Every single day, I feel great gratitude for the opportunity to live in Greece and I truly enjoy my life. But life is not just posed photos. Everything happens. There are very happy days, but there are also days of sadness, anxiety, distrust of myself and those around me. There is a lot of love but also tears for nothing. There are also long walks when the heart sings, and there are also times when you run home because the sky is pouring a lot of rain. In a word -the colorful life of a real person.
These days we have quite hot days, so we didn't want to climb the mountains or be in a very open place far from the sea. That's why we decided to explore one more beautiful city on the Peloponnese peninsula. And it is the town of Kardamyli.
We drove from Kalamata to Kardamyli. Along the way, we looked through the car's windows at passing olive groves, vineyards, small nice villages, and they added some charm to this area. While traveling there, we saw a lot of wild nature, and what a beauty it is to live next to such nature, to walk along untrodden paths and enjoy the greatness of nature.
Kardamyli itself is a small town on the southern coast of the Peloponnese, approximately 35 km from the city of Kalamata. Of course, we went by our car. Kardamyli town dates back to time immemorial. In Homer's Illiad, Kardamyli is mentioned as one of the seven cities that the legendary Mycenaean king Agamemnon offered to Achilles to become his ally in the Trojan War. This fact alone attracted me to explore this place.
Kardamyli is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful places in the Peloponnese. This pretty seaside town is nestled on picturesque hillsides, surrounded by wild olive groves and majestic cypress trees, which, combined with the snow-white peaks of the Taygetos mountain range visible on the horizon, provide stunning panoramic views.
Today Kardamili, with its charming stone houses surrounded by gardens, a historical center with various medieval buildings quite well-preserved to this day, a small cozy port and fantastic beaches, has become a very popular resort having a well-developed tourist infrastructure.
Medieval Mourtzinos Castle, the Church of St. Spyridon and other buildings are in the so-called Old Town. All of them seem well-preserved and well-kept. Walking in the castle, you can imagine how the people lived in those places in ancient times. In addition to the beautiful church, there is a vegetable garden, an oil press and other outbuildings. Everything is protected by big powerful walls. Inside, the space is arranged not for convenience, but for defense.
There are not many castles on this coast that were built and have survived to this day. Mourtzinos Castle was built in 1808. It has been preserved quite well and consists of a complex of buildings. It looks very good both from afar and up close.
There is also a fortification gate here. I always liked to wander in old historical places. I imagined myself in the shoes of the ancient inhabitants. Another interesting fact: Kolokotronis planned an offensive here and launched it from here in 1821 to liberate Kalamata from the Turks. If you come to Kardamyli, be sure to come here for a walk.
Agia Sofia church - I love churches like this very much. It looks ancient and authentic; the stamp of time is visible in its appearance. It is located in a picturesque place and the walk-up to it is quite hard. The nature here is amazing, as is the church. Leaving the city several times, we saw this beautiful building, standing out against the backdrop of the mountains.
The museum keeps a lot of information about who and how people lived here. There are interesting photos displayed of ancient bridges across gorges. Entrance to the museum costs 2 euros.
It's a real treat - superbly restored, with very informative displays covering the entire history of the Mani region. It's a few minutes away from the modern city, and you will find yourself in the countryside and the views are wonderful.
It looks like the surroundings of Kardamyli town were created by people who love nature and long walks. Near Kardamyli, the incredibly picturesque Viros gorge begins, leading to the foot of Mount Prophet Elijah (the highest peak of the Taygetos mountain range), the length of which is about 20 km. As we were with kids, we left this attraction for the future.
We liked to explore and have a walk through narrow cobbled streets, to look at old churches and numerous charming taverns outside. The city also has a few great beaches, the best beaches in Greece, including the most popular Kalogria Beach, where you can enjoy the wonderful Mediterranean climate.
If you look down at Kardamyli from the top of the hill where it is built, you will see that the panorama is dominated by the various towers that are characteristic of regional architecture, the creator of which is the Nikliani family, the medieval aristocracy of Mani.
Another attraction we visited - The Leigh Fermour House. The views from the rooms and garden are amazing, and you understand why Leigh Fermour built this beautiful home exactly here. In a small shop you can buy gifts. Parking is nearby and there鈥檚 a decent beach there too, which is worth a visit, but it has no shops and toilets, so take water and food with you.
We did not stay there, but turned to Foneas Beach. Honestly, I am not a lover of stone beaches, so we just swam shortly, and we left Kardamyli. The beach has large pebble stones and there is no sand, but it has crystal clear blue-green water. So, for those who enjoy beaches with pebbles, you will find here a great beach with beautiful scenery.
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With love 
Photos are taken by me.
漏 2024