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4 days 3 nights or 5 days 4 nights

Escorted by a friendly, knowledgeable local, by company founders Carole & Basil Kezios or traveling independently using our detailed, customized journey guide

Once among the most isolated regions of Greece, the Mani peninsula,  stretches seaward, creating the natural boundary where the Ionian meets the Aegean sea.  Almost cut off from the rest of Greece by the majestic Taygetus mountain range, it is one of those special places in Greece where life remains mostly untouched by modernity.

Heading out of Athens we’ll travel across the Corinth Canal and stop for a visit at AcroCorinth. Some say this sprawling Acropolis is amongst the most impressive in Mainland Greece. The vistas are certainly magnificent, and bear witness to why this strategic location was continuously occupied from antiquity well into the 19th century.

Continuing south, with a lunch stop amongst the vineyards of Greece’s own Napa Valley, Ancient Nemea, we’ll reach our destination by late afternoon. A charming, luxurious guesthouse awaits us, welcoming our arrival with an ouzo or raki at the waters edge.

Tonight we’ll explore the tiny village, dining along the harbor or at one of the village tavernas before walking back to our seaside guesthouse and turning in for a good night’s rest.

Our first full day in Mani begins with breakfast, served poolside or seaside. The guesthouse’s gourmet kitchen wakes early to ensure we have a mouthwatering selection of sweet and savory homemade breads and pastries, eggs, local cheese and honey, Maniot sausage, fresh fruit and juice.  And though it will be difficult to leave this idyllic setting, we have a full day ahead: we’ll head out by van to explore the stunning traditional tower villages scattered throughout the peninsula, as well as taking a leisurely hike to the southernmost tip of the peninsula, Cape Tainaro. Continuing along the coast we’ll cross back over the mountain toward Aeropolis, where we’ll have a chance to tour the Dirou Cave by boat. We’ll have dinner tonight in Aeropolis before returning to our home base in Gerolimanos.

Day 2, wow, only day 2! Breakfast again seaside, and a couple of choices:  Perhaps you’d like to explore the area on horseback? Or take a hike with a naturist, learning a bit about the flora of the Mani, with a special focus on collecting the wild herbs and teas that make up part of the traditional diet of Greece.  Day 2 is about you, about relaxing, about special your interests.  We’ve done cooking lessons, connected guests with local fishermen for a few hours out at sea. The possibilities are endless.

Just be back in time for dinner, since tonight we’ll stay “home” and enjoy the award winning restaurant located right in the guesthouse.

Day three and time to ease ourselves back into the real world.  We’ll depart after breakfast, traveling north toward Sparta, but we’ll detour before the city for a visit to the Byzantine city of Mystras.  Here we’ll be met by a local guide for a tour of the monasteries scattered throughout the mountainside city.  Following our tour we’ll head into Sparta for lunch and a visit to the olive oil museum before continuing our drive back to Athens.