Napflion

On our last day on the road we left Dimitsana and drove many km east, past Tripoli ("three cities") then over more mountains, before descending to the sea again near Napflion.  We stopped at a high point on the road with a view out to the bay of Napflion.  This city is notable because it has three ancient Venetian forts; one in the harbour, one at the back of the town, and a third high on the hill above.

The Venetians controlled these parts for hundreds of years, from about 1400 until after 1700.  There was some to-and-fro between the Turks (Ottomans) and the Venetians, and the Russians even ruled for a short time. Eventually the Greek revolution drove the Ottomans from what is now Greece, with Napflion being one of the first cities freed, in 1822.  The modern country of Greece actually only came into existence about the same time New Zealand was being settled by europeans.  Napflion was briefly the capital of Greece in those early days.

View from the mountains down to Napflion, at the other end of that wide bay.

A large Greek grasshopper I saw beside the road.

Napflion today is a picturesque tourist destination, which lots of narrow streets lined with shops and restaurants.  Today it was very hot here (at least by NZ standards), and we struggled to find a spot with a slight breeze where we could sit without expiring!  We explored the streets and found a cafe in the main square for some lunch.  It was a good break from the driving - but did I say it was hot?

The streets of old Napflion town.

The Greek Orthodox church, with the highest fort visible on the hill behind.

The old columns of the Archaelogical Museum look a bit precarious!

The old Venetian fort in the harbour.

A couple from our group stretching their legs along the promenade.

Most of the old town is built from stone.

A tiny motorboat - no cabin for the crew!  You just sit on it I suppose.

This luxury sailboat the "Running on Waves" was in port.

A glimpse of the view from the high fort.  We did not have time to go inside.