Villa Prastova ***

Simple rooms to boutique hotels; traditional manistyle accommodations and suites with Jacuzzi. There is something for every travel budget. The two fine sandy bays of Stoupa main beach and the famous long bay of Kalogria have a fine sandy bottom and shallow seabed.

Kalogria, which flows into Stoupa, offers various types of water sports and beach activities. The great Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis wrote large parts of his successful novel Alexis Zorbas here. Inspired by a local miner.

In terms of tavernas, bars and nightlife, Stoupa offers a wide range during the summer months. Accommodation options from simple to exclusive are sufficiently available. Nice hotels with pool, apartments and stone villas above and in the village. Rental cars, scooters and bicycles are available for rent.

Especially pleasant in the high summer months is the clear water of Kalogria beach. With its underground freshwater springs, which bring over 3-4 degrees colder water. Around the bay in a loose semicircle appealing cafe-bars and restaurants have settled. Sunbeds and umbrellas are offered as well as volleyball and beach games.

You wash the salt water from your skin in a natural bathtub and then enjoy a cold frappe in one of the nice cafe bars. Stoupa is connected with the coastal road with Itilo (ca.45min.) in southern and Kalamata (ca. 60 minutes) in northern direction with a regular bus service.

Hiking and trekking enthusiasts will find a varied terrain of various degrees of difficulty (different hiking routes are Ag. Sofia, Kambos Gorge, Ritsa Gorge, Profitis Ilias, Halasmenos). The beautiful fishing village of Ag. Nikolaos is located right next to Stoupa (4km), and offers among other things the possibility to be fed with freshly caught fish after long walks on the beach. The tranquil harbor setting of Stupa embodies the charm of ancient Greece. Boat and sailing tours to Koroni or/and along the coast are offered. Trekking and mountain bikes, as well as scooters used to see the surrounding area of ancient mountain villages and ancient sites.

Stoupa as a starting point offers the opportunity to experience one of the most traditional areas of Greece with the Messenian and Laconian Mani and ideally combine it with a beach vacation. Day excursions to ancient Greek sites such as the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Mistras (approx. 1 hr) and Mycenae and Epidauraus (approx. 2.5 hrs) are among the outstanding attractions. In Laconia alone there are over 250 churches, chapels and monasteries from the Byzantine period of the 9-12 century, some of which have magnificent murals and frescoes. This is a vacation for the whole family.