Where to stay in the Peloponnese: best areas and hotels by travel style
The Peloponnese is big, so choosing where to stay matters more than which hotel. Here is how to pick a base by travel style.
- For couples and culture: Nafplio and Monemvasia. For nature and quiet: Kardamyli, Stoupa and the Mani.
- For luxury and families: Costa Navarino in Messinia, a resort with golf and spa.
- For authentic mountain villages: Dimitsana and Stemnitsa in Arcadia.
Choose two bases: one in the north-east (Nafplio) and one in the south (Messinia or the Mani), so you don't spend the holiday driving.
Where should you stay in the Peloponnese?
The Peloponnese is a large peninsula and driving from north to south takes hours, so the key decision is the area, then the hotel. Most Israeli travellers combine two bases: Nafplio in the north-east and somewhere in the south such as Messinia or the Mani. See our Peloponnese road-trip itinerary.
Best areas by travel style
| Area | Best for | What you'll find |
|---|---|---|
| Nafplio | Couples, culture, first visit | Venetian old town, boutique hotels below the Palamidi fortress |
| Monemvasia | Couples, history | Medieval town on a rock, hotels in restored stone houses |
| Kardamyli (Mani) | Couples, nature | Mountains and sea on the Messenian Gulf, boutique stays |
| Stoupa and the Mani coast | Families, groups | Villas and apartments with pools and sea views |
| Gythio | Quiet, beaches | Fishing harbour, family-run waterfront hotels |
| Costa Navarino (Messinia) | Luxury, families, golf and spa | Large resort with hotels, suites and villas |
| Dimitsana and Stemnitsa (Arcadia) | Authentic villages | Stone guesthouses above the Lousios valley |
Source: Elxis Peloponnese accommodation guide. Prices vary a lot by season; check booking sites for your dates.
Nafplio: the easiest base
Nafplio is the convenient first choice: relatively close to Athens, walkable, and a base for Mycenae, Epidaurus and the Argolic Gulf beaches. See Nafplio guide and the Nafplio destination page.
The south: Messinia, the Mani and Kalamata
The south has the best beaches, the Mani villages and Costa Navarino. See flights to Kalamata, where to stay in Kalamata and best Peloponnese beaches.
Families
Villas with pools on the Messinian coast or in Stoupa, or a resort with a kids' club. More ideas: Peloponnese with kids.
Shabbat and kosher
There are no permanent kosher restaurants in most of the Peloponnese. Book an apartment with a kitchen, bring food from Athens and see kosher and Shabbat in Kalamata and our Shabbat page. Getting there: how to get to the Peloponnese.
FAQ
Where is the best place to stay in the Peloponnese? For a first visit, Nafplio. Add a second base in Messinia or the Mani for beaches and nature.
One base or several? Usually two. The region is big and a single base means long drives.
Where to stay in the Peloponnese with kids? A villa or apartment with a pool on the Messinian coast or in Stoupa, or a big resort such as Costa Navarino.
Are there kosher hotels in the Peloponnese? We know of no permanent kosher hotel. Most kosher-keeping travellers book an apartment with a kitchen.
