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The tour of Arvanitia

Time for wellness
After the debauchery in the picturesque taverns and cafes overlooking Bourtzi, it is time for a revival of body and mind. Wear your low heels (the girls) or your sneakers (recommended) and let's get started.
We start from the end of the pier with destination the so-called by locals Tour around Arvanitia. A paved pedestrian street around Arvanitia fortress overlooking the Argolic Gulf, which after about a kilometer, ends in Arvanitia Square (where the entrance to the homonymous beach is located).

Wuthering Heights...
Nafplio is sinking of people and here you can only hear the sea and the birds twittering. You don't even walk for five minutes and you forget that you are in a city. After passing the so-called "bathtubs", the area where the facilities of the Nautical Club are located, a small chappel, a favorite pilgrimage, the Santa Maria della Grotta (that is the Virgin of the cave) of the Venetians, emerges on the rocks. It is worth taking a couple of minutes to get before the entrance. Sometimes the chapel is locked, but the view is compensating. 
Continuing this romantic walk, you meet the "Cave of the Despot" (Bishop of Argolis Nikandros Deloukas) on the edge of the steep shore, walking next to rocks covered with prickly pears. The ridges descend covered with pine-trees and are united by the bright emerald color of the sea. There the glance meets the overbearing pride of the West side of Palamidi. The view is unsurpassed, as it has a catalytic effect on the visitor and awakens all his senses. The paved alley ends and you stand for a while and look up; in front of you the imposing Palamidi castle is descending to the edge of the mountain -on your left, on the rock the former XENIA hotel, with the incredible view and architecture and, just below you, the beach of Arvanitia -which direction to choose, really?

Return to the city...
If you want to return to the old town, all you have to do is follow the road down from Arvanitia Square to Staikopoulos Park and the Land Gate.

Tip
This walk is more likely proposed at sunset.

A bit of etymology
For those who do not know, Arvanitia, according to a local tradition, took its name because from its rocks in 1779 Captain Gazi Hassan Pasha deceitfully threw 5.000 Arvanite mercenaries. In reality, however, it came from the Arvanites (of Albanian origine), who lived in this area since the first years of the Venetian rule.

Γύρος Αρβανιτιάς Ναύπλιο, Tour of Arvanitia Nafplio, Arvanitia bay Nafplio, ακτή Αρβανιτιάς, Despotis cave Nafplio, Σπηλιά του Δεσπότη Ναύπλιο
Γύρος Αρβανιτιάς Ναύπλιο, Tour of Arvanitia Nafplio, Arvanitia bay Nafplio, ακτή Αρβανιτιάς
Γύρος Αρβανιτιάς Ναύπλιο, Tour of Arvanitia Nafplio

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