Stoupa
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Stoupa () is a village on the coast of the southern
Peloponnese The Peloponnese ( ), Peloponnesus ( ; , ) or Morea (; ) is a peninsula and geographic region in Southern Greece, and the southernmost region of the Balkans. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridg ...
peninsula in
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
. It is part of the municipal unit of
Lefktro Lefktro () is a village and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality West Mani, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 222.981 km ...
within the municipality of
West Mani West Mani () is a municipality in the Messenia regional unit, Peloponnese, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Kardamyli. The municipality has an area of 402.809 km2. It comprises the northwestern part of the geographic and histori ...
, in
Messenia Messenia or Messinia ( ; ) is a regional unit (''perifereiaki enotita'') in the southwestern part of the Peloponnese region, in Greece. Until the implementation of the Kallikratis plan on 1 January 2011, Messenia was a prefecture (''nomos' ...
and the historic region of
Mani Peninsula The Mani Peninsula (), also long known by its medieval name Maina or Maïna (), is a geographical and cultural region in the Peloponnese of Southern Greece and home to the Maniots (), who claim descent from the ancient Spartans. The capital ci ...
. Once a sleepy little town, in the past few years more and more tourists have discovered Stoupa. There are about 20 restaurants lining the road along the beach, a few small hotels, and many rental houses. Besides Greek tourists, who come mostly in August, British and German, as well as Dutch, French and Italian tourists visit in the summer season.


Geography

Stoupa is located in an area of Greece called Outer Mani. Approximately from Stoupa is the village of Agios Nikolaos (also known as ''Selinitsa'' meaning small moon), a working fishing village which also has a number of restaurants and guest houses but which attracts fewer tourists than Stoupa. Above Agios Nikolaos is the lovely small village called Riglia. Other places in the Mani region include Itylo (), Limeni () and
Areopoli Areopoli (; before 1912 , ) is a town on the Mani Peninsula, Laconia, Greece. The word ''Areopoli'', which means "city of Ares", the Greek mythology, ancient Greek god of war, became the official name in 1912. It was the seat of Oitylo municipal ...
(). Below Areopoli are the caves of Pirgos Dirou. There are many beaches and coves around the area including Stoupa Beach, which is the most popular and has a good beginner's snorkeling site at the end of the beach. Over the hill is Kalogria Beach, with its turquoise waters and rich marine life, volleyball net, a scuba-diving center, and a handful of bars and restaurants. Kalogria and Stoupa beaches both feature underground freshwater springs. Many locations of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) are easily visible on the sea surface around the bay and can be seen as disturbances on the surface of the sea. The largest groundwater source is located about offshore, with two strong SGDs emanating from fissures in the bedrock at roughly in depth. These submarine springs were reported in 1975, although local inhabitants were well aware of their existence, claiming the springs had never stopped emanating water, for at least, the past 60 years.


History

In the past, the Mani area was known for its fierce inhabitants, who lived in isolated fortified towers (some of which are still present today, either in ruins or having been restored). The towers offered protection in an area where feuding was commonplace. Stoupa also has rich cultural history. It is where the Greek writer
Nikos Kazantzakis Nikos Kazantzakis (; ; 2 March (Old Style and New Style dates, OS 18 February) 188326 October 1957) was a Greeks, Greek writer, journalist, politician, poet and philosopher. Widely considered a giant of modern Greek literature, he was nominate ...
travelled to with George Zorbas who Kazantzakis employed as the foreman of his lignite mine, the entrance to which can still be seen in a hillside nearby. It is their time together in Stoupa that the novel ''
Zorba the Greek ''Zorba the Greek'' (, , Life and Times of Alexis Zorbas) is a novel written by Nikos Kazantzakis, first published in 1946. It is the tale of a young Greek intellectual who ventures to escape his bookish life with the aid of the boisterous and m ...
'' is based upon, written after hearing news of Zorba's death. There is a bust of
Nikos Kazantzakis Nikos Kazantzakis (; ; 2 March (Old Style and New Style dates, OS 18 February) 188326 October 1957) was a Greeks, Greek writer, journalist, politician, poet and philosopher. Widely considered a giant of modern Greek literature, he was nominate ...
on the cliff overlooking Kalogria beach, at the corner of the main road and the beach approach. Stoupa is just 7 km away from the historic area of
Kardamyli Kardamyli (, variously transliterated as ''Kardamyle'', ''Cardamyle'', ''Kardhamili'', and ''Kardamili'', and sometimes called "Skardamoula", especially on old maps) is a town by the sea thirty-five kilometers southeast of Kalamata, Greece. It i ...
, which is mentioned in work by
Homer Homer (; , ; possibly born ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Despite doubts about his autho ...
. Furthermore, situated atop Stoupa's hill is the Leuktron Castle, also known as Beaufort or Kastraki. It was founded by the ruler of the Principality of Achaia,
William of Villehardouin William of Villehardouin (; Kalamata, 1211 – 1 May 1278) was the fourth prince of Achaea in Frankish Greece, from 1246 to 1278. The younger son of Prince Geoffrey I, he held the Barony of Kalamata in fief during the reign of his e ...
, in 1248-1249, during his efforts to subdue the Melingoi of Mount Taygetus.


Transport

There are approximately four buses a day which call through Stoupa, running from Kalamata to the southern tip of the peninsula. The bus stops by the bakery, on the main road at the top of Stoupa and takes around ten minutes to reach Agios Nikolaos. Visitors can book coach trips to the ancient ruins of Olympia and the Corinth Canal. Another possibility is car rental, which allows travellers to take in the sights of places such as Nafplio, Mycenae, Epidavros, and Monemvasia on the Peloponnese. The area is serviced by Kalamata Airport where charter flights to the rest of Europe are operated in the summer season, as well as scheduled summer flights to Germany, Sweden, Norway, France, Ukraine and Russia operated by
Aegean Airlines Aegean Airlines S.A. (legal name , ''Aeroporía Aigaíou'' ) is the flag carrier of Greece and the largest Greek airline by total number of passengers carried, by number of destinations served, and by fleet size. A Star Alliance member since Jun ...
.


References


External links


WebcamStoupa Tourist GuideOfficial Website
{{West Mani div Populated places in Messenia West Mani