After the first part, our exploration in the Peloponnese and taking a tour of the beautiful places and beaches that take your breath away, we will tour the southern and western part of it.
Elafonisos
Maybe one of the few islands where time stops. So close to Mani, Elafonisos, just 15 minutes by boat from Neapolis, is a place worth dedicating days to discover its beauties to the fullest.
No clock and no sunset makes you nervous here. The vast beach of Simos and next to Sarakiniko – one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean – welcome you in an exotic setting like a photo. Clean, crystal clear waters and a vast sandy beach are some of its features. The country of Elafonissos has many beautiful shops for food and dessert, while during the afternoon walk you can enjoy the walks in the alleys and edge of the sea.
The beach of Lefki awaits you when the beach of Simos is more stormy while Agios Spyridonas is another choice for a relaxed afternoon walk.
Heading towards the middle leg of the Peloponnese we begin to enter the “fairytale” that of Messinian Mani. Landscapes, beaches and villages worth mentioning and visiting.
Gythio – Limeni – Kalamata
Beaches
The beach of Agia Varvara in Skoutari, just south of Gythio, is one of the quietest in the area. The chapel of Agia Varvara, 2 taverns and golden sand are the ones that decorate this special choice for swimming. Towards the west, you will enjoy your swim in Kalogri beach – the most famous and ideal for groups and families, fully organized and with white sand. Continuing to the north, Foneas beach provides a simplicity and authenticity to the landscape and the concept of relaxation on the beach.
Quite hidden from the road, you will find it after a path full of trees at the end of the homonymous gorge. There is a refreshment room for your basic needs and parking on site. Finally, the beaches of Kalamata, both the one in the city and those that spread out within the Messinian gulf are equally remarkable and ideal to welcome you in a cool bath before continuing your journey.
Activities
The main port of the Laconic Gulf, Gythio, combines an island aura with mansions, alleys with stone stairs and the islet of Kranai which is now home to the Historical Ethnological Museum of Mani. Moving towards western Mani and as long as you have time, do not fail to make a stop at Cape Rinaro. At the lighthouse, at the southernmost tip of the Balkan Peninsula and Western Europe, you can reach a point by car and then follow a 45-minute hike to face the sea. Here – according to mythology – was the passage to the Underworld, the Gates of Hades. Did we get your attention? Time to visit!
Continuing to Areopolis you will find some of the most summery and historic holiday destinations. The parts of the area are ideal for you with your partner or your company. Areopolis – a historic and preserved settlement, Limeni, traditional and at the same time cosmopolitan and Oityl, with its green landscape, all enhance the history of the area with its stone houses and stone high-rise towers. This is where you’ll try the local throats.
A visit is also worth a visit to the Caves of Diros, with the most famous lagoon that of Vlychada with 1,600 meters tour of boats around well-formed stalagmites and stalachites of centuries.
Another picturesque and seaside place – Kardamili – allows you to admire the traditional Manic architecture in the stone houses, the green hiking routes to the gorge of Vyros and an afternoon walk in the port.
Finally, as the capital of Messinia and the largest port, Kalamata is the point of the southern Peloponnese. Known as the olive capital, since from here they source oil from all over Greece and abroad, it is worth visiting an olive mill to share the culture of the region.
Pylos – Polylimnio – Neda
On our way, from Kalamata and towards the western side of the Peloponnese, we will meet some of the most beautiful beaches of Greece, waterfalls and traditional settlements with beautiful castles.
Beaches
On the way to Koroni, you will meet Perulia beach after the village of Vounaria. It is a landscape with natural beauty and blue waters. The road network does not particularly help access due to the narrow roads in the area and you can either get down by elevator to the beach on one side (yes, elevator!) or down the stairs in a verdant path like a rainforest.
Then, in Finikounda, clear waters and sand along with small and large pebbles compose the scenery of the beach. You have the opportunity to vacation independently in the ample free space of the beach or enjoy the shade of a sunbed in the shops that offer you this possibility as well as snacks for your entire stay on the beach. Ideal for water sports such as surfing (weather permitting!) and for couples or families with children.
To the north, the famous beach of Voidokilia, one of the most famous and photographed in Greece, is a classic choice for summer visitors of Pylos. Turquoise waters, white sand, and shape as a crescent moon are all you will encounter upon your arrival on the beach.
Quite crowded in the summer months but definitely a beach that should not be missing from your must-see destinations.
Passing Voidokilia and then Costa Navarino, in Gargalianos you will find a huge beach with pebbled sand, quiet and away to enjoy your time at sea and relaxation on the beach. Mati beach or Gold Coast quite isolated on one side but also crowded on the north side with 2 separate beach bars combines both options for lovers of one kind or another. The locals definitely prefer it and characterize it as one of the best beaches of the Western Peloponnese.
Finally, going up to Ilia and to the border with the prefecture of Messinia in Kyparissia, the beach of Elia ends at the estuary of the river Neda – known for the beauty of the gorge and its waterfalls, which we will see below. The beach dressed with pine forest on its back and golden sand is a top choice for relaxation, swimming or even hiking in the verdant forest and towards the river. In spring it is often visited by the caretta-carettas to leave their eggs on the warm sandy beach!
Activities
Koroni and Methoni, 2 of the most important historical towns in Pylos with natural beauty, promise traditional settlements, cobbled cobblestones, old mansions and are a tourist choice throughout the summer.
Both are demons castles, of which the Castle of Methoni is the must-see. It is essentially a castle town, built in the 13th century AD and of great historical importance to the place. On the other hand, the Castle of Koroni, overlooking the entire Messinian Gulf until the eye reaches Taygetos, is in a prominent position at the edge of the port. Inside the castle – taking a walk – you will find ruins of the church of Agia Sophia as well as houses that are still inhabited today.
Just 30 km from Kalamata, we find a unique landscape on the south side of Messinia with many small lakes and waterfalls, Polylimnio. One of the most famous activities in the area is hiking in its famous waterfalls. With signs that will lead you to the parking lot from the village of Charavgi, you can start a short hike passing through the various lakes that eventually form the largest, Lake Kadis.
At the edge of it dominates the waterfall which you will see after you get close enough, as the foliage is quite dense and creates a special natural landscape. With care do not slip, you can dive into the cold waters of the famines and enjoy the beauty of the landscape.
The river Neda is the natural border of the prefectures of Ilia and Messinia. We recommend the entrance to the natural path to the waterfalls on the side of Ilia and the temple of Epicourios Apollo. Although the temple is covered, due to maintenance as early as 1987, it is worth a visit as a monument that is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
From there will begin the hike to the gorge of Neda and the amazing small and large waterfalls at the sources of the river. The images you will encounter are stunning and purely natural and appropriate in the untouched landscape.
Attention, the route can be considered easy and short but due to the glysters and -sometimes steep – paths poses risks for anyone who is not supplied with the appropriate basic equipment.
Continuing the road to Ilia and Achaia we prepare for some of the longest beaches of the Peloponnese.
Amaliada – Ancient Olympia – Kato Achaia
Beaches
On the beach of Zacharos, where your eye is lost between the sand and the sea, you enjoy clean but shallow waters, at the beginning, for families with children. Quite organized and with the necessary shops for food and coffee around. In Kourouta, the most cosmopolitan beach in the area, it extends a long way and offers many shops such as beach bars and taverns. During the summer months you can enjoy the beach until late at night with your drink.
In the sand and fully organized is one of the most popular in the area of Amaliada.
In the surrounding beaches of the area – such as that of Skafida – you will see many scenes of groups and families camping!
The beach of Kalogria in Kato Achaia is one of the famous in the area for its length but, above all, for its beauty. Succeeding the beautiful forest of Strorylia – the largest coastal forest in Greece – combines the summer bath with the adventure. Fully organized in the summer is a excursion that you will remember for a long time.
Activities
The archaeological site of Ancient Olympia is an important monument of Greek history. From here began the Olympic Games in 776 B.C. and were held every 4 years until their temporary interruption in 393 A.D. by the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius I. With finds from the Neolithic era (3,000 BC), ancient Olympia deserves a tour of the place where the institution of the Olympic Games was born and was a large religious center during ancient times.
So this way, we end up in a beautiful and unique tour of the Peloponnese with every beach, every village and every activity that you can explore and worth sharing with your friends!
