10-day road trip around the Peloponnese

Seafood in Nea Epidaurus

After a full first day, you’ll have worked up quite an appetite. So we’re sending you for some seafood in the picturesque port town of New Epidaurus (as the name translates). But before you do, how about a swim? The water is refreshing and clean.

The view from Palamidi Fortress

Nafplio was the Venetians’ ‘Naples of the East’ and they certainly left their cultural mark. Nowhere more so than Palamidi Castle, built in the early 18th century, from which you have panoramic views of the town and the Argolic Gulf. You can drive or climb the 999 steps to the top. The fortress was famously stormed in one night by Greek troops in 1822, prompting its Turkish garrison to surrender.

Experience Palamidi Castle in Nafplio

Stroll along the promenade

After all that history, it’s time for a leisurely stroll along the promenade. Take your time to amble the 1km to Arvanitias Square. You’ll reach a pretty little chapel (Virgin Mary of the Cave), where you can sit and admire the sea views. 

Monemvasia’s medieval castle

As soon as you walk through the gate of the castle, you step into the heart of a medieval citadel. Arched alleyways, crumbling churches and artisan workshops are found next to cafes & tavernas, shops and quaint homes. What was once the location of the Byzantines’ central avenue, the Venetians’ market and the Ottomans’ bazaar is now where you’ll enjoy a coffee and take it all in.

Try and resist the smells

Little shops selling local products are everywhere. If you fancy something sweet, you’ll be drawn by the aromas of the almond-based amygtholata wafting from confectioners’ stores. Or perhaps the samousades, filled with almonds, walnuts and thyme-honey. And for later in the evening, set yourself for cocktails and dinner with views that make you feel like you’re on a balcony overlooking a sea that’s just for you. 

Mansion houses and stately charm

It’s worth stepping into the town to explore the neoclassical buildings and narrow streets. The Old Girls’ School, designed by famed architect Ernst Ziller, is now a museum that will give you an insight into the famously proud people of the Greater Mani region. It also houses manuscripts by the renowned poets Yiannis Ritsos and Nikiforos Vrettakos.

The Agios Dimitrios Shipwreck

Around 5km north of Gythio, you’ll find Selinitsa, a long sandy beach that you can't miss because there’s a shipwreck sitting on it. It’s an unusual backdrop to an afternoon swim. Or there’s Gythio’s most popular beach, Mavrovouni, with golden sand and excellent water. It’s also a nesting ground of the endangered caretta-caretta sea turtles. 

The tower houses of Areopoli

On to the impressively preserved historical town of Areopoli, with its tower houses and stone paths. This is the historic heart of Mani, in which stands the tower of the Mavromichalis family (among the leaders of Greece’s 1822 War of Independence). There’s something timelessly welcoming about Areopoli: all those coffee shops with bougainvillea, the heart-melting bakery smells and the warmth of the locals.

The extraordinary Diros Caves

A vast underground cavern stretching 15km into the rock, the Diros Caves not only contain a seemingly endless network of inland waterways but were also one of Europe’s most important Neolithic burial sites. A 40-minute boat tour into Vlychada, the biggest cave of the complex, will take you 2.5km inland, past incredible stalactites and stalagmites and otherworldly formations.

Patrick Leigh Fermor’s house

Mani is synonymous with Patrick Leigh Fermor – Paddy or Kyrie Michalis, as he was lovingly known – the British author, scholar and soldier who fought in the Cretan resistance during the Second World War. He also lived to the ripe old age of 96 in Kardamyli and his house has been preserved in his honour. You can visit it upon request. 

A meal in the shade of the trees

To fully feel the charms of life in Kardamyli, there’s one more thing you need to do. Eat in the shade of the area’s famous tree-lined streets. There are numerous options. You’ll see what we mean.

A one-stop cultural shop

Right in the heart of Kalamata, you’ll find the city’s archaeological museum. It’s a great one-stop-shop to understand the cultural development of the region, from Prehistoric times through to the Mycenaean period and up to Byzantine and later years. Even better would be to include a visit the Archaeological Site of Messinia, so you can put it all into context.

Experience Ancient Messene

Make the Gulf of Messinia your own

Nothing captures the atmosphere of Kalamata quite like a drive up to Verga, a village in the foothills of Mt Taygetus, where the Gulf of Messinia becomes your very own. Perfect for sundowners or dinner with views of the twinkling lights of Kalamata.

Sheltered and welcoming Finikounta

On your way to Methoni, you’ll pass through the welcoming town of Finikounta. The waters here are shallow and the beaches are sandy, making them ideal for families with small children. You can laze on the beach and enjoy a taverna lunch. Take your time. The pace here is slow.

Explore the rich history of Methoni Castle

This is a castle experience you’re not going to miss. The 13th-century Methoni castle is one of the most important Venetian fortresses in Greece and certainly one of the most imposing. Just entering is impressive, with its stone causeway and gates, and there are various important buildings inside, including a church and Ottoman baths.

A castle with a view

Located on a hill west of Pylos, Neokastro is one of the best-preserved castles in Greece, housing a small museum and a mosque converted into a church. Invisible from the sea, it played a key role as a lookout during the Battle of Navarino. It’s also a great vantage point to take in the views of the Gulf of Messinia and beyond.

Stroll the alleyways of Pylos

Back we head to Pylos for an evening stroll through the little alleyways of a town that feels like an island hamlet. There are traditional cafes and shops selling local products before reaching the coastal road, where you can settle down to dinner in a seaside taverna.

An archaeological site that keeps giving

The god Hermes leans gracefully against a tree trunk, cradling the infant Dionysus in his left arm: beauty and grace in perfect harmony. This is the effect of one of the sculptor Praxiteles’ greatest works of art, housed in the Archaeological Museum of Olympia. Do you need much more reason to visit?