Nauplia & Peloponnese

Venetian-Ottoman-Greek layers on Roman foundations. Greece's first capital after independence, with beautiful old town, fortress, and excellent wine bars. Perfect base for Peloponnese exploration.

What to do there

4 things to do

1. 1 Read Six Civilizations Into One Hill History · Free

   Where: Acronauplia — the ancient acropolis of Nafplio, accessible by foot from the old town (uphill walk, ~30 min) or by car to the parking area near Hotel Xenia on the summit. No entry ticket required.

   What: In the 2nd century AD, the Roman traveler Pausanias walked through Nauplia and found it already half-deserted — he recorded ruins of a Temple of Poseidon and crumbling walls and called it a ghost of its former self. Pausanias was standing inside the Roman province of Achaea, looking at ancient Greek ruins the same way we now stand on Roman foundations and try to imagine the empire. That recursion IS Nafplio. On the west face of the Acronauplia you can still see sections of 4th-century BC polygonal walls — the pre-Roman Greek stonework — then above them Byzantine courses, then Frankish, then Venetian. Six civilizations stacked in one rock face. The Mycenaeans were here first (1600-1100 BC). The Romans came after 146 BC. Pausanias visited c.160 AD. Every era you can name left fingerprints here.

   How: Walk up from Syntagma Square through the stepped alleys into the old town, then follow signs toward 'Acronauplia.' At the west face, look for the irregular polygonal stonework lower down — that is the 4th-century Greek wall. The smoother, more regular courses above it are Venetian. Touch both. Stand at the summit and look across the Argolic Gulf. This is the same view every civilization here used to decide whether to stay or fight.

   Backup: If the uphill walk is too much, drive or take a taxi to the Hotel Xenia car park at the top — the views and wall sections are accessible from there without the climb.

   Log Memory
2. 2 Climb the 857 Steps the Venetians Called 999 Adventure · Price: low

   Where: Palamidi Fortress, Nafplio — the staircase entrance begins near the port parking lot on the eastern edge of the old town. GPS: 37.5572, 22.8025. Alternatively, drive up to the road entrance near the top.

   What: The Venetians completed Palamidi in 1714 — the last major construction project the Venetian empire ever built overseas. Then they lost it to the Ottomans in 1715. Eleven months after finishing it. They never got to enjoy it. The fortress sits 216 meters above the bay on eight independent bastions, and the climb is locally called '999 steps' (it's actually 857 — nobody has wanted to correct the legend). From the top you see the entire Argolic Gulf, the same view that controlled trade and war across this coastline for three thousand years — Mycenaean, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Frankish, Venetian, Ottoman, and Greek again. In the Miltiades Bastion, look for the prison cell where Theodoros Kolokotronis — the Greek general who won independence from the Ottomans — was later imprisoned by the same Greek government he helped create.

   How: Entry €20. Hours vary by season: Nov-Mar 08:30-15:30; May-Aug 08:00-20:00. Start climbing before 9am in summer — the steps are fully exposed to the sun by mid-morning. Bring water. Wear shoes with grip. Allow 1-1.5hrs to climb, 2hrs minimum to explore the fortress. Tel: +30 27520-28036.

   Backup: If mobility is limited, drive to the upper road entrance — a car park sits near the main gate and you can reach the best viewpoints without climbing the full staircase.

   Log Memory
3. 3 Taste the Wine Hercules Drank After Killing the Lion Wine · Price: moderate

   Where: Alkioni Wine Bar & Cellar, 26 Vassileos Alexandrou Street, Nafplio old town (GR 211 00). Open daily from noon until the early hours. Website: alkionicellar.com. Alternatively, drive 35km to Domaine Skouras (10th km Argous-Sternas, Malandreni, GPS 37.6897, 22.6548) for a winery tasting — reservation required, Mon-Fri 9:00-16:30, Sat 10:30-17:30.

   What: In Nemea, the red wine made from Agiorgitiko is nicknamed the 'Blood of Hercules.' The legend: this is where Hercules completed his First Labor — slaying the Nemean Lion, the beast with impenetrable skin that had been ravaging the valley. After the kill, the locals gave him the local wine to drink. That wine, made from Agiorgitiko ('St. George's grape'), has been grown in this valley since at least the 5th century BC. The ancient Nemean Games — one of Greece's four Panhellenic athletic festivals, established 573 BC — were held in a stadium 35km north of Nafplio. Winners received a crown of wild celery. The wine was the celebration. Alkioni stocks 150+ Greek labels including multiple Nemea Agiorgitiko producers. Ask specifically for a high-altitude Nemea (450-600m elevation fruit gives structure) — Domaine Skouras Saint George or Gaia Estate Nemea are the benchmarks. The wine is deep ruby, concentrated red fruit, velvet tannins that finish like iron and earth.

   How: At Alkioni, ask for a Nemea Agiorgitiko flight or order by the glass. No reservation needed. At Domaine Skouras, book online through skouras.gr — the tour includes vineyard walk, cellar, and 4-6 wine tasting with local food. ~€20-30 per person.

   Backup: Any taverna in Nafplio old town will have at least one Nemea Agiorgitiko by the glass. Ask for it specifically and ask the server to tell you the Hercules story — most of them know it and love telling it.

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4. 4 Find the Bullet That Ended Greece's First Government History · Free

   Where: Church of Agios Spyridon, Kapodistriou Street, Nafplio old town. Look for the small post-Byzantine church with the octagonal dome in the heart of the old town maze, approximately 37.5660, 22.7972.

   What: On September 27, 1831, Greece's first head of state — Ioannis Kapodistrias, who had arrived in January 1828 to govern a newly independent country still in civil-war chaos — walked to this church for morning mass. Two members of the Mavromichalis clan were waiting at the entrance. One shot him, one stabbed him. He died in the doorway. The bullet lodged in the wall. Today, it is still there: framed in a brass and glass case on the right side of the entrance. Not a replica. The actual impact mark from that morning. Nafplio was Greece's first capital from 1828 to 1834 — six years later the capital moved to Athens, where it remains. The church is tiny. The bullet hole is small. The weight of it is not.

   How: The church is always accessible from the exterior during daylight hours. The brass-framed bullet mark is on the right side of the main doorway — look for the glass case at approximately eye height as you face the entrance. No fee. No guide needed. Just look to your right as you stand in the doorway where Kapodistrias stood. After this, walk to the adjacent Syntagma Square (2 min) for a coffee at any of the outdoor cafes — the square is Venetian-era and you are surrounded by the same buildings the first Greek government used as offices.

   Backup: If the church is locked (rare), the exterior doorway and the framed bullet mark are visible without entering the building. The plaque on the exterior wall also marks the assassination.

   Log Memory

Insider tips

• Climb to Palamidi Fortress for views

• Wine bars in the old town are excellent

• Perfect overnight base

• Epidaurus ancient theatre nearby