JULY 2023
You have probably never heard of the region Laconia in Greece. Laconia is part of the Peloponnese peninsula and it is the lesser visited sister of Argolis. I ended up visiting this region as I really wanted to see Caves of Diros and I found an interesting hotel in Laconia. We found Laconia a real hidden gem and especially loved the fisherman village Gytheion. In this blogpost I will explain the perfect daytrip in Laconia and where to stay.
Where to stay
We booked two nights in Alas Resort & Spa and as we were staying here in the shoulder season we only paid Є 120 per night for a luxury room with a terrace overlooking the sea in this luxury hotel. Alas Resort & Spa is located in Elia, which is a very small town and a little bit off the beaten path. While driving to Alas Resort you will have to take many local roads through the orange tree orchards, adding a sense of adventure to your trip. We also were held up by sheep crossing the road, such a fun moment! Alas features a great restaurant, where we had two spectacular dinners, accompanied by local wines. It also has a lovely pool, which was a bit too cold, but luckily we were allowed to use the Spa pool with Hugo. If you like tanning, there is an incredible amount of sun loungers, so you do not need to “book” a sun lounger before breakfast. I found the hotel surprisingly kid friendly. We found Alas very comfortable, with the luxuries of a big hotel, without feeling impersonal.
Caves of Diros
Caves of Diros is a bit of a hotspot in this area of the Peloponnese. It was a bit of a drive from Alas Resort, as it is located in the middle of nowhere, but it is definitely worth a visit! We read online that it can get really busy during the day and that it is possible that boat tickets sell out. However, this did not seem to be the case when we visited in the middle of May. We arrived at 10AM and were able to join one of the first boat tours into the cave. Apparantly, it is now possible again to book online, which should take some stress out of your day. My mother and I bought tickets for Є 15 euro per person, while little Hugo was free. The boat tours take abut 30 minutes, which I found plenty of time to explore the caves. The caves are absolutely stunning! They were incredibly serene while we visited, as only a few boats were entering the caves. The tunnels in the water are about 1,2 kilometers long and you explore them in a wooden boat, while the driver pushes the boat forward with a stick (the boat has no engine). You can definitely visit with kids, they have lifejackets in several sizes and because the tour is not too long they will be sufficiently entertained. I was a bit hesistant whether Caves of Diros would be worth the drive, but was super impressed and happy that we went all the way to the other part of Laconia. It was a bit hard to photograph, because it was very dark, the boat was moving and there was a lot of reflection, but the tour was magical!
Gytheion
Half way between Caves of Diros and Elia you can find Gytheion, a little fisherman town with lots of colorful houses, charming restaurants, a harbor full of fishing boats and a scenic promenade. If you want to get the island feels, Gytheion is where you should go! We had lunch at 90 Moires as it boasted good views and a kind owner. The food was fine, the zucchini balls were amazing and the rest was okay. In this area you can also visit a shipwreck, the Dimitrios ship wreck. We spotted it from the road, but you can also get up close on nearby beach.
