Argolis is a region in the eastern part of the Peloponnese, Greece.
Cities
- Argos 📍 — One of the oldest cities of Europe, Argos boasts some ancient ruins including an amphitheater, and a medieval castle.
- Epidaurus 📍 — A picturesque seaside village, nearby one of the most famous ancient theaters. Catch an ancient play in the summertime.
- Ermioni 📍 — A fishing village with some upscale hotels in its outskirts
- Kiveri 📍 — A small seaside resort on the road toward Arcadia.
- Nafplio 📍 — A good base to explore surrounding area which includes Epidaurus theater and Mycenae.
- Portocheli 📍 — A cosmopolitan resort often visited by the former Greek royal family.
- Thermisia 📍 — A small rural town by the sea near to the huge Porto Hydra village and its marina, well known among pleasure sailors.
- Tolo 📍 — A popular summer resort.
Other destinations
- Kosta 📍 — A tourist area adjoining Porto Cheli.
- Lerna 📍 — The place where Heracles performed his second Labour, which consisted in destroying the Hydra, a beast with nine heads.
- Mycenae 📍 — A powerful city that dominated much of southern Greece from 1600 BC to 1100 BC.
- Tiryns 📍 — One of the most important centres of the Mycenaean world.
Understand
Get in
By plane
The nearest international airport is Athens International Airport (ATH/LGAV) in Athens. From there you can arrive to Argolis using the A7 highway by car, or you can take a bus from Athens Central Bus Station (reachable by the X93 express bus from the airport).
You can also fly in to Kalamata International Airport (KLX/LGKL) in Messinia and use the A7 highway by car. There is also a bus service connecting Kalamata to Argos and Nafplio, but it only runs twice per week on Fridays and Sundays. (July 2022)
By bus
Argolis is connected to Athens by buses, which start from the Athens Central Bus Station in Kifissos. From there you can take a bus to Argos, Nafplio, Kranidi and Archaea Epidavros. The buses can also stop at several villages on the way, some of which may be of interest to travellers.
Buses also run from Thessaloniki on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and from Tripoli every day except from Saturday. (July 2022)
Infrequent services (twice per week) operate from Patras and Kalamata.
By train
There are no train services to Argolis (as of July 2022).
By car
Argolis can be reached using the A7 highway or using the EO7 national road (slower with more turns).
Get around
By car
Argolis is easily travelled by car, due to short distances between the villages, towns and citis. A car can be really useful if you don't want to rely on the buses and want to visit locations not reachable or infrequently connected by bus.
By bus
Ktel Argolidas is the regional bus operator in Argolis. Buses run locally between many cities, towns and villages, although to some destinations they might be infrequent.
See
- Mycenae, home to the ancient Acropolis of Mycenae, listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
- The Greek Pyramids, with the most famous being the pyramid of Ellinikon, thought to be built at a time overlapping the construction of the pyramids in Egypt.
- The Ancient Theatre of Epidavros, considered to be the most perfect ancient Greek theatre with regard to acoustics and aesthetics.
- The Ancient Theatre of Argos, thought to be one of the largest architectural developments in Greece and renovated in ca 120 AD.
- The Palamidi Fortress in Nafplio, built by the Venetians, offering an impressive view over the Argolic Gulf, the city of Náfplio and the surrounding country.
- The fortified Larissa acropolis of Argos, which was in continuous use for nineteen centuries and is now open to the public.
- The archaeological site of Asini, near Tolo.
- Tiryns, a Mycenaean archaeological site near Nafplio, designated as a by Unesco in 1999.
- There is a large number of museums in Argolis, ranging from the Archaeological Museum of Mycenae to the War Museum in Nafplio.
- Argolis also has a number of monasteries and interesting churches, open to the public on certain hours of the day.
Do
- Swim in the waters of Argolis, with beaches everywhere on the coast line. There are also lots of smaller, hidden beaches, sometimes accessible only by trail or by the sea, which offer a more quiet and relaxed experience than the large organized ones.
- Watch a play at the world famous theater of Epidavros.
- Take a day cruise from Tolo to nearby islands.
Eat
There is a variety of taverns and/or restaurants in most seaside and touristic villages, with the cities offering a plethora of options all year round.
Drink
There is a big number of bars and cafés at almost every city and town in Argolis, with most seaside villages having developed tourist infrastracture, cafés and bars. In less touristic villages you might find a Kafeneion, serving coffee and other basic drinks.
Stay safe
Argolis is a very safe region, with near zero risk to travellers. When in an organized beach make sure to keep an eye on your personal items and don't leave anything of value exposed.
Go next