Explore Real Greece in The Peloponnese
Corinth – Gytheio – Mytras – Monemvasia – Elafonisos – The Mani – Areopoli – Limeni – Kardamyli
We love Greece especially the Southern Peloponnese! We love the history, ancient sites, beaches, undiscovered places, the food and music, and the warm, gracious people. During summer months mainly, southern Greece is lush with Bougainvillea and blue skies, white beaches, an abundance of tomatoes and fresh vegetables, and relatively vacant historical sites. Why go to the crowded and expensive Islands (which are beautiful and worth seeing) when there is the Southern Peloponnese?
To explore The Mani and Southern Peloponnese, we suggest allowing a minimum of 8 to 10 days. This allows exploration and some relaxation too.
Listed here are some of the places we enjoyed in the area but this is not inclusive. Please note, more info on Greece and our favorite places can be found our related Greek blog posts:
- 12 day Itinerary to discover Ancient Sites in Peloponnese
- Explore Messenia Region in South West Peloponnese
Southern Peloponnese
The Southern Peloponnese, the regions of Laconia and Messenia, offer you the opportunity to roam at your leisure ancient historical sites without the crowds you will find in the islands. There is plenty of opportunity to discover quiet and secluded places to relax and enjoy the Hellenic beauty.
Our focus here is on the South East Peloponnese which is basically the region of Laconia.
Boomer Alert: The quality and safety of the road system in Greece has improved a great deal over the last 20 years, primarily as result of the EU membership and its investment in Greece. Having said that, the driving experience can still raise the hairs on your neck, especially the speed of the motor bikes on the motorways. Drive at your own pace and be safe. Some of the winding roads through the mountains offer beautiful vistas but need to be traveled with caution especially if you man be unfamiliar with the drive.
- Remember the distances are in Kilometers / Km.
- Most of the main roads have tolls for a modest amount of Euros so keep change ready and available.
- Pull over to let locals pass. This will give you a chance to view mountains and beaches and to let faster vehicles through.
South East Peloponnese
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Corinth the entrance to the Peloponnese
The drive from Athens airport to Corinth is motorway all the way and should take less than 80 minutes. There are tolls so have your Euros ready. (Follow E94 to Palea EO Athinon Korinthou in Loutraki Perachora. Take exit 9-Loutraki from E94.)
Take 15 minutes to stop and walk over the pedestrian bridge to view the Corinth Canal which is magnificent. You can bungy jump or watch and take photos which seems just as much fun. The canal, which is an artificial canal that connects the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Aegean Sea, was dug out in the later part of the 19th century but the concept was conceived 6 or 7 centuries BC for trade purposes as well as protection from invaders. In addition to a rest from driving and some great sites, grab a souvlaki from the Souvlaki Shop. It’s a quick taste of Greece and doesn’t disappoint.
Corinth to Gytheio
Towns like or Gytheio is the Southern Peloponnese. Colorful boats bob in the sea, octopuses are hung up to dry, and small restaurants offer fresh seafood as well as the regular Greek standards, all complete with a quaint seaside atmosphere.
Gytheio
Gytheio is the the ancient port of Sparta and, we found, is a good place to stay as a base. It offer a number of wonderful restaurants and is very convenient location-wise. Choosing to stay in Gytheio makes for easy day trips to Mystras, Monemvasia, and Aeropoli in the Mani. There are some charming places to stay in Gytheio with a variety of price, but we usually seem to stay at the Aktaion City Hotel. It offers a good location to explore the town as well as a daily panoramic harbor sunrises. The hotel has Wi-Fi, Room Service if needed, a good breakfast and the people are friendly.
Boomer Alert: Greece fills up with visitors from all over during the summer. Book hotels early to ensure you are staying in the hotel / area you wish.
Monemvasia
The town of Monemvasia is just over an hour direct drive from Gytheio and is a wonderful day trip. We like it because the town is incredibly beautiful and is not overcrowded. It’s known as a “mini Gibralter ” the town being carved out of the local mountain.
Monemvasia is the oldest continuously inhabited castle town in Europe and has an ancient, medieval feel to it. It goes back to the 6th century, and has been a commercial port for the eastern Mediterranean, making it a great target for pirates, the Ottomans, and the Venetians and any other invading force. The drive is beautiful for the mountains, sea, groves of oranges and lemons.
Boomer Alert: Old town is connected to the modern village (Gefyra) by a causeway with limited parking. The hike to the castle from Gefyra may take you 20 minutes but worth the walk. There is very limited parking close to the castle but a shuttle does run between each. Take hiking shoes as there are architectural sites up the mountain which may be of interest. There are taxi services for a nominal fee as well.
Besides the grandeur of the town as a whole, it’s a good place to just walk and take in Greece. There are numerous churches with fascinating frescos including Agia Sophia and Cristos Elkomenos as well as dozens of small shops offering souvenirs. We never leave without purchasing some olive oil or honey, and a bottle or two of the local wine.
Food-wise, there are numerous small restaurants, many in the local hotels. One favorite spot is Malvasia Cafe, part of the Malvasia Hotel in Kastro (old town with the castle). The menu is more limited others but the food is good and authentic. Small plates are offered with coffee and some wine / beer, but the quite terrace overlooks the sea and offers a get-away from the busy town center which is worth the visit.
Elafonisos
Elafonisos is a small island just over an hour away from Monemvasia. It’s worth the trip if time allows and is small ferry ride from Pounta.
Elafonisos is a summer beach resort with some of the best sandy beaches in Greece, Simos Beach being the most famous.
The trip from Pounta to Elafonisos takes about 10 minutes and the ferries operate almost every half an hour. There are ferries that carry only passengers and ferries that carry both passengers and vehicles.
Boomer Alert: As quality accommodation is limited on the island in the summer months it is wise to book ahead if you plan on staying .
Mystras – Day Trip from Gytheio
One of our favorite paces is the UNESCO Archaeological Site of Mystras which is only 50 minutes from Gytheio. Mystras is located on the eastern side of the Taygetos Mountain and overlooks the plain of Sparta.
The fortress erected in 1249 by William of Villehardouin. It was occupied by the Byzantines and The Turks and the Venetians
Finally it was abandoned in 1832 as the residents relocated to Sparta.
The architecture is blended with Byzantine, Constantine, as well as Venetian and is worth the trip.
Boomer Alert: You can drive to the top of the site avoiding the hike but the hike offers beautiful vistas as well as some exercise.
Skoutari
Before heading to the Mani Peninsula in the Southern Peloponnese you may prefer a pleasant day of rest at the beach and there are many from which to choose along the coast near Gytheio. Our favorite is the beach at Skoutari, about a 20 minute drive south. Be beach is quite and beautiful with snorkeling and friendly family taverna with good food.
Boomer Alert: The water can very cold before June, due to the ice water springs flowing from the Taygetos Mountains but once you are in, it’s great!
The Mani in the Southern Peloponnese
We suggest a full day tour of the Mani Peninsula which is spectacular. The region is divided into 3 separate areas:
- Exo Mani (Έξω Μάνη) or Outer Mani to the northwest.
- Kato Mani (Κάτω Μάνη) or Lower Mani to the east.
- Mesa Mani (Μέσα Μάνη) or Inner Mani to the southwest.
The roads are winding and the drive of 2 1/2 hours can be tiring but the views are magnificent.
We suggest you aim to stop for lunch in Gerolimenas (Jerolimena on the map above), with a beautiful old harbor and plan to stay overnight at Aeropoli or Limeni before driving north to Kardimyli (Kardimili).
Boomer Alert: Make sure you have a full tank of gas before setting off around The Mani and top up again in Aeropoli, just in case.
Limeni
Limeni is a short drive from Aeropoli and is our favorite place to relax in the Southern Peloponnese. It’s a medium size bay with crystal clear blue water — great for swimming or just watching the boats bob.
There’s a nice choice of excellent seafood restaurants owned by families who’ve served visitors for decades.
The sunsets over the bay are “glorious”.
We usually stay at Limeni Studios in the heart of Limeni – found it once by luck when we stopped to see if there was a vacancy. The owners are wonderful and we make a point to stop whenever in Limeni. Studios are modern with a small kitchen / stove / refrigerator, nice bed, and a private balcony complete with the best sunsets around. It’s in walking distance to the beach, bars, and restaurants. Limeni offers various types of accommodation to suit all budgets, check them out on Bookings.com.
Aeropoli
The Greek War of Independence began in Areopoli on March 17, 1821 by Petros Pierrakos. Also known as Petros Mavromichalis, the last bey (lord, master, chief) of the Mani. Modern Areopoli (City of Ares, ancient Greek god of war) has grown into a substantial town and offers a mix of ancient and modern Greece.
Main streets are lined with bright purple and deep pink bougainvillea. Great place for Greek coffee and a pastry, a traditional lunch, or a glass of local wine and a mezze.
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Diros Caves
Diros Caves, located just south of Aeropoli, are worth a visit and unlike anything we found in Greece or elsewhere, as there amazing formations of stalagmites and stalactites. The cavern has been forming over the hundreds of thousands of years. Tours will take you via shallow boats starting at 8:30 am.
Boomer Alert: Book ahead and stay calm through the disorganization the overall experience is well worth it.
The Shady Mani
Although it’s difficult to leave Limeni, Kardamyli is another beautiful town and made famous by Homer in his Iliad written about 1200 years BC. Kardamyli is about an hour drive north along the western side of the Taygetos Mountain range or the “shady Mani” as it’s known
Places in the mountains worth stopping at include Platsa and Pigi for the views and for some yoghurt with local honey. A regular stop for us on the water is Agios Nikolaos for coffee or for lunch with numerous tavernas and cafes to choose from. We had a late lunch last time at Vezuvios and recommend it for good food and because of it’s picturesque seaside location. It’s inviting and beautiful.
There are plenty of places to stop for a swim and to get a little sun including Stoupa and Kalogria. Both are popular sandy family beaches. There are other beaches close to Kardamyli town: Ritsa and Delfinia, Kalamitsi, and Foneas. All have crystal clear water but may have more stone than sand.
Explore Kardamyli
When staying in Kardamyli, we love to explore the old town and laneways around the town. We’ve discovered two Myceneaen tombs on our travels as well as a dozen small churches with frescos intact. We suggest you to take the road out of Kardamili to Proastio and Exohori and walk through the villages away from the coast. These villages were built up in the mountains to provide safety from pirates.
Bruce Chatwin at Ag. Nikolaos, Chora, Exohori
Take the road to Proastio and head up the foothills of the Taygetos to Exohori (or take the Kalderimi walking path route from Kardamyli).
The kalderimia were the main means of travel within the Mani until the 1960s or 1970s. Goods were generally shipped from Kalamata and taken by donkey up the kalderimi to the villages.
Bruce Chatwin was an English travel writer, novelist and journalist, he died of Aids in January 1989 at the age of 49. He had recently visited his close friend Patrick (Paddy) Leigh Fermor at his house at Kalamitsi, close to Kardamyli. His ashes are buried beside the church Ag. Nikolaos, Chora, Exohori. His wife described the event: “It was a picnic, something Chatwin would have loved”.
“As Paddy makes clear he’s not quite certain exactly where they buried the ashes – but if any Chatwin fans do make the pilgrimage don’t search – just stop and stare at the view and take in the silence”. Mani Guide
Eating in Kardamyli
For lunch and dinner there are numerous excellent restaurants and cafes along the waterfront around Kardamyli. We have enjoyed meals at Elies which is north of the old town and right in the sand. I had a beetroot and feta salad there once which has inspired my famous (in my mind) beetroot salad with toasted walnuts and feta. We usually stop for coffee or lunch and to sit and watch tourists and the many walkers as they pass down High Street.
Favorite Restaurant in Kardamyli
Our favorite restaurant or taverna is Dioskouri which is on the south side of Kardamyli, up the hill a bit but very walkable. We’ll watch the sunset dining on whatever the special is that day. It’s always good from the food to the wine to the service. John left a pair of sunglasses there one night and a family member (maybe our waiter) saw us in town during that week and mentioned they had them.
If you have a sweet tooth, any of the restaurants will have home made pastries and are always fabulous. We found a charming frozen yoghurt shop, Lola’s, which serves up some great frozen yoghurt as well as coffee and homemade pastry.
When we visit we shop at The Bead Shop for beads, scarves, earrings, and dresses, excellent presents and great people.
Lynn also loves shopping at Riza for the most beautiful silver jewelry. We’ve also found some nice things at Stellar – both jewelry and gifts. You’ll find the owners of all these shops are friendly and helpful.
Kardamyli has a good number of accommodations both in-town and in the the surrounding area. We suggest booking in advance especially if you are traveling in the summer months. Check out Bookings.com or any travel website.
We hope these notes and comments help you enjoy your time in the Southern Peloponnese.
Returning to Athens, you will head north to Kalamata from Kardamyli, and take the motorway all the way. It should take about 3.5 hours.
Καλό ταξίδι! [Kalo taksidi] – “Have a nice trip!”
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