Limeni

Limeni is barely a village, a curve of stone buildings along a small inlet where the water sits an implausible turquoise over pale rock. It was the harbour of the Mavromichalis family, whose restored tower house stands above the water and now operates as accommodation, and the old boathouses and towers along the shore have mostly become guesthouses and tavernas. There is no beach in the conventional sense; people swim from concrete platforms and flat rocks straight into deep clear water, often with fish visible below. The setting, bare Mani hills dropping to a bright inlet, has made it one of the most photographed spots in the southern Peloponnese, and sunset over the Messenian Gulf from the waterfront is the daily ritual.

What to look for

• The turquoise inlet - deep clear water against pale stone.
• The tower houses - Mani stone buildings along the shore.
• The swimming platforms - concrete ledges and rocks for deep-water swimming.
• The sunset view - the Messenian Gulf from the waterfront.

When to go

May, June and September, when the water is warm and the village manageable. July and August bring heavy day traffic and difficult parking, and prices on the waterfront rise accordingly.

Before you go

There is no sand, no shade and very limited parking on a single narrow road. The village is now firmly a destination: restaurant prices are high for the region, and the small waterfront fills quickly. Swimming means climbing in and out over rocks or ladders.

Nearby

Areopoli is five minutes uphill; the Diros caves and Vathia lie south along the coast.

Key facts