Mani... a place to be!
Mani is a peculiar and different place. It has a wild, dry beauty that enchants and inspires visitors. On every route in Mani there are towers and tower houses, most of which are well preserved, settlements and old churches offering beautiful views, surrounded by the smell of thyme, sage and sea sounds.
The routes in Mani are unique! At first the visitor is surprised by the dry place that shows strange and inhospitable, but while approaching, the traveler realizes the wild beauty of the landscape.
There are many small stone towers that were once protected shelters for the inhabitants of the area from the various "invaders". Churches, small settlements, monasteries, cemeteries and many fields enclosed by stone walls create a picture of the harsh conditions experienced by the inhabitants of Mani.
Mani is located in a particular geographic area, namely the historical and cultural Mani extends practically to the middle leg of the Peloponnese. It lies east of the Laconian gulf and west of the Messinian gulf. The side of Mani that faces the Laconian gulf, eastwards, is called Prosiliaki (facing the sun), while the side that faces the Messinian gulf, westwards, is called Aposkeri (off the sun). It is wild and rocky but has amazing and unique beaches. Mani is on the leg that ends at Cape Tainaro, the southernmost tip of mainland Europe.
Lyrics of the famous poet Yiannis Ritsos, whose father came from Monemvasia and his mother from Gythio, seem to describe accurately the land of Mani:
"… This landscape is merciless like silence,
it hugs its fiery rocks tightly in its bosom,
it hugs tightly in the sun its orphan olive trees and grapevines.
There is no water. Only light.
The road vanishes in light and the shadow of the fence wall is made of steel. ..”
From the Romiosini (Greekness) collection of poems
Looking for the etymology of the name Mani, it seems that in one version it emerged from "Maine", after the Byzantine castle of Maine, which may have been built during the Iustinianos rule. Other versions assume that Mani comes from the Latin “manus”, the hand. They also say that the sailors, during their passing off Cape Tainaro, called the area that looks like an arm, brazzo di Maina (the arm of Maina). In another version, the sailors had to reef (“maina”) to protect the sails from the strong winds, during their passage there. It is also supposed that Mani might have been named after the Latin "manes", which means soul, while others say that it could be named after the character of the people who were wrathful (mania-manita).
This rugged and cut-off place, deprived of significant natural resources, had been in the past a safe haven and a base for the hunted during the long periods of turmoil. At that time it was also the home of a large number of people who at that time retained primitive manners and customs. Large armed families fought for the protection of vital spaces and maintained their own lifestyle that had distinctive traits. During the Ottoman occupation it was the refuge for groups of armed militants (fighters against the occupants).
In the course of history and after the geopolitical upheavals in the region, residents were absorbed by the urban centers and the local community shrank. According to the book "Mani", published by “Anavasi” in 2014, the inhabitants of Mani during the period of the revolution of 1821 were 32.000-37.000 and at the end of the 19th century had reached the number of 50.000. At the beginning of the 21st century, the inhabitants of Mani accounted to be about the 1/40 of the inhabitants of the Peloponnese. The small population of Mani has greatly contributed to preserving the image of the area and the very slow transformation of the natural and structured environment. For these reasons Mani has remained a unique place maintaining until today, the same natural features as 2 centuries ago.
01
The road goes all the way downhill and ends at the picturesque bays of Limeni and Itilo, in the Messinian gulf.
The "Trapela Luxury Suites" hotel offers spectacular views of Karavostasi and Neo Itilo, as well as the entire Itilo bay.
The beautiful fishing village of Limeni, right below the hotel with its crystal clear waters, is also the birthplace of Petros Mavromichalis, a well-known person from the struggle against the Ottoman domination.
At Limeni there are picturesque fish taverns with fresh fish and tables on and next to the beach.
02
This city was named after the god of war Ares (Mars), or according to others because it is exposed to very strong winds.
This is the place where the heart of Mani beats. The visitors, while walking in the old but well-preserved, picturesque cobblestone streets of Areopolis, will find the temple of Taxiarches, a building made by the Mavromichalis' family. The building dominates the city center, the historic square of “March 17, 1821”. It is here, that under the leadership of Petrombeis Mavromichalis, the people of Mani declared the revolution, against the Ottoman conquerors, raising the flag that read "Victory or Death". The temple was built during the Ottoman rule in the late 18th century. It is a large, single-space, domed building with cross-shaped arches, with a characteristic five-stories bell tower, which was added in 1836.
03
At the threshold of Mani, an exciting destination! The deep blue water of the beautiful city of Gythio reflects its colors on the Laconian gulf. Scattered chapels, cobblestone streets, the Ancient Theater, the Kranai island, the Tzanetaki tower, the lighthouse: a sleeping guardian, and many seafood delicacies, tasty temptations, delicious appetizers, ouzo and refreshing cocktails.
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Areopolis is situated just 4 km away from the hotel, while Gythio is another 26 km away and Sparta 60, Kalamata 79, and Athens and Piraeus 295.
This city was named after the god of war Ares (Mars), or according to others because it is exposed to very strong winds.
This is the place where the heart of Mani beats. The visitors, while walking in the old but well-preserved, picturesque cobblestone streets of Areopolis, will find the temple of Taxiarches, a building made by the Mavromichalis' family. The building dominates the city center, the historic square of “March 17, 1821”. It is here, that under the leadership of Petrombeis Mavromichalis, the people of Mani declared the revolution, against the Ottoman conquerors, raising the flag that read "Victory or Death". The temple was built during the Ottoman rule in the late 18th century. It is a large, single-space, domed building with cross-shaped arches, with a characteristic five-stories bell tower, which was added in 1836.
05
The expedition at the Mani peninsula could not be concluded without a visit at the beautiful Gerolimenas bay, the seaside settlement, which probably took its name “Iero-limenas” (sacred harbor) from the fact that the harbor had been named sacred in antiquity.
Nestled in the natural homonymous bay, Gerolimenas is about 27 km away from the hotel and in the past had been the base of the local pirates.
In the Gerolimenas bay end up many underground streams that make the waters cool even in the summer, offering the swimmers a particularly refreshing feeling.
Following the route to the south, a route that goes through a "lunar" landscape, full of stone, the gray stone that characterizes Mani, the excursionists will arrive at the well-known settlement of Vathia (36 km from the hotel), restored in the 1980s. Built on the top of a hill, Vathia, with towers and tower-houses looking back to another era, reminding that this place was once a strong fortress. The austere picture of the settlement emits power and it is this particular settlement that has been photographed many times and imprinted in very many photographs.
Walking through the narrow streets of Vathia, the visitors have the impression that they are walking through an open-air museum. While gazing the sea, it seems that visitors would not be surprised to see a pirate ship sailing along.
Completing the route of the Western or Aposkeri (off the sun) Mani, 43 km from the Trapela Luxury Suites Hotel, the excursionists will reach the southernmost tip of mainland Europe, the Cape Tainaro (or Kavo Matapa), the Metapea Akra of the Ancient Greeks. Here, according to the Greek mythology, was the entrance to the Underworld, the Gate of Hades, which was guarded by Cerberus.
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It is an immense monumental museum of worldwide range, with an aristocratic past and a unique historical value. . Moreover, the museum of the archeological site of Mystra, which is housed in a two-storey stone building from 1754 , contains a range of reliefs , manuscripts and ornaments collection.
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Like a floating fortress, Monemvasia, is surrounded by pirates’ and corsairs’ bases of operation and combines, in a unique way, the geomorphology of the rocks and human’s fortifications.
Activities
Limeni and its surroundings are a great place for a wide range of activities.
The stunning landscape, the steep mountains, the intense coastline, and a dense network of well maintained and signed hiking trails make Limeni and Southewest Laconia area a great place to get away and do all sorts of activities.
Fishing
A hidden unspeakable beauty
Hiking
A hidden unspeakable beauty
Water Sports
A hidden unspeakable beauty