The historic city of Nafplio, located just a two-hour drive from Athens yet a world away, in the Argolic gulf on the Peloponnese, features a jewel of an Old Town, lovely beaches, and numerous archeological and historical sites. Among Greeks, and particularly Athenians, it’s a popular destination for a weekend getaway, while tourists visiting the town are often surprised by its many charms because, while its far lesser known than many Greek islands, Athens, and Thessaloniki, Nafplio offers most of what tourists look for in Greece.

Following the recent accolades from travel industry heavyweight, Booking.com, naming Nafplio as one of the planet’s top ten destinations for outstanding hospitality, another distinction has been given to the town from CNN, in an article naming Europe’s most beautiful towns.

The article, which names 15 towns that make wonderful alternatives to big city destinations, since they boast, it notes, “as much of the culture you’ll find in the big hitters, only with fewer crowds to share them with”, highlights the history of the city:

“Gorgeous Nafplio straddles the Aegean Sea in the Peloponnese, with its Venetian-built castle thrusting into the water (in fact, there are three castles to visit here) and a pretty Old Town spooling out behind the old walls. This was the first capital of modern Greece, so there are things to do in spades. There’s a lido, if you want to take a safe dip in the sea, and if history’s more your thing, the archeological museum contains items dating back to the Mycenean age,” the description reads.

You can read all about Nafplio in our guides to the city here.