From Nafplio the road passes through a fertile, verdant valley to arrive at the village of Tirins.
The ruins of the fortress-palace of Tirins lie just off the road. Its cyclopean walls are older than those of Mycenae.
The ancients believed that these walls were built by the Cyclops, creatures with superhuman powers.
Homer mentions the "wall-girt" cities that took part in the Trojan War.
Looking at these massive walls -- the biggest boulders weigh 13 tons each -- one imagines that any attempt at besieging them must have been in vain.
Tirins flourished up to 1200 BC, when the acropolis was destroyed by fire.
In the enclosure below the acropolis are the famous tunnels (secret cisterns), among the most interesting architectural achievements of the period.
The palace with the royal throne room at its centre occupied the highest point on the acropolis.
Fragments of wall paintings testifying to the wealth and luxury of the palace at Tirins are on display in the archaeological museums of Nafplio andAthens.