Gythion

Gythion is located at the foot of the Mani peninsula in the southeast of the Peloponnese. 142 km east of the airport and the city of Kalamata and 278 km south of the capital Athens. With 7,000 inhabitants, Gythion is the largest city in the southern Peloponnese with a large port with good ferry connections to the islands. The vibrant city and its port are well protected by the foothills of the mighty Taygetos mountain range. Until the end of May, this backdrop offers snow-white mountains in contrast to the blue of the Mediterranean, a true delight for the soul.
Neoclassical architecture and the building style of the German-Greek architect Erns Ziller (lived in Gythion from 1870 to 1914) determines the ambience of the city, such as the town hall and the girls' gymnasium. Hans Ziller designed over 500 private public buildings in Greece. The beautiful, long promenade with taverns and cafes surround the port of Gythion. From the promenade, a bridge leads to the small island of Kranai. Kranai with its pine forest is the landmark of the city and offers visitors a beautiful view of the city of Gythion and the tower of the Tzanetakas Museum. The ancient amphitheater of Gythio is also worth seeing. The citadel was located above the theater on the hill. Remains of its walls are still visible today. Gythio is a vibrant city in both summer and winter. Most of the bars and shops are open in winter and offer city dwellers from the capital Athens a good break from the hustle and bustle. Most of the establishments along the promenade are open in winter and summer.


The port of Gythion is a popular port of call for cruise ships and sailing ships within the eastern Mediterranean.
Gythio boasts a modern port facility that has been greatly expanded in recent years. There is a ferry terminal with two specialized berths and a cargo berth with total quay walls of 153.5 meters and an area of ​​5,600 square meters. The port connects the islands of Kythira, Antikythira and Crete-Kissamos with the mainland/Peloponnese.

Nearest beach
The closest beach to Gythion is Mavrovouni beach, 3 km away. It consists of fine to coarse-grained sand and offers plenty of space with loungers under permanently installed parasols. Mavrovouni beach is under the care of a conservation organization for the so-called "Caretta-Caretta" sea turtle.



The most important sights in the region around Gythion

1. The ruined city of Mistras.
In addition to the remains of residential buildings, there are numerous churches, the Despot's Palace and other buildings from the 13th and 14th centuries to visit. Most of these buildings are relatively well preserved. The oldest church in Mystras is the Bishop's Church of Agios Dimitrios; it dates from 1291. Also noteworthy is the Church of Agia Sophia (Holy Wisdom), which was the only church in Mystras to be converted into a mosque during the time of Turkish rule. Also interesting is the Pantanassa Monastery, which is still inhabited by nuns today. The Katholikon of this nunnery is considered the most beautiful church in Mystras.

2. The castle town of Monemvasia
An extraordinary place on a huge rocky island on the east coast of the southern Peloponnese, off the mainland. In the Middle Ages and during the Byzantine rule, the place was one of the most important in the Peloponnese. In the middle of the 20th century, the settlement was almost completely depopulated, but over time it developed anew with increasing tourism and became an absolute tourist attraction. Let yourself be enchanted by the gardens and the old stone houses of this romantic place.

3. The Taygetos Mountains are not just a paradise for hikers
The European long-distance hiking trail E4 stretches through the Taygetos mountain range with stages of varying difficulty levels from 5 to 8. Tours through fir and pine forests offer natural beauty with overwhelming views.