Foreword by Emy Anagnostopoulou,
Director, GNTO UK & Ireland Office
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Greece has been a sea and sun destination favourite for British holidaymakers for decades with the Greek islands and their many obvious attractions often grabbing the limelight. But Greece has much more to offer. Many of the mainland destinations still remain undiscovered despite the fact that they are just as welcoming, just as beautiful and have as many cultural and historic attractions.
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Central and Southern Peloponnese have some of the most dramatic terrains in Greece and is one of the most sought after destinations for adventure seekers and nature lovers alike. Pack your rafting gear and head for Lousios River and explore the breath-taking walking trails of Mainalon.
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Visitors can walk through the cobbled streets of the medieval town of Monemvasia and taste different local wine varieties in the numerous wineries of the area, while culture lovers can travel through time at Mystras, Methoni and Koroni archaeological sites.
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The combination of the pretty Peloponnese coastline with its mesmerising white sand beaches like Voidokoilia and the picturesque fishing villages like Limeni create an ideal escape without even getting on a ferry.
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For more information go to: visitgreece.gr
Photos: Richard Hammond and Clare Hargreaves
What our writers discovered in the Peloponnese
Stay, Eat, See & Do
Our pick of places across the Central and Southern Peloponnese
Written by Clare Hargreaves
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Google Map Key:
Click on the coloured icons for more information about each listing
Green = Places to stay; Blue = Places to eat; Yellow = Attractions; Purple = Activities
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Click on the square brackets top right of map to reveal expanded map
How to travel to the Central and Southern Peloponnese
Overland: It is possibly to reach the Peloponnese without flying (it takes about 48 hours to reach Athens from London): there are several routes, e.g. take the train via Paris and high speed TGV to Milan and then to Bari and then ferry across the Adriatic; train via Munich and Belgrade; or train to Venice and then ferry to Athens. Of course it's much quicker to fly, but the overland journey can be fascinating, relaxing and fun.
For more information, see seat61.com/greece
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There are two main ways to fly to the Central and Southern Peloponnese:
1. Fly to Athens then drive to the Peloponnese (it's a 2-hour drive to Kalamata). There are direct flights to Athens from many UK airports, such as: London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Luton and Manchester.
The flight time is about three hours 45 minutes.
2. There are direct flights from the UK to Kalamata -
flight time is about 3 hours and 40 minutes.
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To compare carbon emissions, see: Transport Carbon Emissions Data