The tower town of Vatheia in Laconia is a monument to architectural tradition and perhaps the most photographed place in Mani.
Mani, with its wild landscapes, stone-built villages and imposing towers, casts a spell that captivates every visitor. Anyone who goes once is sure to return to explore more.
If you travel to Laconian Mani and dont visit Vatheia, youll have missed one of the regions gems. At the southern tip of the Mani peninsula, just before Cape Tainaron, the imposing, abandonedtower-town,built within a wild and dramatic landscape, isone of Manis most emblematic and most-photographed sights.
An open-air museum of Maniot architecture
This famed tower-town stands firm against the passage of time and is an important monument of architectural tradition as well as a testament to vernacular fortification in Greece. Just before Cape Tainaron, Vatheias soaring stone tower houses, perched on a hillside, gaze out over the open sea and the sunset. A visit to the hilltop and the alleys lined with half-collapsed tower houses offers visitors a special journey back in time.
Vatheias towers were built mainly in the 18th century. The village flourished in the 19th century, while during the 20th century it was gradually abandoned by its inhabitants. Many of Vatheias towers were deserted and others collapsed.
All that until 1980, when, at the initiative of EOT, several tower houses were restored and turned into traditional tourist lodgings, bringing to light the beauty of forgotten Vatheia. These lodgings did not manage to remain open for long. Today, its worth visiting the silenttower-townthat feels like an open-air museum of traditional architecture to stroll its alleys and gaze at the sea from above.
What to see in the area
Within easy reach there are beautiful places worth discovering such asAreopoli,Limeni, theDiros Caves,Gerolimenas etc. If you find yourself here in summer, dont miss visiting Marmari, a hidden-gem beach tucked between the bare hills. In essence, it is two very beautiful sandy beaches with fantastic turquoise waters and enchanting views of the bare hillsides plunging into the sea.
A visit to Vatheia can be combined with a stroll to Porto Kagio, the southernmost harbor of Mani, as well as to Cape Tainaron, at the southernmost tip of mainland Europe, where, according to mythology, the gate of Hades was located.
