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4 Sleeping
Hotel Psamathous HOTEL €
(%27330 55221; http://www.portokayio.com; Porto Ka-
gio; d/tr incl breakfast €55/80; paW) This
Flintstones-style modern Maniot place is
set back from the waterfront and has stone-
platform beds, mezzanines, heavy wooden
beam ceilings and iron bedsteads.Porto Kale GuESTHOuSE €
(%6980755528, 27330 54202; Porto Kagio; d /q
€55/80; pW) A good option in Porto Kagio –
simple, snug rooms with stone walls and
sun terraces.East Coast
The east coast of the Mani peninsula is even
more rugged and barren than the west.
The main town is the formidable-looking
Lagia, 12km northeast of the Alika turn-
off. Perched some 400m above sea level, it
was once the chief town of the southeastern
Mani, and some of its towers stand derelict.
From Lagia, the road winds down with
spectacular views of the little fishing harbour
of Agios Kyprianos – a short diversion from
the main road. The next village is Kokala, a
busy place with two pebbled beaches. The
best beach is further north at Nyfi, where a
turn-off to the right leads to sheltered Alipa
Beach. Continuing north, a turn-off beyond
tower-studded Flomochori descends east
to Kotronas, while the main road cuts west
across the peninsula to Areopoli.Messinian Mani
The Messinian Mani, or outer Mani, lies to
the north of its Lakonian counterpart, sand-
wiched between the Taÿgetos Mountains
and the west coast of the Mani peninsula.
The rugged coast is scattered with small
coves and beaches, and backed by moun-
tains that remain snowcapped until late
May. Kardamyli features the region’s best-
organised hiking opportunities, and there
are some good options around Stoupa, too.Stoupa Στούπα
POP 630
The former fishing village of Stoupa, 10km
south of Kardamyli, is a resort village pop-
ular with British and German package tour-
ists, and is at its most pleasant during the
shoulder seasons. It has excellent beaches
with wonderfully clean, cold water, courte-sy of underground springs, and there’s good
hiking in the hills above the village.
Celebrated author Nikos Kazantzakis lived
here for a while and based the protagonist
of Zorba the Greek on Alexis Zorbas, a coal-
mine supervisor in Pastrova, near Stoupa.r Beaches
Stoupa has two main beaches: the large,
main crescent of golden sand, sheltered
from waves and popular with families, and
the smaller Kalogria, with deeper waters,
just beyond the headland to the north of the
main beach. From Kalogria it’s a 10-minute
walk to the peaceful Delfini Cove.4 Sleeping & Eating
Stoupa’s many pensions and custom-built do-
matia are often block-booked by package-tour
operators in summer; book ahead.
With one notable exception, Stoupa’s un-
derwhelming restaurants all cater to the
package-holiday crowd; you’re better off with
the taverns in Kardamyli or Exochori.
Hotel Lefktron HOTEL €€
(%27210 77322; http://www.lefktron-hotel.gr; s/d/tr incl
breakfast from €72/82/113; hApr-Oct; aWs)
A five-minute walk from the main beach,
family-run Lefktron is well appointed and
has rooms overlooking the pool. A good
Greek breakfast is included and the staff is
happy to give tips on local walks.
Hotel Stoupa HOTEL €€
(%27210 77308; http://www.hotel-stoupa.gr; s/d incl
breakfast €75/85; paW) This 20-room hotel
is simple but clean and comfortable, and it’s
Stoupa’s only hotel open in winter. It’s a cou-
ple of blocks behind the beach.oVoula’s Yesterday
& Today MEDITErrANEAN €€
(%27210 77535; http://www.voula-yesterdayandtoday.gr;
mains €7-12.50; h6.30pm-late May-Oct; v) In-
domitable Voula, in her words, ‘cooks from
her heart’. She serves up traditional foods
from a bygone era with a personal, contempo-
rary take. Treats include smoked pork dishes
(€12.50), superb homemade pies and tracha-
na (homemade pasta). She hosts exhibits on
the Mani and has a recipe book – the culmi-
nation of clients asking for her secrets.8 Information
Stoupa is 1km west of the main Areopoli–
Kalamata road, connected by roads both north
and south of town. Both roads lead to the larger
of Stoupa’s main beaches.