Limeni, Pylos, Pulithra, Kardamili, Koroni. Five wonderful corners where the Peloponnese touches the sea, without losing its architectural splendour.
Most of us love it and think of it for two main things: its stone mountain villages (in winter) and its spectacular beaches (in summer). The two, however, are sometimes combined. And those occasions are enough to fill many an afternoon and many more nights.
Pulithra
A jewel of a village, a few kilometres outside Leonidio -which is, in turn, a worthy representative of the beauty of the coastal Peloponnese. Impressive mansions next to whitewashed houses with flowered courtyards make up its image, while a long pebbled beach frames the village. In the evening, two bars stay up late with the lights dimmed by the sea, and the atmosphere is reminiscent of one of those islands the world has yet to discover.
In the vicinity: One of the most beautiful and most secret beaches of the Peloponnese, Fokiano with its large white pebbles and turquoise waters is located in the area. To get here, you will need to drive for about an hour along the winding route from Poulithra, but the beach will more than compensate you. The same, of course, applies to the mountain villages of Parnonas, just above Leonidio.
Kardamili
A village of stone, one of those that one imagines that one could only find in the mountains of the Peloponnese, resting on the endless blue of the Messinian Mani. Hollywood appreciated its beauty last year and proved it by having it star in Before Midnight. Its cardboard, stone-built mansions are set against cobbled cobblestone streets, two steps from the long beach with its white pebbles.
In the vicinity: Nearby is another of the most beautiful beaches of the Peloponnese, Foneas, which is consistently in the top 10 of our favorite beaches. Its emerald waters contrast nicely with the large white pebbles, tufted trees and steep cliffs that frame the beach. A few kilometres outside Kardamili is the superstar beach of the area called Stoupa, which attracts crowds of people who swear by its golden sandy beach and lively beach bars.
Pylos
It is perhaps the closest thing the Peloponnese has to an island image, with its white houses climbing amphitheatrically up the hill above the bay that bears its name. Covered with red tiles, and "protected" by the legendary Niokastro, they give the newcomer a holiday feeling at first sight. Don't leave without first exploring its Ottoman castle, which enjoys a panoramic view of the sea, taking a boat ride to the Sfaktiria, and enjoying ouzo and meze under the plane trees in the Three Admirals Square. Once is never enough.
In the vicinity: You will find, first of all, one of the most photographed beaches in Greece, the wonderful Voidokilia with its soft powdery sand and turquoise waters. The beaches of the area, of course, do not end here - neither do its villages: Romanos, Gialova and Petrochori are just a few village/beach combinations to start your explorations.
Limeni
We'll be honest, we had a hard time choosing just one of the seaside villages of Laconian Mani. Oitylo, Gerolimenas, Kotronas were serious contenders. We settled on Limeni, because its magnificent stone tower houses (found elsewhere in Mani) contrast perfectly with its spectacular two-toned, turquoise and deep blue waters (not found elsewhere in Mani).
In case you're wondering, there is an explanation for this strange colour combination: the water in the first few metres is fresh, as it comes out to sea from underground streams. The village itself is made up of narrow streets that almost without exception end in the sea, zigzagging between stone towers, low houses with red tiled roofs and small, unexpected surprises such as the abandoned church of Panagia Vrettis with its impressive bell tower.
In the vicinity: You'll dive at amazing beaches, such as Agia Varvara and Nisaki (both near Kotronas), and explore the other coastal - and Mediterranean - villages of the Laconian Mani. If your time is limited, mark down Areopolis and Vathia in your "must-see" list.
Koroni
Something of the picturesque of a Greek island, something of the Venetian glamour of a castle town, something of the hospitable tradition of the foreign Zeus, and all these "something", all wrapped up in one of the most beautiful, colourful villages of the Peloponnese, which continues to surprise us with its corners no matter how many times we visit it. The walks start from the pier and end through olive groves and heavy doors to the 13th century Venetian castle, which is still inhabited today and offers us reasons for walks with a view among flowering neighborhoods and red tiled roofs.
In the vicinity: You will swim in Peroulia, popular with beach bar lovers, in Zaga with its seaside tavernas, in the beautiful Gargarou and in the endless sandy beach of the diverse Finikounda. It goes without saying that you will visit the "rival awe", Methoni, which boasts the second imposing castle of the region with its photogenic Bourtzi and impressive battlements.
SOURCE: www.dinfo.gr , in2life
