Where

Kardamily is a spectacularly beautiful seaside village located in the Mani.  It is a stunning region in the southern Peloponnese, set dramatically against a backdrop of crystalline aqua-blue waters, majestic cypress trees, wild olive groves, verdant rolling hills and distant snow capped mountains.   It is one of the prettiest villages that overlook the calm seas and splendid sunsets of the Messinian Gulf. Kardamyli remains one of the southern Mediterranean’s best-kept secrets. It is an exclusive, unspoiled resort that has a picturesque harbor and the beautiful pebble beach of Ritsa. The Greekscape offices are on the main street opposite  Piraeus Bank.

Kardamyli is on the northern part of the Mani, situated on the middle finger of the Peloponnese. It is picturesquely set with the Taygetos Mountains in the background, villages perched on rock edges, and olive terraces reaching the coast land of a clear blue sea. The crystal clear water of the sea at Kardamyli makes it a delightful place to swim and there are lots of hidden little coves all along the coastline.

The long white pebbly Ritsa Beach is at the northern end of the village and so is Eλιες taverna. Here you can sit in the shade of the olive trees and have lunch. Kardamyli has wonderful gift shops and tavernas.

Old Kardamyli is reached just before the bridge to the right and it is well worth a leisurely stroll through the olive groves to take a look at the wonderful Mani towers, many of which have now been renovated. A museum is  housed in the original Troupakis clan complex.

Kardamyli is very pretty, with its old stone cottages and cafes clustered around a central square, overlooked by Upper Kardamyli, now deserted but posing a timeless image, with its medieval tower houses, 18th-century church and cypresses, perched up on the hillside, high above the coast.