Active & Culture Tour Peloponnese

Heading to the Mani peninsula we make a small deviation to visit Ancient Messini. Ancient Messini is one of the most important excavated cities of Greece. The ancient city is well preserved due to the fact that it was never destroyed or covered by a newer settlement. Inside the archaeological site the visitor will find sanctuaries, public buildings, houses, fortifications and funerary monuments. We continue our journey southwards entering the messinian Mani and picturesque Kardamili, a very beautiful sea front town.

Our trip starts from the old harbor of Kardamyli, the place we meet. At the beginning of the activity we attend a brief but comprehensive introduction to the basics of sea kayaking. We get our kayaks and begin to enjoy an excursion where each little cove hides a special surprise such as hidden caves, cliffs with spectacular formations and unique beaches with sand or pebbles such as the well-hidden beach of Foneas with the white pebbles and the sandy beach of Delfinia. Weather and time permitting we head to Stoupa and the beach of Kalogria with its fine golden sand and turquoise waters. The beach of Kalogria is known as the beach of Zorbas, as this was the place where writer Nikos Kazantzakis met his hero of his book Zorba the Greek. Halfway we make a relaxing stop for swimming, snorkeling and a picnic with local traditional delicacies. After our activity we travel even further in deep Mani and overnight in Limeni  another beautiful sea village.

• Difficulty level: easy
• Duration of the kayak: 4 hours

We start our day with a visit at Diros Bay where we will tour the impressive Glyfada sea caves. These caves, open to the public since 1963, are rated amongst the best of their kind in the world. You can visit the caves by boat and admire the delicate stalactites and stalagmites. We then drive or bike towards Cape Tenaro, the southernmost point of mainland Greece.

On our way, we will stop for a short visit to the partially restored tower village of Vathia. The basic settlement of Vathia was formed mainly after the 18th century, flourished in the 19th and began to decline in the 20th. A little further down the coast, you will start the day’s walk. A route will take you from the settlement of Kokinoghia and along the coast to a lighthouse. At kokkinogia there used to be a temple to God Poseidon, but it was converted by Christians into a church. At the beginning of the path from Kokkinogia towards Tenaro, you will see a decorative mosaic dated to the 1st century AD, which is from the floor of a Roman villa. After 45 mins walking from Kokkinogia, you will end up the southern-most tip of mainland Greece. There you will find a lighthouse. On the West of the lighthouse is a cave that Greek legend claims was the home of Hades, the god of the dead. As the southern-most tip of mainland Greece, Tenaro is famous for being on the migration path of birds headed to Africa. You can end the day with a refreshing swim.

Overnight in Limeni.

After our breakfast we travel the via the southern  slopes of impressive Mt. Taygetus to Sparta and the byzantine citadel of Mystras.

Mystras was a fortified town in Morea (the Peloponnesus), on Mt. Taygetos, near ancient Sparta. It lies approximately 8 kilometers west of the modern town of Sparti. The town of Mystras was built as an amphitheater around the fortress erected in 1249 by the prince of Achaia, William of Villehardouin. Reconquered by the Byzantines, then occupied by the Turks and the Venetians, the city was abandoned in 1832, leaving only the breathtaking medieval ruins, standing in a beautiful landscape. In 1989 the ruins, including the fortress, palace, churches, and monasteries, were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Arrival in Athens.