Tusting Travels: The Peloponnese Guide
Endless olive groves, cypress trees to rival the Tuscan countryside and crystal blue waters – welcome to the Peloponnese region of Greece. A country that has so much more to offer than all the well-known islands which are often packed full of tourists come the summer, the Peloponnese region is located in Southern Greece, steeped in incredible history, picturesque landscape and offers both mountainous and coastal escapes. We’ll take you through our trip agenda to take the stress out of planning.
Getting There
To explore the region, you can fly in to either Kalamata or Athens airport and hiring a car is essential if you plan to get around exploring. If staying put in your hotel is your thing, just book a transfer. We split our trip in two to explore different parts of the region, starting in the ancient fir forests of Arcadia at Manna hotel, a 90-minute drive from Kalamata airport. Once used as a sanatorium for wounded soldiers during the war due to the healing potential of the altitude and woodland of the earthly paradise, Swiss architects have renovated the building into a sleek and tranquil escape. The hotel won 5 gold distinctions for ‘Greek Hotel of the Year’ 2024 and it’s easy to see why. Every corner is beautiful, with breath taking views of forests and tranquil lily ponds where yoga classes take place.
What to Do
If you fancy doing something other than enjoying the view, we would recommend one of the front facing balcony rooms to maximise this, there are gorgeous hiking routes to the nearby villages through the forests and walnut groves, clearly marked and non treacherous. We made a wrong turn, I’ll blame my partner for that one, but easily found our way back to the path and ended our hike with vine leaves and cold wine to refuel for the walk back to the hotel. The Manna team also offer truffle experiences, guided nature experiences and canoeing to name a few options. The spa features couples treatment rooms, along with a cave plunge pool to wash away any thoughts of your life back home. One of our favourite moments was sitting on the terrace in the hotels restaurant watching the full moon rise over the tree tops and illuminate the sky, making an already wonderful dinner of elevated Greek classics even more special, before we finished our wine under the stars by the outdoor fire pit.
The Coast Calls
After a few days of switching off in the hills, we drove 2 hours west to the coastline for Dexamenes Hotel. Originally a wine factory in the 1920’s that was one of the main exports of Greek wine to France, the hotel had been sympathetically converted into a hotel using many parts of the old factory. All the staff are well versed on the hotels history and renovations and provide a tour to chat through their journey to where they are today. The two wine tank silos now act as a fine dining experience, one which we felt could strongly sit in the Michelin guide, with the second silo used for yoga classes and events. We’d recommend a beachfront room with doors which open out onto your private terrace and views of the sea, however the courtyard rooms also have their own terrace and feel private facing the wine tanks. Dexamenes has it’s own private part of the beach which is staffed for drinks and beach snacks along with another more casual tavern with traditional greek dishes under the vine leaves.
Beach Breakaways
The hotel provides a variety of experiences they can arrange for you, from vineyard tours to a marble workshop. We visited Smili workshop and were guided by sculptor Alexandros Papalabros, known for his work on famous archeological sites in Greece and most recently the restoration of King Ptolemeus’s column at Ancient Olympia. This was a hands on way to engage with the history of the famous area and try a hand at a new skill to break up the relaxation on the beach. You’re also located only a 30 minute drive from the pretty port town Katakolo which offers fresh simple waterfront dining whilst watching the boats.
As for packing, the Como Tote came with me from the spa, to the beach, to the port. Filled with SPF, water, books and playing cards whilst remaining light as a feather, it proved to be the ideal holiday tote. Paired with the smallest Como Explorer sitting neatly on the handle of my much-travelled wheelie, this good-looking pairing meant I felt chic even when travel-weary. Going full linen on the coast and throwing in a light cashmere knit for the hills of Arcadia, I paired evening looks with the Alice Clutch in Date, which works as an elegant yet relaxed evening bag and goes beautifully with leather sandals.
