On the road again, our odyssey through Greece’s Peloponnesian Peninsula brought us from the grandiose ancient ruins of Olympia to Kardamyli, a tiny town that made a big impression on us.
After a long, winding drive, we finally looked down from a lofty mountain road onto Kardamyli, picturesquely nestled between hillside and sea. Not easy to reach and with nary a cruise ship or tour bus in sight, this pretty village is a place you could spend an uneventful two hours or a delightfully relaxing two weeks. We spent three glorious days there and wished we had allocated more time.
Not all travelers will find Kardamyli so entertaining. You can walk from one end of town to the other in about 10 minutes and explore “Old Town” with its centuries-old fortified tower and keep in another fifteen. Beach lovers could while away an afternoon along azure-clear waters, but the cobbley shores would likely keep most visitors from raving about the experience.
No, Kardamyli isn’t somewhere you go to see the sights. It’s a place you go to settle in to the slow rhythms of rural life along the Ionian Sea.
Our chatty neighbors
We probably wouldn’t have enjoyed our short stay quite so much or wished for a longer one if we hadn’t scored the most amazing accommodations we’ve had since setting out on the road. Perched in the hills above town, and reached via a wooded walking trail, our apartment had not one but two balconies—one looking toward the sea and the other the mountains.
Stairway to Vardia Hotel Kardamyli, Greece
When we stayed at the Vardia Hotel in mid-May we paid 60 Euros per night for a large studio apartment that, at 35 square meters, was triple the size of most European double rooms. And while its cooking facilities were a bit, um – Spartan, they were more than sufficient to prepare simple meals and, most importantly, chill a bottle of delicious local wine. All of which we’d enjoy each evening on our balcony while simply watching the sun, and indeed the world, go by.
Sunset over Kardamyli as seen from our balcony
After a busy month hopscotching islands and ruins touring we needed the rest. And in Kardamyli we found the perfect place to park the car and take a break mid-way through our Peloponnesian road trip.
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In case you missed it: Part 1 of our Greece Road Trip.
Everywhere Once 
Sorry to tarnish the undiscovered image, but Rick Steves’ tours of Greece spend two nights in Kardamyli.
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Then it’s a good thing we didn’t say it was “undiscovered.” 😉 But Rick Steves notwithstanding, if you compare Kardamyli with nearly everywhere else we visited in Greece (and most of Europe, too) the statement “with nary a cruise ship or tour bus in sight” still describes it pretty well.
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Hi,
Soo you rented a car? Was it easy and fun to drive there?
Bill
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We did rent a car in Greece, both on the mainland and on the island of Naxos. Driving can be a bit tedious because there are plenty of slow, narrow, winding, mountain roads to contend with. But with a car you can do far more than you could relying on public transportation. I wouldn’t hesitate to rent a car again in Greece.
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We rented a car in Morocco two years ago. You really get a better feel of the landscape as opposed to taking overnight buses. Good luck on your adventures!
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