Great Drives in Greece: The Mani
Greece has great beaches but its scenic drives are beautiful too
Travelers may know the Greek islands best, and think of Greece as perfect for a beach vacation, but take a great drive through the spectacular Mani region scenery
This is one of the best drives in the Peloponnese of mainland Greece. The Mani is the remote and rugged peninsula at the southern tip of the Greek mainland.
*
DRIVE AROUND THE MANI
The Mani is no longer quite the remote region that it once was, far away from Athens at the very southern tip of mainland Greece, and visitors have been quick to pick up on its rugged charms. To drive around the peninsula is to discover another very distinctive part of Greece, where tall, tower houses reach into the skies. These fortified houses were built to protect the families because of the feuds that went on in this wild west of a place for centuries. But don’t worry – they’ve calmed down a bit these days.
The main town of the Inner Mani (the southernmost part of the peninsula) is Areopoli, so drive south from here and you will quickly come to the Diros Caves, where boats take visitors into the underground cave networks. Back on the road, the route is easy to follow as the main road is basically a circular route around the Inner Mani. One turning to watch for is in Alika, where a right turn is signposted for Vathia. Take this diversion, as Vathia has some of the finest tower houses and you can continue on the road all the way to the end, which is Cape Matapan, the southernmost point of the Greek mainland.
Return to Alika and carry on along the main road, which then heads north up the eastern coast with fabulous coastal and mountain views. There are several small villages and some quiet beaches, with views across to the eastern-most of the three peninsulas that look like fingers dangling off the Peloponnese. The road eventually heads inland and crosses the Mani, back to Areopoli.
Discover more of the best drives in Greece by clicking here.
And two more of Greece's best scenic drives by clicking here.
