Travel to Peloponnese
West of Athens via the new highway towards Corinth in about 1.5 hours. The channel of the same name separates the Peloponnese with her shape of a plane tree leaf from the mainland Attikis. It is divided into seven regions and is washed by the Ionian Sea in the west and the Aegean Sea in the east.
The climate is mild in winter and hot in summer, with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius. The water temperature is above 20 degrees Celsius from June to October. Ideal travel time is mid-May and the month of June. Now Messinia & Lakonia present us their whole color splendor. It shines everywhere in yellow, purple and red tones. The lush green covers the otherwise rather barren scrub & the many aromas are in the air.
Nature shows its most beautiful dress and the sky always wears blue. Spring is omnipresent. The water is now already about 19 degrees Celsius. If this is still too cool for you, come in September or October. Then the sea is still around 21 degrees and the grapes are now processed. Now the country is dominated by brown and yellow tones. The fertile northwest region with agricultural land for greenhouses, as well as oil and dairy products production, are partly alluvial, partly wide green spaces. Vineyards, dairy products and field agriculture are also strongly represented here. The high herb abundance in the Outer Mani with wild sage, thyme, rosemary, various Droste species and fennel find their way into the local dishes of the region. The basis is, like all Greek places, the own olive oil. Seasonal vegetables such as zucchini, gherkins, tomatoes, and various kinds of legumes. The many summer salads are creatively dressed with wild dandelions (hurta), fresh spinach, chard and wild capers and lemon grasses (kritamos).
The regional cuisine is light and varied. Here, Messinian cuisine includes puff pastries stuffed with spinach and feta and/or peppers, as well as local fish and seafood in psarataverna`s. Local fish such as tsipura (bream), kotsoumura (sea mullet), gavros, sardella (sardine) lavrakis, maniatiko (ginikos (mackerel), or rofos (perch) and scorpios (scorpion fish) for soup are still freshly caught on the daily menu. Traditionally, in the psisterias (grill parlors), short-roasted meat is prepared on charcoal. For small money and for "eben-schnell" you can find the Souvlaidikas ( Gyros Take- a- ways) for Souvlakis, Pitta-Giros and Kebab variations. Here, too, the choice is wide and the local gastronomy outbids each other in the various flavors and different sauces. In the autumn and winter months the hearty stews with goat and lamb dishes are over the fire. With advance notice and a little luck, wild boar and rabbit are also available.
Near Kyllini, miles of sandy beaches (here the beaches are mostly unorganized, as in the summer months of July and August the native Caretta-Caretta sea turtle now lays its eggs) stretch along mostly undeveloped stretches of coastline with the hub of Pirgos and the important UNESCO site of Olympia. The continuing southwest route, mostly passing beautiful coastal roads, leads into Messenia. Methoni (with its old "pirate fortress) and the old coastal town of Koroni have a very special atmosphere. The Gialova Lagoon in Romanos near Pylos is a protected plant & animal biotope. Excursion tip! the new marine finds museum in the fortress of Pylos above the old town.
You meet in Kalamata, in the beautiful upper old town, where the old is lined up with the new. A city in upheaval. Ferry connections to Crete and the bathing and snorkeling paradise of Kithira are attractive excursion destinations from here. Following the coastal road through the gray Taygethos Mountains, one passes through small villages and the over 2000 years old & picturesque Kardamili. About 45 kilometers further south, the Inner Mani captivates with its sobriety and its unique residential towers. Areopolis as a center with the beautiful old town and the many (open) chapels is certainly worth a stop. Hiking and trekking friends will find here a challenging terrain, different requirements.
Everywhere you can find buildings from the Byzantine period, castles, churches and defensive walls. The witnesses of religion in the form of frescoes and murals are famous among experts and deserve special attention. Just as the Taygethos mountain passes through the Mani, the Parnon stretches into Arcadia. The eastern finger is sparsely populated and has wide, hilly meadowland.
It is worth following the only road coming from the north to Moni Em Vasia, Laconia. You will succumb to the special charm of this old fortress. The quickest way back to Corinthos is through Laconia via Sparta and Tripoli, which is rich in excavations and relics of former Greek civilizations. If you choose the country road at Skala, you also bridge almost 2000 meters of altitude difference and feel here transported to the Alps. A wide olive valley follows and one finds oneself at the Greek C`ote Azur. Steep coast and again and again beautiful sandy bays make the journey another feast for the eyes. Passing Napflion, which is certainly worth a side trip, the ancient Argos as the cradle of the Mycenaean culture is worth mentioning. Orange and lemon groves stretch for kilometers along the wine road almost to Corinth.
Nowhere else are so many important sights located within such a small radius as in the Peloponnese. UNESCO has designated 4 out of 9 ancient sites in Greece as World Heritage Sites. Day excursions to the famous sites of early civilization such as Olympia, Mistras, Mycenae or even lesser known historical sites such as Methoni and Monemvasia, are certainly among the highlights.
Here, far from the hustle and bustle, people like to indulge in traditional Greek cuisine. The tavern owners are proud of the self-pressed wine and their own olive oil.
From Stoupa came the first organic olive oil in Greece. The bread, traditionally baked in stone ovens, is part of every local meal here, just like fresh spring water.
The Greek parea is a social event and is often the highlight of the day. People take their time eating and the lack of clearing away leftovers is not due to the carelessness of the host.
As everywhere in Greece, the children are very welcome and always present. It is usually eaten late
... and in this private atmosphere, the guest quickly becomes a local.