History blends with present

History blends with present

South Greece
Peloponese
Mani
Vathia

The region of Mani covers the south part of the Peloponese peninsula and forms the southest part of greek inland territory .It is an almost bare and rocky piece of land with scattered villages on the slopes and many historic ports that have always been targets of pirates but also Byzantines,Venetians,Genovese and Ottomans conquerors through the centuries. In the ancient times, Mani was the territory of Sparti and Spartan warriors., eternal rivals to the Athenians. The oldest villages exist since the 7th century and they were all built with solid stones in tower like shapes to be protected from invaders. Many of them are abandonned and deserted. Vathia is one of the most famous and most beautiful as it rises among the bare mountains, empty and deserted like a ghost village.
Mani is one of the most picturesque parts of south Greece.