the cradle of European civilisation, from the historic Mycenae, which was once excavated by Heinrich Schliemann, to the fortress of Tyrins to Epidavros, the imposing amphitheatre that still offers space for up to 12,000 spectators at the annual theatre festival in summer.

Nafplion (Nauplio), on the other hand, 1824-34 was the first Greek capital after the liberation from the Ottoman yoke. Nafplio or Nafplion or ancient Greek Nauplia is a city with a long history.

Again and again it has been a plaything of the powers, as the rulers changed quite frequently. Greeks, Dorians, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, Venetians, Franks, Turks, Venetians again. Then the Turks again for quite a long time and finally the Greeks.

And everyone left their mark on the city in their own way by erecting buildings or having those of their predecessors destroyed, or doing both.

What remains is a lovingly restored town of old town houses. Mosques, one of which was converted into a church, the other housed the first Greek parliament almost 180 years ago and now serves as a concert hall.

The third mosque houses a theatre. On the central square, you feel like you've been transported back in time. Worth seeing is its almost lavish furnishings with marble, which the children take possession of every evening as a playground.

The old town with its narrow streets and nice little cafes, silversmiths, crazy bars and excellent taverns exudes a sophisticated Italian charm.

And towering above it all – festively illuminated every evening – is the Palamidi Fortress.

In the back the small fortress of Bourtzi;
like a stone ship, it lies in front of the harbor entrance.

For the sun-hungry bathing enthusiast, the surrounding area offers plenty of beautiful, sometimes almost deserted beaches. You can choose from the municipal beach of Arvanitia, the bay of Karathona, the sandy beaches of Tolo or Drepano/Plaka.

Today, everyone can find a shady place under trees on the long sandy beach. While for the Greeks the bathing season is over by mid-September at the latest, the hardy Central European can still swim in November at water temperatures of around 22 degrees, even in January the sea is rarely colder than 17 degrees. And there is always something to see around the Argolis.

The historical sites are open all year round, and it is much more pleasant to trudge over the steep rock steps of Mycenae or Palamidi at 20 degrees than at 38 degrees in August!

HOLIDAY REGION TOLO, Argolis

The holiday resort of Tolo, which is only about 20 minutes by car from Nafplion, has adapted well to its international summer guests. A large number of boutiques, beach bars, cafes and fast food Sovlaki shops. The long bay with the offshore island and the many fishing boats has wonderfully clear water and is also ideal for families with small children, as the seabed slopes gently and there is hardly any swell. Buses shuttle between Tolo and Nafplion every half hour.

Overall, the Argolis really offers a lot to discover. The evergreen Argolis with its endless orange plantations and olive groves invites you to take long walks, but is also a good starting point for discovering the eastern and central Peloponnese.

_{Text: Wilfried Jakisch
Revision of the WTG}