Getting from Chania to Nafplio

If you are heading to Nafplio from Chania you are making your way from the most intimate of Crete's three main cities to a neoclassical town on the Argolic Gulf in the Peloponnese, the first capital of modern Greece with the Venetian fortress of Palamidi above it and Mycenae, Epidaurus and Tiryns all within easy reach.

Getting there by air

Nafplio has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Chania has an international airport with connections from Athens. Flying from Chania to Athens and then driving or taking the KTEL bus south through the Peloponnese to Nafplio, which takes around 2 to 2.5 hours from Athens via Corinth, gives a total journey time of around 5 to 6 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Chania to Nafplio. Nafplio is accessible only by road. Getting there by sea means taking the overnight ferry from Chania to Piraeus, which takes around 8 to 9 hours, and then driving or taking the KTEL bus south to Nafplio. The total journey takes the better part of two days.

Your best option

Fly from Chania to Athens and drive or take the KTEL bus south to Nafplio. The KTEL bus from Athens Kifissos terminal runs several times daily to Nafplio and takes around 2.5 hours. Nafplio is an excellent base for exploring Mycenae, Epidaurus and Tiryns, all within easy reach by car. If you are traveling with a car, take the overnight ferry from Chania to Piraeus and drive south through the Peloponnese to Nafplio via Corinth.