Apr 25, 2012 - Nafplion, Greece

April 25, Navplion, Greece Today was a relaxing day. We tendered ashore with our dinner mates Bonita and Robert and then wandered this small city using Rick Steves' guided walk and map. Navplion, established by the Venetians, was the first capital city of the Greek kingdom. It is the gateway to such ancient cities as Mycenae, Epidauris and Corinth, on the Pelopennesian Peninsula. It is full of references to and beliefs in Greek mythology: Hercules, Zeus, Pegasus, Agammenon. (Made me wish I'd retained more from my high school World History...

Oct 5, 2011 - Nafplio

I am in the town of Nafplio, which I think is my favorite place on the tour so far. It's a bit touristy, but the old town is quite pretty, with narrow, marble streets and brightly painted buildings. Like many other places I've been on this trip, It was a Venetian port, and has 3 different forts. One on an island in the harbor and two on hills above the town. This town was also the first capital of independent Greece in the early 1800's after independence from the Turks. Luckily for Naflpio, the capital was moved to Athens, or this town...

Feb 22, 2011 - Nafplio - Feb 21-22

February 21, 2011 (continued) Our time in the Peloponnese is going to spent travelling around a lot of the ancient sites and so we find ourselves changing hotels almost daily. We left our hotel this morning and headed to Ancient Corinth. At least, we attempted to head to Ancient Corinth but the lack of road signs meant we ended up on the toll road without an exit for about 15km knowing we were going the wrong way! Having paid the toll on the way out and then again on our return leg, we were surprised to see signs coming from this direction....

Nov 28, 2010 - Palamidi Fort

@@@@@@@ Background The Venetians built the vast Palamidi Fort in three short years from 1711 to 1714. It occupies a strategic position with views over the surrounding landscape as well as the sea, 216m below the summit. This military masterpiece is impressive enough from the old town of Nafplio, spread around the base of the vast outcropping of rock on which the fortress stands, but its true size and number of bastions can only be appreciated once a visitor scales the rumoured 999 steps to the top. The Agios Andreas Bastion, which can be...

Nov 22, 2010 - Nafplion

Today was a travel day. We leave Athens and head for Nafplion. A short walk from our hotel in Athens down to the Avis car rental agency. Pick up the caR and head off down the road. OK, everything you may ever have heard about driving in Greece is absolutely, 100%, no doubt about it, correct!!! A hair raising experience and not for the faint hearted!! not only did we have to contend with a left hand drive vehicle, and driving on the right side of the road, and trying to read road signs in Greek, but it soon became apparent that Greek drivers...

Nov 18, 2010 - Nafplio

@@@@@@@ Background Nafplio has a population of less that 14,000 but it appears that most of the citizens live in what I would call the new town. The original town is reputed to be one of the prettiest and most endearing in all of Greece. The narrow streets are lined with multi-story Venetian-style homes, historic churches and even some elegant mansions. The location of Nafplio is second to none; sitting below the towering Palamidi fortress, just over a low hill from an endearing Aegean pebbled beach; nestled next to a small port that has...

Oct 16, 2008 - Nafplio, Greece

Once again we found a great campground on a beach - Camp Triton II. It had the cleanest washrooms we have seen yet and amazing cooking and food storage facilities. Our site was across the road from the beach and right beside a semi-permanent resident. She was an 80 year old widow from England who lives in a sort of trailer with an added-on kitchen and living room. She lives there 9 months of the year and has a grandaughter and great-grandchildren living in the village nearby. She invited us for tea and had baked some spinach and some apple...

Sep 30, 2008 - Nafplio, Greece

Ravi -- If we thought that figuring out the Greek ferry schedules ahead of time was tough, trying to plan land trips on the mainland of Greece was just as infuriating! We arrived into the Athens port suburb of Piraeus before the sun rose well rested after a smooth night ferry, on which we sprung a few extra euro for a cabin so that we could (successfully) have a decent night’s sleep. Our goal was to reach our base town of Nafplio in the Peloponnese region west of Athens. Little information was available online to figure out how to get...

Aug 22, 2007 - Nafplio

Nafplio era una ciudad comercial veneciana. Es simpatica, con un par de fuertes sobre un cerro con vistas muy buenas. Ademas esta el tipico malecon lleno de cafes/restaurantes, fuentes, plazas, parques, etc., pero creo que no tan bonitas como las de Creta.