Bus to Nafplio

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Caught a morning bus out of Athens for Nafplio, a small seaside town on the Peloponnese. It was a beautiful drive. We followed the coastal highway along the Gulf of Megara, and then cut inland at Corinth. A very stark, dry landscape, with a lot of goats wandering around on rocks. It's only a couple hours drive, and got in around 2ish.

Nafplio is one of the most beautiful towns I've been to. It's incredibly small and quaint, and really only has a tiny downtown full of restaurants and shops that go all the way up to the water. It's a town made for relaxation. I have a great room, too, at the Isioni Pension. A tiny, family-run place down a very quiet street.

Today I basically just explored Nafplio and hiked up to the Palamidi Fortress that towers over the town. The climb was actually borderline brutal. You go right up the side of a cliff, and the stairs just never seem to end. I counted on the way down: 1,000 steps, and these honestly just go from ledge to ledge. Finally getting to the top was a huge celebration, and the guy who sold me my ticket patted me on the back - apparently most people don't make it!

The climb was worth it though, since the views over the town and what is technically called the Gulf of Tolo were absolutely incredible. And the fort apparently is a masterpiece of military design - perfectly put together to keep enemies out. Finally back in town, I grabbed dinner, and ended with Greek yogurt, which I've really come to appreciate. Nafplio is my base for a couple days of travel around the countryside. Tomorrow I go to Ancient Mycenae.

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Photos

Palamidi Fortress
That's where I hiked up to. If you look really close you can see the stairs winding up the side.

Stair Madness
At times, it was almost scary.

Nafplio from the stairs
This is from about half-way up the stairs.

Out at the Gulf
If you look really close, there's a masted ship just setting out.