Nafpaktos is the third largest city of the Prefecture, with a long history, an impressive castle and a typical architectural centre. In the past it acquired different names: it was called Epahtos in the Byzantine period, Nopant by the Franks, Lepanto by the Venetians and Inebakte by the Turkish. The origins of its name –nafs (ship) and pignimi (build)- brings us back to its earlier days, when people of the Doric race built ships at this very place so that they could cross the sea to Peloponese. Since the 5^th century BC Nafpaktos took an active part in the war operations between Athens and Sparta. In the 3^rd century BC it came to the Aitolians but in 146 BC it surrendered to the Romans. After the terrible destructions owing to the raids of the barbarians, the earthquakes and the epidemics during the first millennium AD, it came to Epirus’ territory in 1204. Since the beginning of the 14^th century but mainly under the Venetians’ domination started in 1407 AD, Nafpaktos got fortified in a more systematic way. In 1499 it came to the Turkish territory. After the well-known naval battle of Nafpaktos in 1571 AD, it came again to the Venetians as a result of Morosini’s siege. It was finally surrendered to the Turkish in 1700 until its liberation in 1829 AD.

Apart from the castle and the typical port, Nafpaktos prides itself on the ruins of the Asklipios’ temple in Tsukari site, the houses of the noble families of Tzavela and Botsari, the Papaharalabios Library, the Farmaki Collection with relics of the 1821 War of Independence and other historical objects, its baths, fountain, squares and of course the two beaches, the western one called Psani and the eastern one called Gribovo, with plane trees along the seashore.

On Good Friday evening people follow the ‘Epitaph’ around the streets to the sublime, lighted port of the town.