing. Learn more here.

ⓘ TIP: Bring your favorite set of earbuds for optimal sound quality. Besides, the free earphones aren’t very comfortable.

6. The Lion of Bavaria

Lion of Bavaria, Nafplio

One of the sites that was highlighted on our tour bus was an impressive carving of a lion that seems to be sleeping. I’d guess it’s one of the most-photographed sites in Nafplio. Carved into a cliff, it was commissioned by King Ludwig of Bavaria (father of Otto, the first King of Greece—remember him?).

Inscribed beneath the sculpture is a commentary that memorializes its significance. It was commissioned to commemorate the Bavarian soldiers in Otto’s escort who died during a typhoid epidemic that devastated the town in 1833.

7. The Land Gate

picturesque gate in Nafplio, Greece
The Venetians constructed the Land Gate, which explains why the winged lion of St. Mark (the symbol of Venice) sits above the opening. The poor guy has lost its head and tail, though.

Our bus took us past the Land Gate, which at one time was only one entrance into the (walled) city of Nafplion. It earned its name because there was once a moat in front of the gate.

Small Greek town near Nafplio, surrounded by barren mountains and a few trees.
Dan took a beautiful shot of a nearby town on the way up to the fortress.

The Venetians had a no-nonsense rule that the drawbridge would close immediately at sunset. No exceptions. This meant that anyone who reached the gate after dark couldn’t enter the city. They had to seek shelter outside the walls overnight.

8. Castle of Acronafplia (and the fortress)

I’ve already told you about Palamidi Fortress. When the bus got to its gates, we hopped off to get a close-up look. With a whole hour until the next bus, we had plenty of time to look around. As one of the best preserved citadels we’ve ever seen, it was worth the price of admission (€8).

Too late, we discovered the Castle of Acronafplia, which was on the other side of the fortress. The castle dates from the Bronze age and once enclosed the entire town of Nafplio within its walls. You can read more about it here.

I’d like to tell you about it myself, but we wanted to catch the next bus and spent too much time at the fortress. (Buses run every hour.) Personally, I thought it would have been the more interesting of the two.

Here are some photos of the fortress:

one day in nafplio Destinations, Europe, Greece, Itineraries
one day in nafplio Destinations, Europe, Greece, Itineraries
one day in nafplio Destinations, Europe, Greece, Itineraries

And oh, the views! If nothing else, the Castle and Fortress are worth a visit for the vistas of the surrounding countryside.

one day in nafplio Destinations, Europe, Greece, Itineraries

9. Nafplio beaches

Greece's Adriatic coastline

One tourism website promises that “beaches in Nafplio come in such an abundance that you will no doubt find one that meets all your expectations.”

For those of you who like to mix a bit of beachgoing into your holiday, you’ll find plenty of options in the area. I’m told that the most popular beaches in Nafplion are Tolo, Kandia and Nea Kios. If that’s not your style, you can find more beaches here.

10. Shopping along the Great Road and exploring the town

We wholeheartedly agree: Enjoying the inviting seaside for the second half of a day in Nafplio sounds like a great plan. In theory. But no sand and sea for me, unfortunately.

My fair skin doesn’t know how to do “bronzed.” As soon as it notices that I’m in a swimsuit, my skin goes straight from pale to lobster red. So we went for Plan B: a little window shopping along the Great Road … and a whole lot more exploring.

We spent the rest of our afternoon in an old part of Navplio that was full of interesting, photo-worthy architecture, then headed back to the ship.

one day in nafplio Destinations, Europe, Greece, Itineraries
one day in nafplio Destinations, Europe, Greece, Itineraries
one day in nafplio Destinations, Europe, Greece, Itineraries
one day in nafplio Destinations, Europe, Greece, Itineraries

Plan your Nafplio itinerary

  • The official Nafplio tourism website can be found here.
  • Get Your Guide offers dozens of affordable, custom activities and tours in and around Nafplio. Some surprised me. Click here to see them all.
  • For more sightseeing, see our Nafplio photo gallery.
  • See Nafplio from the air on Google Maps here. Zoom, scroll around and explore!

Places to stay in Nafplio overnight

If you’re planning to stay overnight, you’ll need a Nafplio hotel. Travel styles and budgets differ, though. Whether you prefer a hotel, hostel, or vacation rental, this map will help you find the best accommodation for your visit.

people walking down shiny pedestrian shopping street with bougainvillea overhead

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Written by Linda

Linda is multilingual and has been to over 50 countries. Her insatiable love of travel, cuisine, and foreign languages inspired her to create As We Saw It, where she documents her trips, shares practical itineraries, and offers insider tips. She’s passionate about helping fellow travelers save time, money, and hassle, and loves to discover new places to explore.

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6 thoughts on “One Day in Nafplio, Greece”

  1. I’m ashamed to say but I haven’t even heard of Nafplio. It’s definitely a city I’d love to visit. As it seems, it’s worth spend more than just a day there, especially since it makes a great base for visiting many of Greece’s famous archaeological sites.

  2. Great post, I loved the pics! I’ve been to Nafplion once. I still remember how my legs were shaking after getting down those hundred steps on foot. Memorable days <3

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