PeloPonnese
THE
M
ANI
PeloPonnese
SLEEPING
PeloPonnese
M
ESSINIAN
M
ANI
for independent mountain bikers) and even
cooking courses. They don’t enter villages en
masse, and prefer to stick to secret locations.
The office is halfway along the main street.4 Sleeping
There are plenty of domatia signs along the
main road. Prices are considerably lower
outside high season.Olympia Koumounakou Rooms PENSION €
(%27210 73623; s/d €35/40; aW) Olympia
loves her budget travellers (as they do her)
and offers five clean rooms with bathrooms
in the centre of the village. It’s a stone’s
throw from the water, and has an appealing
garden to boot.Y Volvere Studios (Stratis
Bravakos Rooms) APArTMENT €
(%27210 73326; http://www.yvolvere.gr; d/tr €40/55) Y
Volvere is great value for compact, spotless
studio apartments with kitchenettes. It’s at
the south end of the village, along a street
leading towards the water.oHotel Vardia HOTEL €€
(%27210 73777; http://www.vardia-hotel.gr; studio €80,
apt €115-165; hMar-Nov; piW) This relaxing
and stylish stone hotel (near a former sen-
try tower and situated high behind the vil-
lage beyond Old Kardamyli) sits amid lush
grounds, and has very helpful owners. The
18 spacious studio-style rooms have excep-
tional views of the Messinian Gulf and there
are lounge chairs overlooking the gorge for
sunset-watching. Vardia is signposted from
the southern end of town.Maison Viros APArTMENT €€
(%6972098289; http://www.maison-viros.com; studio/
apt €140/180; paWs) Just across the bridge
from central Kardamyli, these spacious
split-level apartments and studios are found
inside delightful stone houses arranged
around a pool, surrounded by attractively
landscaped grounds. The apartments sleep
up to six people, the studios four, and owner
Nikos goes out of his way to be helpful.Kalamitsi Hotel HOTEL €€
(%27210 73131; http://www.kalamitsi-hotel.gr; d/ste incl
breakfast €110/160; pW) Situated 1km south
of town, the Kalamitsi is a lovely, modern
stone-built hotel with serene, well-appointed
rooms. Family bungalows are also available
for €220. Within its shady grounds are paths
leading to a secluded pebbly beach. Home-cooked dinners and fresh buffet breakfasts
are available to guests.5 Eating
The inland villages of Saidona, Mileu and
Exochori also have some excellent tavernas.
There are two well-stocked supermarkets
at the northern edge of the village.O Perivolis TAVErNA €
(%27210 73713; mains €8-12; hdinner Tue-Sun,
closed Dec; v) In the heart of the village, this
excellent taverna with a large garden usual-
ly has a selection of vegetarian dishes of the
day (spinach and ricotta cannelloni, baked
aubergine) alongside Greek classics such as
lamb kleftiko, all of which incorporate local
ingredients where possible.Taverna Kiki TAVErNA €
(%27210 73148; mains €6.50-9; hlunch & dinner)
The kindly owners at this appealing taver-
na, tucked away off the main street, tell you
the day’s dishes on arrival. These tend to
be more imaginative than usual; expect the
likes of veal stew with shallots and cloves,
and cauliflower baked with tomatoes.Lola Frozen Yogurt ICE CrEAM €
(medium yoghurt €2.50; h9.30am-late; Wv) A
cool, sweet balm for sweaty hikers on hot
days, right on the main street. Go for regular
or guest flavours, such as cherry or mango.oElies TAVErNA €€
(%27210 73140; mains €8-14; hlunch Apr-Oct,
dinner mid-Jun–mid-Sep; Wv) Right by Ritsa
beach, 1km north of town, and nestled in ol-
ive groves, Kardamyli’s most popular lunch
venue has the atmosphere of a provincial
Mediterranean private garden. It presents
the best selection of top-notch Greek and
Mani fare to boot, including numerous veg-
gie dishes.8 Information
Kardamyli is on the main Areopoli–Kalamata
road. The central square, Plateia 25 Martiou
1821, lies at the northern end of the main thor-
oughfare.
Kardamyli’s main pebble-and-stone beach is
off the road to Kalamata; turn left beyond the
bridge on the northern edge of town. The road
up to Old (or upper) Kardamyli is on the right
before the bridge.
The post office (h7.30am-2pm Mon-fri) is on
the main strip.
A useful website is http://www.kardamili-greece.com.