I have another fabulous Real Travel feature for you today and this time we are off to Mainland Greece, Southern Peloponnese to be exact! Last time Lisa and Matt from Matt Brown Photography took us on a a month long Honeymoon trip to Dubai, Thailand, Vietnam and Hong Kong and what a fabulous trip that was. This time Paul from Roar Photography takes us across to sunny Greece and what a gorgeous time it looks like he had with his family. I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I have.

Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

3 Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

Last September we took our 1-year-old daughter to the Southern Peloponnese Mountains on the Greek Mainland, a truly stunning destination. My wife’s parents have a house on the edge of a tiny little village called Kakorrevma. We’ve been to many Greek islands, all are beautiful but never have we experienced the beauty of ‘off the beaten track’ mainland Greece. The mountains are breathtaking and across the Messinian gulf stands the Mani peninsula, which offers a beautiful, and ever-changing backdrop. The view by night from our mountain home was something else entirely, sipping G&T’s and stargazing was a must! There is literally no light pollution and therefore you feel like you can see every star in the sky.

5 Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

6 Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

7 Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

8 Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

A short 10 minute journey down the mountain landed us in Chrani, a very small but charming beach resort offering a handful of traditional taverna’s and a couple of Bars. A lovely little pool bar became an afternoon ritual to cool off from the 30-degree heat.
We took our daughter off to Peroulia Beach for some sandy fun and it is a lovely quiet beach with crystal clear waters and golden sand. There were large sections of beach with no sunbeds and parasols that I always see as a good thing. The only downside was the nippy little fish; all I can say is don’t stand still for too long!

9 Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

10 Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

11 Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

12 Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

13 Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

14 Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

The town of Koroni is located half an hour south of Chrani and whilst still maintaining its Greek charm is much busier. There are lots of tavernas in the port that are perfect for a long lazy lunch when you are trying to escape the sun for a bit. Koroni castle is well worth a visit and perched high above the town, you can walk up to and around the castle. We walked to the castle through the back streets and met various dogs and cats along the way.
Visiting a local market is always an eye opener and so we went to Petalidi on market day to see the bartering in action. A lively and colourful day out with everything on sale from clothes and shoes to local produce including live chickens.

15 Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

16 Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

17 Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

18 Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

19 Mainland Greece – Southern Peloponnese

At the end of our holiday we spent a couple of days in Athens – the extreme opposite of the quiet sleepy little mountain village. We drove into Athens which was more than a little exciting. We couldn’t come to mainland Greece and not make the tourist pilgrimage to the Acropolis. There are a lot of steps when you are carrying a 1-year-old but completely worth it because the view from up there really is breathtaking. The acropolis itself is impressive but what amazed me the most is the view of Athens as far as the eye can see. The area around the Acropolis is clean and ‘polished’, the rest of Athens is a different story and the economic decline is plain for all to see.