Excursion Villages of mani tour at Gytheio

Isolated by its geography and surrounded by the Laconian and Messenian Gulfs, the southern tip of Mani Peninsula is a world unto itself. Combined with the independent nature of its inhabitants, this has enabled some of its traditions to exist separately from the rest of the Peloponnese and Greece – and to remain little changed over the centuries. Even today, you’ll see tower houses and fortified family dwellings here dating from the Ottoman era.

A scenic hour’s drive from the port brings you to the first of the villages, picturesque Gerolimenas. Kissed by the crystalline blue-green sea and dwarfed by its mountain backdrop, this minute coastal village seems the kind of place one could blissfully disappear in for a decade or two off the grid.

Stacked up in local stone and perched atop a seaside hill, the fortress town of Vatheia presents a stark contrast: this is a place that saw its heyday in the 19th century before  contemporary urban drift led to its abandonment by 1980. Left behind is a time capsule skyline of two- and three-story towers that form a priceless architectural treasure.

Rounding out your tour is rugged Cape Tainaron, sequestered on the far southern tip of Mani and in antiquity fabled to be one of the entranceways to the Underworld. In modern times, this is where the Titanic's would-be rescue ship, the SS Californian, was torpedoed and sunk by German forces in 1915. And where the 1941 Naval Battle of Cape Matapan took place offshore between the British Royal Navy and the Italian Regia Marina. You’ll surely load up your cloud storage with photos of this remarkable spot on Earth before the approximate 90-minute drive back to Gythion port.  

Points of interests

Points of interest seen include: Gerolimenas, Vatheia, Cape Tainaron

Note

Please note: This moderate excursion involves standing and walking for approximately 1.6km/1 mi, at times over inclines, cobblestones, and uneven surfaces with stairs in the villages. The tour is not suitable for guests who utilise a wheelchair or have limited mobility. Wear comfortable, lightweight clothes and flat, non-slip shoes; bring along your preferred sun protection. The order of sights and activities may vary.