Moto Tour GRWK 14 Laconian and Messinian Mani

Tour at a glance Code | Route Name

GRWK 14 | Laconian and Messinian Mani

Location

Central Greece, Southern Peloponnese

Type of route | Route grading level

Paved roads | Intermediate level 3

Duration / Overnight stays

3/4 days / 2/3 nights, including breakfast

Distance covered daily

130-300 Km (the entire tour runs on paved roads)

Route distance

Approximately 890 Km.

Riding time

6-8 hours per day

Number of participants Minimum 4 - Maximum 8 riders

Recommended for…

If you wish to relax and enjoy the endless blue sea, and if you are fans of the notion suggesting that it is “better to keep things short and sweet”, you have just found the ideal destination for you! In 3 or 4 days we will go on a road trip exploring the most important landmarks of Outer Mani (‘Exo Mani’): from Areopolis and the Diros cave to Limeni and Gerolimena, Vatheia and Cape Tainaros. A wild landscape, imposing towers, tranquility, good food, and a view that will take your breath away.

Tour description Greek writer Stratis Myrivilis once wrote that: “Mani is a small Greece that is unknown to us all, and it is so Unusual, so Impressive, and with such an intense and unique character, that it is unlike any other Greek place”.

The villages of Mani are among the most picturesque ones in Greece, and you will be able to reach the area easily by road from Athens.

Less than 300 kilometers stand between you and your final destination and, lucky for you, the road is good, so your journey will be hassle-free!

Notable Sights of the Tour Mystras Castle Town – the unique thematic Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil in Sparta – Gythion - Akoumaro hill and the Kranai islet – the shipwreck of Selinitsa – Areopolis – the Diros cave - Limeni – Monemvasia Castle Town.

Gytheio, is a town and a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local govern

ment reform it is part of the municipality East mani, of which it is a municipal unit. It was the seaport of Sparta some 40 kilometres (25 miles) north. Gytheio used to be an important port until it was destroyed in 4th centur AD, possibly by an earthquake. Today it is the largest and most important town in Mani. It is also the seat of th municipality of East Mani.

Gytheio is located in the north-east corner of Mani. It lies on the north-western end of the Laconian Gul Gytheio was built on a hill called Koumaros or Laryssio in one of the most fertile areas in Mani. Further north east is the delta of the Evrotas River. Gytheio is built on hilly ground overlooking the Laconian Gulf. Offshore o Gytheio are several small islands, the most important of these being Cranae, which is connected to th mainland by a causeway. Gytheio is only 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Sparti, connected by Greek national Roa 39. The town centre is situated around the port. Pine trees are situated in the west and rocky mountains in th

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Mystras, the Byzantine city-state Magnificent, spectacular a glorious place, Mystras (5 Km north-west of Sparti) is one of the most exciting cities in Peloponnese. Standing still in time, the dead city lies on the slope of the sheer, strange hill with the fortress at its top.

The whole of Mystras is an open-air museum. A reminder of glorious era of power and culture.

Its fortifications and churches, its palaces and mansions, its roads and fountains, charm thousands of visitors daily and offers them valuable insights in the evolution and culture of the Byzantines.

The settlement and the Hora (town) were protected by a wall, but the new houses were built outside the enclosure. Another wall protected the new settlement, Kato Hora. The strategoi (generals) governed the town, and as of 1308, when the seat of the Diocese had been moved to Lacedaemonia.

Mistras became in the mid-14th century the capital of the Peloponnese and the seat of the Seignioly (Despotate) of the Moreas, with a ruler or despot who enjoyed a tenure for life.

Laconia also known as Lacedaemonia, is a region in the southeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Its administrative capital is Sparta. It encompasses Cape Malea and Cape Tainaron and a large part of the Mani Peninsula.

The island, Elafonisos, situated between the Laconian mainland and Kythira, is part of Laconia.

The Evrotas is the longest river in the prefecture. The valley of the Evrotas is predominantly an agricultural region that contains many citrus groves, olive groves, and pasture lands. It is the location of the largest orange production in the Peloponnese and probably in all of Greece.

The main mountain ranges are the Taygetus (2,407 m) in the west and the Parnon (1,961 m) in the northeast. Taygetus, known as Pentadaktylos (five-fingers) throughout the Middle Ages, is west of Sparta and the Evrotas valley. It is the highest mountain in Laconia and the Peloponnese and is mostly covered with pine trees. The Stalactite cave, Dirou, a major tourist attraction, is located south of Areopolis in the southwest of Laconia.

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All tours can be adjusted according to your own requirements and wishes. For more information, please call us at +30 210 6533968 or send us an email at info@andelimototouring.gr

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eral Information:

ours and journeys depart and end at our company premises. ours can be adjusted according to your own requirements and wishes.

uded in the tour price:

otorcycle rental. asic third party insurance. fety lock for the motorcycle. safety technician with his own motorcycle.

4-hour Roadside Assistance. hotographs or videos from the tour. anning and organisation of the tour and providing participants with information prior to rture regarding the day’s schedule. ee luggage storage in Athens. hree (3) or four (4) days’ riding on predetermined routes. wo (2) or three (3) nights’ accommodation with breakfast in luxury hotels or high-quality tional guesthouses. oad navigation map of the tour (depending on availability).

included in the tour price:

omprehensive motorcycle insurance or coinsurance . uel, toll fees, boat tickets. ntrance tickets for scheduled visits to sights, entrance and guide fees within archaeological . erything marked in the itinerary as ‘optional’.

ditional provisions (extra charges apply):

avel insurance. avel insurance. river’s helmet and/or passenger’s helmet upon agreement regarding sizing. eeting and transfer from Athens International Airport (or from another pick-up location of choice). ggage cases, GPS, action cameras (GoPro, Sony or similar).

Recommended fleet for the tour

ored routes on a GPS with all the daily itineraries. ini-van or mini-bus for the luggage, with a second driver. >Recommended fleet for the tour: HONDA NC 750Χ or similar.

Day-by

Day 1: Ath

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Day 2: Va Monemvasia (or Monovasia), which was known to the Franks as Malvazia, is the stonebuilt boat of poet Yiannis Ritsos that stands longingly at the southeastern edge of the land of Laconia, taking its passengers on a dreamy journey through time and history.

Castles and city walls, old mansions, narrow cobbled streets, churches, old low arches, arcades, coats of arms, imperial thrones made of marble, and byzantine icons, all come together in order to create a vision of a city belonging in the realm of fantasy that has not been touched by the passage of time.

Monemvasia is also known as the “Gibraltar of the East”, the “Castle above the Clouds” of Morias, the “Notorious Town” of Emperor Andronikos II, the “City saved by God” of the Palaiologos family of Mystras, the “Menexe Kalesi” (Castle of Flowers – Fortress of Flowers) of the Turks, the “Flower of Monemvasia”, and the “Flower Smelling Castle Town” of the South.

It is essentially a small island that is connected with the mainland through a narrow strip of land, and a bridge that coexists with the sea element of the Myrtoan Sea. Entering the rock from the only existing entrance – the only ‘emvasis’, which is the word that led to the creation of the name ‘Monemvasia’ – the traveler starts this journey to the past, starting from the 6th century when the town was first inhabited, and up until the present time.

We have the option of having a meal there, before making our way back to Athens with various stops on the way, including one at a café on the national motorway. Arrival in Athens late in the afternoon.

Please note: The tour itinerary may take place in a different order, but without omitting any parts of it, if this is deemed necessary for its smoother running.

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Day 3: Va

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Following renowned

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g from Athens and heading towards Corinth, we travel on the new national motorway in the direction , coming across the tunnel of Artemission on our way, where we will make our first stop. We will then towards Mystras.

isit its deserted castle town that was built on the slope of mount Taygetos, while we will also have the ity to admire the Byzantine church of Pandanassas and the castle of Vileardouinos, which dominates ntain top. Our lunch will be at one of the local tavernas, from where we will make our way to the Olive in Sparta.

eum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil in Sparta will guide us through the civilisation, history and techthe olive and olive production in Greece, starting from prehistoric times and up until the beginning of century.

entation of the olive and olive oil in the museum is from various points of view, including that of econrition and its uses, religious worship, art, and technology. Later on in the afternoon, we will reach Gythion, where we will settle into our hotel, have dinner and spend the night.

thy | Excursion to Areopoli and Limeni.

and tour around Areopoli (the capital of Inner Mani), which is a well-preserved tourist settlement that terised by the special charm of the Mani landscape, boasting unique architecture comprised of small hat look like fortresses, small stone paths that still reflect the grandeur of the past, well-preserved uses and stone-built guesthouses. In the area surrounding the town’s square, you will find many vernas, cafes, as well as the municipal library.

hen head off to the Glyfada (or Vlychada) cave in Diros, which is one of the most beautiful lake caves in d. It is situated in the western shores of the Laconian peninsula, at the cave of Diros in the municipality and offers a unique experience on a 1.600 metre journey over a subterranean river.

re onwards, we will have two options:

tinue south towards Vatheia, which is known for its famous tower-houses, and then move on to reach southernmost road point of Continental Greece (Balkans and Europe), namely Cape Tainaros* (Cavo as). We will then make our way back to Gythion through Porto Kayo and Lagia. Alternatively, we can

urn to the beautiful village of Limena (Limeni) in Messinian Mani, where we can have a meal. our hotel in Gythion, with free time, and overnight stay.

thy | Excursion to Monemvasia - Athens.

eave Gythion after having our breakfast, making a stop at the well-known shipwreck of Selinitsa, where so have opportunity to go on a photo shoot.

g that, we will visit the imposing castle town of Monemvasia and admire its old mansions, the house of d Greek poet Yiannis Ritsos, its byzantine churches, and the famous castle.

Mystras: A tower town straight out of a fairy tale The town offers breathtaking medieval ruins surrounded by a beautiful landscape The Byzantine castle town of Mystras is one of the most idyllic and romantic places you can visit in Greece, as it offers breathtaking medieval ruins surrounded by a beautiful landscape.

The archaeological site is located close to Sparta, in the region of Laconia. Nowadays, a new village has been built below the medieval castle, attracting large tourist crowds that want to explore this fascinating area.

The mystical tower town of Mystras, also known as the “Wonder of Morea” was built around a fortress erected in 1249. In the 14th century Mystras became the capital of the Despotate of Moreas and the last Byzantine emperor, Constantine XI Palaiologos, was despot at this town before he came to the throne. The town was subsequently occupied by the Venetians and the Turks and it was abandoned in 1832.

Today, the visitor can wander around the city and admire the interesting architecture and the beautiful frescoes.

The Palace of the Despots, the houses of Laskaris and Frangopoulos, the imposing Cathedral of Saint Dimitrios and the impressive Monasteries of Our Lady Pantanassa, and of Οur Lady Perivleptos are some of the most important attractions in the area.

Mystras - ruins and restoration topped by a castle.

Mystras - Looking down from the castle over St Sofia's church and ruins

The Museum of the Olive and G aims to highlight the culture and and olive production, which is in Greek and Mediterranean ident located in the heart of Laconia, o ducing locations in Greece.

In the upper floor the first testim Greece , its contribution to the e times to the 20th century, its ro (cosmetic, pharmaceutical uses) mention is made of its symbolic thology, customs and mores. Th brief presentation of the olive’s The tour starts from the earliest the existence of the olive tree in leaves, 50,000-60,000 years old, The first texts date back to the 1 lets inscribed with Linear B scrip Olive oil’s capacity to cover a va rendered it one of the most imp ucts, with a definitive role in the period.

The position of the olive and oliv sented in a separate unit. A serie uses of olive oil are also reveale and exhibits (lighting, body care tance of the olive and olive oil in vividly revealed by the many sym and folklore. The few examples in the Museum demonstrate tha source of inspiration for Greek a The Museum’s ground floor is de of olive oil production technolog early industrial era. The post-By chinery are presented in the mu olive oil press from Lefkada prov vival during the 20th century. A with a winch has been transferre area of Xirokampi. Emphasis has of the powered olive oil presses powered, diesel-powered and p working models. In addition, giv linked to body care, one of the e to soap-making, domestic and in cauldron that old housewives in duced still use to make soap, we vats.

The semi open-air exhibition wil mechanisms of a prehistoric, a H olive oil press, which will be set seum’s educational programme

Greek Olive Oil in Sparta d technology of the olive nextricably linked with the tity. Unique in Greece, it is one of the main olive pro-

monies about the olive in economy from prehistoric le in nutrition, body care ), lighting, while special dimension in religion, myhe unit concludes with a position in art. t findings that demonstrate n Greece: rare fossil olive , found in the Thera Caldera.

14th century BC, on clay tabpt. ariety of different needs, portant agricultural prode economy of each historical

ve oil in nutrition are prees of other long forgotten d by the information panels e, beautification). The imporn the lives of the Greeks is mbolisms, the worship rites of ancient and modern art at the olive was a constant artists. evoted to the development gy from Antiquity until the yzantine technology and mauseum. An animal-powered vides evidence for its surwooden double oil press ed from the neighbouring s been placed on the revival s (water-powered, steampower-driven) using large ven that olive oil is still exhibition units is dedicated ndustrial. From the large n areas where olive oil is proe pass on to industrial soap

ll soon be shaped, with the Hellenistic and a Byzantine in operation for the Mus.

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