Old Town Kardamyli consists of a fortified settlement with a handsome 18th-century church, plus restored tower, oil press and three-storey building. There are good information panels with explanations in English on traditional Maniot life. Follow the signs on the western edge of Kardamyli opposite the two supermarkets.
Old Town Kardamyli
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
14.64 MILES
Spread over a steep mountainside and surrounded by verdant olive and orange trees, this former Byzantine capital and fortified city is the single most…
26.28 MILES
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Museum of the Olive & Greek Olive Oil
16.3 MILES
This beautifully designed museum initiates you into the mysteries of the olive from its initial appearance in the Mediterranean in 60,000 BC to the…
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This vast, crumbling kastro, a great example of 15th-century Venetian military architecture, is built on a promontory south of Methoni. It's surrounded on…
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Archaeological Museum of Messenia
12.49 MILES
This partially interactive, child-friendly museum focuses on treasures found in four regions – Kalamata, Pylia, Messini and Trifylia. Exhibits include…
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Though few buildings are standing that date back to the height of Sparta's greatness, it's an atmospheric stroll around this hillside, where the acropolis…
16.82 MILES
The King Leonidas statue stands belligerently in front of a football stadium. When the Persians attacked at Thermopylae and told the Spartans and their…
Nearby attractions
0.87 MILES
Larger-than-life Patrick Leigh Fermor (1915–2011), a Hellenophile and marvellously engaging writer, lived just outside Kardamyli for much of his later…
2.17 MILES
This stretch of beach 3km north of Stoupa is rougher underfoot than the town beach or Kalogria, but sees smaller crowds in summer.
3.09 MILES
Pretty sandy beach north of the main beach in Stoupa. The water is beautiful and clear; sunbeds clog up the shore in summer.
4. Museum of Traditional Greek Costumes
12.34 MILES
Opened in 2017, this stunning museum features a remarkable collection of Greek costumes that was donated by Victoria Karelia. Far from moth-eaten old hand…
12.4 MILES
One for war buffs, this museum's displays depict Greek military history from the Turkish occupation to the Greek Resistance to Nazi occupation and 21st…
12.46 MILES
Kalamata's massive 19th-century cathedral is home to the icon after which the town takes its modern name. Pilgrims visit for its miracle-working icon of…
7. Archaeological Museum of Messenia
12.49 MILES
This partially interactive, child-friendly museum focuses on treasures found in four regions – Kalamata, Pylia, Messini and Trifylia. Exhibits include…
12.52 MILES
Looming over the town is the 13th-century kastro (fort). Remarkably, it survived the powerful 1986 earthquake that levelled the city. The entry gate is…