The Area

Welcome to Greece and the southern Peloponnese. Almost as south as you can get in mainland Europe. Where the tallest mountains of the Peloponnese meet the azure blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Where the sea is still warm in the end of October.

Few places in Europe can offer such a beauty and variety within such a compact area. Here you can walk in the mountains in the morning and spend the afternoon on the beach. This area is called the Messinian (or the outer) Mani and is the pièce de résistance of the Mani peninsula. Travel guide publisher Lonely Planet said in 2016 that the Peloponnese was the best place to visit in Europe. Maybe why the famous Sir Patrick Leigh Fermor also chose to spend his later years in this area?

The coastline here is one of the most beautiful in Greece. A very lush and rugged coast dotted with picturesque villages, small bays and many beaches to choose from. And the mighty Taygetos mountain range as a natures stunning backdrop. Highest of them all the magic peak of Profitis Ilias, summiting at 2407 meters above the beach.

Nature here is riven by a number of gorges and ravines running down from the mountains. Like the famous Viros gorge. A deep and dramatic 20 kilometers long gorge from the summit to the sea at Kardamili.

Within a radius of 10 km, you will find 22 villages and 11 hamlets. Some more busy than others, but all of them with their own character. Fishing villages, traditional mountain villages with a main square and a taverna or two. Byzantine churches and chapels with beautiful old frescoes, narrow alleyways and hidden gems to explore.

The area offers more than 100 restaurants and tavernas, most of them by the sea. Some prefer picturesque fishing harbour of Agios Nikolaos. The more busy Stoupa and Kardamili offers dozens of different restaurants and tavernas. But also the smaller mountain villages offer their local tavernas, often with authentic Greek food. Hidden in the mountains you can find places where the Greeks go, where they do open fire cooking every evening in the season.

Kalamata olive oil is world famous. And so is Kalamata olives. Big black olives delicious for eating. Funny enough, most the Kalamata oil is made from the small and green olives from the Koronoeiki tree. Local producers have won several international gold awards, proving that extra virgin olive oil from this area are among the absolute available. Almost every village has at least one local olive press making it easy to understand why this is called the green gold of Mani.

The region is criss-crossed by a network of old kalderimis – stone mule paths – that once connected most of the villages. These are to day popular with walkers. Have a walk amongst the olive groves and finish off with a swim in the warm Mediterranean water.

THE BEACHES AND THE MOUNTAINS WITHIN 15 MINS
The small mountain village of Pyrgos is one of the oldest in this area. Situated between the Med and the mountains, here you find no cars. Just narrow alleyways with no cars.

No need for social distancing. Just a small and safe community in these times of Covid 19.

A couple of minutes walk through the atmospheric village to the car park under the shaded olive trees – and you can drive to the beaches or the mountains within 10-15 minutes.