PeloPonnese
THE
M
ANI
PeloPonnese
SIGHTS
PeloPonnese
LAKONIAN MANI
The indented coast’s sheer cliffs plunge
into the sea, and rocky outcrops shelter
pebbled beaches. This wild and barren land-
scape is broken only by imposing stone
towers, which still stand sentinel over the
region.
Long known to locals as Kakavoulia, or
‘Land of evil counsel’, this tough, mesmer-
ising land makes for a fantastic road trip if
you have your own wheels. You can follow
the loop that runs south along the west coast
from the main town, Areopoli, detouring
along narrow lanes into semi-deserted vil-
lages. Stop to peek into family chapels (there
are almost as many churches and chapels as
there are towers, as you wouldn’t worship
with the enemy), and walk to Mani’s south-
ernmost tip before returning via the east
coast (or vice versa). For detailed explora-
tion, arm yourself with a copy of the Anavasi
Topo 25 map, Mani 8.4; 1:30,000.Areopoli Αρεόπολη
POP 800
Areopoli (ah-reh-o-po-lih), capital of the
Mani, is aptly named after Ares, the god of
war. Dominating the main square, Plateia
Athanaton, is a statue of Petrobey Mav-
romihalis, who proclaimed the Maniot in-
surrection against the Ottoman Empire in- His brother and son, Konstantinos and
Georgios Mavromichalis, were responsible
for the assassination of Ioannis Kapodistri-
as (p 139 ), the first president of independent
Greece, in 1831. The town retains many oth-
er reminders of its rumbustious past.
1 Sights
There are some fine examples of Maniot ar-
chitecture in the narrow, cobbled alleyways
surrounding Plateia 17 Martiou, with most
of the fortified towers built by the Mavro-
michalis clan.Church of Taxiarhes CHurCH
(Plateia 17 Martiou) On the southern side
of Plateia 17 Martiou is this 18th-century
church. Its four-storey bell tower marks it
as the most important of Areopoli’s many
churches. The extremely well-preserved re-
lief carvings above the main door look as if
they belong to a much earlier era than the
18th century.Church of Agios Ioannis CHurCH
Built by the Mavromichalis family on a tiny
square west of the main square, this church
contains a series of well-preserved frescoes
relating the life of Jesus.Pikoulakis Tower House Museum MuSEuM
(admission €2; h8.30am-3pm Tue-Sun) Housed
in a restored tower, this museum displays
exquisite Byzantine pieces from Mani
churches. These include a 12th-century mar-
ble templon from the Church of Agios Ioan-
nis in Mina, near Pyrgos Dirou. Upstairs is a
clutch of well-preserved icons spanning five
centuries. Take the westbound road from the
southwest corner of the main square.Mavromichalis Tower ruIN
(Tzani Tzanaki) The Mavromichalis Tower, in a
little square southwest of Plateia 17 Martiou,
was once the mightiest tower in town, but
now it stands sadly derelict.2 Activities
There is some rewarding walking in the area,
though the trails are not as straightforward
to follow as their colour-coded counterparts
in Kardamyli. A number of local guesthouse
owners, including that of Antares (p 159 ), are
involved in trail maintenance and are happy
to give walking tips.4 Sleeping
Hotel Kouris HOTEL €
(%27330 51340; http://www.hotelkouris.gr; Plateia
Athanaton; s/d/tr €30/50/60; pW) Right on
the main square, this concrete cheapie may
lack ambience, but it’s clean, central and has
reliable wi-fi.oLondas Guesthouse B&B €€
(%27330 51360; http://www.londas.com; near Church of
Taxiarhes; s/d/tr incl breakfast €70/80/110, s/d incl
breakfast & without bathroom €60/70; W) This
200-year-old tower is the undisputed king of
the castle: stylish whitewashed rooms taste-
fully decorated in an antique and modern
fusion; a gorgeous rooftop terrace; a bright,
vaulted guest lounge; and extensive break-ITILO BUS INTERCHANGETo travel between Lakonian and Messin-
ian Mani, you must change buses at Itilo.
Itilo (eet-ih-lo), 11km north of Areopoli,
was once the medieval capital of the
Mani and was traditionally regarded
as the border between outer and inner
Mani. There are buses to Areopoli (€1.60,
20 minutes, two daily except Sunday)
and Kalamata (€4, 2¼ hours, daily).
Areopoli–Itilo buses travel via Limeni.