Greece - Korina Miller [157]
ORIENTATION & INFORMATION
Kardamyli is on the main Areopoli–Kalamata road. The central square, Plateia 25 Martiou 1821, lies at the northern end of the main thoroughfare.
Kardamyli’s main pebble-and-stone beach is off the road to Kalamata; turn left beyond the bridge on the northern edge of town. The road up to Old (or Upper) Kardamyli is on the right before the bridge. The post office ( 7.30am-2pm Mon-Fri) is on the main strip.
The useful website at www.kardamili-greece.com can also provide some information.
ACTIVITIES
Hiking has become Kardamyli’s biggest drawcard. The hills behind the village are criss-crossed with an extensive network of colour-coded walking trails. Many guest houses in the village can supply you with route maps (of varying detail and quality). Most of the hikes around here are strenuous, so strong footwear is essential to support your ankles on the often relentlessly rough ground, particularly if you venture into the boulder-strewn gorge itself. You will also need to carry plenty of drinking water.
Many of the walking trails pass through the mountain village of Exohorio, which is perched on the edge of the Vyros Gorge at an altitude of 450m. For nonwalkers the village is also accessible by road, and it’s a good place to get into a spot of more gentle exploration. The turn-off to Exohorio is 3km south of Kardamyli.
For those who don’t want to go it alone, 2407 Mountain Activities ( 27210 73752; www.2407m.com) offers a range of activities including hiking (€25 to €40 per person; minimum four) and mountain-bike trips (€25 to €40; minimum two) in and around the Taÿgetos Mountains, venturing into ‘secret’ forested and rocky regions. The owners have cleaned old paths and are proud to have a ‘traveller, not tourist attitude’ towards locals. They don’t enter villages en masse, for example, and prefer to stick to their secret locations. The office is half way along the main street.
SLEEPING
There are plenty of domatia signs along the main road. The street down to the sea opposite the pharmacy is a good place to look. Prices are considerably less outside high season.
Olympia Koumounakou Rooms ( 27210 73623/21026; s/d €30/35) Olympia loves her budget travellers (as they do her) and offers clean, comfortable rooms and a communal kitchen. It’s on the road before the pharmacy. At the time of research, some apartments were being constructed next door by a family member and will be worth checking out.
Volvere Studios (Stratis Bravakos Rooms) ( 27210 73326; d/tr €45/65) Volvere, directly opposite Olympia’s, is also great value for spotless studio apartments with kitchen facilities.
Hotel Vardia ( 27210 73777; www.vardia-hotel.gr; studio €85, apt €120-170) March into this top choice: a relaxing and stylish stone place (near a former sentry tower and situated high behind the village), whose 18 rooms have exceptional views of the Messinian Gulf. For those with transport, it’s worth tackling the hill. Entrance is south of town: turn at the bookshop.
Kalamitsi Hotel ( 27210 73131; www.kalamitsi-hotel.gr; d/ste €110/160) Situated 1km south of town, the Kalamitsi is a lovely, modern, stone-built hotel with serene, well-appointed rooms (family bungalows also available €220). Within its tree-shaded grounds, paths lead to a secluded pebbly beach. Home-cooked dinners (set menu €20, guests only) and fresh buffet breakfasts (€10) are also available.
Elies ( 27210 73140, 6974722819; www.elieshotel.gr; 2-person apt €120, 4-person apt €140-170, 6-person apt €220; ) This tasteful provincial-style complex of stone maisonettes, situated 1km north of the village, has stylish interiors. It’s set in an olive grove (which turns into a car park during high season – the only let-down).