Nafplio is the perfect base for exploring the northeast Peloponnese, set at the heart of the Argolid within easy reach of the greatest ancient sites in Greece. From the town it is a short drive to the Bronze Age citadel of Mycenae and the theatre of Epidaurus, and a longer excursion to Byzantine Mystras, the rock town of Monemvasia and the islands of the Saronic Gulf. Few places in Greece put so much history and beauty within a day’s return trip.
This guide covers the best day trips from Nafplio: Mycenae, Epidaurus, Tiryns, Ancient Corinth, Nemea, Argos, Mystras, Monemvasia and the islands, with the distance to each and how to reach it. Read it beside the full Nafplio travel guide and the guide to the best things to do in Nafplio itself.
What are the best day trips from Nafplio?
The best day trips from Nafplio are the citadel of Mycenae and the theatre of Epidaurus, both about half an hour away, along with Tiryns, Ancient Corinth, Nemea and Argos in the Argolid, and the longer trips to Byzantine Mystras, the rock town of Monemvasia and the Saronic islands.
The ancient Argolid is on the doorstep. Mycenae, Epidaurus, Tiryns, Argos and Nemea all lie within an hour of Nafplio, so the greatest concentration of ancient sites in Greece is reachable as a series of short half-day or full-day trips, making the town the ideal base for the archaeology of the region.
The wider Peloponnese opens up too. Beyond the Argolid, Nafplio is within a two-hour drive of the Byzantine city of Mystras and the extraordinary rock town of Monemvasia, so a longer day allows a trip deep into the medieval and Byzantine Peloponnese from the same comfortable base.
The islands add the sea. The Saronic islands of Hydra, Spetses and Poros are reachable on a long day from Nafplio, by car to the coast and a short ferry, so the town combines ancient sites, medieval towns and Greek islands within its range, as the full Nafplio travel guide sets out.
How do you visit Mycenae from Nafplio?
Mycenae is about half an hour from Nafplio by road, the easiest and most important day trip. The Bronze Age citadel of Agamemnon, with its Lion Gate, royal shaft graves and the great beehive tomb known as the Treasury of Atreus, takes two to three hours and is often paired with Tiryns.
It is the greatest Bronze Age site in Greece. Mycenae was the centre of the Mycenaean civilisation that Homer sang, the seat of legendary Agamemnon, and its citadel crowns a hill some thirty kilometres north of Nafplio, so it is both the nearest great site and the one no visitor to the region misses.
The monuments are unforgettable. The Lion Gate, the oldest monumental sculpture in Europe, the circle of royal shaft graves where the gold Mask of Agamemnon was found, and the vast beehive tomb called the Treasury of Atreus make Mycenae a rich site, with a good museum on the hill to explain the finds.
It is easily reached. A drive of about thirty minutes brings you from Nafplio to Mycenae, and buses and organised tours serve it too, so it makes an easy morning or half-day trip, often combined with the nearby palace of Tiryns on the same road, as the guide to things to do in Nafplio notes.
How do you visit Epidaurus from Nafplio?
Epidaurus is about forty minutes from Nafplio by road, the other essential day trip. The ancient theatre, famous for its perfect acoustics and still used for summer performances, stands in the sanctuary of the healing god Asklepios, and a visit takes two to three hours, best in the morning light.
The theatre is the finest in Greece. Built into the hillside of the sanctuary of Asklepios, the theatre of Epidaurus seats fourteen thousand and has acoustics so perfect that a whisper on the stage is heard in the highest row, so a visit is a marvel of ancient engineering as much as of architecture.
The sanctuary heals as well as delights. Epidaurus was the great healing centre of the ancient Greek world, dedicated to Asklepios, and the ruins of its temples, baths and hospital buildings spread around the theatre, with a museum, so the site is a whole ancient sanctuary and not only its famous theatre.
It is an easy drive. About forty minutes on a good road brings you from Nafplio to Epidaurus, and in summer evening performances of ancient drama draw audiences to the theatre, so a day or an evening trip is simple to arrange from the town, at its best in the softer morning or evening light.
Can you visit Tiryns from Nafplio?
Tiryns is only about four kilometres from Nafplio, the nearest ancient site of all. A Mycenaean citadel and a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is famous for its massive Cyclopean walls of huge unworked stones, and a visit takes about an hour, easily combined with Mycenae on the same road.
It is the closest site to the town. Barely four kilometres out on the road towards Argos, Tiryns is reached from Nafplio in minutes, so it is the easiest excursion of all and a natural first or last stop on a day that also takes in the greater citadel of Mycenae further north.
Its walls are astonishing. Tiryns is renowned for its Cyclopean walls, built of stones so vast that later Greeks credited them to the giant Cyclopes, and the galleries and ramparts of the Bronze Age palace survive to a remarkable height, making it one of the finest examples of Mycenaean fortification.
It rewards a short visit. Smaller and far quieter than Mycenae, Tiryns takes about an hour to explore, and its listing beside Mycenae as a UNESCO World Heritage site marks its importance, so it deserves a stop on any tour of the ancient Argolid from Nafplio.
Is Ancient Corinth a day trip from Nafplio?
Ancient Corinth is about an hour from Nafplio, an excellent day trip. The Roman and Greek city, with its temple of Apollo, the forum and the museum, sits below the towering fortress of Acrocorinth, and the two together, with the Corinth Canal on the way, fill a rewarding full day.
The ancient city is rich and Roman. Ancient Corinth was one of the great cities of the classical and Roman world, and its ruins, dominated by the archaic temple of Apollo, include the forum, shops and fountains where the apostle Paul preached, with an excellent museum, so the site is both Greek and Roman in its layers.
Acrocorinth crowns the visit. Above the ancient city rises Acrocorinth, a vast fortified rock held by every power from the ancient Greeks to the Venetians and Ottomans, and the climb or drive to its gates gives sweeping views over the isthmus and both its gulfs, so the fortress completes the day.
The canal is on the way. The road from Nafplio to Corinth passes the famous Corinth Canal, cut through the isthmus, where a stop at the bridge to look down the sheer sides is a highlight, so a Corinth day combines ancient city, mighty fortress and the great canal in one trip.
What is there at Nemea near Nafplio?
Nemea, about an hour from Nafplio, is both an ancient site and the greatest red-wine region in Greece. The sanctuary of Zeus and the stadium where the Nemean Games were held stand among vineyards of the Agiorgitiko grape, so a Nemea day pairs ancient sport with wine tasting.
The ancient site recalls the games. Nemea was one of the four sanctuaries that held the great pan-Hellenic games of ancient Greece, and the temple of Zeus, with its restored columns, and the ancient stadium with its vaulted entrance tunnel survive, so visitors walk the ground where athletes once competed.
The wine country is the finest in Greece. The valleys around Nemea form the largest wine appellation in the country, planted with the native Agiorgitiko grape that yields deep red wines, and many wineries welcome visitors for tours and tastings, so the region is a rewarding excursion for anyone who enjoys wine.
The two combine in a day. About an hour from Nafplio, Nemea lets a visitor tour the ancient sanctuary and stadium in the morning and taste the wines of the surrounding estates in the afternoon, a day that mixes archaeology and the pleasures of the table in the heart of the Peloponnese.
Can you visit Argos from Nafplio?
Argos is about fifteen minutes from Nafplio, the nearest town and one of the oldest continuously inhabited in the world. Its large ancient theatre, cut into the hillside, the Roman baths and the Larissa castle above make it an easy short trip, often combined with Mycenae and Tiryns.
It is among the oldest towns on earth. Argos has been inhabited for some seven thousand years, one of the oldest continuously occupied places in the world, and it was a great power of the ancient Greek world, so its long history is written into the modern town and its ruins.
Its theatre is one of the largest. The ancient theatre of Argos, cut into the slope below the Larissa hill, was among the largest in Greece, seating twenty thousand, and beside it stand Roman baths and an agora, so the ancient remains are substantial though far quieter than Mycenae.
The castle crowns the town. High above Argos stands the Larissa castle, a fortress of ancient, Byzantine, Frankish and Venetian walls, reached by road, giving wide views over the Argolic plain, so a short trip from Nafplio can take in both the ancient theatre and the medieval fortress above.
Is Mystras a day trip from Nafplio?
Mystras is about two hours from Nafplio, a longer but rewarding day trip. The ruined Byzantine city, a UNESCO World Heritage site climbing a hillside below a Frankish castle near Sparta, with its churches, palaces and frescoes, takes several hours and gives a complete picture of the late Byzantine world.
It is the finest Byzantine city in Greece. Mystras was the capital of the Byzantine Despotate of the Morea in its last centuries, and its steep streets of churches, monasteries and the palace of the Despots survive remarkably complete, so the site is the best place in Greece to understand the late Byzantine world.
Its churches hold great frescoes. The many churches of Mystras keep some of the finest Byzantine wall paintings in existence, and the palace of the Despots has been restored, so a visit combines architecture, art and a dramatic hillside setting crowned by the Frankish castle at the summit.
It makes a full day from Nafplio. At about two hours each way the trip to Mystras fills a full day, often combined with the modern town of Sparta below in the valley, so it suits visitors with a car and an early start who want to reach deep into the Byzantine Peloponnese.
Can you visit Monemvasia from Nafplio?
Monemvasia is about two hours from Nafplio, a spectacular long day trip. The medieval town clings to the seaward side of a great rock joined to the mainland by a causeway, its car-free lanes, Byzantine churches and sea walls preserved intact, and it is one of the most romantic places in Greece.
It is a town hidden on a rock. Monemvasia occupies the far side of a huge rock island in the sea off the Laconian coast, invisible from the mainland, reached by a single causeway and gate, so entering the walled town feels like stepping into a perfectly preserved Byzantine and Venetian past.
Its lanes are car-free and timeless. Within the walls, narrow stone streets wind past churches, mansions and the great domed church of Christ Elkomenos, all closed to cars, and a path climbs to the ruined upper town and the church of Agia Sofia on the summit, with views far out to sea.
It is a long but unforgettable day. At about two hours each way the drive to Monemvasia makes a full day from Nafplio, best started early, and many visitors choose to stay a night, but even as a day trip the rock town is among the most memorable sights of the whole Peloponnese.
Which islands can you visit from Nafplio?
The Saronic islands of Hydra, Spetses and Poros can be visited on a long day from Nafplio, by driving to the coast and taking a short ferry. Poros is reached across a narrow strait from Galatas, while Hydra and Spetses, both car-free, are reached by fast boats from the Argolid coast.
Poros is the easiest to reach. The island of Poros sits just across a narrow strait from the mainland town of Galatas, about an hour and a half from Nafplio, and a ferry crosses the few hundred metres in minutes, so Poros makes the simplest island day trip, with its pretty harbour town and pine-clad hills.
Hydra and Spetses are car-free gems. The elegant island of Hydra, with its stone mansions and donkey-only lanes, and the green island of Spetses, both reached by fast boats from the Argolid coast, make rewarding longer day trips, offering a taste of the Saronic islands within reach of the town.
They add the sea to a stay. Combining the ancient sites of the Argolid with a day on a Saronic island gives variety to a stay in Nafplio, so travellers with time can mix archaeology, medieval towns and Greek island life all from the same base, as the full Nafplio travel guide describes.
How do you get around for day trips from Nafplio?
A hire car is the best way to make day trips from Nafplio, giving the freedom to reach the ancient sites at your own pace. Buses serve Mycenae, Epidaurus and Argos, and organised tours and taxis cover the main sites, so the nearest trips are possible without a car.
A car opens the whole region. With a hire car the ancient sites of the Argolid, the wine country of Nemea and the longer trips to Mystras, Monemvasia and the coast are all reachable at will, so a car is the ideal way to make the most of Nafplio’s position at the heart of the Peloponnese.
Buses reach the main sites. Local KTEL buses run from Nafplio to Argos, Mycenae and Epidaurus, so the three nearest and most important trips are possible without a car, though services are less frequent than a car allows, so the timetable is worth checking in advance.
Tours and taxis fill the gaps. Organised day tours cover Mycenae, Epidaurus and the further sites, and taxis can be hired by the half day for the nearer trips, so visitors without a car still reach the great sites of the Argolid, as the guide to things to do in Nafplio notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best day trip from Nafplio?
The best day trip from Nafplio is Mycenae, the great Bronze Age citadel of Agamemnon about half an hour north of the town. With its Lion Gate, the oldest monumental sculpture in Europe, the circle of royal shaft graves where the gold Mask of Agamemnon was found, and the vast beehive tomb called the Treasury of Atreus, it is the most important ancient site in the region and the one no visitor misses. A close second is the theatre of Epidaurus, about forty minutes away, famous for acoustics so perfect that a whisper on the stage is heard in the highest row. Many visitors combine Mycenae with the nearby palace of Tiryns, only four kilometres from Nafplio, in a single morning, and Epidaurus on another day, so the two essential trips together cover the greatest sites of the Argolid.
Can you do day trips from Nafplio without a car?
Yes, the nearest and most important day trips from Nafplio are possible without a car. Local KTEL buses run to Argos, Mycenae and Epidaurus, the three key sites, so a visitor relying on public transport can still reach the greatest ancient monuments of the Argolid, though bus services are less frequent than a car allows and the timetable is worth checking in advance. Organised day tours cover Mycenae, Epidaurus and the further sites such as Ancient Corinth and Nemea, and taxis can be hired by the half day for the closer trips. For the longer excursions to Mystras, Monemvasia and the Saronic islands, however, a hire car makes a real difference, giving the freedom and the early start that these two-hour drives need, so travellers who want to range widely from Nafplio are best served by renting a car.
How far is Mycenae from Nafplio?
Mycenae is about thirty kilometres north of Nafplio, a drive of around half an hour on a good road. This makes it the easiest of the great ancient sites to reach and the natural first day trip from the town. The road passes close to the palace of Tiryns, only four kilometres from Nafplio, so many visitors take in both Mycenaean citadels on the same morning, seeing the Cyclopean walls of Tiryns before continuing to the Lion Gate and royal tombs of Mycenae. Buses and organised tours also serve Mycenae, and the site, with its museum on the hill, takes two to three hours to explore properly, so a half day is enough for Mycenae alone, or a full day if it is combined with Tiryns and the nearby town of Argos.