MANI

Nowhere else in Greece will you find such splendour, history, breathtaking landscape and a region rich in unusual architecture. This magical and timeless corner of Greece is known as ‘The Mani’.

The Mani is situated in the middle promontory of the southern Peloponnese, physically different from the other two and dominated by the magnificent and daunting ‘Taigetos’ mountain range. This range is home to a number of villages, some working and populated, some deserted. The tower houses that dominate the deep Mani, south of Aeropoli, were built from limestone mined from the mountains. This style of housing was originally built around the sixteenth century when the Maniots defended themselves from their many invaders. No one should visit this area without exploring the vast underwater lakes and caves found at Pirgos Diros. Located just south of Aeropoli, these caves are crammed with stalactites and stalagmites said to be 400 million years old, the finest in the Peloponnese.

The village of Kardimili ten minutes drive north of Stoupa remains a true Greek village, star attraction here is the old quarter set above the main street and dating back to the thirteenth century. Here you will find the church of Aghios Spiridon and the tombs of ‘Castor and Pollox’ the heavenly twins. The Maniots resisted conversion to Christianity until the tenth century, when they embraced it with such fervour that they built churches everywhere. The area is littered with Byzantine churches, some well hidden and only accessible with difficulty.

Stoupa itself offers you the chance to relax and unwind on its beaches and if you enjoy walking, you can visit hillside villages above Stoupa or take the coastal walk to the tiny fishing village of Aghios Nikolaos just four kilometres away, and watch the fishermen haul in their catch.

STOUPA

The delightful resort of Stoupa lies in the Mani peninsular, just over an hour’s drive south from Kalamata. The village has developed around two sandy bays and the setting is complemented with a backdrop of olive covered hills and the magnificent Taigatos mountains rising behind. A beautiful location combined with all the facilities for a relaxed family holiday, it has become a favourite with many of our past clients who regularly travel to this resort with us.

Despite Stoupa’s growing popularity it would still be considered low key in comparison to many other Mediterranean resorts and evening entertainment is mostly centred around a variety of good quality tavernas. Neighbouring villages remain relatively unchanged and here you may still experience Greece of the past. The beaches are safe, sandy and clean and in particular the tree fringed beach at Kalogria is idyllic for children, and not so young adults. Stoupa has in total three beaches which have beautiful clear waters, and one end of the main Stoupa beach has wonderful rock pools in which to go shrimping.

There is a wealth of historical sites all around you and a firm favourite for all the family is a visit to the famous caves at Pirgos Diros. Various organised excursions are available but to fully appreciate this beautiful part of mainland Greece, a car would be recommended for a couple of days. It will take twenty minutes to stroll across the village which has a range of tavernas, a few bars, two well stocked supermarkets and a selection of interesting souvenir shops. All in all a wonderful resort and almost all commend it and recommend it to friends.