Last summer we discovered the breath-taking beauty of Limeni, a picturesque, time-frozen coastal village nestled on the Mani Peninsula in the southern Peloponnese, Greece.
My mum has been telling me about how wonderful the Mani Region of Greece is for years but it wasn’t until I saw a picture of Limeni that I just knew we had to visit.
Although small, Limeni makes a real impact with its unbelievably clear water abutted by the tall square stone towers that is typical of Maniot architecture.
There is no beach here, but instead you have a mixture of waterfront tavernas, some with sun loungers, and simple stone steps where locals and visitors alike lay their towels before dipping into the calm waters.
In recent years a handful of boutique hotels built from biscuit-coloured stone have cropped up on the hills surrounding Limeni. We chose as our base the Aria Estate Suites & Spa and it quickly became one of my favourite stays in Greece ever.
(Note: Our holiday was self-funded. This post contains some affiliate links.)
Where to stay in Limeni: Aria Estate Suites & Spa
Just 5 minute’s drive uphill from Limeni is the Aria Estate Suites & Spa, which offers 16 chic self-contained suites that have been built in traditional Peloponnese style.
It’s like a little luxury village in the most beautiful secluded setting.
Driving up to the distinctive stone tower that houses the hotel’s reception area, you are in no doubt that this will be a memorable stay in Mani. I wasn’t quite prepared for how incredible the views would be from the curved infinity pool though.
Scroll through the slideshow to see what I mean!
We stayed in a generous Sea View Superior Suite that was not only immaculately styled but had the most beautiful outdoor spaces where we could sit with a cup of coffee and enjoy the surroundings.
Our huge terrace had unobstructed views of ocean meeting mountain, and, we were to learn, also offered spellbinding views of sunset.
More like an apartment than a suite, we had a light-filled living room with sofa bed for our little one, a kitchen and dining area, separate master suite, huge closet and windows to wonderful views in every direction.
Our stayed included a la carte breakfast and we loved starting the day with a feast of fresh fruit, Greek yoghurt, frappes, omelettes and bougatsa on a terrace overlooking the property.
The hotel also has a beautiful spa with indoor heated pool but we didn’t use this on our visit as we were too busy enjoying the infinity pool, which is shared between guests, but never seemed to have anyone else in it during our stay in August.
Service throughout our stay was incredibly personable, including at the Horizon Restaurant where we enjoyed dinner with a view one pink-skied evening.
I cannot recommend this hotel enough for both couples and families looking for an elegant yet authentic holiday in Mani.
Check availability at Aria Estate Suites & Spa
More great hotels near Limeni we shortlisted are:
What to do in and around Limeni
As well as being close to Limeni, Aria Estate is a short drive to atmospheric Areopoli, the capital of the Mani region.
Hidden in the heart of this historic town are pedestrianised cobbled streets and ancient Byzantine churches that look unchanged for hundreds of years.
It’s the perfect place to dine on a summer’s evening as the streets are lined with reasonably-priced tavernas, rooftop bars and cosy candle lit cafes.
In Limeni itself we had a generous lunch at local favourite, Thodora’s Place, which is a traditional taverna laced with bougainvillea close to the swimming area. (Labelled as Dexameni Beach on Google maps.)
We also heard great things about the fresh seafood and spectacular setting at O Takis.
Popular attractions nearby include the Diros Caves, one of the most stunning natural wonders in Greece, where you can enjoy a boat ride through a labyrinth of stalactites and stalagmites.
On our wishlist for our next trip to Mani is a visit to Vathia, an abandoned village filled with iconic stone towers built in the 18th and 19th centuries.
If you’d like to spend a day on a sandy beach with sunbeds then Straws Beach in Skoutari is a beautiful spot approx. 30 minutes away on the east coast of the Mani peninsula.
How to get to Limeni
We flew to Kalamata Airport with BA from London Heathrow and hired a car for the week with Discover Cars. (Easyjet and Jet2 also fly to Kalamata from the UK.)
It takes just under 2 hours to drive to Limeni from Kalamata Airport, taking either the scenic coastal road or a less winding inland route on the highway via Sparti.
Limeni is approximately 50 min drive from the popular coastal town of Stoupa, which is where we spent the second half of our week in Mani, making the drive back to the airport a lot shorter on departure day.
We found driving in this region a lot easier than other parts of Greece and Italy we’ve been to. The roads were never congested and we found free parking easily in Limeni and Aeropoli. (It always pays to arrive early in peak season just in case though!).
I’ll be writing more about our holiday in Mani, including where to stay in Stoupa next. Keep an eye on Instagram for updates.
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