Peloponnese
Nafplio
The prettiest base in the mainland Peloponnese: sleep inside the Venetian old town, climb Palamidi before the heat, and run Mycenae and Epidaurus as easy half-days.
Best length
2-3 nights
Nearest airport
Athens (ATH), ~165km / ~2h by road
Airport to town
KTEL bus via Kifissos ~2h50; private transfer ~2h
Best base
Old town near Syntagma Square; waterfront if you want flat ground
In short
Nafplio at a glance
Nafplio is the prettiest base in the mainland Peloponnese: stay inside the Venetian old town, climb Palamidi first thing before the heat, and treat the town as a slow two- or three-night romantic stop with Mycenae and Epidaurus as easy half-day trips. You do not strictly need a car for the town itself, but one makes the archaeological sites far less painful.
The short version
- Stay inside the old town between Syntagma Square and the waterfront so everything is a flat walk; pick a hillside room under Akronafplia only if you are happy with steps.
- Climb the 900-odd steps up to Palamidi early morning or late afternoon, not at midday in summer, and carry water.
- There is no airport at Nafplio: come from Athens by KTEL bus (about 18 EUR all-in via Kifissos) or a private transfer (around 180-210 EUR), roughly two hours either way.
- Hire a car for a day or two if you want Mycenae and Epidaurus without tour-bus timings; the town itself you do on foot.
- Two to three nights is right: enough for the fortresses, the Bourtzi boat, an Arvanitia swim and the two big archaeological sites.
Nafplio is the mainland Peloponnese’s prettiest town and Greece’s first modern capital, which is why it punches above its size: a flat, marble-paved old town wedged between two Venetian fortresses and the sea. The appeal is a slow one. You climb Palamidi for the view in the cool of the morning, swim off the Arvanitia rocks, eat at a square-side taverna, and take the evening volta around Syntagma with everyone else. There is no big-ticket sight to queue for and no airport to fly into, so the trick is to lower the pace and let the town set the rhythm.
Two to three nights is the right length. That gives you the fortresses, the little Bourtzi island in the harbour, a beach afternoon at Karathona, and a day out to Mycenae and Epidaurus — the two great Argolid sites that make Nafplio such a good base. The town itself you do entirely on foot; the friction is everything outside it, which is why a day’s car hire or a guided tour usually beats trying to bus your way around the archaeology.
Below, the structured planning — where to stay across the old town, what each fortress and site costs, how to get in from Athens airport without overpaying, and a realistic budget in pounds — picks up from here.
Keep a first trip focused: book the big timed sights, then leave room for neighbourhoods and food.
Top things to do in Nafplio
Bourtzi
Bourtzi is the little Venetian island fortress sitting in Nafplio's harbour, reached by a short shuttle boat from the quay — around €7 return for the boat, plus a small entry fee. It's best seen as a 30–40 minute add-on: a quick crossing, a wander round the walls, and the real prize, the view back at the old town from the water. Don't expect a big monument; expect good photos and a pleasant ten-minute hop.
Palamidi Fortress
Climb the staircase from Nafplio old town in the cool of early morning, or drive the back road to the gate if the heat or the steps put you off — both end at the same ticket booth. Entry is now €20 (reduced €10), a steep rise from the old €8, so factor that in. Allow 1.5-2 hours to walk the eight bastions and the views down over the bay, and avoid the midday sun on the unshaded ramparts.
Where to stay first
The areas that make a first visit easier — not an exhaustive directory.
Old town (around Syntagma Square)
££ mid-rangeThe flat, walkable heart between the square and the waterfront. This is where you want to be on a first trip: tavernas, the museum and the harbour boats are all a few minutes on the level. Pricier and can be noisy on summer nights near the bars, but it saves you the hill every day.
Best for: First-timers, couples, short stays
Akronafplia slopes
£££ premiumThe stepped lanes climbing the rock above the old town. Rooms here come with the best views over the rooftops and gulf, and a real quiet at night, but you pay for it in stairs with luggage. Choose it for the views, not if anyone in your group struggles with steps.
Best for: Views, quiet, repeat visitors
Waterfront / harbour
££ mid-rangeThe flattest, most accessible base, right on the promenade with the Bourtzi boats and sunset views on your doorstep. Less atmospheric than the lanes behind it and busier with passing foot traffic, but the easiest arrival if you are coming by bus with bags.
Best for: Accessibility, easy arrival, sea views
Pronia / new town
£ valueThe everyday Greek suburb east of the old town near the bus station. Cheaper and more local, with no tourist mark-up, but a 10-15 minute walk from the pretty bit and short on charm. Worth it only if budget or self-catering space matters more than the old-town setting.
Best for: Budget, longer stays, drivers
Airport to city centre
| Option | Time | Cost | Book ahead? |
|---|---|---|---|
| KTEL bus via Athens (Kifissos station) | ~2h50 total | about 18 EUR (X93 airport bus ~5.50 EUR + Kifissos-Nafplio ~13 EUR) | Cheapest; involves a change at Kifissos |
| Private transfer / taxi from Athens airport | ~2h | usually 180-210 EUR | Easiest door-to-door, good with luggage or a group |
| Hire car from Athens airport | ~2h drive | from ~30-45 EUR/day plus fuel and tolls | Best if you also want Mycenae, Epidaurus and the wider Peloponnese |
| KTEL bus from Athens (Kifissos) only | ~1h50 | about 13 EUR single | If you are already in central Athens, not at the airport |
When to go
Sweet spot: May, June, September and early October are the sweet spot: temperatures in the low-to-mid 20s for climbing Palamidi and walking the sites, sea still warm enough to swim in October, and none of the August furnace heat. April adds spring colour but cooler water.
July and August are hot (often above 30C), busiest around Syntagma Square and worst for the midday Palamidi climb; come for the weather but plan fortress and site visits for early morning. Winter is mild, quiet and cheap but a town-and-history trip rather than a beach one, and some boats and tours wind down. It is a year-round weekend town, fullest on summer weekends with Athenians.
What it costs
There are no flights to Nafplio itself; you fly to Athens. UK return fares to Athens are often £50-£140 outside school holidays when booked ahead, with summer and late booking pushing them well above that. Budget a couple of hours each way on top for the Athens-Nafplio leg.
Daily budget per person
Nafplio is cheaper than the popular islands for food: a full taverna meal with house wine runs roughly 18-25 EUR, a gyros 4-6 EUR. The avoidable cost is the airport transfer, where a private taxi (180-210 EUR) costs ten times the bus. If you are happy with one change, the KTEL bus is the value move.
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Nafplio FAQs
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