Peloponnese Part 6 – Nafplio

The journey to the nearby port town of Nafplio was about half an hour, and already on the way along the coast, we watched the wind and smaller waves on the surface. We found the spot with the Radical Kite Center without any problems, it is practically right next to the main road and you can’t miss it.

Upon arrival, we met the owner of the Radical Kite Center and could immediately ask if we could stay there overnight, where we could park and what the situation was like on the spot. Here too, unfortunately, we found a spot whose best years are probably behind it, and the owner confirmed to us that there are fewer and fewer kiters or those interested in courses.

At least we could park right next to the center, use a small sitting area and a shower.

Beach, Water, and Spot

The beach is not pure sand, but rather fragments of tiny shells, some quite sharp. So be careful where you put the kite when launching and landing it. Although there is an area for starting or packing kites, it has also seen better years. Otherwise, the beach here is quite spacious.

The entry into the water is very gradual and you literally sink into the grass or mud. There are also pure sandy areas, but when it is windy and the water is choppy, they are not visible. In the morning, the surface is like a mirror and you can even bathe. Unfortunately, you have to go about 300-500 meters to dive and swim a little in the clear water. The water is shallow and at least 1 km is still enough for you to stand in the water. From this point of view, it is a great thing for learning kitesurfing (water is not so great for learning, but more on that in a moment).

Directly from the beach, you can see the town of Nafplio, the fortress, and the castle on the hill. The view here is nice, but all this is behind you when kitesurfing.

On the eastern side of the spot, the beach turns into wetlands, which are quite smelly. But the water in front of them is more flat thanks to the mud, and it is possible to have a good time there and try freestyle tricks. On the opposite, western side, the beach is sandy, with shells and washed-up grass.

There are buoys in the water that mark the space for entering the water. Farther from the beach the buoys are red and it’s good to know what they mean. Because the red marks the places where the harder crusts of some form of underwater life are under the water several meters long and half a meter high. According to information, it is some form of “coral” that causes a very rapid allergic reaction when injured or touched. After touching it, most people get a rash similar to stinging nettles. But if someone is susceptible and has major allergy problems, they should avoid buoys from afar. You can step on it with your foot, but you run the risk of falling into it, bumping into it, or being covered in putty. In addition to the fact that running into this thing, for example, washed away by a wave, can hurt quite a bit. There are not many of them, I estimate around ten marked places.

Freecamping and Radical Kite Center facilities

Sleeping and freecamping right on the beach is not a problem. Drinking water is supplied here and you can also take a shower, there is no toilet. There is a Radical Kite Center building and shed where you can rent equipment, pay for a course or just hang out and buy a beer.

Next to it is an older pallet seating area and a place to rest in the shade. We parked right next to it and used the seating area in the evening when we were completely alone at the spot.

Otherwise, there is absolutely nothing on the spot itself, not even a tavern. So if you go here, be prepared to bring everything with you or you have to secure accommodation in one of the many nearby apartments and commute to the spot.

At night, you can observe the illuminated town with the castle on the opposite bank, but otherwise, you are sitting under the trees right next to the road, and the traffic here was quite heavy even during the evening and night. Definitely don’t expect a big romance.

Water, wind, and how we enjoyed our stay at the spot

The wind looked promising on the way to the spot, so we started pulling the kite gear from the car as soon as we arrived.

We pumped the Pulse 12, but the wind settled down fairly quickly and weakened. So Veronika immediately took the twelve and I went to unpack Soul 15. We both kited for about half an hour and waited to see what the next day would bring.

It was very hot again during the day, so in the afternoon we went to explore the beach and water. The surface was calm and the water was clear. Unfortunately, when we wanted to swim, we had to go through the mud by the beach and zigzag between the grass areas (we didn’t want to risk any sea urchin injuries like at Koronisia) and walk a few hundred meters further from the beach.

The wind took its time again and the thermals started working later in the afternoon. Surprisingly, the wind started blowing quite strongly. Veronika took the nine, but she didn’t ride it for very long.

The wind settled again and weakened. Together with the on-shore wind direction and the waves, it became even more weaker. I was planning to take Soul 15 again straight away because even the forecast did not predict that the wind would get stronger.

Veronika drove the Pulse 12 for a while, and as soon as possible, I went on the water as well. A few other kiters also arrived and one student with a radio on his helmet was learning at the kite center.

I have to say that the water is really very “choppy”. Due to the depth, the water rolls a lot, and even if the waves are not big, they are uncomfortable to turn and it is definitely not for any freestyle fooling around. You can jump in and use the waves as kickers, but unfortunately, the wind wasn’t strong enough for that, so I was just riding back and forth.

When I was sure that I already knew the water a little, I took Max on the board as well, who really enjoyed the ten-minute ride to his heart’s content. He was glad to finally make it to shore, how the muscles in his legs and arms ached as he held on. He excitedly said that he had never experienced such waves before and that we kept jumping and that it was great. I had to watch the waves a lot and jump over them so they wouldn’t sink our board. Nevertheless, Max went under the water with his head a few times.

In the end, I drove alone and ended up the way I definitely didn’t want to. During one loop into a turn, I hit my kite ear in the water and couldn’t get the kite back in the air. I spent the next 10 minutes trying to get Soul out of the water. Even though I was standing firmly with my feet, the constant waves poured water non-stop into the chambers and the kite was unable to get into the air again. So I humiliatingly bundled it up with Veronika like a wet rag at the shore and brought it back to the spot. Don’t want to know what state we packed it in that night. And that on a rather unpleasant surface with fragments of seashells.

As we were looking forward to this spot, that there could be nice facilities, more people, fun and a great place for kiting, in the evening we simply agreed that we were very disappointed, and even though it might be nice to kite on windy Sunday, we decided to go further. Kitesurfing in Nafplio and Radikal Kite Center was ultimately enjoyed by Max.

Nafplio town

So on Sunday morning we packed up and went to the port in the town of Nafplio. We wanted to see Bourtzi Castle, the fortress built not far from the city in the sea. Unfortunately, there is a renovation going on there and no boats go to the island now. We weren’t in the mood for a ten-minute boat tour around the fort, so we took a nice walk along the coast, onto the lighthouse and looked at the walls above the harbour.

Nafplio is a really beautiful city. The way the harbor is built to protect the ships, the way they are surrounded by the walls, and the castle on a high hill looking down on everything is great. It really is a place worth visiting and taking some photos.

Even in the city, it can be seen that its glory days are behind it. We saw closed hotels, a neglected natural pool made directly from the sea, and other buildings that no one cares about. Apparently, tourists stopped coming as before and many businesses went bankrupt. But we saw this situation almost all over the Peloponnese. The southern peninsula is far for foreigners, and only Greeks and locals cannot make up for the gap. Most ordinary tourists fly to the Greek islands, but the Peloponnese as such is no longer a top destination for them.

This was actually confirmed to us by several local people and kiters. All the spots we visited this year had fewer people, fewer local kiters, and fewer tourists in the surrounding towns. According to information, everything started with covid and restrictions, now people have little money, save it, and don’t go on vacation or kitesurfing like before.

Around two o’clock we got into the car again and went to see the Corinth canal (but more on that next time). That was the end of our road trip to the spots of the Peloponnese.

Follow us

If you want updates on where we are and where we’re kiting, follow us on Instagram or Facebook.

Author: Karel

I simply love kitesurfing :-).