Beautiful underrated city has gorgeous beaches and 'no tourist price hikes'
Brits looking for a city break with gorgeous beaches, amazing food and budget-friendly accommodation may want to check out one underrated gem that travel experts love
Greece is a firm favourite with Brits looking for sun-soaked holidays including gorgeous beaches, swim-friendly waters and amazing food; but its popularity can mean that getaways can be crowded and expensive.
However, there's one lesser-known spot on the mainland that travel insiders have praised for offering all the above, "without tourist price hikes" that you'd find at hotspots like Athens, or islands like Rhodes, Crete and Mykonos.
The experts at Ski Vertigo have named Nafplio as one of their go-to underrated spots, adding that while most tourists will miss it, it remains a firm favourite with locals thanks to its beautiful coastal views and lack of larger crowds.
"Often overshadowed by island resorts, Nafplio on the mainland is a favourite among Greeks themselves," they explained. "Expect great food, romantic alleyways, and sea views – without tourist price hikes".
Nafplio has everything you could want for a mix of city break and beach holiday. The city's cobbled streets are home to heaps of shops, hotels and of course restaurants where you can tuck into some of that world-famous Greek cuisine. (In fact, you can also find some brilliant bakeries serving up some classic Greek pastries that are sure to appeal to anyone with a sweet tooth!).
It's also worth a stroll to the marina and harbour from which you can take in some gorgeous coastal views, or you can go exploring thanks to the plethora of historic castles, churches and neoclassical architecture, as well as a range of museums where you can learn more about Greece's fascinating history.
Meanwhile, sun-seekers who'd like to spend a day on the beach won't be disappointed. For a start there's Nafplio's city beach, a small pebbled bay right on the edge of the city, and by the crystalline waters. However if it's sand you're after, then you may want to head over to Karathona beach which is always a hit with visitors thanks to its eucalyptus tree-lined sandy shores and amenities including watersports facilities.
It's also worth leaving space on the itinerary to visit the nearby fishing village of Tolo, which boasts a postcard-worthy golden sandy beach that's ideal for families thanks to the swim-friendly waters, and a few eateries where you can pick up a snack or use the loos. Tolo also has plenty of hotels and campsites right by the beach for those wanting to spend a bit more time exploring the area.
Although there are no direct flights to Nafplio from the UK, it's still fairly easy for Brits to visit. One of the easiest routes is to fly to Athens - for which there are plenty of direct flights with the likes of Jet2, easyJet, British Airways and Ryanair - and then to get the ferry across, which takes just over two hours. The ferry between the two cities runs multiple times a day, so there's plenty of opportunity to either explore Athens and travel on a later day, or grab an early flight and be at Nafplio in time for some sunset cocktails overlooking the harbour!
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The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Magaluf looks empty as Brits ‘shun hols hotspot because they are tired of being demonised' while resort cleans up image
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Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
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Magaluf looks empty as Brits ‘shun hols hotspot because they are tired of being demonised' while resort cleans up image
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MAGALUF is looking unusually bare as Brits shunned the popular holiday spot after feeling "tired of being demonised". Dozens of beach sunbeds lay empty as the usual UK party-animals were nowhere to be seen - opting to spend their time in Benidorm instead. 9 Deck chairs lay empty in the Spanish resort Credit: Solarpix 9 Restaurants that were once filled with boozing Brits appeared bare Credit: Solarpix 9 Figures published last week showed Benidorm's leading visitors were Brits and its average hotel occupancy rate had reached almost 85 per cent in May. Meanwhile, pictures of the Spanish resort showed deserted beaches and empty restaurants - a steep contrast to what was once described as a "lawless party" hub. Deck chairs that would previously have been filled with boozing Brits sat empty, whilst Magaluf's once crowd-stricken streets appeared decidedly desolate. The barren resort is a positive change for many locals, who despaired at the "touristification" of their town. They're welcoming instead a new wave of tourists hailing from different European countries, which they hope will clean up the resort's image. Nightclub boss, Migue Perez-Masra, told local press that Playa de Palma, near the Majorcan capital, has seen a sharp increase in German tourists. 9 Once crowd-stricken streets now seemed visibly empty Credit: Solarpix 9 The barren resort is a positive change for many locals Credit: Solarpix 9 Magaluf was branded a lawless party resort Credit: Solarpix He claimed young Brits are turning their backs on Magaluf after feeling 'demonized" by locals. The area is now seeing more and more French and Italian visitors too. Attempts to clean up the resort's image come as Magaluf was branded a lawless party resort after a shocking sex video emerged in June 2014 showing a British tourist performing sex acts on 24 men in a bar. The 18-year-old at the centre of the viral footage was reportedly duped into performing the sex acts for what she thought was a free break that turned out to be a cocktail named 'Holiday'. At the time, Spanish politician Jose Ramon Bauza, branded Punta Ballena - Magaluf's strip - as '500 metres of shame'. Anti-tourist mob attacks holidaymakers with water guns as they vow Spain faces 'long hot summer' of protest carnage The bar was ordered to close for a year whilst authorities cracked the whip on unruly behaviour. Fines of up to £50,000 were introduced for holidaymakers caught leaping off their hotel balconies, whilst limits were set on the amount of alcohol served at all-inclusive hotels. Further restrictions in Spanish party resorts were introduced last year. In parts of Majorca and Ibiza, tourists can be fined up to £1,300 for drinking on the streets and shops are now only allowed to sell alcohol at certain times. Britain's then-Ambassador to Spain Hugh Elliott urged holidaymakers in the Majorcan party resort to 'show responsibility' and remember they were "guests" in Spain. This Sunday anti-tourism protestors will stage another demonstration in the Majorcan capital Palma. The demo has been organised by activist organisation Menys Turisme, Mes Vida, with 60 groups already pledging to take part. Protestors from other cities including Barcelona and San Sebastian will also take to a streets as part of co-ordinated events. A Menys Turisme, Mes Vida spokesman said last week: 'We will demonstrate for the right to a decent life and to demand the brakes are put on the touristification of this island.' 9 Many locals lamented at the loss of their town to boozing Brits Credit: Solarpix 9 Residents said they're welcoming in a new stream of tourists from Europe Credit: Solarpix
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