Hellenic Net

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ Vatheia, a captivating village on the Mani Peninsula in southeastern Laconia, is renowned for its tower-houses, which stand on a hill commanding impressive views of the surrounding countryside. Located within the local community of Vatheia, a subdivision of Oitylo's municipal unit, the village's distinct architecture and layout have made it an iconic example of the traditional south Maniot style from the 18th and 19th centuries. Vatheia connects to Areopoli and Kalamata to the north and Cape Matapan (Tenaro) to the south by road. The Sangias mountain range looms in the north and east, while the village’s surrounding hillsides are covered in farmland and maquis shrubland. Scattered around Vatheia, clusters of abandoned towers, houses, and chapels, referred to as perichora (meaning “environs”), add to its historical charm. Attracting tourists especially in spring and summer, Vatheia’s hills bloom with wildflowers, enhancing its scenic beauty. Neighboring villages include...

Μουσείο Ελιάς και Ελληνικού Λαδιού, Σπάρτη, Ελλάδα The Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil in Sparta, Laconia, Greece The Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil, in Sparta (Peloponnese), transports you to the culture, history and technology of the olive and olive oil production in the Greek realm, from prehistoric times to the early 20th century.  The Museum's objective is to highlight the ineffable relation of the olive with the identity of our country and, more generally, the Mediterranean basin. The olive and olive oil are presented here from different optical angles: the economy, nutrition and the olive's uses, religious worship, art and technology.  The Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil in Sparta aims to highlight the culture and technology of the olive and olive oil production, which is inextricably linked with the Greek and Mediterranean identity. Unique in Greece, it is located in the heart of Laconia, one of the main olive producing locations in Greece. In ...

Το Σπήλαιο Γλυφάδα (ή Βλυχάδα) Διρού Vlychada Cave in Diros is one of the most beautiful caves in the world and is located on the west coast of the Laconian Peninsula, in Diros Bay. Under the sparse Mani landscape, nature has patiently and artistically sculpted a miracle beyond imagination – white stalactites and stalagmites, impressive waterfalls and glittering crystals adorn every corner, creating an incomparable spectacle that takes your breath away! There are three Caves in the Diros area, Vlychada, Alepotrypa and Katafygi. Local people have known of the Vlychada cave’s existence since about 1900. But in 1949, when the founders of the Hellenic Speleological Society Giannis and Anna Petrocheilou began to explore it systematically no one suspected the miracle that was hidden inside the cave. By 1960, 1,600 meters had been explored and mapped. From 1987 the Ministry of Culture’s Ephorate of Paleoanthropology – Speleology began a detailed study of the Cave and, in collaboration with an...