In less than 2 km north of Areopoli lies the picturesque Limeni. The seaport of Areopoli, a refugelike port, a sleepless lighthouse of tradition, history and civilization of Mani!

The few houses are built along the coast, scattered amid the beaches and mountains.

It used to be the headquarters and the port of Mavromichalis family. According to tradition, Jiorgos Mavromichalis married a fairy, whom he met at a beach; this justifies the famous beauty of Mavromichalis family, who were called “fairy children”

Outstanding is the reconstructed palace of Petrobeys VIII, who is the last Bey of Mani in 1816-1821, with the four-floor tower and the arched entrances.

One can see the monastery Panagia Vreti, right on the coast, with the unusual bell tower, the ruins of which are still preserved. In the southwest along the coast, there is the charming church of Aghios Sostis and the statue of Petrobeys.

Limeni is the papyrus of the past for all researchers, a place of rest for the sailors, the ideal place for fish for the lovers of taste, the place of treasures for pirates and invaders, a sacred place for the pilgrims, a breath of fresh air for the mortals.

We are stunned by the obvious and hidden secrets of the Maniat landscape of Limeni that fights with the winds, so that the visitor can admire the sunsets and walk along the narrow lanes that take him/her back to the heroic past.

Only a few inhabitants are still living in the village and have to confront with the natural phenomena and the difficulties of everyday life. In summer, the seclusion is forgotten and Limeni welcomes its children and visitors, who come to enjoy the wonder of nature and the tranquility of the place. Sea and rocks, cool shades that have the scent of thyme, oregano, tea, mint, lavender and cicadas that sing in the hot summer afternoons.

In the evenings, the stars are bright and accompany the lonely walks next to the wave, whereas the moon competes with the glow of the distant voices.

Rocky beaches, arid earth, naked mountains, gorges, stony fences that cut the mountains, built in all levels, starting from the bottom up to the sky, creating small steps, which depict the human presence of thousand years in the past.

The development is enormous, but we should take care of this unique beauty, which was preserved in the past centuries; miracles do not occur everyday.

Ant Roumaneas