One of the prettiest towns of Greece, Nafplio was the country's first capital after independence from Turkish yoke and has been a major port since the Bronze Age. Due to its highly strategic position, it had three fortresses: the massive principal fortress of Palamidi, the smaller Akronafplia and diminutive Bourtzi on an islet east of the old town. The narrow streets of the old town are filled with elegant Venetian houses and gracious neoclassical mansions, with the setting dominated by the towering Palamidi fortress standing on a 216m-hihg outcrop of rock.

Three separate Venetian fortresses stand within the walls of Palamidi, built between 1711 and 1714. Palamidi affords marvellous views, and one need to tackle the 999 steps to get there the hard way. Alternatively, there is also a road to the fortress.Nafplio hosts a folk music festival in late May and early June featuring both Greek and international performers.

The town is also a a good base for visits to Epidaurus for performances of ancient Greek dramas from June to August.
The town has three important museums: the Popular Art, which won the European Museum of the Year award in 1981 for its displays of traditional textile-producing techniques, the Archaeological, whose collection includes pottery from Neolithic to classical times and finds from Mycenae and Tiryns, and finally the Military Museum, which traces the country's military history from the war of independence onwards.
The town is well equipped in terms of accommodation, with many hotels of all classes, while there are literally dozens of restaurants especially in the old town. There are as many nightclubs and bars to cater for all tastes.

Food and Nightlife in Nafplio
The food in Nafplio is excellent and plentiful. The beautiful alleys of the Old Town hold an endless number of romantic tavernas, lit by soft flood lights and strewn with plants, balconies, and people. The waterfront is lined with fish restaurants that charge as much as €40 per entree. The best dining options are on Staikopoulou, the street inland from Pl. Syndagma, behind the National Bank. Marinopoulos, an excellent modern supermarket, is behind the Filion Internet cafe.
Sights and Beaches in Nafplio
The Old Town's architectural diversity is a historical sight in itself. Pl. Syndagma alone boasts a Venetian mansion, a Turkish mosque, and a Byzantine church, while the alleyways are home to Ottoman fountains, cannons, monuments, and statues. After passing from the Venetians to the Ottomans and back again, in 1821 Nafplion served as headquarters for the Greek revolutionary government and later as Greece's first capital (1821-1834). President John Kapodistrias was assassinated here in Ag. Spyridon Church; the bullet hole is still visible in the church wall. The city's three fortresses stand as testaments to Nafplion's politically checkered past.

Acronafplia Pension
Papanikolaou 8 Str., Nafplio (Argolis)
'Hotel Acronafplia' (3 different locations) is the ideal choice for the visitor of the town of Nafplio. More…

Panorama Tolo Studios
Tolo, Nafplio (Peleponnese)
Our hotel is in one of the most beautiful villages, built on the foot of a hill, 250 meters away from the sea, in one of the cleanest coasts of Argolikos gulf, a few km away from Nafplio, Argos... More…

Nafplio Museums
Nafplio's Folklore Museum, is exemplary and is housed in a lovely yellow building in the heart of the Old Town on Sofrani. The award-winning collection includes an exhibit devoted to fashion. (Tel:2752028379. Open W-M 9am-3pm. €4, students and children €2).
The Archaeological Museum, in the former Venetian armory in Pl. Syndagma, has a small but esteemed collection of pottery and idols from Mycenaean sites, plus a Mycenaean suit of bronze armor. (Tel:275202 502. Open Tu-Su 8:30am-3pm. €2, students and seniors €1l, EU students and children free.)
The fascinating Komboloi Museum, Staikopoulou 25, in the heart of the Old Town, allows visitors to explore all facets of the famous Greek komboloi, or worry beads. Hundreds are on display and for sale. (Tel/fax 27520 21618. Open Tu-Su 9am4pm. Free.)
The Military Museum, toward the New Town from Syndagma on Amalias, displays artifacts and black-and-white photos from the burning of Smyrna, the population exchanges of the 1920s, and World War I and II. Tel:2752025591. Open Tu-Su 9am-2pm. Free.)