Arvanitia is the swimming cove of Nafplio, a small beach of white pebbles tucked beneath the great rocks of Acronafplia and Palamidi, only a ten-minute walk from the old town. Its clear, deep water and dramatic setting make it the town’s favourite place to swim, and the paved Arvanitia promenade that leads to it, carved round the base of the Acronafplia ridge from the port, is one of the loveliest walks in Greece, with views to all three of the town’s fortresses and across the Argolic Gulf. Together the beach and the promenade are among the simple pleasures of Nafplio.
This guide covers Arvanitia in full: the beach and its facilities, the promenade and its sights, the swimming, the walk on to Karathona, and the best time to visit. Read it beside the full Nafplio travel guide, the guide to the Nafplio beaches and the guide to Acronafplia.
What is Arvanitia beach in Nafplio?
Arvanitia is a small pebble beach in a cove beneath the Acronafplia and Palamidi rocks, a ten-minute walk from Syntagma Square in the old town of Nafplio. With clear, deep water, sunbeds, a cafe and lifeguards, it is the town’s own swimming spot, close, scenic and popular with locals and visitors.
It is the town’s swimming cove. Arvanitia lies just beyond the old town, under the great rocks of Acronafplia and Palamidi, so it is the closest place to swim from the centre of Nafplio, reached on foot in about ten minutes.
The water is clear and deep. Arvanitia is a beach of white pebbles and rocks where the sea drops away quickly to clear, deep water, so it suits confident swimmers and snorkellers more than small children who want shallows.
The setting is dramatic. Set beneath the towering fortress rocks and looking out over the Argolic Gulf, Arvanitia has one of the most striking settings of any town beach in Greece, as the guide to the Nafplio beaches describes.
What is the Arvanitia promenade?
The Arvanitia promenade is a paved seafront path carved round the base of the Acronafplia rock, running from the port of Nafplio to Arvanitia beach in about twenty minutes. Level and scenic, it offers views of the fortresses of Acronafplia, Bourtzi and Palamidi and across the Argolic Gulf, one of the town’s finest walks.
It hugs the sea below the rock. The promenade is cut into the rock at the foot of the Acronafplia, running just above the water from the port round the headland to the cove of Arvanitia, so it is a level, easy walk with the gulf always in view.
It gives views of all three fortresses. From the path the island castle of Bourtzi sits in the harbour, the Acronafplia rises above, and Palamidi crowns the hill, so the walk offers views of all three of Nafplio’s fortresses as well as the open gulf.
It is the town’s favourite walk. Level, scenic and taking about twenty minutes, the Arvanitia promenade is one of the loveliest walks in Nafplio, busy with locals at sunset, so it is a pleasure in itself as much as the way to the beach.
What can you see on the Arvanitia promenade?
On the Arvanitia promenade you can see the fortresses of Acronafplia, Bourtzi and Palamidi, the open Argolic Gulf and the mountains of Arcadia beyond, fields of prickly pears, orange-hued rocks popular with climbers, small swimming spots, and the little church of Panagitsa built into the rock of Acronafplia.
The views are the highlight. The path looks out over the Argolic Gulf to the mountains of Arcadia, with the fortresses of the town rising around it, so the sea and fortress views are the great pleasure of the walk.
Nature lines the way. Fields of prickly pears grow from the cliff, and huge orange-hued rocks, popular with climbers, rise beside the path, so the promenade has a wild, natural character as well as its views.
A hidden church sits in the rock. Steps partway along lead up to the little church of Panagitsa, called by the Venetians Santa Maria della Grotta, built into the rock of Acronafplia with a panoramic view, so the walk hides a quiet and beautiful spot worth the short climb.
What are the facilities at Arvanitia beach?
Arvanitia beach has sunbeds and parasols to rent, public changing facilities, lifeguards in season, and a cafe on the rocks above the east side of the beach. Parking is available at Arvanitia Square above the beach, so it is a comfortable and well-served swimming spot despite its small size.
Sunbeds and changing rooms are provided. Beach lounge chairs and parasols can be rented, and there are public changing facilities, so a swim at Arvanitia is comfortable, with somewhere to sit and change.
Lifeguards keep it safe. Lifeguards patrol the beach in season, so it is a safe swimming spot, including for children who swim well, one reason it is popular with families as well as with locals.
A cafe and parking are close. A cafe sits on the rocks above the east side of the beach, and parking is available at Arvanitia Square above the entrance, so the cove is well served despite its small size, easy to reach and to enjoy for a few hours.
How do you get to Arvanitia?
You get to Arvanitia on foot from the old town of Nafplio, either by the seafront promenade round the base of Acronafplia from the port, about twenty minutes, or by a shorter walk of about ten minutes over the neck of the headland from Syntagma Square. A road and parking also reach Arvanitia Square above the beach.
The promenade is the scenic way. The seafront path round the foot of Acronafplia from the port is the loveliest way to reach Arvanitia, about a twenty-minute walk with views the whole way, so many visitors come by the promenade.
A shorter walk crosses the headland. A shorter route of about ten minutes climbs over the neck of the headland from Syntagma Square to Arvanitia Square above the beach, so the cove is quickly reached on foot from the centre of the old town.
A road reaches the top. A road leads to Arvanitia Square above the beach, with parking, so those who prefer to drive can reach it, though the beach itself is reached by steps down from the square, as the guide to Acronafplia notes.
Is Arvanitia good for swimming and families?
Arvanitia is good for swimming for confident swimmers, with clear, deep water off its pebble shore and lifeguards in season, but its deep water and pebbles suit older children and adults more than toddlers. Families with young children often prefer the sandy, shallow beaches of Karathona or Tolo.
The water suits strong swimmers. Because Arvanitia is pebbly and the sea deepens quickly, it is best for confident swimmers and snorkellers, who enjoy the clear, deep water off the rocks, so it rewards those who swim well.
Lifeguards add safety. Lifeguards patrol the beach in season, so it is a safe spot for a swim, including for older children who swim confidently, adding reassurance to the deep water.
Young families prefer the sands. Because the deep water and pebbles suit adults and older children more than toddlers, families with very young children often choose the sandy, shallow beaches of Karathona or Tolo instead, as the guide to the Nafplio beaches sets out.
Can you walk from Arvanitia to Karathona?
Yes, a coastal path continues from Arvanitia round the headland to the long sandy beach of Karathona, a walk of about forty-five minutes through pine woods above the sea. Flat and scenic, it links the town’s swimming cove to its nearest sandy beach, a beautiful walk with views over the gulf the whole way.
The path continues past Arvanitia. Beyond the cove of Arvanitia a path carries on round the headland towards Karathona, so the promenade does not end at the beach but leads on along the coast, a longer walk for those who wish it.
It runs through the pines. The route to Karathona passes through the pine woods of the headland above the sea, with views over the Argolic Gulf, so it is a beautiful coastal walk of about forty-five minutes, flat and easy.
It links the two beaches. Because the path joins Arvanitia to the long sandy beach of Karathona, walkers can combine the town’s swimming cove with its nearest sandy beach on foot, so the two beaches are linked by a scenic route, as the guide to the Nafplio beaches describes.
When is the best time to visit Arvanitia?
The best time to visit Arvanitia is from June to October for swimming, when the sea is warm, and the late afternoon or sunset in any season for the promenade, when the west-facing path glows in the low light. Early morning and the shoulder months bring the calmest, quietest visits.
Summer is the swimming season. The sea at Arvanitia is warm enough for comfortable swimming from June to October, so the beach is busiest and best in the warm months, with the water at its warmest in late summer.
Sunset is finest for the promenade. Because the promenade faces west over the gulf, the late afternoon and sunset give the best light, so an evening walk is the loveliest, when locals fill the path and the sea glows.
Early and off-peak are quietest. Early in the morning and in the shoulder months of spring and autumn the cove and the path are quieter and calmer, so those who want peace do well to come then, as the guide to the best time to visit Nafplio notes.
What to bring to Arvanitia?
For Arvanitia bring water shoes for the pebbles, sun protection and water for the exposed cove, and a towel for swimming. Sunbeds, parasols, changing facilities and a cafe are on hand, so little else is needed, and good shoes help on the promenade walk round the rocks, which are uneven in places.
Water shoes help on the pebbles. Because Arvanitia is a pebble and rock beach, water shoes make getting in and out of the sea far more comfortable, so they are worth packing for a swim in the cove.
Sun protection is essential. The cove and the promenade are exposed and shadeless, so a hat, sunscreen and water matter, especially in the summer heat, though the cafe above the beach offers shade and refreshment.
Little else is needed. Sunbeds, parasols, changing facilities and a cafe are provided at the beach, so a swim at Arvanitia is easy and comfortable, needing only swimwear, a towel and good shoes for the walk round the rocks.
What is the church of Panagitsa on the promenade?
The church of Panagitsa is a tiny chapel built into the rock of Acronafplia, reached by steps partway along the Arvanitia promenade. Called by the Venetians Santa Maria della Grotta, it clings to the cliff above the sea with a panoramic view over the Argolic Gulf, a hidden and beautiful spot on the walk.
It is built into the rock. The little church is set into the rock face of Acronafplia above the promenade, so it seems to grow from the cliff, a striking and unusual chapel reached by a short climb of steps from the path.
The Venetians named it. The Venetians called the church Santa Maria della Grotta, Saint Mary of the Grotto, so its name recalls the town’s Venetian past, and it has watched over the sea and the town for centuries.
The view is the reward. From the church a panoramic view spreads over the rocks, the sea and the gulf, so the short climb from the promenade is well rewarded, revealing one of the loveliest and quietest spots on the Arvanitia walk.
What does the name Arvanitia mean?
The name Arvanitia comes from the Arvanites, the Albanian-speaking Greeks who settled in the region in the Middle Ages. The beach and the cove take their name from this community, so the name recalls a chapter of the area’s history, one of the peoples who made up the population of the Argolid.
It recalls the Arvanites. The Arvanites were Albanian-speaking Christians who settled in parts of Greece, including the Argolid, in the medieval centuries, so the name Arvanitia preserves the memory of this community in the landscape of Nafplio.
It ties the beach to history. Because the cove carries their name, Arvanitia links a simple swimming spot to the layered history of the region, so even the beach reflects the many peoples who have lived in and around Nafplio.
It adds depth to a swim. Knowing the story behind the name gives a little historical depth to a visit, so a swim or a walk at Arvanitia connects to the wider history of the town and the Argolid, as the full Nafplio travel guide describes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get to Arvanitia beach from Nafplio old town?
Arvanitia beach lies just beyond the old town of Nafplio and is reached in two easy ways on foot. The scenic route is the Arvanitia promenade, a paved seafront path carved round the base of the Acronafplia rock from the port, which takes about twenty minutes and offers views of the fortresses of Bourtzi, Acronafplia and Palamidi and across the Argolic Gulf the whole way. The shorter route is a walk of about ten minutes over the neck of the headland from Syntagma Square to Arvanitia Square, from where steps lead down to the beach. A road also reaches Arvanitia Square above the cove, with parking, so those who prefer to drive can do so, though the beach itself is reached by steps from the square. Because it is so close to the centre and reached on foot, Arvanitia is the town’s own swimming spot, popular with locals and visitors alike, and the walk to it along the promenade is one of the loveliest in Nafplio, worth taking for its own sake.
Is Arvanitia beach good for children?
Arvanitia is a good beach for older children who swim confidently, but less suited to toddlers and very young children. It is a beach of white pebbles where the clear water deepens quickly off the shore, so it favours confident swimmers and snorkellers over small children who want to paddle in the shallows. Lifeguards patrol the beach in season, which adds safety, and there are sunbeds, parasols, changing facilities and a cafe, so a family day is comfortable. For families with very young children, however, the sandy, shallow beaches of Karathona, about three kilometres away, and the resort of Tolo, eleven kilometres down the coast, are better choices, with their calm, shallow water and soft sand. Many families based in Nafplio use Arvanitia for a quick swim close to the old town with older children, and head to Karathona or Tolo for a longer beach day with younger ones, so the choice depends on the age of the children and what kind of swim you want.
How long is the Arvanitia promenade walk?
The Arvanitia promenade, the paved seafront path carved round the base of the Acronafplia rock from the port of Nafplio to Arvanitia beach, takes about twenty minutes to walk at an easy pace. It is level and flat the whole way, cut into the rock just above the sea, so it is a gentle stroll rather than a climb, suitable for most people. Along the twenty-minute route there is plenty to see, from the views of the fortresses of Bourtzi, Acronafplia and Palamidi and across the Argolic Gulf to the mountains of Arcadia, to the fields of prickly pears, the orange-hued rocks popular with climbers, and the hidden church of Panagitsa reached by steps from the path, so many people take longer than twenty minutes to enjoy it. From Arvanitia the path continues round the headland to the sandy beach of Karathona, a further walk of about forty-five minutes through pine woods, so the promenade can be extended into a longer coastal walk. Taken at sunset, when the west-facing path glows in the low light and locals come out to stroll, the Arvanitia promenade is one of the loveliest short walks in Greece.
Is Arvanitia worth visiting?
Yes, Arvanitia is well worth visiting, both for the swim and for the walk. As the town’s own swimming cove, only a ten-minute walk from the old town, it offers clear, deep water in a dramatic setting beneath the great rocks of Acronafplia and Palamidi, with sunbeds, changing facilities, lifeguards and a cafe, so it is an easy and comfortable place to cool off close to the centre. Just as rewarding is the Arvanitia promenade, the paved seafront path carved round the base of the Acronafplia from the port, one of the loveliest walks in Greece, with views of all three of the town’s fortresses, the open Argolic Gulf and the mountains of Arcadia, fields of prickly pears, orange rocks popular with climbers, and the hidden church of Panagitsa built into the cliff. Whether for a swim, a sunset stroll or the longer coastal walk on to Karathona, Arvanitia is one of the simple pleasures of Nafplio, and no visit to the town is complete without at least a walk along its promenade.