Greece - Korina Miller [133]
BEACHES
Arvanitia Beach is a small pebble beach just 10 minutes’ walk south of town, tucked beside the Akronafplia fortress. If you’re feeling energetic, you can follow a path east around the coast for about an hour (roughly 3km) to sandy Karathona Beach, at the far side of the Palamidi fortress. The walk is extremely pretty, as would be the beach if it weren’t for the litter.
Festivals & Events
Nafplio hosts a classical music festival (www.nafplionfestival.gr) to changing dates between late May and July featuring Greek and international performers. The Palamidi fortress is one of the concert venues.
The town is also a good base for visits to Epidavros for performances at the famous theatre during the Epidavros Festival (Click here) in July and August, part of the larger cultural Hellenic Festival.
Sleeping
BUDGET
The old town is the most interesting place to be, although budget accommodation is limited.
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BOUTIQUE HOTELS
Nafplio’s boutique-hotel industry has exploded over the past few years. These renovated former mansions cater to the moneyed Athenians and weekend out-of-towners. Most hotels have four to eight (often cramped) rooms with contemporary, period or kitsch furnishings. Prices include cable TV. Note: all have steep internal stairs. We’ve found that with time, hotel interiors are not always being maintained to their standards. Among the plethora of boutique hotels on offer, the following are worth considering (it’s a coincidence that many begin with alpha – A):
Aetoma ( 27520 27373; www.nafplionhotel.com; Plateia Agios Spiridonos 2; d incl breakfast €90-110, tr €130; ) Small, but comfortable, with dark, heavy and stylish furnishings.
Adiandi ( 27520 22073; www.hotel-adiandi.com; Othonos 31; r incl breakfast €110-120; ) Rooms in this fun and upmarket place are quirkily decorated with artistic door bedheads and contemporary decor. A funky cafe-cum-breakfast room is downstairs.
Amimone ( 27520 99477; www.amymone.gr; Othonos 39; s €65-75, d €80-90, incl breakfast; ) Owned by the proprietor of Adiandi, this place has colourful rooms with more traditional touches such as wrought iron bedsteads.
Hotel Latini ( 27520 96470; www.latinihotel.gr; s/d/ste incl breakfast €75/90/140; ) Overlooking the pretty Plateia Agiou Nikolaou, with sunny, airy rooms and great views.
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Hotel Economou ( 27520 23955; Argonafton 22; dm/s €10/20, d €25-30) A fairly basic but clean and adequate place to stay, caught in a ’70s time warp. The welcoming elderly owners speak English.
Dimitris Bekas ( 27520 24594; Efthimiopoulou 26; s/d/tr €23/29/40) A good, central budget option. The clean, homey rooms have a top-value location on the slopes of the Akronafplia.
Hotel Leto ( 27520 28093; www.leto-hotel.com; Zigomala 28; s/d/tr €45/60/90) More personality on the outside than the inside (the interiors are c 1980s) but it’s in an attractive position in the old part of town.
MIDRANGE
Hotel Byron ( 27520 22351; www.byronhotel.gr; Platonos 2; d €60-80, tr €90; ) Occupying a fine Venetian building, the Byron is a reliable favourite, with neat rooms, iron bedsteads and period furniture. Breakfast costs €5.
Hotel Nafsimedon ( 27520 25060; www.nafsimedon.gr; Sidiras Merarhias 9; s €60-70, d €82-120, tr €105-140, incl breakfast; ) These unpretentious lodgings in a fine neoclassical mansion feature antique rugs, timber floorboards and faded period furniture.
Hotel Rex ( 27520 26907; www.rex-hotel.gr; Bouboulinas 21; s €70, d €80, tr €110) Based in the new town, this is a modern alternative to the older Venetian-style options. Often booked out by groups.
Pension Marianna ( 27520 24256; www.pensionmarianna.gr; Potamianou 9; s €70, d €85, tr €100, incl breakfast; ) This delightful, great-value abode – a bright yellow icon