The Mani

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Overview

Covering the central peninsula in the south of the Peloponnese, the Mani is a wild, rugged region. From the steep foothills of the snow-tipped Taÿgetos Mountains to the pristine coastal coves, and from the tiny villages nestling amid olive groves, connected by threads of walking trails, to the arid landscapes in the south of peninsula, speckled with abandoned stone towers, the Mani has some of the most dramatic and varied scenery in the Peloponnese, much of it still wonderfully under-explored.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Tigani

The Mani

This spectacular peninsula juts out of the Mani coast like an upside-down saucepan and, indeed, its Greek name means 'frying pan'. The high point of…

Diros Caves

The Mani

These extraordinary flooded caves, inhabited since Neolithic times, lie 11km south of Areopoli and are signposted near the village of Pyrgos Dirou. The…

Cape Tenaro

The Mani

From the car park at the end of the road in Kokinogia, at the south of the Mani peninsula, it's a beautiful 2km walk along an uneven rocky path to one of…

Pikoulakis Tower House Museum

The Mani

Housed in a restored tower, this museum displays exquisite Byzantine pieces from Mani churches. These include a 12th-century marble templon (chancel…

Church of Taxiarches

The Mani

On the southern side of Plateia 17 Martiou is this 18th-century church. Its picturesque five-storey bell tower marks it as the most important of Areopoli…

Church of Agios Ioannis

The Mani

The Church of Agios Ioannis, built by the Mavromichalis family on a tiny square west of the main square, contains a series of well-preserved frescoes…