Tower Living

Leaving the Deep Mani the road winds up the Messinian Coast towards the port of Kalamata, but before we get there a few impressive climbs stand in our way. The town of Kardamyli also stands in our way at the base of the first 12km climb to Kambos. Last year we had some of our best swims in the warm Ionian sea that laps the shores of Kardamyli. So we take a break to relax a bit before our final climb away from stark and dramatic Mani. The last of the impressive tower settlements on our route has been nicely preserved here. Tourists can freely ramble around the grounds of the old Troupakides-Mourtzinoi tower complex imagining what life must have been like trapped in this self-sufficient fortress. I ponder Mani tower life and then go for a swim