World known Stoupa is a seaside village in the Messinian Mani, 45 kilometers southeast of Kalamata city and belongs to the Municipality of West Mani. Stoupa in winter retains a permanent population of about 630 inhabitants, while in summer there are tens of thousands of tourists coming from both Greece and Europe or worldwide flooding the place at a point, where you can hardly find a place to stay and sleep.
A sleepy little town long time ago, in the past few years more and more tourists have discovered Stoupa. There are about twenty restaurants and tavernas lining the road along the beach, a few big and small hotels, and many automobile and house rentals. Besides Greek tourists, who come mostly in July and August, British and German, as well as Dutch, French and Italian tourists visit Stoupa within the summer season. In Stoupa one thing is for sure, you will enjoy your holidays to the full from the perspective of relaxing, sightseeing and participating in several activities, also you will be accompanied by friendly local people and exceptional food!
Stoupa has great historical significance for Peloponnisos and Greece in general. On the eastern side of the village dominates the old castle, the acropolis of the old state of Lefktro where the temple of the goddess Athena was built according to Pausanias referrals. During the Frankish period, the castle was rebuilt and changed it name to Bofor.
Stoupa’s cultural history is also very rich. In latest years, Stoupa was a source of inspiration for many, there lived Nikos Kazantzakis and Alexis Zorbas, from whom the first was inspired and wrote the play “Life and State of Alexis Zorbas”, which is a worldwide known novel. There is a bust of Nikos Kazantzakis on the cliff overlooking famous Kalogria beach, at the corner of the main road while we approaching near to the beach. Stoupa is just 7 kilometers away from the historic area of Kardamili, that you should also visit if you are there.
Its products are worldwide well-known, while several believe it’s worth visiting only for its local delicacies. Mani, besides providing pictures of authentic Greek character and beauty, is additionally renowned for its wealthy and fertile land. The traditional Mani diet indeed, according to experts, is ideal in order to keep up a good physical health. This alone proves that Mani’s products and dishes are among those you must undoubtedly try even once in your life. Buy olives, olive oil, honey, the traditional cheese referred to as “touloumisio”, tasty spoon sweets, jams, herbs, oregano, tea and sage. Don’t miss the renowned “sigklino” and “koutalides”. Also try Mani’s pancakes, similarly as the popular “lalagia” that are perfectly combined with honey or cheese sfela from goats.
Following these roots Stoupa’s local businesses will let you with a mouth full of tastes and aromas!
The Castle of Lefktro: Visit the village of Lefktro, east of Stoupa village, where the imposing castle dominates.
The Prastova Mine: Don’t forget to visit the abandoned coal mines of Prastova in Neo Proastio, where Nikos Kazantzakis worked together with Alexis Zorbas. It is worth it for sure!
Mountain Taygetos: No words can describe the fame of this mountain. Enjoy your visit there, walk, sightsee, eat! The wild natural beauty of Taygetos fascinates every visitor.
Kalogria Beach: It is an big tropical sandy beach with clear blue-green waters. It is also known as “Zorbas beach”, as these two mayor personalities Nikos Kazantzakis and Alexis Zorbas lived there. It is one of the most famous and beautiful beaches of Messinia and not only.
As the village is situated along the beach, no visitor can or should miss visiting the Stoupa Beach. You can swim, play, relax and enjoy the natural beauty there. You can also hire biking equipments from Stoupa Rentals, and explore the surrounding areas that are full of beautiful landscapes and mountain ranges from inside the sea. Additionally, you can also enjoy horse riding there by visiting the nearby Riding Centre of Proastio. Special lessons for anyone that wants, are also offered.
Spring Breaks
Visitors who head to Stoupa between late March and May should expect to find clear skies and temperatures that hover between fifteen and twenty five degrees, making sightseeing pleasant and creating perfect walking conditions. It’s not uncommon for water temperatures to be warm enough for swimming throughout the early Spring also. The important Easter preparations that take place this time of year, where you see locals flooding the streets for the biggest celebration of Christianity. Next day is followed by music, dancing, eating and drinking as a tradition. By avoiding the summer rush, tourists should be able to find smart deals on flights and accommodation, making Spring a good season for budget travellers to visit Stoupa.
Summer Sun
Sunscreen and shades are essential for a Summer visit to Stoupa, and the dry heat, which is possible to exceed 40 degrees, can feel stifling. If you intend to visit Stoupa at this time, don’t attempt to pack too much clothes into your trip. Arrange several of lazy beach days and make sure your hotel room or apartment is air conditioned. Greek holidaymakers flock here during the summer months, so you should expect crowded beaches so book your lodgings earlier as well.
Autumn and Winter in Stoupa
As the temperatures drop, also do the tourist numbers, and the early Autumn is a very pleasant time to visit Stoupa. During September the waters are still warm enough for swimming, and you’ll have plenty of space for splashing into. Sightseeing becomes more comfortable as the heat becomes less oppressive, so October, November and forward are good times of the year to explore the mountains. During the Winter, there are fewer international flights to Kalamata, but it is always possible to fly in to Athens and take the transport through the beautiful newly created highway and inside the graphic villages along the way.
Stoupa is located 44 kilometers from Kalamata city and you will pass through a narrow road with lots of turns and graphic landscapes in order to get there! After Kalamata you simply need to follow the road heading south to Verga, Kampos, Kardamili, Stoupa, Oitilo, Limeni and Areopoli. From Kalamata to Kardamili the distance is 35 kilometers and from Kardamili to Stoupa another eight kilometers so all areas are pretty close. In total the trip Kalamata to Stoupa lasts about an hour if you enjoy the scenery.
The village is characterized by its crystal clear waters and has two beaches. One is the homonymous beach of the village, the beach of Stoupa, while the second is the well-known to tourists beach of Kalogria. Whichever one you decide to go, just make sure that you are equipped with a mask to explore the beauties of the “seabed”. In addition to the sea beauties, travellers can enjoy the idyllic sunset which is amazing from all parts of the wider area.
Driving: You’ll be able to drive from Athens to Stoupa in about three hours fourty minutes on the National Road. Its not a bad drive and you will pass some attention-grabbing countryside. After all it’s a lot more interesting for the passenger than it’s for the driver who should keep his eye on the road in order to be alert for all the crazy things Greek drivers do. However even that may be amusing and if you’re a good driver you will not have any issues. Rent a Car
By bus: Coach services are operated by KTEL between Athens, Stoupa.
The trip time depends on bus schedule. Ticket value depends on bus schedule also.
You don’t have to pre-book for a price ticket. You’ll pay at the terminal, before bus departure or on the bus. If you’re there half an hour before departure you must find a seat. Find a Bus
By taxi: You’ll be able to rent or hire a taxi transfer from Athens directly to Stoupa through the contact form and also you can arrange the price with the driver! This can be a simple solution if you don’t wish to drive all the way by yourself! Taxi Transfer
World known Stoupa is a seaside village in the Messinian Mani, 45 kilometers southeast of Kalamata city and belongs to the Municipality of West Mani. Stoupa in winter retains a permanent population of about 630 inhabitants, while in summer there are tens of thousands of tourists coming from both Greece and Europe or worldwide flooding the place at a point, where you can hardly find a place to stay and sleep.
A sleepy little town long time ago, in the past few years more and more tourists have discovered Stoupa. There are about twenty restaurants and tavernas lining the road along the beach, a few big and small hotels, and many automobile and house rentals. Besides Greek tourists, who come mostly in July and August, British and German, as well as Dutch, French and Italian tourists visit Stoupa within the summer season. In Stoupa one thing is for sure, you will enjoy your holidays to the full from the perspective of relaxing, sightseeing and participating in several activities, also you will be accompanied by friendly local people and exceptional food!
Stoupa has great historical significance for Peloponnisos and Greece in general. On the eastern side of the village dominates the old castle, the acropolis of the old state of Lefktro where the temple of the goddess Athena was built according to Pausanias referrals. During the Frankish period, the castle was rebuilt and changed it name to Bofor.
Stoupa’s cultural history is also very rich. In latest years, Stoupa was a source of inspiration for many, there lived Nikos Kazantzakis and Alexis Zorbas, from whom the first was inspired and wrote the play “Life and State of Alexis Zorbas”, which is a worldwide known novel. There is a bust of Nikos Kazantzakis on the cliff overlooking famous Kalogria beach, at the corner of the main road while we approaching near to the beach. Stoupa is just 7 kilometers away from the historic area of Kardamili, that you should also visit if you are there.
Its products are worldwide well-known, while several believe it’s worth visiting only for its local delicacies. Mani, besides providing pictures of authentic Greek character and beauty, is additionally renowned for its wealthy and fertile land. The traditional Mani diet indeed, according to experts, is ideal in order to keep up a good physical health. This alone proves that Mani’s products and dishes are among those you must undoubtedly try even once in your life. Buy olives, olive oil, honey, the traditional cheese referred to as “touloumisio”, tasty spoon sweets, jams, herbs, oregano, tea and sage. Don’t miss the renowned “sigklino” and “koutalides”. Also try Mani’s pancakes, similarly as the popular “lalagia” that are perfectly combined with honey or cheese sfela from goats.
Following these roots Stoupa’s local businesses will let you with a mouth full of tastes and aromas!
The Castle of Lefktro: Visit the village of Lefktro, east of Stoupa village, where the imposing castle dominates.
The Prastova Mine: Don’t forget to visit the abandoned coal mines of Prastova in Neo Proastio, where Nikos Kazantzakis worked together with Alexis Zorbas. It is worth it for sure!
Mountain Taygetos: No words can describe the fame of this mountain. Enjoy your visit there, walk, sightsee, eat! The wild natural beauty of Taygetos fascinates every visitor.
Kalogria Beach: It is an big tropical sandy beach with clear blue-green waters. It is also known as “Zorbas beach”, as these two mayor personalities Nikos Kazantzakis and Alexis Zorbas lived there. It is one of the most famous and beautiful beaches of Messinia and not only.
As the village is situated along the beach, no visitor can or should miss visiting the Stoupa Beach. You can swim, play, relax and enjoy the natural beauty there. You can also hire biking equipments from Stoupa Rentals, and explore the surrounding areas that are full of beautiful landscapes and mountain ranges from inside the sea. Additionally, you can also enjoy horse riding there by visiting the nearby Riding Centre of Proastio. Special lessons for anyone that wants, are also offered.
Spring Breaks
Visitors who head to Stoupa between late March and May should expect to find clear skies and temperatures that hover between fifteen and twenty five degrees, making sightseeing pleasant and creating perfect walking conditions. It’s not uncommon for water temperatures to be warm enough for swimming throughout the early Spring also. The important Easter preparations that take place this time of year, where you see locals flooding the streets for the biggest celebration of Christianity. Next day is followed by music, dancing, eating and drinking as a tradition. By avoiding the summer rush, tourists should be able to find smart deals on flights and accommodation, making Spring a good season for budget travellers to visit Stoupa.
Summer Sun
Sunscreen and shades are essential for a Summer visit to Stoupa, and the dry heat, which is possible to exceed 40 degrees, can feel stifling. If you intend to visit Stoupa at this time, don’t attempt to pack too much clothes into your trip. Arrange several of lazy beach days and make sure your hotel room or apartment is air conditioned. Greek holidaymakers flock here during the summer months, so you should expect crowded beaches so book your lodgings earlier as well.
Autumn and Winter in Stoupa
As the temperatures drop, also do the tourist numbers, and the early Autumn is a very pleasant time to visit Stoupa. During September the waters are still warm enough for swimming, and you’ll have plenty of space for splashing into. Sightseeing becomes more comfortable as the heat becomes less oppressive, so October, November and forward are good times of the year to explore the mountains. During the Winter, there are fewer international flights to Kalamata, but it is always possible to fly in to Athens and take the transport through the beautiful newly created highway and inside the graphic villages along the way.
Stoupa is located 44 kilometers from Kalamata city and you will pass through a narrow road with lots of turns and graphic landscapes in order to get there! After Kalamata you simply need to follow the road heading south to Verga, Kampos, Kardamili, Stoupa, Oitilo, Limeni and Areopoli. From Kalamata to Kardamili the distance is 35 kilometers and from Kardamili to Stoupa another eight kilometers so all areas are pretty close. In total the trip Kalamata to Stoupa lasts about an hour if you enjoy the scenery.
The village is characterized by its crystal clear waters and has two beaches. One is the homonymous beach of the village, the beach of Stoupa, while the second is the well-known to tourists beach of Kalogria. Whichever one you decide to go, just make sure that you are equipped with a mask to explore the beauties of the “seabed”. In addition to the sea beauties, travellers can enjoy the idyllic sunset which is amazing from all parts of the wider area.
Driving: You’ll be able to drive from Athens to Stoupa in about three hours fourty minutes on the National Road. Its not a bad drive and you will pass some attention-grabbing countryside. After all it’s a lot more interesting for the passenger than it’s for the driver who should keep his eye on the road in order to be alert for all the crazy things Greek drivers do. However even that may be amusing and if you’re a good driver you will not have any issues. Rent a Car
By bus: Coach services are operated by KTEL between Athens, Stoupa.
The trip time depends on bus schedule. Ticket value depends on bus schedule also.
You don’t have to pre-book for a price ticket. You’ll pay at the terminal, before bus departure or on the bus. If you’re there half an hour before departure you must find a seat. Find a Bus
By taxi: You’ll be able to rent or hire a taxi transfer from Athens directly to Stoupa through the contact form and also you can arrange the price with the driver! This can be a simple solution if you don’t wish to drive all the way by yourself! Taxi Transfer
Free
Free
Free
Free
€1.650,00
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
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