A Summer Escape to Nafplion
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After a quick visit to Athens, we headed to the airport to pick up our rental car and start our road trip to Nafplion. We walked through the heat to Syntagma metro station, dragging our suitcases over the pavement while my mom stressed about running late.
Pro Tip: To reach the airport, you actually need two different trains. The city lines end before the airport route begins, so you have to switch trains — and depending on the time of day, the “layover” between trains can be up to 30 minutes. Definitely plan for it.
Luckily, my mom called the rental car company from the metro platform, and they added a note to our reservation that we’d be a little behind schedule. Crisis averted!
We finally arrived at the airport station, walked the long glass walkway into the terminal, and headed downstairs toward arrivals. The rental car lot was just outside along the sidewalk, and everything went smoothly with the pickup (she was the one renting the car, so I just stayed out of the way).
Travel Tip: Always take photos of any existing scratches or damage on the rental car before you drive away — just in case.
Once our luggage was loaded, we mapped our route to Nafplion and made a quick stop at a highway café for coffee and a snack.
The rest of the drive was easy… at least for me. I took a Dramamine, put on my favorite music, and rested my eyes (my go-to travel combo is these noise-canceling headphones + my neck pillow — perfect for any sort of transportation).
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First Impressions of Nafplion
We arrived in Nafplion and checked into a small apartment on a quiet, charming street just one block from the harbor boardwalk.
After dropping our bags, we went out to wander the old town: narrow stone streets, little boutiques with beaded jewelry in the windows, and that very specific seaside energy where everything moves just a little slower.
Eventually, we reached the main town square and sat down at a café for drinks and a slice of orange cake (highly recommend — citrus and Greece just make sense).
In the center of the square, a small stage was set up, and a group of kids were practicing Greek dancing and gymnastics routines. Watching them rehearse in the afternoon sun felt like the perfect “welcome to Nafplion” moment — so much life and joy.
After a bit more wandering, we headed back to our apartment to rest before dinner.
Dinner in the Old Town
That evening, we walked around debating which taverna to choose (the struggle is real when every place looks adorable). We finally settled on a cozy restaurant tucked into a side street in the middle of town.
We ordered tsipouro, shared traditional appetizers, and just enjoyed the warm night air. It was simple but perfect — the best kind of Greek dinner.
To end the night, we walked down to the harbor and strolled along the boardwalk, looking at all the boats — or rather, yachts, because some of them were basically floating skyscrapers.
The fortress in the middle of the harbor was lit up beautifully, glowing against the dark water. I attempted some night photography… and failed… but the effort was there. 😂
We headed back to the apartment and called it a night.
Morning Run on the Harbor
I woke up early the next morning and went for a run along the boardwalk.
The town was quiet and sleepy — just a few fishermen out setting up for the day. The sun was bright but soft, and the water looked like glass.
I ran from one end of the boardwalk to the other (not far, I’m still getting back into shape), and took some photos of the morning light on the harbor.
After showering and packing up, we checked out of our apartment and walked down to the waterfront to take the small boat to the fortress in the middle of the harbor — Bourtzi.
I love going on boats, so this was a highlight for me, and I got so many cool photos on the ride over.
Because we’re Greek citizens, we got a discount on the tickets, and then we spent the morning exploring the fortress, wandering through old passageways, and climbing the towers. The most impressive thing to me was learning that the fortress was once protected by an underwater barrier designed to stop enemy ships from getting too close. Ancient engineering never stops surprising me.
Coffee by the Boats
After we returned to shore, we sat at a waterfront café for breakfast — Greek coffee, pastries, and a slow view of boats drifting in and out of the harbor.
After a while, my mom and brother went to do some last-minute shopping before the drive, and I stayed behind with my journal.
At the table next to me, a group of girls were taking photos of their food — either for the restaurant’s social media or their own business. It was fun to watch because content creation is something I want to do as a job, and they were working so hard to get the perfect shots. They even had a dog with them named Karma, which made me laugh because… Taylor Swift.
After they left, we packed up the car, said goodbye to Nafplion (for now), and started our drive to the next stop on our trip.
