A stunning Eco retreat in Mani, Peloponnese, between mountain and sea

Description

Our 100 year-old, architecturally re-designed and restored Maniot stone house lies in the foothills of the Taygetos mountains, 650 meters above sea level (the highest peak, Profitis Ilias, is 2400m high). With a stunning, multileveled garden, glorious views of the sea, and with only bird-song for company, it is a perfect place to unwind, stargaze, watch the sunset and be at home with nature. The decked terrace, where we have most of our meals, faces the sea and the garden. Located in a small hamlet between Prosilio and Tseria, the house has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, an added, separate guesthouse with its own bathroom, 3 terraces, a living room and well equipped kitchen. Being so high up, the hamlet is cool in the summer, especially in the evenings - but we do have air conditioning if required. There are local walks galore, including the spectacular Viros gorge, which is five minutes away, just beyond the beautiful, neighbouring village of Tseria, where there is a wonderful tavern. It is a most inspiring place, where I wrote my last book and my husband, a composer, wrote a string quartet. The house also benefits from being located a 15 minutes drive from cosmopolitan Kardamyli, famed for once being the home of Patrick Leigh Fermor, whose legacy still remains. The town boasts cafés, wonderful restaurants, beaches, shops which sells everything from olive oil to pots and clothes, and a wonderful bookshop. Despite the influx of tourism, it has still managed to retain its authenticity. Surrounding Kardamyli stand numerous mountain villages, Byzantine churches, the fishing port of Agios Nikolaos, and at the southernmost point, in the Mani's wilder and more rugged landscape is Cape Tainaron, fabled entrance to the underworld, where the Ancient Greeks were said to commune with the dead. The area also boasts a treasure trove of archeological sites (5 out of Greece's 20 UNESCO monuments are located in the Peloponnese): one hour away lies the extraordinary ancient city of Messene, complete with a theatre, Agora and stadium. The medieval fortified town of Mystras is high on a hill above Sparta, while Ancient Olympia, Corinth, and the unmissable Mycenea and Epidauros are a couple of hours away.