7 days in Laconia

Let's now take a tour to the southern prefecture of Greece’s and Europe’s mainland. You know, we are talking about the one you will find on one of the legs on the map of Peloponnese.

I am wondering if there is another prefecture that collects on its land destinations like Mystras / Taygetos, Monemvasia, Elafonisos, Mani but also Gytheio, Evrotas and many other beautiful areas, which combine mountain and sea, attracting visitors throughout the year.

A trip will convince you, as the rich nature with the picturesque landscapes, immersed in the green and the blue that the universe wisely created, will seduce the visitor.

With its history counting thousands of years, the trip to Laconia is full of ancient temples, theaters, monasteries, outstanding castles, caves and bio reserves, mountain routes and seductive beaches that are harmoniously combined with each other, as well as delicious fruit from the famous lemon and orange trees will accompany your trip.

When you arrive in Laconia, you fall in love with it, and as soon as you fall in love with this place, you have to visit it again. That is why, choosing the capital Sparta as our base, we can organize a seven-day trip, which as you will soon understand, is not enough.

^{Day 1, Sparta / Mystras}

The beautiful capital of Laconia, constitutes the ideal destination to begin our 7-day trip in the prefecture. Walking around the city you can stop at the Archaeological Museum, at Leonidio (the tomb of Leonidas), at the Koumantareios Art Gallery (branch of the National Gallery) and at the Museum of the Greek Olive Oil.

Six kilometers outside Sparta, perched on the slope of Taygetos, the historic Mystras awaits you with its famous castle built around 1249, the emblematic palaces and the unique architectural churches that are influenced by the mark of the last Byzantine Emperor Constantine Palaeologus.

Somewhere there can be found the extravagant Camera Museum. The villages of Pikoulianika and Trypi are perfect for short excursions.

We have more about Sparta here and about Mystras here

^{Day 2, Gytheio}

A 40-minute drive is required from Sparta to Gytheio, a city that brings to mind a cosmopolitan island located almost on the doorstep of Mani.

A walk on the waterfront of Gytheio, with the necessary stop for ouzo accompanied by delicacies, looks like balm in the heart of every traveler.

The two-storey and three-storey neoclassical buildings of the 19th century, built amphitheatrically on the slope of the green hill that the locals call Akoumaro, reflect their colors in the waters of the Laconian Gulf. Walking the hill upwards you will be amazed by the flowery courtyards, the stone houses and the picturesque churches. Following Helen of Troy’s footsteps you’ll arrive to Marathonisi, while in the north of the city, you will meet the ancient theater, cradle of tradition and culture.

Take a dive in Valtaki with the legendary shipwreck and then, we are preparing for more Laconian states.

More about  Gytheio here

Island of “Kranai”

Walking in Gythio

 A walk on the waterfront of Gytheio, with the necessary stop for ouzo accompanied by delicacies, looks like balm in the heart of every traveler.

^{Day 3 Mani}

Not an hour away from Gytheio is located a blessed place, Mani, full in fruits and natural beauty. The locals say: You can explore Mani in three days as a passer-by, in three months as a walker, however it takes three lives to see it with the eyes of the soul. You need one life to explore the sea, one for its mountains and one for its people!

They are right because it is impossible to fit its beauties in 24 hours. Mark on your map the famous villages and make sure to pass by Flomochori, Alypa and Nyfi.

Then take a walk in the cobbled alleys of Aeropolis, before the sunset in Limeni, returning from the dazzling lake caves of Diros.

If you are strong and vigorous enough, follow the path that leads to the underwater cave Vatsinidis, a hidden natural gem of the area. When night falls, the harbor in Porto Cayo  in the East waits to accommodate you during the night.

Do not forget the southernmost tip of Europe, Cape Tainaro, where the ancients said it was the gates of Hades.

More about Mani  here

Once you see the sunset here and you have forgotten everything

Walk in the cobbled streets of Areopolis

Follow us   manitraveler_gr   to explore Mani, the wild side of Greece! 

^{Day 4 Taygetos- Parnonas}

Let’s pretend you are a climber so we challenge you to meet two of the most beautiful mountains of Peloponnese that are connected by a network of trails and pass through eight cities and plenty of villages.

Through dense pine forests, cedar and fir trees, gorges and old riverbeds, next to Mycenaean tombs and palaces, Byzantine and Frankish castles, ascetics and monasteries, waterfalls and cobbled streets of hundreds or thousands of years, the summer palace of Menelaus and Helen of Troy, Turkish houses, the tombs of Castor and Pollux, you can cross mountain villages that will offer you a unique view of the Laconian Gulf in order to overlook the sea view up to Kythira island.

^{Day 5, Monemvasia}

The homeland of Giannis Ritsos is a lovable cosmopolitan city that you will never forget because of its medieval walls and the winding cobbled streets.

The Venetian Castle, the streets (the characteristic vaulted paths of the Castle, strolling upwards to the Upper Town) and the necessary stop at the house of the beloved poet seem imperative for any visitor who sees the "Gibraltar of the East".

If you want an unforgettable seaside experience, hidden in the huge rocks and deep gorges, the village of Kyparissi seems the ideal choice.

The wonderful route and the charming mansions of the city together with the delicious delicacies served in the taverns of Monemvasia will accompany you forever.

More about Monemvasia here

Here you will relax against the backdrop of the Myrtos Sea

A dip in Kyparissi is necessary.

But you can’t compare Monemvasia to any other place in Greece. It’s simple as that.

^{Day 6, Neapoli-Vatika}

At the southern end of Mount Parnonas are located Vatika, a series of beautiful villages named after the ancient king Voia, with Neapoli being the "capital" of the wider region.

Now Neapoli is an excellent choice in the agenda of travelers of the Peloponnese since the wild beauty of the peninsula of Voia is sure to reward every walker who will be in its parts. The paths in Cavo Malias will awaken the hiker inside you, while you will love the traditional villages that lie under the age-old oaks and the stone-built Byzantine monasteries.

The beach of Pounta undoubtedly seems to be an outstanding spot in Vatika, reminding of Elafonisos, while strolling around in the picturesque port of Neapoli must not be missed when the sun begins to set.

Do not forget to visit the Cave of Kastania  and the Fossil Forest of Agia Marina that count centuries of life and cause admiration to anyone who is lucky enough to see them. And now off we go to Elafonisos!

^{Day 7, Elafonisos}

Arriving in Elafonisos equals with forgetting all your worries.

If you walk the beach of Simos with the incredible emerald colors in the sea, the golden white colors of fine sand and the unique sand dunes in Greece that reach 10m in height offering  amazing natural shade, then it is a given that you will return in the coming years.

The wonderful harbor, the campsite that has become a meeting point for thousands of visitors, the cedars, dunes and carriage roads that fade under its waters, seem an ideal destination for any traveler in the universe whether he loves camping or prefers to carry umbrellas, plastic chairs and buckets.

Nearby lies the sunken city of Pavlopetri, with the turquoise waters that words are not enough to describe their beauty.

More about Elafonisos here

A beach… dream