Looking for somewhere to stay in Nafplio, Greece? Lucky you! Nafplio is considered one of Greece’s most beautiful and most romantic cities, and I have to agree: it’s definitely one of my favourites too.
Looking for where to stay in Nafplio, Greece?
If you are reading this you are probably looking for somewhere to stay in Nafplio, Greece. Lucky you! Nafplio is considered one of Greece’s most beautiful and romantic cities, and I have to agree: it’s definitely one of my favourites too. Nafplio is about 1 hr 45 minutes west of Athens in the East Peloponnese region. It’s full of history and is home to some of Greece’s most popular archeological sites.
My tip? Make sure to check out Vida Hospitality’s high-end guest houses and residential apartments in the heart of the city. I stayed there recently on a press trip and found my home away from home.
Make sure to check out Vida-Hospitality’s high-end guest houses and residential apartments in the heart of Nafpilo, Greece.
Accommodation with a personal touch
I just love reading through the Vida-Hospitality website, as the owners, Vasileios and Panagiotis Totsikas, obviously have a sense of humour.
“We are brothers – family, and we live in Nafplio. We also have a dog named Lisa.”
On our stay I discover they got Lisa to keep their parents company with they left Greece to work abroad in Dubai and Canada. Family comes up again and again with “Bill” and “Peter” as they like to be called. Like most Greeks, family plays a big part in their life. Between the 2 brothers, their parents and extended family and friends that help run Vida-Hospitality, I feel like I have found the family from A Big Fat Greek Wedding.
When the brothers came back to Nafplio after their stints abroad they brought a vision for offering luxury accommodation with a personal touch. Their philosophy is that family time together is precious and limited – so they want to make sure you have everything you need to enjoy your vacation together. Restaurant recommendations? No problem. Best beach for kids? They have a list. Flat tyre? Yes, they can help with that too (while I was there Vasileios/Bill helped a Singapore family find someone to fix their tyre, and even showed up there to help!)
Vasileios and Panagiotis Totsikas run Vida-Hospitality luxury guest houses and apartments in Nafplio, Greece.
As they said on their website:
“We are not providing a traditional, old fashioned small room with just a bed, one window and a small bathroom”.
I can confirm this: the apartment we stayed in, the Executive Suite, is very spacious and sleeps 4. It’s 100 square meters and has an open plan with a huge living room and an oversized sofa, which also converts to a double bed. It’s very modern, minimal and looks newly remodelled. The girls claim that area as their own, and my husband and I get the bedroom (which has king-sized bed). I love the small touches – hanging reading lights and lots of electrical outlets (so many older properties don’t have enough). The bed is very comfortable (Simmons mattress) with crisp new linens. And of course there is wifi (good speed and allows me to catch up with work as the girls watch films) and air conditioning – Greece can be hot! The overall feel we got from the suite is comfortable, modern and full of light.
The apartment we are in, the Executive Suite, is very spacious and sleeps 4.
It’s 100 square meters and is open plan with a huge living room with an oversized sofa which easily converts to a double bed, and a bedroom with a king-sized bed.
The dining room in Vida Hospitality’s Executive Suite.
Fully stocked kitchen and fridge
There’s a fully stocked kitchen with a toaster, coffee maker (with really good coffee), and juicer (oranges are everything in the Peloponnese – and in season they will leave you a bag of oranges from their family’s plot of land). The fridge is stocked with breakfast items – ham, cheese, fruit, orange juice, milk, butter, homemade fig jam. The counter is overflowing with teas, bread, croissants, snacks. There’s a grocery store right around the corner to pick up any other items (but what else would you need?).
The fridge is stocked with breakfast items – ham, cheese, fruit, orange juice, milk, butter, homemade fig jam, and the counter has lots of teas, bread, croissants, and snacks.
Views overlooking Nafplio port
Best of all, there are two balconies with a view to the city’s port! We spent each evening eating out on the balcony, watching Nafplio go by. Vida Hospitality left a gift of local wine from the Koroniotis vineyard (you can visit the winery, Bill and Peter will help you arrange it).
They left a gift of local wine from Koroniotis (you can visit the winery, they can help you arrange it)
Best of all, there are two balconies with view to the city’s port! We spend each evening eating out on the balcony, watching Nafplio go by.
“IF YOU DO NOT WANT A CLEAN, COMFORTABLE AND MODERN PLACE TO STAY DURING YOUR VACATION, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO ENJOY OUR APARTMENTS.”
I can attest to this! Our apartment is pristine. I was especially pleased with the bathroom (which is faultless and doesn’t have the weird bathroom smells you can get in old towns with ancient plumbing) 😄. The shower is also 5*, with water power that will please any American. But don’t just take my word for it, read the reviews (9 out of 10 on bookings.com.)
“IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE “CHEAPEST ONE”, WE CANNOT HELP YOU”
While Vida-Hospitality is not “the cheapest”, they are very reasonably priced! They regularly have offers on their website too. And with all the “extras” it really makes staying with Vida-Hospitality worthwhile.
Be enchanted in a horse-drawn carriage! Local orchard farmer Christos Kostakis is usually tending to his oranges, but he is also very passionate about horses and offers carriage rides to explore the local area with Gatsby, a white Spanish horse, and Orlik, a black horse from the Netherlands. Start in the outskirts of Nafplio along the Ersinos River and then takes you to (and in!) the Argolis Gulf. If you are staying at with Vida-Hospitality they often offer this experience as part of their package.
Arvanitia beach is the in the south end of the town, and accessed through a short pine tree-lined path. It’s absolutely gorgeous! Sparkling blue water of the Argolis Gulf is framed by dramatic mountains. It has small shiny pebbles and rocks – so wear your flip-flops. There are low cliff nearby where you can dive and swim. In season there are sun loungers and umbrellas, café, toilets and changing rooms. Out of season it’s still a gorgeous beach to walk to Karanthona Beach.
You can drive to Karanthona Beach or walk there via a scenic path from Arvanitia beach. It should take around 45 minutes, or even less if you walk briskly. This 3 km beach is what you would expect from a Greek beach – soft sand, umbrellas and sun loungers for hire (8 euros for 2 loungers and an umbrella). It’s a Blue flag beach with calm waters perfect for swimming. We really enjoyed it here!
Even if archaeological sites are not your thing, you will be impressed with Epidaurus, a 4th century theatre, which is one of the best preserved in Greece. It is arguably the most famous in Greece, and everyone comes here to visit. In summer the national theatre holds a festival there with live performances of Greek classics (often there is a summary given in English). This is so popular that tickets sell out very soon after released. The acoustics are amazing – test it out by standing centre stage and speaking to someone high up in the audience. It is definitely worth a visit!
Tolo beach was the girls’ favourite – partly because there were lots of water sports available here. Tolo seems like an endless golden sand beach that goes on and on! There are sun loungers, parasols, water sports and cafes. Sparkling water with a long shallow bit that gradually gets deeper. It’s on the edge of Tolo, so you can walk into the town if you get bored (which you won’t). It’s about a 15-minute drive from Nafplio (a taxi about 15 euros).
Make your way over to the port (in the old town) and you’ll be treated to a view of Bourtzi, a Venetian fortress that is set in the harbour on the tiny island of Agioi Theodoroi. Bourtzi is one of the most photographed sites in Nafplio. In the 1860s the town’s executioners of Palamidi prisoners used to live here. Before that it was connected to Akronafplia with a long metal chain to protect the port against invading ships. In high season you can visit via boat trip. We weren’t able to do this but we just loved admiring it!
At the top of the hill in Nafpilo – 216 meters above sea level – is Palamidi castle, a Venetian fortress built in the 1600s to house prisoners. You can famously get there via the 999 step path (there is much dispute over how many actual steps there are – but everyone agrees 999 sounds good!) Or you can do what we did – get a lift to the top of the hill and then walk down! Make sure to bring your camera as there are stunning views over Nafplio, the Argolic gulf and Mycenaean plain.
Nafplio has many adorable streets and alley ways with lots and lots of shopping. It’s not cheap – prices match any in upscale area in Europe – but it’s a must do. You can find everything from a few high street brands such as Achilleas Accessories (I bought a gorgeous dress there) to upscale boutiques and local crafts shops. The town is known for komboloyia – a circular chain with beads usually made of amber, and leather sandals. There are also wine shops, herbs, pasta, olive oil products.
pigeonpairandme | 2nd Dec 19
This sounds like such a friendly, homely place – but it looks super-swish, too. The suite looks so bright, large and airy!