Limeni (Peloponnese, Mani)

Limeni (view from the entrance of the village)
 

Every start has it's difficulties (as this is my first post) but I will do my best to inform you about this beautiful destination called Limeni. As you can see this foto is taken in 2009 but since then I have returned many many times just to sit by the sea and look at the beautiful view. Limeni is a small graphic village located in Mani (Peloponnese region) and it is famous for it's crystal clear waters, the old noble houses built of handcrafted stone and the taverns that offer fresh fish. When we say Mani we mean the middle peninsula of Peloponnese region.Other famous places in Mani is Gytheio, Areopoli, Diros (with the famous caves), Kotronas, Gerolimenas. Limeni is about 280 kilometers from Athens (about 3,5 hours with a car).Starting from Athens you follow the national road to Korinthos-Tripoli and after Tripoli you follow the provincial road towards Sparta-Gytheio-Areopoli-N.Itilo. After Gytheio and while driving to Areopoli you shall see the wild beauty of Mani. Mountains with nothing but very low plantation nearly bare, overlooking amazing little gulfs with crystal waters. It's easy to visit Limeni either you stay in Gytheio or Areopolis or Gerolimenas but it's not advisable to do so as a day excursion from Athens. Even though there are some appartments and hotels for holiday rental in Limeni in my opinion it's better to stay in a larger place like Gytheio in order to have more options for entertainment and visit Limeni for swim and lunch. It's so small that it doesn't even have the smallest shop.There are only taverns!

the essence of greek summer (beer or ouzo and greek food by the sea)



picture taken from tavern 'to magazaki tis Thodoras' 



Limeni doesn't have an organized beach.In the entrance of the village (at the end of the downhill road take the left u turn) it has a fantastic bay where you can swim but you have to climb down some rocks (not steep at all-even kids can do it).When it's time for lunch you can be sure that you will eat well! 4 tavernas in such a small village ensure that you will have plenty of choice as where to sit and have lunch. If you choose to eat fish you can rest assured that is fresh but be prepaired to pay much more than if you choose a variety of other dishes. Most of the times I use to go to the tavern you meet first while going into the village.You can find it on the same u turn I described above. It is called ''to magazaki tis Thodoras''. It's not specialized in fish as the other taverns but it has nice ''mezedes'' (variety of greek dishes).
Closing this post I would like to say that this beautiful village offers tranquility and amazing pictures to every traveller along with nice food but unless you like total calmness and isolation you should stay elsewhere and just visit Limeni as a day excursion.
Believe me.......the colour of the water, the smell of grilled fish and the amazing view will stay in your memory for a long time!