The Picturesque Seaside Greek Town Rick Steves Calls Relaxed And Relatively Unspoiled

Greece may not be a large country, but it's got a wide variety of landscapes and vacation styles. Finding the best place to visit depends on what you want. Travel expert Rick Steves claims Athens may have the best museums in Greece, but a more laid-back vacation can be had in some of the smaller towns. Steves recommends visiting Kardamyli, a picturesque fishing village perfect for a relaxing trip. On his website, the travel guru says this quiet destination is not overwhelmed by tourists and "works like a stun gun on your momentum." While you can just chill out in the calm atmosphere, there are also opportunities to hike, swim at pretty beaches, and see a few ruins. It might be worth frontloading all your enthusiastic sightseeing at the start of your vacation and saving Kardamyli for a leisurely end to your time in Greece. 

Kardamyli sits in the outer Mani Peninsula — one of the best destinations in Greece, according to Steves — in the Peloponnese. This small town of around 500 people was mentioned all the way back in Homer's "Iliad" as an offering to Achilles by Agamemnon to get him to fight in the Trojan War. You can fly into Kalamata airport (under 30 miles from Kardamyli) and take a taxi into town. Then all you have to do is relax.

You're not going to see hordes of tourists in this small town the way you might in larger cities. Steves explains, "Kardamyli is an anti-resort — relaxed and relatively unspoiled, delicately mixing chic hotels and conscientious travelers with real-world Greece." You'll find the pristine sea on one side of the town and the Taygetus mountain range on the other.

The trails around Kardamyli take you past some of the many Byzantine chapels in the area, with 13th-century frescoes still visible. In the main town, you'll see Venetian-style structures, or you can take a short hike up to Old Kardamyli to see the 17th-century St. Spyridon church (pictured) and the graves of the mythological twins Castor and Pollux. From the foot of Mount Taygetos, you can take a 1.4-mile hike to the nearby village of Agia Sofia. 

Steves recommends walking around the village to explore the mix of boutiques and traditional stores. You'll find the port at one end of the high street and the village square on the other. If you want a little more than beaches and hikes, you can visit during the first full week of May for the Kardamyli International Jazz Festival, where you'll find musical performances around all the bars and shops.

The most popular beach in Kardamyli is Ritsa. Its shores offer both sand and pebbles, and there are plenty of tavernas and cafés (customers can even enjoy free sunbeds at some locales). For more privacy, take a 10-minute walk from the village to Kalamitsi Beach, which is full of cypress and olive trees. However, there are no spots to eat here, or sunbeds, or anything else — just lovely Greek scenery and tranquility. Psaras Beach is another great sunning spot and offers snorkeling opportunities. To easily hop between beaches, you can also rent a boat that doesn't require a license.

Steves is a big fan of this small town's views, saying, "I love gazing into the misty Mediterranean from here, knowing the next land south is Africa, watching the inky waves churn as the red sun sets." If you want to grab a bite to eat on the water, head to Psaras Tavern. One review on TripAdvisor says, "A great location for watching the sunset and listening to the sounds of the sea." Another spot is Lela's Tavern near the harbor, where you can check out some wonderful sunsets. Try the grilled octopus and the kolokithopita (zucchini pie). Before ordering, make sure you know the most important Greek words and phrases for your trip. Add in "Αυτό είναι ευδαιμονία" (pronounced "af-to ee-nay ev-dem-o-nee-ah"), which means "This is bliss."