Nafplio is Getting Ready to Welcome Runners, Visitors to Third Marathon

The Nafplio Marathon is returning for its third year on Sunday, March 6. Following last year’s successful event, runners and visitors are invited back this year to get better acquainted with the destination of Nafplio through a series of parallel activities taking place during the marathon weekend (March 5-6).

As underlined during a press conference on Monday in Athens, through the marathon, the Municipality of Nafplio is aiming to boost the Greek city’s reputation as a tourism and cultural destination.

“We want participants and visitors to come and meet our city, have a nice weekend and run the routes we have prepared for them”, Nafplio Mayor Dimitris Kostouros said while giving a presentation on the marathon.

Nafplio Mayor Dimitris Kostouros (center) with Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS) representative, Yiannis Mamouzelos and Greek Triathlon athlete Denise Dimaki. Photo: GTP

Parallel events

Among this year’s main parallel events are free tours to archaeological sites and museums on the marathon weekend.

Fortress of Palamidi. Photo © TakB / Shutterstock

The tours will take place in collaboration with the Archaeological Service of Argolis and include visits to the Archaeological Museum of Mycenae, to the Asklepieion of Epidaurus, to the Fortress of Palamidi, to the Nafplio Archaeological Museum and to other museums and sites. On Saturday, visitors can take a city train ride around the historical center of Nafplio.

During the marathon weekend, music events are scheduled to take place in various squares of the city.

In addition, on Friday, March 4, a sports centered educational program will take place in the city in cooperation with the Harvard University’s Center for Hellenic Studies in Greece. Guest speakers will include Charilaos Tsolakis, Associate professor at National and Kapodistrian University Athens Sports Medicine and Periklis Iakovakis, World Champion, Greek track and field athlete.

Getting the word out

Aiming to promote the event in the best way possible and attract more participants on an international level, the mayor informed that the municipality has launched cooperations with the Greek National Tourism Organization, the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), the international electronic search platform My Next Run and the Greek Travel Pages (GTP), which has been providing travel information for tourism professionals and travellers for 40 years.

Nafplio Mayor Dimitris Kostouros (center) with the big sponsors of the 3rd Nafplio Marathon and well-known Greek athletes.

March 6: The big day!

The 3rd Nafplio Marathon will include the traditional marathon race — approved by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) — a half marathon, a 5km road race and a 2.5km charity competition. An addition this year will be a non-competitive bike ride.

The races will run through the city’s picturesque center and across town, below the Venetian fortress of Palamidi and opposite the Bourtzi on the islet of Agioi Theodori.

Well-known Greek athletes that will participate in the marathon include Denice Dimaki, Grigoris Skoularikis, Kostas Gelaouzos and Anastasia Karakatsani.

The 3rd Nafplio Marathon is jointly organized by the municipality, the Argolida Regional Division, the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS) Peloponnese unit, the Marathon Runners of Argolida, and the Center for Hellenic Studies, Harvard University. The events big sponsors include WIND and DHL. Sponsors include Amstel Free, Puma, Vikos mineral water and Chiquita.

To register and to find out more, press here.

The Greek Travel Pages (GTP) is a main media sponsor of the 3rd Nafplio Marathon.