Winter walk by the sea!

I spent Christmas at Nafplio, one of the most beautiful Greek towns. A very important port during the Middle Ages and the first capital of modern Greece in 1821, Nafplio is located on the amazing coastline of the Argolic Gulf. The well preserved castle and the old town center are a major tourist attraction all year long. The first day was gloomy and rainy but the next one was a glorious sunny one that gave me the perfect excuse for a long walk and a lot of pictures!

I started my day with a ride to Karathona beach, about 5 km away from the town. I just love taking pictures in the winter. The sun is low in the sky giving a very smooth and relief lighting with plenty of shadows, all day long. Nothing like the harsh, flat light of the summer!

The beach is accessible by car but if you are in a walking mood I advise you to find the path that connects Nafplio with the village of Tolo. It starts right after the port, goes around the town to Arvanitia beach (the favorite of the winter swimming community) and from there, under the shadow of the fortress and the medieval walls, goes to Karathona beach and ends to Tolo. Even a small part of this 10 km hike through this stunning coastline is totally rewarding and you shouldn't miss it!

On your way you'll see the paradox of a falling apart hotel right on the best spot of the area, a decaying symbol of an ambitious project, but this is a subject for a different post. Behind that, you can see the Palamidi Fortress which is accessible by car or by 999 stairs (I haven't counted them but they say so) on the 216 meters rock that is built on!

I concluded my walk in the old town center and I really couldn't think of a better place to spend such a glorious winter day! Thank you for joining me, I hope you enjoyed it :)