A GREEK MARVEL
Vast ancient sites, caves you can tour by gondola — the Peloponnese is full of wonder
We are working our way through enormous salads of beef tomatoes, sweet figs and salty cheese in the shady garden of a taverna. In the valley below stretches a moderately sized Greek city with a market place, temple, sports stadium, gymnasium and amphitheatre.
But we’re a couple of thousand years too late for Mrs Hazell to browse for a bargain.
Now it is populated by half a dozen tourists and a handful of archaeologists.
ancient Messene is a remarkable site a few miles north of Kalamata in the Peloponnese region of Greece.
It is more extensive than betterknown Olympia — about 50 miles to the north — yet remains relatively unvisited despite being only half an hour’s drive from Kalamata.
Here you feel a sense of what it was to be an ancient Greek, sitting in the amphitheatre, wandering around the sports stadium or watching as a mosaic is painstakingly uncovered.
The site is still giving up its treasures. an archaeologist tells me that excavation work is expected to continue for a further 80 years.
ancient Messene is the centrepiece of our week in the Peloponnese. Our holiday starts in Chrani, a hamlet on the east coast of Messenia, the westernmost peninsular.
Here, we spend three nights in the Ilaira apartments, which are simple, yet modern and comfortable. Balconies from the bedrooms have splendid views over the Mediterranean. a couple of dozen steps take us down to the beach and a few more allow us a cooling dip in the sea.
The heart of Chrani is a twominute walk along the beach and is where half a dozen friendly restaurants serve tasty food and cheap, but good, local wine — €3 for half a litre.
On advice from our hosts, we explore the entrancing Polylimnio waterfalls midway across the peninsula. Here, stouthearted Scandinavians and Germans dive into enticing rock pools.
a quick fingertip test is enough to convince us that the icy waters are best enjoyed at a distance and with our clothes on.
We also head east to the Mani region and the amalia apartments. These are in a quiet location a tenminute walk from the village of Stoupa, with wonderful sea vistas.
Stoupa is busy, but still retains much charm. The highlight of this leg of our trip is a visit the Caves of Diros, about an hour’s drive to the south, where we are taken on an underground tour by gondola. The walls are a canvas of greens, reds, yellows and blues with eerie stalactites and stalagmites.
For €12 this is an engaging trip for all ages, though be aware that some guides, including ours, speak only Greek — yet that’s hardly a drawback, as the beauty of the caves speak for themselves. rather like this lovely region of Greece.
TONY HAZELL