The Peloponnese, Deep Mani- A peninsula of warriors, towers, and the winding road to hell

 Ohhh, Mani! Those are the stone towers, the proud Maniots, and the "gate" that leads to Hades...

Mani- Paw traveller

Mani is a peninsula in the southernmost corner of Southeast Europe. Its unique beauty, unreal landscapes, and rich history make this destination a must-see for all lovers of real Greece, and travelers looking for places unspoiled by mass tourism.

Rough at first glance, but at the same time enchanting, with stone houses and towers that looks more like small fortresses, churches, and hidden bays that are not only worthy of a travelogue because Mani cannot be described, Mani must be felt and experienced.

Deep Mani - one of the most isolated regions

Mani- Paw traveller

Deep Mani has been one of the most isolated regions in Greece for a long time, and here you will find unreal and magical places such as Areopoli, Gerolimenas, Vathia, Porto Kagio, and Marmari, but also the southernmost part of the Balkan Peninsula, Cape Mattapan, which separates the Messinian Gulf in the west from the Laconian on the east. In this very place, there is a cave which, according to Greek mythology, was the entrance to Hades, the mythological underworld of the dead, where only the rare, such as the demigods Orpheus, Heracles, and Odysseus, could enter and miraculously return.

Areopolis

It is said that the true Mani begins at Areopolis on the west side of the peninsula, and after the beaches below Gitio on the east side. Most of the tourists never come to this part except to visit the Diros caves, and after the boat trip, they return to the tourist villages of outer Mani such as Stupa and Kardamili.

Areopolis is an extremely charming town, colorful and full of life with many restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, and its narrow stone-paved streets will lead you to the most picturesque places, stone houses and towers that have a unique character, and churches from the Byzantine period.

Limeni- Paw traveller

Going down from Areopolis towards the sea, you will come across the indescribably beautiful village of Limeni, which is adorned with a handful of wonderful towers and several excellent fish taverns. Although Limeni does not have a beach, you can still dive into the crystal-clear turquoise water by approaching from the rocks.

Deep Mani is almost surreal, rough but fragile at the same time, and what is certain is that it will not leave anyone indifferent.

For centuries, people on Mani used networks of stone roads to move between villages, and until the sixties of the twentieth century, when the construction of roads began, the transport of goods was mainly carried out by boats and mules. Many villages were only accessible from the sea so most roads are small and winding, and the further south you go the less traffic there is.

Mani- wars and revenge

Located on the southern slopes of Mount Taygetos, Mani was constantly on the alert for invasion, both by invaders and between villages, which resulted in a unique form of construction. Villages were surrounded by stone fences and towers were built studded next to each other, without windows except for small holes because their purpose was clear. They were built for battle.

The Maniots were warriors, descendants of the Spartans, who cherished traditions and family ties, so if someone harmed the family, it was a reason for revenge, and only blood could wash it away. Revenge was not considered as a barbaric act, but a person who took revenge to restore the reputation and honor of the family deserved a high level of respect in the community.

Vathia- Paw traveller

War was never waged unannounced, but would be officially announced by ringing a bell, and then any destruction was permitted. The most common ending of the revenge was the destruction of a part of a family, and the survivors had to move away and go to other villages, leaving their property to the winner.

It is also very interesting that the vendetta also had temporary breaks for the performance of necessary work such as plowing, sowing, harvesting, or picking olives, and the peace would last during the rites of baptism or wedding, and as soon as the work was finished, the retaliation continued.

Vathia, one of the most photographed villages on Mani dominated by towers, fully proves the wild character of its former inhabitants and bears witness to the longest feud between four families that lasted forty years and resulted in hundreds of deaths.

The mountain village of Mountanistika

Mountanistika- Paw traveller

However, the highlight of this trip for us was Mountanistika, a small mountain village at 560 meters above sea level, from where there is a stunning view of all the villages of southern Mani, from Vathia to Marmari.

We thought we would find an abandoned ghost town, but we actually found four people there. A hunter, two elderly local men, and a lady from Athens with a bull who spends the summer in the village. We had a great conversation using hands and facial expressions... Really priceless experience!

Apart from the towers, there are also castles from the post-Byzantine period like Achilleion on Mani, as well as churches and monasteries which are mostly small and modest.

As we somehow missed the road to Marmari, we arrived at Achilleio, a small settlement with a castle opposite to Porto Kagio, located on the site where, according to Pausanias, there was an ancient port.

Today, on this place you can see the remains of the walls of the famous castle built by the Ottomans in 1570 to conquer Mani. But, within a year, the steadfast Maniots together with the Venetian admiral Guerini and his 24 galleys subdued the invaders and forced them to surrender. Once upon a time, this castle had five imposing towers...

There are plenty of reasons to visit Mani because Mani cannot be described, Mani must be felt and experienced!

If you skipped reading the post about Argolis, you can do so by clicking on this LINK, and if you are interested about our trip to Messinia THIS POST is for you.

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