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The Peloponnese: Greece’s hidden gem

The Peloponnese has long been neglected by the travelling public and yet this mountainous and wild region is Greece’s hidden gem. Sunvil has featured this area, separated from the mainland by the Corinth canal, since 1974 and was one of the first tour operators to schedule a direct flight from Gatwick to Kalamata.

It was therefore very encouraging to see the Telegraph devoting two pages in praise of the region and the highlights to be visited.

Perhaps we can add one or two more!

The new motorway between Athens and Kalamata has made it very easy to span the distance between the two cities. Kalamata, the gateway to the region can be reached in 2 ½ hours from Athens Airport. On the way stop at the Corinth Canal and marvel at the 1881 engineering feat which created this waterway which connects the gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and so, in theory, makes the Peloponnese an island and not a peninsula. The canal is 4 miles long and 70 ft wide, spectacular to look at but it is too narrow for most modern ships.

Athens, Greece

In Messinia, to the northwest of the Peloponnese there is a quiet seaside resort called Chrani. Chrani not only has a beach in its own right with others within a short drive but is about a 30 minute drive from Koroni, a very attractive town with an impressive Venetian Castle. Further along the coast is Methoni, with an equally impressive Venetian fortress and further still is Nestor’s Palace, the best preserved Mycenaean palace yet to be discovered.

Koroni, Greece

There are two more beach resorts/villages worth noting. About 20 minutes bus ride from Nafplion, the old Greek capital is the resort of Tolon. First featured by us in 1974, with a good beach, shallow sea and an abundance of good tavernas and cafes, Tolon is an excellent base from which to visit Nafplion, Mycenae and the theatre of Epidavros. The excavated ancient Greek stadium of Nemea is about a half hour drive from Tolon, the site of the revived Nemean Games which are open to competitors of all ages. Entrance is free, provided you are prepared to run barefoot and in a toga!

Epidavros, Greece

Further south and a 15 minute drive from the village of Kardamili is Stoupa, probably our most popular beach resort. This friendly village with its picture book sandy beach fringed by tavernas and cafes satisfies all tastes and all ages. A twenty minute drive from Stoupa you will find the Diros caves. Accessible only by punt these are some of the most visited caves in Greece.

And then, of course there is the medieval fortified village of Monemvasia, with the sea on three sides and accessible only by a narrow causeway. Monemvasia, right on the southern tip of the Peloponnese, can be compared with Mont San Michel in Normandy. It is difficult to reach, being a four hour or so drive from Kalamata but is spectacular.

The Peloponnese has still so much more and the best way to see it is by hired car. Go in spring or autumn and you will have the region to yourselves.

By Justin Blaza

2^nd September 2015

Talk to our Greece expert

Justin Blaza

Justin came to us straight from university and has been on reservations ever since. Over this time he has developed an in-depth knowledge of Greece and her islands and uses his first-hand experiences to design complex island hopping itineraries around the Cyclades and the Dodecanese as well as fly drives on the Greek mainland. Justin loves the lesser-known regions and islands of Greece including Folegandros, Thessaly and the Peloponnese.

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