One of my fondest memories of traveling in Greece as a student back in the 1970s was gliding by boat through the Pyrgos Dirou Caves. Now, a generation later, I’ve returned and the experience was the same — a boatman poled us along beautifully lit canals from one stalactite to the next for about a kilometer. (It costs about $15 for 30 minutes.) My guide, Niki, translated the boatman’s scant narration as I savored the natural wonder, the coolness, and the way the sound of dripping water cut through the silence. What are your favorite cave memories from the road?
Savoring a Sweet Mani Peninsula Surprise
Driving around this land so steeped in conflict and bloody vendettas, it occurred to me that there are a lot of towers on the Mani Peninsula. While everyone gets excited about the towers of San Gimignano in Italy because they are so unique, here on the Mani, towns with such skylines are common. It seems like wherever people lived around here in medieval times, those places were fortified with towers built by family warlords. Seeing this town on the horizon, we had to stop. And as soon as I got out of the car I realized the sweet blessing of this stop: bees. I had stepped into a world of hardworking, honey-making bees. The flowers here (these, which we couldn’t recall while videoing, are sage) make the Mani honey the most treasured (and expensive) in Greece. Later, we stopped at a group of hives and met the beekeeper (who had an eye nearly swollen shut due to a bee sting). He explained how beekeepers constantly relocate their hives to get the best action. The lesson: Stop the car a lot, get out, talk to the people…and smell the sage.
A Tiny Church in Kastania Frozen in Time
When exploring the south coast of Greece’s Peloponnese, I make Kardamyli my home base. And, while its coast is remote, the interior is even more so. The stony village in this clip is named Kastania, which I could imagine means forlorn in Greek. We filmed here four years ago, and I just had to return to my favorite little church — nothing’s changed…same cobwebs.
Let Your Imagination Fly in the Ghost Town of Vathia
If the Peloponnese’s Mani Peninsula is famous for its rugged terrain and desperate history, that history and culture is embodied in the dramatic ghost town of Vathia. Just a 10-minute drive from the coast, it’s free to explore (also windy — pardon the buffeting) and, as I hope this clip illustrates, it is best when you let your imagination off its leash. Also, pardon my goof at the start of the video, where I say “Turkey” when, of course, I meant to say “Greece”!
Off the Beaten Track on Greece’s Mani Peninsula
When exploring Greece, I’ve always been enamored with the fierce and desolate Mani Peninsula. (Please pardon the wind noise on this video, but that goes with the territory.) I hope you enjoy these clips illustrating the peninsula’s wild and romantic Mani charm.