Lahi

   

Lahi is a village just east of Neapolis which originated around 1600 CE.

From the Byzantines there was the Temple of Theotokos (Kalenia), where in After the failure of the Orlofians, several inhabitants of the village dispersed in other parts of the country and mainly in the Aegean islands.the past it functioned as a monastery.

In 1814, after the permission of the agape of Faraklou, the temple of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary was built.

With the establishment of the newer Greek state in 1836, Lahi was the seat of one of the two municipalities of Vatikas, the Municipality of Voi and which in 1840 merged with the Municipality of Maleos (Faraklos). The two municipalities merged in 1840.

There are a number of explanations for the origin of the village's name: 

*Lashis was a general of the Athenians in the 5th century BC.

*One of the generals of the King of God is reported as Leigh. 

*Georgios Lahis, resident of the region during the Ottoman domination.

 *Las the place name beach at sea.

*Lahia, meaning well-cultivated land and lachos which means stone digging.

*The main activity of the inhabitants in the past was the sea (shipping and fishing) and, in addition, the cultivation of the land.

Photo Exploring Greece

Mesochori

 

Mesohori is a beautiful little  village full  of trees, with a panoramic view of Neapoli and its bay from above. Visit the village for annual Panagyri held at the church in Mesochori -- notable for its excellent food, prepared by the women of the village. A modest entrance fee covers a generous dinner and music for dancing far into the night. photo Limira Mare Hotel

Faraklo

   

Faraklo

Faraklo, located on the hillside above Neapolis, is called the "Balcony of Vatika." Built around 1480 CE, Faraklo was once the capital of the area. In those days, the small fishing village of Neapolis was vulnerable to raids from marauding pirates. Faraklo was a much safer place to live. The Castle at Agia Paraskevi, originating from the 7th century CE, served as an effective lookout post against raiders. Implicated in a notorious case of art theft, on September 23, 2006, an icon of the Virgin May of Vrefokratossa, which had been stolen from the Monastery of Ellis Arcadia, was discovered in a wooden frame in the wall of a small church in the Monastery of Panatanassa, located in Faraklo.  After returning the icon to its rightful location, the Greek Police paid for an exact replica of the icon to be placed in Faraklo -- accompanied by a festive ceremony. Faraklo boasts an excellent fresh-water spring. See entry entitled Fresh Water Springs.Φωτό https://mapio.net

Paleocastro Archeological site

   

Paleocastro Archeological site

The Byzantine-era archeological site of Paleocastro is located 1.5 km east of Neapolis along a dirt road. A breakwater has created a small harbor that is used by the ferry boat to Kythira in some weather conditions. It is a potential anchorage for pleasure boats. The settlement consists of several private homes and the small chapel of Agia Paraskevi. Just beyond the houses, Amitsa beach offers shallow waters that appeal to families with children.

German Scale and Koulentianos Tower

German Scale and Koulentianos Tower 

Iron ore (hematite) has been mined in Vatika since ancient times. Before World War II, the German company Gromman actively mined the area of Saint Elisai between Agia Anargyroi - Koulendianos Tower and Viglafia. The ore was weighed at the imposing scale before being loaded on ships. The area is now protected as part of the Lake Strongyli Natura 2000 site. The scale makes an interesting destination for a hike along the wild coastline.

Agios Nikolaos

Agios Nikolaos

The village of Agios Nikolaos is located seven km east of Neapolis, on the western slope of Cape Malea. It is built like an amphitheater, and on a clear sky you can see  the islands of Elafonisos, Kythira, and, in the distance, Crete. It is a favorite destination for a meal at the Neraida Taverna. Agios Nikolaos is the gateway to: 

- The petrified forest at Agia Marina

 - The virgin forest under the mountain Vavila

 - Baktis goat farm and cheese factory

-The fishing harbor of Prophet Elias 

-The rock-climbing area

 - The foot trail to Agia Irini  

Agios Fokas

Agios Fokas is a small village on the eastern edge of the Peloponnese, surrounded by the sea. Located alongside the new road between Neapolis and Monevasia, the iconic chapel provides a perfect stop for a photo op.
   

Gerakas, or "Ierax" as it was called during Byzantine times, was a pirates lair.

Gerakas is a small seaside village, built in the southernmost fjord in Europe. The local lagoon is a declared wetland and a bird-watching area, especially interesting during the winter months. The harbor settlement, with its excellent view of the sea, boasts taverns with fresh fish and local dishes, including lambchops. You can visit the nearby archeological site of Zarak, with its ruins of ancient buildings on the impressive hillside. Gerakas is located 50.9 km from Neapolis: 27 km from Neapolis to Monemvasia and 23,9 km from the Monemvasia to Gerakas.

Byzatine Fortress Restored

On the road from Neapolis to Faraklo, near the church at Agia Paraskevi, is an ancient fortress. Actively in use during Byzantine times in the 15th century, it was built even earlier, perhaps in the 8th century. The fortress had deteriorated badly during recent times, but with a grant from the EU, the  building has been stabilized and is now a safe -- and fascinating -- place to visit. From a parking area near the church, a stone paved footpath winds around the base of the fortress, leading to steps that take one inside. Informative signage tells the story of the fortress and the people who lived there.

Local Goat Cheese from Baktis Family Farm

Baktis Goat Farm and Cheese Factory – Outside Aghia Nikolaos, along a road towards the sea, the Baktis family raises goats and sheep and produces excellent cheese. With two hundred goats and two hundred sheep, the family is busy year round, caring for and milking the animals and turning the milk into soft and hard cheese: mizithra and kefalograviera  (kefalotiri).

        About 80 percent of the animals are giving milk at any one time and each animal must be milked twice a day. This translates into hours of work moving goats and sheep from their pens into the modern milking room, settling them into position, attaching them to the milking machine, milking the animals, then detaching them and moving them back to their pens. When they are not in their pens or milking room, the sheep and goats are grazing on nearby hillsides.

        In the cheese room, milk is heated in stainless steel vats and when the correct temperature is reached, rennet is stirred in. As the milk cools, curds form. The curds are hand-packed into containers. These are the cheeses that will be aged in the aging room for several months, until they are ready to be sold. The whey is heated up again. More curds form and these are used to produce the soft white mizithra that is not aged, but sold as fresh cheese.  

        The Baktis goat farm and cheese factory is a popular destination for local school field trips. It is also open for individual tours.

        Cheese is for sale at the farm and also in Neapolis at Papoulis Supermarket and at Karayiannis Supermarket. Be sure to ask specifically for Baktis mizithra or Baktis kafalograviera.



Fresh Water Springs

The geologic structure that produces the famous caves of Lakonia also produces springs, where water naturally stored underground emerges at the surface. Locals take empty jugs to the springs and fill them with pure drinking water. Aficionados are able to distinguish the subtle differences in the flavor of water from individual springs. On the mountainside above Neapolis, springs are located in the villages of Faraklo and Kalania and at the church in Paradisi.

In the photo of Faraklo above, the spring emerges from a pipe underneath the stairs in the municipal building. Photo of Faraklo taken by lakonas67.

The spring at the church at Paradisi emerges from a pipe under the stone arch in the photo.

Petrified Forest

The Petrified Forest is located east of Neapolis, between Aghio Nikolao and Cape Maleas. Next to the sea, one can see trunks of palm trees that turned to stone as their soft tissue was replaced by minerals.

According to Wikipedia, "Petrified wood (from the Greek root petro meaning 'rock' or 'stone'; literally 'wood turned into stone') is the name given to a special type of fossilized remains of terrestril vegetation. It is the result of a tree having turned completely into stone by the process of permineralization. All the organic materials have been replaced with minerals (mostly a silicate, such as quartz), while retaining the original structure of the wood. Unlike other types of fossils which are typically impressions or compressions, petrified wood is a three-dimensional representation of the original organic material. The petrifaction process occurs underground, when wood becomes buried under sediment and is initially preserved due to a lack of oxygen which inhibits aerobic decomposition. Mineral-laden water flowing through the sediment deposits minerals in the plant's cells; as the plant's lignin and cellulose decay, a stone mould forms in its place. In general, wood takes less than 100 years to petrify. The organic matter needs to become petrified before it decomposes completely. A forest where the wood has petrified becomes known as a Petrified Forest."

Kastania Cave

Kastania Cave is open to visitors: a cement walkway descends into a magical space of stalactites and stalagmites. Guides explain the history and geology of the cave. In the early 1900s,  Kostas Stivaktas (Bougas) reputedly watched bees entering a fissure in the ground in the area where he pastured his sheep. The bees appeared to be refreshed as they reemerged from the ground. He surmised that there might be water underground. He opened up the fissure and found himself in a magnificent cave. By 1958, the cave became more widely known and since then has been protected and developed by the Community of Kastania. For information on open hours and tours, call 30 27340-29043 or 30 27340-23623 or email cavekast@otenet.gr. Photos taken by Fanis Ellinas.   <><><>

Velanidia

 

Nestled between the mountains and the sea, Velanidia is an hour's drive from Neapolis, over the ridge that defines the peninsula of Cape Maleas. The drive offers spectacular views of the mountains, sea and nearby islands. Along the way, one can visit the tiny Byzantine church of Aghios Georgios.

The eastern side of side of the peninsula is studded with small, deserted coves, perfect for swimming.

Charming chapels overlook the sea.

The trail to the Cape Maleas lighthouse starts at the end of the road.

Cape Maleas

The southernmost tip of the eastern finger of the Peloponnese, Cape Maleas has been reknowned since ancient times for its notoriously difficult weather. Homer recounts that Odysseus encountered a treacherous storm as he tried to round Cape Maleas -- and was blown off course for ten years.

This shipping lane connects the northeast Mediterranean to the west. When the Corinth Canal opened, ships could avoid Cape Maleas -- and those that can prefer to do so. However, the Corinth Canal can only accommodate ships less than 21 meters in length, so Cape Maleas still sees a constant stream of shipping traffic.

During World War II, the occupying German forces began building an observation tower high above the Cape. Today it can be visited by hikers.

Many ships perished off of Cape Maleas, and ancient wrecks have been located there.

The old lighthouse, once one of the largest in the Mediterranean, has been recently restored and visitors to Velanidia can hike to the lighthouse along a well-defined trail.

 

 

Kythira Island

Kythira is the southernmost island of the Ionian chain, located just off the eastern tip of the Peloponnese. Known as the island of Aphrodite, according to legend it is where the goddess was born. Its strategic location between the Ionian and Aegean seas made it a prized territory for Minoans, Spartans, Athenians, Macedonians, Venetians and later Russians. Each civilization left its mark.

Kythera is an hour's ferry ride from Neapolis, making it a perfect one-day trip. One can drive one's car onto the ferry, then enjoy the crossing from the upper decks: a perfect example of the importance of the journey itself.

Once on Kythira, it is easy to explore the island by car. Take a short hike to a lovely waterfall, visit Byzantine churches, monasteries and ruined fortresses, taste a selection of local varietals at a winery, relax on a deserted beach. Or time one's visit to coincide with a local festival. Then catch the evening ferry for the return trip to Neapolis.

Elafonisos Island

Elafonisos is famous for Simos, its spectacular white sand beach. A short drive from Neapolis, one can take the ferry across the narrow strait to the island reputed to be the home of the Cyclops in Odysseus’ time.

Now its small port is filled with fishing boats, the dock lined with tavernas serving the daily catch. Alternatively, one can hire a traditional caique (wooden boat) for a day trip to Simos beach followed by lunch at the harbor.

Monemvasia

The famous rock fortress of Monemvasia is a forty-minute drive from Neapolis. Impregnable from the sea, the fortress occupied a key position: the political power that controlled the fortress could control shipping between Attica and the rest of the Mediterranean. 

Lovingly restored, the old fortress is closed to motor traffic. Heavy loads are carried into the old city on donkeys’ backs. A day trip to Monemvasia is a trip back through time. One can hike up trails to the church at the top of the hill, sun and swim at the base of the fortress wall, visit the small museum, browse through shops and eat at a local taverna.