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still lush vegetation . Kardamyli was mentioned for the first time in the Iliad as one of the seven cities that Agamemnon donated to Achilles . The myth also says that the twins Castor and Pollux , Helen of Troy ’ s brothers , are buried there .
The small village has managed to retain its simple grace even in recent years when tourism has become more intrusive . Athenians mix with French and Italians during summertime , but there is none of the chaos of the tourist resorts , the few bars and restaurants in the small harbor maintain a polite tone without vulgarity , souvenir shops offer local handicrafts instead of cheap tacky . Furthermore , there are no touristy carny hotels but many small guest houses , the only threestorey buildings are the ancient stone towers of the Maniot clans , this architectural element would be a constant in the landscape from here on .
It was comforting to see how it was
possible to offer an authentic and quality experience without turning a village into a sort of Disneyland to satisfy mass tourists . But this is not the opinion of the owner of Equinox , the unmissable bookstore that shows off on the main street , offering publications in different languages and beautiful photography books . According to her , the whole region would need government investment to increase the accommodation and entertainment offered of the village , even at the cost of cancelling its identity . There are no industries here , and the economy is based on olive growing as the tourists come only from May to September , losing their identity could be a not so high price to pay for avoiding winter depopulation of rural areas .
The kilometres separating Kardamyli from Areopoli are only forty-five , but it can take you a complete day to cover them . It would be a shame to skip the beaches of Delfinia and Foneas , embraced by the forests immediately south of Kardamyli , it ’ s also necessary to get lost in search of more hidden and less crowded coves as the coast becomes more barren and arid . If it ’ s true that environment influences the character of people living in it , it ’ s no surprise that Maniots are famous for their bellicosity . In the Laconian Máni , the deepest south of Areopoli , nothing grows except olive trees and a few figs , hills are barren and stony , with little arable land . The state road continues along the perimeter of the peninsula , branching off into a network of secondary roads and paths , losing among small churches and tiny villages . These are pleasant routes to take by motorbike , as it allows you to wiggle your way through the narrow streets , parking wherever you want to take a walk looking for that little Byzantine church lost among the olive trees .
Riding on two wheels through the sleepy villages and deserted moors
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