NAFPLIO to Epidav 100 200 200 O S R F I a K O PELOPONNESE No
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300 100 200 300 100 200 170 100 171 200 200 300 GRADE up to 5b+ 5c to 6a+ 6b to 7a 7a+ to 7c 7c+ & above To Athens ros RANGE 400 18 NAFPLIO To Epidav 100 200 200 o s r f i a k o PELOPONNESE No. OF 13 45 44 9 3 o l o k 200 u n 37.563434 i v o u o ROUTES 44 N 122 l o n i V 593 22.800084 s i 500 A g h i o g r o v o a v o u a r M 400 n 100 m t 398 i 570 NAFPLIO 77 100 S V o 100 r e 100 u o A s f a Nafplio from above, with sector Akronafplia to the left. n n 300 k o 83 i a o f l a n 200A a k o o r D 200 i 300 P r d a k 400 i a 100 r a o u PALAMIDI s 165 u P a l CASTLE o 300 S Aghia Moni M. m 200 100 P 100 a t u 317 200 l a e 200 o G m f K a G a k i a i n Lefkakia i n d i o i a AKRONAFPLIA i t i k o R a 267 k k i M e c h a a 100 i z 293 D l i P s i l i r i r k R a e N a 200 s a i c t 300 h v o i e m l e r 100 100 e NERAKI M r 243 a a a Asini b a M y l S 100 o n i m Karathona B. 222 Panaghia i u 294 R e 33 v o 200 Katakekrimeni 108 k o KARATHONA L e f 200 100 109 200 200 Drepano Vivari K u k o u r a s K R a 200 o o k l i K 200 u 87 a i a Kandia l o c k 96 u h a 92 N i s r i 100 ASINI a s 338 s T i K a Tolo o n d y l i 100 n K o n i 230 100 ROMVI Islet TERRAIN 153 KONDYLI 82 SCALE 1:110.000 PLATIA Islet CARTOGRAPHY NAFPLIO Getting to Nafplio Other nearby crags Nafplio has it all. Rich in texture and tradition, this gem ing area is already in the making beneath the imposing Nafplio is 148km southwest of Athens. From the Athens Eight more crags with about 300 routes are within an of a city nestles in a protected bay on the northern end Venetian fortress of Palamidi in Nafplio. Named after International Airport, take the Attiki Odos motorway hour’s drive away along the Argolis peninsula. Most of the Argolic Gulf, a mere 1.5 hours from Athens. Its the fortress, sector Palamidi is a 5-minute walk along in the direction towards Elefsina. Continue towards routes were equipped by Jim Titt, a former longtime resi- surroundings - fragrant citrus groves, emerald seawater the gravel pedestrian road from the Arvanitia parking lot Korinthos. On the outskirts of Korinthos, turn off onto dent, as well as Hans Weninger. The only reason these and distant mountain peaks - are the epitome of natural towards Neraki, and then up to the left for 3-4 min. the motorway towards Tripoli. Then, exit towards Nafplio crags are not in the guidebook is a lack of space; the harmony, and the area’s castles, stately buildings and and follow the road signs to Nafplio. Alternatively, you fact remains that Argolis is gorgeous, and some crags archaeological sites speak of a long and diverse history. Conditions: Nafplio is suitable for year-round climbing, can take the KTEL bus from Athens, since you can easily like Didyma (on a mountain crest at 1100m altitude) are Today Nafplio is a lively small city, where the quality of as long as you match the right crag to the right season navigate Nafplio without a car and access all crags certainly worth a visit if you have time and seek grades life is high, and the elegant Old Town is a very popu- and time of day. The area’s climate is especially mild, (except Kondyli) on foot. between 5c-6c. More info: climbargolis.com, lar weekend destination teeming with quayside cafés, therefore perfect for winter climbing. Summer climbing climbgreece.com restaurants and hotels. Thanks to the city’s location and is good at Karathona on early mornings, and at Akro- Local info layout you can easily navigate it on foot, and go climbing, nafplia or Neraki late in the afternoon (don’t forget your jogging or swimming within minutes. Last but not least, swimming gear). Accommodation: There are myriads of options for all Links discovernafplio.gr Nafplio is blessed with a very mild climate, making it one budgets. A lot of restored mansions in Nafplio house nafplion.gr/ of the best winter crags in Greece. Kids: All crags in Nafplio are good for kids. romantic inns and boutique hotels, but cheaper and greecetravel.com/nafplio simpler rooms are also widely available. For example, Climbing: The crags of Nafplio are in fantastic seaside Gear: A single 60m rope and 16 QDs for the longer Vasilis has a good choice of rooms on a budget. If you locations. For the most part, the limestone cliffs are sol- routes. Bolts and lower-offs are generally in very good are in the mood for something more special (but not id and of slightly overhanging red, yellow and white rock. shape, except for sector Panagitsa which urgently needs outrageous), try Grand Sarai or Ippolyti. Food/Shopping: There are also some very compact (though occasion- rebolting. Sectors Karathona and Neraki were recently Again, options are almost limitless: there are baker- ally sharp) gray slabs. Most routes are equipped in the rebolted (2012/2013) by Kostas Tsoukleidis and Nadine ies, supermarkets, gourmet food shops, gelaterias, and Kalymnos-style, i.e. with densely placed stainless-steel Strobl with hardware provided by the Hellenic Federation restaurants for all tastes (a personal favorite is Alaloum: bolts. Names are not always written at the base of each of Mountaineering & Climbing. discovernafplio.gr/en/section/8/listings/111). route. There is a lot more room for new routes in Nafplio; apart from the crags in these pages, numerous virgin cliffs are scattered throughout the area. A new climb- Bourtzi Castle, one of the landmarks of Nafplio. 172 173 18 NAFPLIO PELOPONNESE 37.563434 PANAGITSA 22.800084 Pagaki Panagitsa Apsida Octopussy Orestis Aris Theodoropoulos on ‘Amaryllis’ 7a+ (page 177). All the crags (except Kondyli) lie next to, but just hidden, climbers are performed’. To our knowledge, these works stay to the right and onto Kiprou St (which becomes 25 from Nafplio, on the far (south) side of the small, rocky were never started, much less completed. Over the Martiou St). Turn left on Polyzoidi St, which ends at a hills beneath which the city lies. The fortresses on these years, people have come to ignore the warning signs and parking lot 250m further. If you have a car/motorbike, hills, from left to right as you approach Nafplio from the continue to walk, run, and climb. No further problems park there. Then, walk west along the cobbled prom- north are Palamidi, Akronafplia and Bourtzi (the ‘island’ have been reported; but, funnily enough, pedestrians enade. Alternatively, you can approach the crag from castle). A very convenient promenade or walkway runs will sometimes ‘reprimand’ climbers for climbing. Don’t the port of Nafplio, by walking SW along the promenade. along the edge of the sea beneath the crags. The de- fret. Instead of barking “What? You’re not allowed to Walking time: 5-10 min. scribed sectors, from left to right as you look in from the walk here either!” a polite retort will usually suffice; sea, are: Akronafplia, Neraki, and Karathona. something like “Don’t worry, we never climb on loose PANAGITSA rock. Neither of us is at risk”. A group of climbers, includ- AKRONAFPLIA ing this author, has had ongoing discussions with local Routes are past the stone arch, just beneath the chapel. authorities about this arbitrary ban, and climbers are The first of the area’s crags (1990), it was bolted mainly Akronafplia is a rocky promontory atop which sit the re- encouraged to include Akronafplia in their itinerary even by Aris Theodoropoulos & Kostas Liakos/Nikos Iliakis. mains of the ancient city’s fortified walls. The landscape though the ‘ban’ is technically still in effect. is idyllic, the cliffs are solid - if a bit sharp - and routes Sun: After 11:00. Exposure: S start just above the romantic promenade which links Climbing: Vertical, somewhat sharp gray rock, along with Arvanitia beach to the port. Despite the ‘ban’ in recent smoother, slightly overhanging, fully-pocketed yellow years (see note below), strolling along the promenade is and red limestone. Pitches are between 15-30 meters 1 Slab of Panagitsa 1★ 5c 20m the favorite pastime of locals and visitors alike. There long. will always be somebody walking, jogging or cycling be- 2 Peratzada 2★ 5a 20m neath the cliffs, so please don’t take up too much space Conditions: Ideal for climbing between September and Good for beginners. belaying and keep your gear out of the way. May, but summer climbing is also possible in late after- 1 noon shade. 3 Corner of Panagitsa 2★ 5b 15m A note about access: After severe rainfall in early 2007, 4 Clean corner 2★ 5c 15m some rocks were dislodged from a non-climbing cliff Sun: Until 17:00.