Nafplio Maps

Nafplio is a seaport town in the Peloponnese and capital of the Argolis regional unit. With a population of approximately 14,000, the town served as the first capital of modern Greece from 1829 to 1834, following independence from Ottoman rule. Nafplio is considered one of Greece's most picturesque towns, featuring a blend of Venetian, Ottoman, and neoclassical architecture.

The Palamidi Fortress, built by the Venetians between 1711 and 1714, sits atop a 216-meter hill overlooking the town. The fortress comprises eight self-contained bastions connected by walls, representing one of the finest examples of Venetian military architecture. Visitors must climb 999 steps to reach the fortress from the old town. The smaller Akronafplia fortress, on a lower elevation, contains fortifications from multiple periods, including ancient Greek, Frankish, Venetian, and Ottoman.

The Bourtzi, a small Venetian fortress built in 1473 on an islet in the harbor, served as a defensive position and later as the residence of executioners. The Archaeological Museum of Nafplio, housed in an 18th-century Venetian building, displays artifacts from the Argolid region, including Mycenaean armor. Syntagma Square, the historic center, features elegant Venetian and neoclassical buildings. The old town's narrow streets contain well-preserved Ottoman fountains, Venetian houses with distinctive balconies, and neoclassical mansions. The town was the site of the assassination of Ioannis Kapodistrias, Greece's first head of state, in 1831.