Photos: Road-Tripping Through Southern Greece
Start off your road trip by driving out of Athens and skimming along the Gulf of Elefsina until you cross the Corinth Canal. Head south into Laconia, tucked into the southernmost part of mainland Greece. Many locals will tell you that the south is the best of everything Greek, from its cultural riches to its dramatic landscape. Unlike the rest of mainland Greece, Laconia is sparsely populated and unveils its charms more slowly than Athens—making it a requisite notch on the belt for anyone who wants to experience the “real” Greece.
Make your first stop the agritouism farm and guesthouse Eumelia and help out with the olive harvest while soaking in the beautiful scenery (it’s perched atop the two “fingers” that make up Laconia). The farm’s sweeping 148 acres of land includes about 1,000 ancient kalamata olive trees cultivated since the 1890s. You’ll harvest them via a method perfected by millions of Greeks before us: by hand or with a rake, letting them fall like plump raindrops into a waiting net.
Stay a couple of days at Eumelia, allowing time to pick vegetables, cook, craft soap, stomp grapes for wine, help make olive oil, and care for the animals (including two rescue horses). Or, you can simply relax on the porch of your private cottage (there are five total), taking in the views of nearby Mount Taygetos and Parnonas. Inside each two-room cottage is soft organic bedding, a fireplace, a stocked kitchen, and a sleek stone shower.
According to Eumelia founder Frangiskos Karelas, “food is absolutely the best way into Greek culture.” Among the many activities offered at Eumelia is the chance to cook some of the region’s traditional cuisine with a local chef. These half-formed appetizers are the Grecian version of a spinach pie: a combo of fresh spinach, dill, lettuce, wild greens, and olive oil, wrapped in filo dough and pan-fried. They’re called saitia or pitaroudia, Karelas explains (saitia meaning “thin,” pitaroundia simply meaning “the small pita”).
Tempting as it is to stay longer in the countryside, drive further south to the picturesque Mani Peninsula. The gateway to this area is the beautiful town of Gytheio: a breezy, charming harbor town with a history steeped in romance. (According to Homer, Gytheio was the first refuge of Helen and Paris during their elopement to Troy). Per the legend, they set sail from the nearby island of Kranai, now connected to the town’s coastal road by a causeway. Today, Gytheio is the largest town in east Mani, an active seaport—and an all-around gorgeous place to stop for a stroll.
Stop for lunch at one of the tavernas that hawk just-caught seafood along the harbor of Gytheio. The town is also known for its ouzeries: cafe-like bars specializing in ouzo, an anise-flavored aperitif. Grab a seat at any one of the dozens of tables lining the boardwalk and order the popular duo of grilled octopus and chilled ouzo.
An hour south of Gytheio, you’ll see the first of Mani’s emblematic tower houses. There’s a turbulent history behind these buildings: historically, they were the source of clan wars and blood feuds from the 17th century until the end of the Greek revolution in 1832. The towers were an outward sign of clan strength and unity, and the height, strength and armament of a tower was an open display of power. Today the skeletal remains are partially occupied; some are restored but most are just crumbling away.
Much of the Mani Penninsula’s landscape is barren, but there are towns which dot the coastline. This fishing village, Limeni, features just one road—but it’s well worth a stop. It’s a favorite gathering place for locals who come for the town’s renowned seafood joint, Takis Fish Taverna. You don’t need reservations; just walk straight in and watch as freshly-caught fish is grilled right in front of you.
The southernmost tip of the Peninsula, Cape Tainaron, hosts one of Laconia’s most notorious legends. A rambling walk leads to a small cave near the cape’s edge, which, ancient Greeks believed, is the entrance to Hades—the underworld of classic mythology. According to the stories, the cave is where Orpheus entered the underworld to search for his lost love, Eurydice (famously losing her again when he turned back to see if she was indeed following him out of the underworld).
Another Mani treasure is the 13th-century church of Panagia Odigitria. No one knows why such an isolated spot outside the village of Stavri was chosen for this teeny Byzantine church, which just makes its existence more magical. The timeworn white building is reachable on foot via a 20-minute walk along a narrow coastal pathway. The caves directly behind it are said to have been home to hermit monks (soot-blackened stones are visible within); the church itself is filled with fading frescos and cracked floors.
There’s no better place to rest than the Citta dei Nicliani in Koita, a fortress-like hotel that was carefully restored in 2011 (parts date back to the 11th century). It’s now family-owned and run by the Sepsas family: Patriarch Ilias cooks, matriarch Tania is responsible for the decor, and their son Panos manages the hotel and offers up a deep knowledge of Greek wine. This suite, the largest within the tower, preserves intriguing trademarks of the past: original stone walls with built-in vaults (left as is to serve as shelves), tiny windows, and even a glass-covered hole in the floor filled with antique pottery.
As with Mani’s old war towers, this structure was built for strength rather than aesthetics so all of the rooms have extremely small windows. As a sort of compensation, there’s a lounge on the property’s expansive stone terrace that allows guests some extra space to take in the fresh air.
Breakfast at Citta dei Nicliani is a foodie’s delight: Homemade breads, cheeses, olive oil from the family grove, local honey, and truffle salt. Dinner is just as good—there’s no official menu, but each night, Ilias cooks up a choice of one or two traditional Greek dishes.
Your last stop in Laconia should be the ancient town of Mystras, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 13th century, tucked at the foothills of the Taygetos mountains. Pull over and wander slowly through its empty streets, admiring the medieval houses, churches, and impressive array of beautiful, fading frescoes. At the top, gaze out upon miles and miles of southern Greece and bid farewell to the region before your journey back to Athens.