Old town and Archaeological Museum

What it is

Nafplio's old town occupies a peninsula jutting into the Argolic Gulf, below the rock of Akronafplia and with Palamidi above. It is a city to explore on foot: narrow streets, churches, neoclassical mansions and Syntagma Square in the middle. It was the first official capital of modern Greece, from 1827 to 1834, and much of that history is told in its streets. The stroll is free; you only pay for the Archaeological Museum.

A little history for the walk

Nafplio was the port of ancient Argos. In the Middle Ages it passed to the Frankish crusaders, who took it in 1212, and in 1388 it was sold to Venice, which called it Napoli di Romania and extended and fortified the lower town. The Ottomans occupied it in 1540; Venice recovered it in 1685 and built Palamidi, and in 1715 it returned to Turkish hands. After more than a year of siege, the Greeks took it during the War of Independence and it became the seat of the provisional government.

Ioannis Kapodistrias, first head of state of liberated Greece, landed here in January 1828 and made it the capital. On 9 October 1831 he was assassinated by members of the Mavromichalis family on the steps of the church of Saint Spyridon, in the old town. In 1834 King Otto moved the capital to Athens.

The route

1. Syntagma Square. Start in Constitution Square, the heart of the old town, with cafés and terraces. On its west side stands the three-storey Venetian arsenal, now the Archaeological Museum.

2. Saint Spyridon. Look for the church where Kapodistrias was killed. It is a working church: go in with shoulders covered and in silence.

3. The upper streets. Climb the flights of steps towards the slope of Akronafplia: it is the quietest part, with views over the rooftops.

4. The harbour. Go down to the harbour promenade to see Bourtzi on its islet and finish at Filellinon Square.

From the old town start the stairway up to Palamidi and the Arvanitia promenade around the rock.

The Archaeological Museum

The museum occupies the Venetian arsenal on Syntagma Square. The first floor shows prehistory: tools from Franchthi Cave, in the Hermionid, together with remains of what its inhabitants ate, shells and fish bones, which explain the transition from hunter-gatherers to farmers. The second floor brings together objects from historical times. The star piece is the Dendra panoply, from the 15th century BC, the best-preserved Mycenaean bronze armour in existence.

• Opening hours: 8:30 to 15:30 all year. Closed on Tuesdays, as well as 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Easter Sunday and 25 and 26 December. Last entry is 20 minutes before closing.
• Tickets: €10, reduced €5. Under-25s from the EU enter free with ID. It is free for everyone, among other days, on the first and third Sunday of each month from November to March.
• Accessibility: there is a lift.
• Duration: allow an hour.

You can buy your ticket online on the Hellenic Heritage ticketing website.

When to go and how long

Between the stroll and the museum, two to three hours. The museum closes at 15:30: visit it in the morning and leave the street stroll for the afternoon, when it cools down and the terraces fill. At night, without cars, is when the old town looks its best.

Getting there and parking

There is no parking inside the old town. Leave the car in the free harbour car park, about 350 m from Syntagma Square. If you arrive by bus from Athens, the KTEL station is a short walk from the centre.

With children

The streets are flat in the lower part and have steps in the upper part: with a pushchair, stay down below. In the museum, the Dendra armour is usually what grabs them most.

Eating and sleeping in the old town

For eating, Aiolos has tables in an alley and oven cooking, Kipos is on Filellinon Square and Vyzantio on a street above the harbour. Sleeping inside, at Aetoma or Ippoliti, leaves everything within walking distance.