Exploring Lakonia

Thursday 21^st October 2010

I had planned a quiet day sitting around the cottage. However, I changed my mind when we woke to the sound of generator, radio and men working nearby. So I had to come up with a plan “B”. while in the UK I had read about pretty villages with churches and caves, all to the South and East of Neopoli. So off we set, up into the hills via Nomia (where the pizzeria is), Kalives, Lira and Elliniko. From Elliniko we descended to the main road and turned South for Neopoli. From there we headed towards Lachio (passing a Greek funeral procession along the way) and then headed towards Kato Kastania and the cave, just inland from Panagia.

The road was very narrow in places, especially through the village of Kato Kastania where it was only just wide enough for our car to pass between two houses, while it descended a steep gradient and went round a corner! As usual there were plenty of steep sections and tight hairpin bends. We made it to the cave only to find that between Sept and December it is only open at the weekends (and today was Thursday). “Bother!” said Dougal.

Its Thursday today - Bother

Given the road through Kato Kastania I was not keen to go back that way. Fortunately a return route was suggested via Ano Kastania and though I had not seen the running on the way in, D knew where it was. So, we headed back towards Neopoli via Ano Kastania and more hairpin bends, although this time not quite as narrow as the way in.

Denise on the road near Ano Kastania

 Before entering Neoploi we passed a fantastic ruin of a castle / church situated on an outcrop of rock overlooking the town.

Leaving Neopoli we headed North on the main road and stopped for lunch just before the town of Archagelos, with fine views over the bay.

We drove down to Archagelos and along the coast to Paralia. We stopped for a stroll along the beach and a brief paddle. The water was very cool, I didn’t think we would be using the masks and snorkels that we had bought with us. We also clambered over the rocks and took a few photos.

The rocks at Paralia

The beach at Paralia

 

From Paralia we made it round to Plitra via a road that was not on our map (not the first time we had found this, and not an unusual occurrence in Greece apparently). I’m sure that Plitra is heaving with tourists in the height of the season but it was dead today. Its few criss crossing streets, arranged in a typical American grid pattern, were empty of people. Only a couple of tavern owners were seen, hovering expectantly around the entrances to their premises as we walked past.

There is a brand new hotel or apartment complex being built on the peninsula, although it didn’t look like any one was working on it today. At 321m the hill on the peninsula outside Plitra would be something to walk up – just not today. Its always good to have something to come back for, apparently.

The bay at Plitra.

The planned route back was via Finiki and then Velies. We made it into the main square of Finiki, just. Litterally, I was just able to squeeze the car between two walls. One exit from the square was definitely too narrow and too tight a turn for the car. The other exit reminded me of Cyprus, given that the road split in tow, narrowing to dirt track and leaving me looking out over a valley. So, it was back down the way we had come and then towards Molia and the main road back to Monemvasia, this time in daylight rather than the lightning storm of Monday. We stopped at the mini market for supplies and had an al fresco tea on the patio.