Driving the Mani Peninsula

Today was a gorgeous weather day with full sun and temperatures in the low 60s.  We hopped in the car and drove south to explore the lower Mani Peninsula all the way to Cape Tenaro, the most southern point of mainland Greece (and second most southern in Europe).  We stopped all along the way to admire the scenery and explore the region.

Limeni

Our first stop was to the small village of Limeni.  The two-tone color of the water featured a deep blue hue with a band of turquoise, yet it was crystal clear up close and you could easily see to the bottom.  Next to the water was a sign "warning" you about sea turtles.  Of course, I wanted to jump in with the hopes of swimming next to one, but that will have to wait for another time and warmer waters.

Caves of Diros

The Caves of Diros are a wonder of stalagmites and stalactites, much like what we've see in Luray Caverns in Virginia and other similar caverns around the world.  However, instead of walking and exploring these caves, we traveled by boat as the caves are right on the coast and filled with water.  The water was very clear and extremely still making for some incredible mirror imagery as we floated through.  These caves and caverns are immense and over 15,000 meters have been mapped so far.  I was able to shoot some video with my phone which shows the magic of the caves and the clear mirror imagery; however, technical difficulties are preventing me from adding to this blog.  These pictures are good too.

Vathia

The first mentions of Vathia in the annals of history date back to the 1570s.  This village sits high above the sea and is a great example of the Tower House architectural style in Greece.  The stone tower houses would have had one or two rooms on each floor with narrow windows.  Today, Vathia is essentially a ghost town with these buildings abandoned many years before.  It is a fascinating juxtaposition of old

stone structures that are hundreds of years old with evidence of having modern amenities such as toilets in the bathrooms.  Obviously, the village wasn't abandoned until the 20th century.

Today, it appears that people are trying to bring Vathia back to life.  We could see two or three of the buildings have been reclaimed and restored, with one even serving as a guest house that can be rented.  It still has a long ways to go, but if it can be pulled off, it will likely become one of the most charming villages in Greece.

Tenaro Lighthouse

Our final stop was literally at the end of the road.  We drove to Cape Tenaro and then hiked another 45 minutes over rocky terrain to reach the Tenaro Lighthouse.  Built by the French in 1882, the lighthouse has had several renovations and was converted to electric in the 1980s replacing fuel oil.  We had the entire trail to ourselves save the two local horses and a donkey who were grazing nearby.  The views were striking as we soaked in the expanse of the Mediterranean Sea.  A fabulous ending to our day as we drove back to the house along the coast watching the setting sun.