Peloponnese

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Peloponnese
The birthplace of European civilisation; fabulous beaches, spectacular landscapes,
excellent local cuisine and Greek, Roman, Venetian and Byzantine antiquities galore –
one of the most authentic regions of Greece
Agios Nicolaos
MAINLAND PELOPONNESE
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Stoupa
DELPHI
PATRAS
CORINTH
PELOPONNESE
ATHENS
MYCENAE
OLYMPIA
NAFPLION
TRIPOLIS
TOLON
KALAMATA
N
PYLOS
METHONI
FINIKOUNDA
SPARTA
KARDAMILI
STOUPA
GYTHION
MONEMVASIA
The Peloponnese has for too long been ignored by visitors. There seems
to be a notion that Greece is about islands and that the mainland is, well,
just the mainland!
European culture was born in the north Peloponnese. The ancient sites of
Corinth, Mycenae, Epidavrus, Olympia, Argos,Tyrins and Nemea are
outstanding. To the west, the Messinian peninsula has the best
beaches, is much greener with a gentler landscape and has its fair share
of share of sites, namely Olympia, Ancient Messinia and Nestor’s Palace.
Along the coast there are two dramatic, Venetian castles Methoni and
Koroni.
Further south is the legendary Mani region, never conquered by the
Turks; craggy and wild, with the Taygetos mountains running along its
spine. Here you will find the UNESCO World Heritage site of Byzantine
Mystras, the caves of Diros and right to the east the medieval fortified
rock island of Monemvasia, joined to the mainland by a causeway.
Stoupa
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Long ignored by visitors to Greece
a magical land of history and culture
Stoupa & Aghios
Nikolaos
Pylos, Gialova &
Methoni
The delightful village of Stoupa lies
just over an hour's drive south from
Kalamata and is the closest thing the
Mani has to a small resort, thanks to
its two beautiful, sandy beaches,
Kalogria and Stoupa. The setting is
complemented with a backdrop of
olive covered hills and the
magnificent Taygetos mountains,
making for a truly stunning location
with all the facilities for a relaxed
holiday. You should not be surprised
to read that Stoupa holds particular
appeal for couples of all ages and
younger families. Despite Stoupa's
popularity (the beaches do get busy
in season) it remains low key, evening
entertainment here still centred
around a wide variety of good quality
tavernas. Facilities include several
supermarkets, a good bakery and
ATMs. A range of interesting
excursions last year included
Olympia, Mystras and the
spectacular Dirou Caves, and small
bicycles, pedalos and motorboats
can be hired. There is a lovely
footpath above the sea which leads
you to neighbouring Aghios Nikolaos
in about an hour. Aghios Nikolaos is
the archetypal sleepy Greek fishing
village, and the cafés and restaurants
above the exquisite small harbour
here are the perfect place from which
to watch the boats come and go.
Pantazi beach is a 15 minute walk to
the south, its wide stretch of
sand/shingle shaded by trees. The
whole area is excellent for walking so
we are pleased to offer our clients a
free walking guide on request.
Pylos is an historic and stylish small
town at the top of the Messinian
peninsular on its western side. It has
one of the best natural harbours in
Greece – Navarino Bay, site of the
famous Turkish defeat in 1827. Some
16 kms to the north is Homeric
Nestor’s Palace, artifacts from which
can be viewed in the local museum.
For some fine sandy beaches head to
nearby Gialova and beyond – the
best is superb Voidokilia a 15 minute
drive away. For such a small place
Gialova has a very good choice of
tavernas – about a dozen at the last
count – as well as a mini-market.
The whole area is now a nature
reserve noted for its bird life and
unique species of chameleon. Bicycle
hire is a good way to get around as
the area is largely flat. The
neighbouring small town of Methoni
at the south western tip is dominated
by its impressive fortress stretching
into the sea. Evidence of past visitors
includes the remnants of a Venetian
cathedral and a Turkish bath within
the castle walls.
PELOPONNESE AGIOS NIKOLAOS
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2 bedrooms
Villa Ibiscus
1 bathroom
Agios Nikolaos | Sleeps 2 – 4
car hire included
■ Early Booking Offer
swimming pool
air conditioning
Amidst a gentle hillside of olive trees, within a
small community of villas on the Mani
peninsular, this single-storey property has
splendid views across the Gulf of Messina
as well as the neighbouring mountains and
countryside.
This single storey villa has been tastefully designed and furnished
throughout in a modern style. The lounge has a distinctive beamed
ceiling, and the swimming pool is bordered by both open and covered
terraces.
A few minutes drive brings you to the fishing harbour and sandy beaches
of Agios Nikolaos, and a visit to the lovely seaside village of Stoupa takes
10 minutes.
Accommodation: one double bedroom; one twin bedroom; lounge; kitchen,
bathroom with bath and shower, cloakroom.
Facilities: air conditioning in bedrooms; microwave; oven; hob; fridge; freezer;
washing machine; satellite TV/DVD; CD player; barbecue.
Private swimming pool: 7m x 3.5m & depth available on request
Amenities: the centre of the small hamlet of Riglia is a walk of 400m where you can
find one Café Neon. The lovely beach of Pandzi is a drive of 1.3 km and has a
taverna and café. A short distance further along the coastal road is Agios Nikholaos
with it’s lovely harbour front tavernas and two supermarkets.
For more detailed information & photos visit www.gicthevillacollection.com
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P E L O P O N N E S E C O S TA N AVA R I N O
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Costa Navarino
The Costa Navarino is a remarkable
holiday destination, created due to
one man’s farsighted dream and
sheer determination. Luxurious yet
eco-minded, the wow-factor villas
and two world-class hotels are set
amidst lush olive groves in an
unspoilt part of Greece’s littleknown Peloponnese. Overlooking
an historic coastline that borders
the Ionian Sea, here ancient myth is
intertwined with 21st century knowhow and authentic, traditional
Greek hospitality. It’s an alluring and
inspiring mix.
Why is Costa Navarino so special?
Buildings (in local stone and wood)
occupy but 10% of the land.
Some 8,500 mature native olive
and citrus trees were moved
during development and replanted
amidst the gardens, villas and
suites; in total, 16,000 trees are
being rehomed. Over 200,000
indigenous plants (from palest blue
plumbago to fragrant jasmine,
rosemary and lavender), all
destined for Costa Navarino’s
grounds, planted roofs and
intensely green walkways, were
nurtured at a specially-created
nursery. The ambience created is
that of a long-established botanic
garden – luxuriant, exuberant and
exotic, with private green rooms
and shimmering water throughout.
All villas and many suites enjoy the
luxury of private infinity pools;
wooden walkways meander to the
beach below.
GIC The Villa Collection focuses
principally on the superb villas
described overleaf. Life is simple in
these gloriously private and wellappointed luxury homes, allowing
true R&R. Dining is easy – a chef
BBQ-ing at your villa? Or your
choice of restaurant dotted amidst
the resort’s village? There’s a
taverna, an Italian, a Japanese, a
beachfront restaurant and a
popular and relaxed Souvlakeria,
not to mention several bars with
plush outdoor sofas and sea views
for sundowners, or stylish
international-menu-inspired
restaurants with chic terraces.
Leisure options include an outdoor
cinema, a beach with surf school
and boats, golf course with stylish
clubhouse, a brilliant children’s
centre, complete with eco
credentials and interactive exhibits,
the endless landscaped gardens
and – bliss! – a huge, awardwinning and wonderful spa. Hire a
bike, take a trip to explore/see
cultural hotspots but, above all,
savour the sheer luxury of
relaxation in this stunning corner of
the Greek Peloponnese.
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P E L O P O N N E S E C O S TA N AVA R I N O
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For more detailed information & photos visit www.gicthevillacollection.com
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P E L O P O N N E S E C O S TA N AVA R I N O
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•
I
•
PR
O
Villas Ithomi &
Sapientza
EM
ER
PR
PERTY
At Costa Navarino – The Romanos |
Sleeps 2 – 5
2 bedrooms
2 bathrooms
swimming pool
air conditioning
WiFi
The Ambassador Villas, Ithomi and Sapientza
are reached by golf buggy, zipping smoothly
and silently along narrow curved roadways,
luxuriant vegetation on either side, a smartlyattired butler at the wheel.
Enter your villa and, beyond the light flooding through floor-to-ceiling
windows, there’s a turquoise pool, with a small private beach area
alongside, and then, below, the sea itself – a rich, intense, Mediterranean
blue.
Offering exquisite location and absolute privacy, the beachfront
Ambassador villas enjoy unobstructed Ionian Sea views and direct
access to the golden beach below. These villas introduce the essence of
palatial living and feature a master bedroom with king-size bed, a second
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bedroom with two twin beds, accompanied by very elegant marble en-suite
bathrooms, thoughtfully designed to offer absolute space and ultimate luxury.
The Ambassador Villas also provide a gracious lounge and dining area,
state-of-the-art home cinema system, as well as an expansive terrace and a
73 m2 private infinity pool.
These are our selected villas from The Romanos collection. For more detail
including floor plans and videos please see the website. Other villas and
suites with private pool are also available on request.
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For more detailed information & photos visit www.gicthevillacollection.com
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