Trip to Greece: The history of Nafplio

Nafplio is an active city in continental Greece, which belongs to the Peloponnese region and the province of Argolis. In Nafplio, the Venetian influence is evident (for them, this city is called Napoli di Romania) and it became, without a doubt, a tourist town. So, on a trip to Greece, this destination MUST be included in your itinerary.

Nafplio is located in a place of great beauty, on a peninsula behind which are the hills of Palamidi and Acronauplia, with their fortifications; Acropolis of Argos and the mountains of Mycenae are outlined on the other side of the bay. The surrounding region is of the greatest archaeological interest.

On the north side of a rocky peninsula that penetrates the Gulf of Argos is the oldest part of the city, with narrow streets where buildings erected by Greeks, Venetians, Turks, Francs and Byzantines align. The flat area in the center is sheltered by the cliff, which is adorned by the Palamedes fortress, an imposing symbol of Venetian power in the early 18th century.

In ancient times, Nafplio was a city of little importance, even though it was founded by the legendary hero Nauplius. During the Middle Age, it was highly coveted and became a scene of hard fighting; between the years 1210 and 1377 it was a free feud; it belonged to Venice from 1388 to 1540, after which it was conquered by the Turks.

In 1686 it was recovered for Venice by Francesco Morosini, who reinforced its walls and promoted the increase of its population. It became the capital of the department of Romania, which included Argos, Corinth and Tripoli, receiving the name of Neapolis from Romania. In 1715 it fell back to Turkish rule. After the Greek insurrection against the Turks, it was the capital of Greece from 1829 to 1834, welcoming King Otto in 1833. However, it was the first city to rise up against the king in 1862.