PeloPonnese
L A K O N I A
PeloPonnese
GETTING
THE
rE & Ar
OuND
PeloPonnese
KYNOur
IA
Me Meraki PIZZA €
(%27950 31113; pizza from €7; hlunch & dinner;
v) Affable Chicago transplant Maria has
returned to her mother’s home village and
opened a pizza parlour. Come here for satis-
fying homemade pizza and the lowdown on
Dimitsana.To Kapilio Ton Athonaton STEAK €€
(mains €5-18; hlunch & dinner Thu-Tues) The
summer terrace overlooking the gorge, this
place is sought out by discerning carnivores
for its meaty specials – roast lamb, pork
chops, locally made sausage...Kato Apo To Roloi WINE BAr
(glass of wine €3; hlunch & dinner; W) The ‘Un-
der the Clock’ cafe is the spot to unwind af-
ter a day’s hiking. Look down at the gorge
with a large glass of wine or an expertly
mixed cocktail (€7.50) in hand.8 Getting There & Around
There is one daily bus in each direction on
weekdays between Tripoli and Dimitsana (€5, 1½
hours). A taxi to Stemnitsa costs around €10, to
Monastery of Philosophou €15 and to Ancient
Gortys €25.Ky nou r i a Κυνουρία
Kynouria is the coastal region of Arkadia.
It covers a narrow strip of territory that
stretches south from the tiny village of Kiv-
eri, 41km east of Tripoli, to Kosmas, perched
high in the Parnonas Mountains. Much of
the land is incredibly rugged, with a narrow
coastal plain and very little fertile ground.
In ancient times the region was contested
by Argos and Sparta – the Argives held sway
in the north and the Spartans in the south.Leonidio to Geraki
The drive (or bike ride) from Leonidio,
76km south of Argos, over the Parnonas
Mountains to the village of Geraki in Lako-
nia, 48km away, is one of the most scenic
in the Peloponnese. An archetypal white-
washed village, Leonidio is dramatically sit-
uated at the mouth of the Badron Gorge,
with sheer red cliffs looming above it.
For the first 12km, the road snakes west
up the Badron Gorge, climbing slowly away
from the river until at times the water is no
more than a silver ribbon far below. The road
then leaves the Badron and climbs rapidly
towards Kosmas on dramatic hairpin bends.
Just before the top of the climb, there’s a
road to the left leading to Moni Panagias
Elonis, a monastery perched precariously
on the mountainside.
It’s another 14km up from the monastery
to the peaceful mountain village of Kosmas.
It makes an ideal rest stop: you can admire
the stone cathedral or try the town special-
ity (goat) at one of the tavernas beneath the
huge plane trees. After Kosmas the road gen-
tly descends to the village of Geraki, where
you can check out the appealing churches
before heading 40km west to Sparta, or con-
tinuing south to Monemvasia.
Note to cyclists: this route is even more
dramatic (and easier on the muscles) if done
in reverse order.LAKONIA ΛΑΚΩΝΙΑ
The region of Lakonia occupies almost iden-
tical boundaries to the powerful mountain-
skirted kingdom ruled by King Menelaus
in Mycenaean times. It is home to legends,
including the city of Sparta and the spec-
tacular ruins of Mystras, the Byzantine
Empire’s last stronghold. Dominating the
landscape are two massive mountain rang-
es, the Taÿgetos Mountains in the west and
the Parnonas Mountains in the east. These
taper away to create the central and eastern
fingers of the Peloponnese.
English speakers can thank the Lakoni-
ans for the word ‘laconic’.Sparta Σπάρτη
POP 16,200
Sparta, fearing no one, was without city
walls or fortification, which is probably why
so few traces are left of a remarkable people.SUSTAINABLE FOOD SOJOURNZerzova (%27950 31753, 6932847358;
Panaghia; mains €7-15; hlunch & dinner
fri-Mon Sep-May; v), a tiny eatery 14km
southwest of Dimitsana in the village
of Panaghia, ticks all the right boxes.
Sustainable practices? Tick – the
husband-and-wife team collect all wild
herbs and cultivate their own produce.
Home cooking? Tick – even Greek
grandmothers are happy to come here.
Traditional? Tick again – it’s in a lovely
old building with a cellar below.