Aeropolis Mani Peninsula

Aeropoli or Aeropolis is the capital of Mani and is located at the beginning on the west coast of the Peninsula exactly in the first "finger" in the prefecture of Laconia at the foot of Mount Agios Elias at about 250 meters above sea level with a wonderful view of the western Gulf of Messenia.

Its name until 1836 was Tsimova but it was renamed Aeropolis in honor of the Greek god of war Ares even if there are other theories such as the one linked to the strong winds (aeras means wind in Greek) that run through the entire region. Still speaking of history, Aeropolis played a very important role during the fight for the liberation of Greece in 1821, in fact in its square on March 17th the flag was hoisted which decreed the beginning of the revolution against the occupation of the Turks. Today the relic of the banner is preserved in the National Historical Museum of Athens. The town was also the home of the Mavromihalis family, a fundamental family for revolutionary activity.

The landscape surrounding Aeropolis is of natural and wild beauty, but despite tourist development, it has managed to still retain its ancient and traditional charm. Houses and towers in stone, abundant material throughout the Mani in the typical architecture of the area which also had a protective function as small fortresses where to barricade themselves and repel the attacks of invaders over the centuries, paved streets, cafes, shops, typical taverns, accommodation here's what to expect, all wrapped up in a hospitable atmosphere all year round where you can enjoy moments of relaxation and experience a piece of Greece that is still authentic and rooted. On Saturdays, don't miss the open-air market in the main square where you can find organic products and traditional delights.

Excellent as a base for a traveling trip or simply for a holiday in the Mani, it offers its visitors many things to do and see. Let's start with its square called Square of the Immortals (Platia Athanaton) where we can admire the rock on which the Greek flag was hoisted and the statue of Petrobeis Mavromihalis, hero of the resistance, and still walking through the streets the towers of Kapetanakos and Stylianos Mavromihalis, the tower of Kyriakoulis Mavromihalis (all valiant liberation fighters) where today there is an interesting historical museum.

The Church of Taxiarches, the cathedral of the town where the fighters gathered for the liturgy before the beginning of the liberation, solemnly swearing "Freedom or Death" (for those who are not aware, these are the letters represented in stripes in the national flag). An imposing five-storey bell tower with a ten-sided dome and a pentagonal arch over the altar decorated with marble columns and arches. To embellish everything, a screen skillfully carved in wood.

Or the Church of Agios Ioannis Padromos (St. John the Forerunner) dating back to the 18th century with wonderful frescoes, the Monastery of Panagia Tsipiotissa on the outskirts of Aeropoli, the church of Agios Haralambros, the church of Athanassiosi or that of Agios Nikolaos from 1807 and finally the 17th century church of Agia Triada (Holy Trinity).

The Pikoulakis Tower a three-story fortress-tower house that houses the Byzantine Museum of Mani and the Church of Agios Ioannis with wall paintings from 1746.

For a break dedicated to Nature, don't miss the Diros Caves, which have great archaeological significance and are considered among the most important in all of Greece. Hidden among the rocks they contain finds dating back to the Paleolithic and in the latest excavations carried out a human body dated 300,000 years ago called Tainaros Man was also discovered. They can be reached from the rocks on the seashore on the left of the village of Limeni.

Limeni, a small corner of paradise, a lovely seaside village with incredible waters for enjoying moments of relaxation and swimming and where you can eat excellent fresh fish. Less than two kilometers away is the small village of Sotiras also called Kouskouni with an amphitheater shape with an exciting view directly onto Aeropolis.

From a gastronomic point of view we can say that here too we certainly cannot hold back in tasting. Know that meat is the main dish and not fish despite being in a coastal area, try the local specialty Sigklino, salted pork, smoked and then boiled with oranges and olive oil, or the Matured pork meal and also smoked, the Kagianas fried eggs with cheese, tomatoes and the fried dough fritters called Lalagia, and finally the Hilopites a typical homemade pasta which is accompanied with local cheese.

And finally the most important information on how to reach Aeropoli. As simple as it is always better to have your own transport to be completely independent, from Athens it takes about three and a half hours while from Kalamata one and a half. If you prefer to travel by public transport there are three trips a day from Athens (we are talking about a 5 hour journey) passing through Sparta and Gythio, other jewels of the Mani.

Let's face it, even in this case you will have no chance of getting bored, on the contrary, you will certainly gain a significant amount of knowledge in discovering these little treasures that have not yet been attacked by mass tourism.