Within easy reach of Athens, Mani is the perfect place for a vacation or weekend away from the beaten track. The Mani the peninsula, where to go, where to stay to get the best out of the region, where to eat? We’ll help you prepare for your trip!
First of all, in a few words, Mani is a region located to the south of the Peloponnese. This peninsula is surrounded by the gulfs of Messinia (to the west) and Laconia (to the east). Its two main towns are Areopoli and Gythio, where most “Maniotes” live. The Mani offers a Mediterranean landscape of arid mountains, garrigue and olive groves, with the ever-blue sea as a backdrop. His typical architecture of the Mani region also reinforces this rocky environment, with stone towers rising here and there in this region of distinctive charm.
The Mani, how to get there, where to stay, where to eat? Here we tell you all you need to know about this region!
How long will it take to visit the Mani?
You can visit the Mani in 2 or 3 days by selecting your stops and basing your visit mainly on our top 10 must-sees in the Mani.
Alternatively, you can easily devote 5 days to 1 week to a more leisurely tour of the region, venturing north to the charming village of Kardamyli, and allowing yourself more time for swimming, hiking…
How do I get to Mani?
By car
The easiest way to get to Mani is by car. If you don’t have one, we recommend this website which allows you to compare the rates of different rental companies in Athens.
From Athens, it will take around 3h30 to reach Areopoli, for example. The road is new, with lots of small toll booths. In all, expect to pay between €15 and €20.
Tip: If you opt for a road trip in the Peloponnese, we recommend coupling Mani with other destinations such as Mystra (1 hour’s drive from Arepoli) or Monemvassia (1h35 from Areopoli).
By bus
From Athens, there are connections with the KTEL Korinthias and KTEL Ileias buses. They can take you to Areopoli in just over 5 hours (from €30), or to Gythion or Gerolimenas. …
By plane
Mani also has an airport at Kalamata with connections to Thessaloniki and several international destinations.
Getting around Mani
If you’ve come by any other means than car, we recommend that you rent a car so that you can explore the region with peace of mind. In the Peloponnese region, you’ll find car rental companies, but mainly in the north, in Stoupa or Kalamata.
The easiest solution is to rent a car directly in Athens. Enjoy the superb scenery as you drive along the coast and around the peninsula. You won’t find many people on the road, but be careful – the roads are winding.
However, if you prefer the bus option, the KTEL buses (KTEL Lakonias, KTEL Korinthias) provide connections between the main towns of Mani: Areopoli, Gerolimenas, Limeni, Gythion…
Where to stay in Mani?
You’ll find a wide range of rentals (hotels, villas, apartments) on Booking. For our part, we prefer to stay in Areopoli, Limeni or Gythio, which are lively villages with tavernas and cafés open even in low season. What’s more, Areopoli and Limeni are ideally located for visiting the Magne along the coast.
Here are a few places to stay in Mani area that we’ve tried out and enjoyed:
- Limeni Vasilios Apartments: Recommended by Laure, this hotel is located in a stone building 200m from the beach in the picturesque village of Limeni. The apartments are comfortable, well-equipped and tastefully decorated, with a superb view over the bay.
- Kastro Maini in Areopoli: this old stone house has been restored and is very charming. Quiet and clean, the establishment, located 200 m from the center of Areopoli, has its own restaurant. It also has a swimming pool with jets and a small children’s pool. Excellent value for money.
- Aeropolis Koukouri Suite in Areopoli: we stayed at this establishment, which offers simple, well-equipped studios with comfortable beds, ideal for families. There’s no swimming pool here, but you’ll be ideally situated just a short walk from the center of Areopoli, with its cafés and restaurants.
- Kyrimai Hotel in Gerolimenas: this magnificent hotel was recommended to us by some very loyal readers. Set in a perfectly restored historic building, it features rooms decorated with charm and taste. The hotel offers quality products, attentive staff and, above all, a dream location with the sea at the foot of the hotel.
The Mani, where to eat?
As elsewhere in Greece, there’s no shortage of tavernas in the Mani. You’ll be able to sample a number of regional specialties, such as siglino (salted pork), tsourti manis (fried eggs on a bed of spaghetti) and the famous Mani salad with cabbage, orange and pork. We even wrote an article about it: The Mani and its cuisine.
Some of our favourite places to eat in the Mani Peninsula:
- Taverna Mezedopolio O Poulos in Areopoli: Located in the heart of Areopoli, this restaurant was named one of Greece’s top 100 restaurants in 2019. Easily recognizable by the umbrellas hanging in the street. As well as offering quality traditional regional cuisine (with real homemade fries), the setting is rather pleasant. We particularly enjoyed our dinner in the garden at the back of the restaurant.
- To Mavromichaleiko is also a good address in Areopoli for simple but good local Greek cuisine.
- In Gerolimenas, we also enjoyed the Mani Mani tavern. A psarotaverna (fish tavern) on the harbor: enjoy fried calamari with a cold beer right on the water… That’s all I need to be satisfied!
What to see and do in Mani ?
Finally, to complete this article on“Mani, where to go and stay, where to eat? “, you also need to know the region’s points of interest. To help you prepare for your vacation or weekend in the Mani region, take a look at our article What to see and do in Mani? Our top 10.
Virginie W.
