Nafplio is one of the most historical and picturesque cities of Greece. It is built on the north side of the Argolic Gulf on a rocky peninsula (this is where ancient Nafplio was also positioned). It is the capital of Argolida and has about 10.000 residents. It is a remarkable commercial and industrial center focused mainly on canning plants and fruit.

A visitor can easily be impressed from the many monuments that state its glorious past. The most important sites are: castle Bourtzi, castle Palamidi (it has a staircase made of stone with 999 stairs), Acronafplia with its ancient cyclopean walls and the big and historic Square with the Venetian buildings surrounding it.

According to mythology ancient Nafplia received its name from its founder: Nafplio, son of Poseidon. Nafplia was an important city during the prehistoric times. It was later renamed to Nafplio and Anapli.

Nauplion became a settlement in the Late Helladic Period. According to legend Palamedes of Nauplion set off on the expedition to Troy, but was falsely accused of being a traitor by Odysses and murdered before the fall of Troy. Palamedes' father, Nauplius, took revenge by sending his other sons to seduce the wives of the other commanders. During the long ten year siege, only one wife remained faithful to her husband.

During the Byzantine years Nafplio did not play an important role – it became great when the Franks took over (it had 13.299 residents). The Venetians handed it over to the Turks in 1715. During the Turkish domination and up until 1715 Nafplio was the capital of the Peloponnese . It was released on December 3rd 1822. It became capital of the Greek country and welcomed its first governor of liberated Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias. This man was also assassinated in Nafplio.

Palamidi stands with great pride for many centuries protecting this beautiful place of Greece. It is a sleepless guard of the area and allow only to those who have the power to reach it. I am certain that to those of you who tried and succeeded to climb up at the top by foot from its 999 steps it would stay at their memory for ever as an unforgettable experience.

Palamidi is open daily and admission is 4 euro. Even if you're not interested in Greek history, it is worth visiting for the breathtaking views over the Gulf of Argolis and the Argolid plain. Speaking of breathtaking, the uphill climb from town involves 999 uneven, zigzagging stairs. If you're thinking of making the climb, be aware that the steps are not all the same, some are steep, some narrow so it's quite a work out.

I did it... I succeeded and a tired and thirsty Fotini climbed up the 999 steps and she was inside the castle at the 220m above sea level looking around the incredible view. I was tired but very satisfied from myself.

Akronafplia, the main fortification in Nauplion was under my foot. Bourtzi, the small garrison tower in the middle of the harbor, the gem of the Argolic Golf was also there decorating the amazing painting of the area.

The main fortification in Nauplio is called Acronauplia. The ancient acropolis is located on the south half of the peninsula. Originally built by the Romans and Byzantines, the fortifications were strengthened by a succession of conquerors, including the dukes de La Roche of Athens , the Venetians, the Turks and then again the Venetians. There were two main castles, a French one and a Greek one. Over time several more bastions were added to the three levels of the Acronauplia. There was no wall on the south or west sides; none was needed as it was a sheer drop to the sea.

Already on a peninsula, the Acronauplia was further separated from the mainland and protected by a moat. The bridge across the moat was built of both stone and wood. The side furthest from the city was made of stone, while the side closest to the city was of wood. The wooden part could be removed at any time, taking away access to the city. Another defensive feature was a stronghold just behind the moat, with vaulted ceilings and underground passages. The passages were stocked with explosives, ready to be blown up if an attacking force were overhead.

Once past the moat, there were two gates into Acronauplia. They were both constructed of iron, but the second one was fashioned like a trap-door, lowered from the ceiling. This second door was decorated with an Arabian sword which belonged to the first janissary to cross the gate when the Turks captured the city in 1715. Legend has it that the sword dripped blood every Friday to commemorate the city's capture on a Friday.

To the east of Acronauplia is the most strategic fort of Nauplion: Palamidi, named for the Palamedes of legend, and built under the Venetians who were in control at that time. 220m above sea level, Palamidi was built over ruins of older fortifications from 1711-1714 by the Frenchman La Salle, using plans created by Giaxich.

The eight bastions comprising Palamidi were arranged in three groups: San Girardo, San Nicolo, and Sant' Agostino. The eight bastions were self-sufficient and capable of firing upon the others if they fell to the enemy. While five of them were connected by a wall, they each had their own cisterns, storehouses, and guardhouses. Unfortunately for the Venetians, La Salle betrayed them to the Turks, allowing the capture of Palamidi as well as Acronauplia.

In 1822, during the War of Independence, the Greeks, under Staikos Staikopoulos (with just 350 men), sieged Palamidi for several months and finally conquered it. The next day Acronauplia, Nauplion and Bourdji surrendered to the Greeks. Palamidi (though having once fallen to treachery and betrayal) was considered an impregnable fortress, and everyone was surprised when the Greeks were able to take it.

The Greeks renamed the eight bastions, giving them Greek names: Achilles, Themistocles, Phocion, Epaminondas, Miltiades, Leonid, Garrison Headquarters (translated from the Greek), and Robert (named after a French Philhellene who died during an attack on Athens).

In 1779 a group of Albanian soldiers were pushed over the edge of the cliff at the Themistocles bastion by the occupying Turks. Miltiades was the largest of the bastions. It had 7 store-rooms that were later used as a prison. One of its famous prisoners was a hero of the War of Independence, Kolokotronis, who was sentenced to death for being a friend of the Russians.

Kolokotronis was born at Ramavouni in Messenia, and grew up in Libovitsi in Arcadia. His father, Constantine Kolokotronis, took part in an armed rebellion which was supported by Catherine the Great of Russia, then was killed in an engagement along with two of his brothers George and Harry. Theodoros joined the ranks of a Peloponnesian guerrilla band, and by age fifteen was the leader ("kapetanios", which means captain) of his own group. He had a brief stint at sea as a corsair, and then in 1805 he took service on a series of ships in the Russian fleet in the Russo-Turkish War. After 1810 served in a corps of Greek infantry in English service on Zakynthos, and was awarded the brevet rank of brigadier for his service against the French.

Zakynthos is in the Ionian Islands, which were then a British protectorate after being bandied about between Venice, France and Russia during the Napoleonic Wars. Kolokotronis's service in the regular Russian and British forces, land and sea, would provide valuable insights to be used later in his career.

Kolokotronis returned to the mainland just prior to the outbreak of the war and formed a confederation of irregular Moreot klepht bands. These he tried to train and organize into something resembling a modern army. In May he was named archistrategos (commanding general). He was already 50 years old by this time, a fact which contributed to his sobriquet O Geros tou Morea which means " The Old Man of the Morea", Morea being another name for the Peloponnese.

Later in the same year Kolokotronis's political enemies in the Greek provisional government, led by Petrobey Mavromichalis had him imprisoned in the Palamidi with Dimitris Plapoutas in the same jail, but he was released when an Egyptian army under the command of Ibrahim Pasha invaded the Morea.

After the war Kolokotronis became a supporter of Count I.A. Kapodistrias and a proponent of alliance with Russia. When the count was assassinated 8 October 1831, Kolokotronis created his own administration in support of Prince Otto of Bavaria as a king of Greece. However, later he opposed the Bavarian -dominated regency during his rule. He was charged with treason and on 7 June 1834 sentenced to death; but he was pardoned in 1835. Theodoros Kolokotronis died in 1843 in Athens.

I walked inside the castle and having enjoyed the amazing view of the town from it I started searching for the place that Kolokotronis had imprisoned. I asked some of the visitors about the place and a young Greek man replied to me with the characteristic accent of Greeks who live in Cyprus showed me the path to find the prison's cell. He told me also " It is better to not see the cell. It made me feel so bad... one more time that Greece eats her children..."

I walked a little more and I was there... at the cell of Kolokotronis. Greece imprisoned this hero in an awful short cell, a man who offered his life to freedom his country and his reward was that cell...

We have to visit those places to remember the bad moments of our history. We have to take lessons from history. We need to know how to be humans because we use to be monsters who seek the money and the glory. We use to step on dead bodies in order to be rich... to be succeeded. Unfortunately the real heroes are those who offered the most and suffered a lot but their name have stuck for ever inside our hearts and they are written with golden letters at the world history.
Let's teach our children who are the real heroes. Let's make them better persons teaching them history.

Nafplio is one of the most beautiful town of Greece with rich history.
Therefore, it is not strange that today Nafplio is a very popular destination for holidaymakers, and each year it hosts up to 1.5 million visitors from Greece and abroad. What attracts the visitor is the old medieval and neoclassical city with marble pavings, wooden balconies, bougainvilleas that overflow from walled courtyards, springs, ancient fountains, the square of Constitution and coffee shops. One feels the presence of the Palamidi everywhere which inspires awe.

Today's Nafplio holds a magnificent reception for the visitor who is willing to take a leisurely walk in the city. Each step is a reminder from history.

For those who will dare the climb of Palamidi fortress by the steps, I wish them good luck. I did it and I am so happy for this. For those who don't have the strength for it there is a 3km/2mi long motor road which runs through Pronia which will drive you from its eastern side at the castle.