On 17 March 1821, in the main square of Areopoli, the Mani chieftain Petros Mavromichalis raised a flag of revolt against the Ottoman empire, and the Greek War of Independence began in earnest. The town was then called Tsimova, and it was later renamed Areopoli, after Ares, the god of war, in honour of the fighting spirit of the Maniots. That spirit is easy to credit when you walk around. The old town is a compact knot of stone tower houses, each with narrow windows and a fortress-like profile, built by rival clans who spent centuries feuding over land, honour and the right to the best olives.
The Mani is the central of the three southern prongs of the Peloponnese, a rugged, arid limestone peninsula under the mass of the Taygetos range. Its stony slopes are terraced with olive groves and dotted with chapels, many with Byzantine frescoes. The Maniots were famed for their independence, clan loyalties and their lament songs, and they remained resistant to outside rule for much of their history. Areopoli is the capital of Outer Mani, with a busy main square, a statue of Mavromichalis, a small museum of the revolution and several cafés and tavernas under plane trees.
A few kilometres to the south, the Diros caves are among the most remarkable in Greece, a long system of underground lakes and caverns hung with stalactites, which visitors tour by boat. They are well worth a stop, and they are cool on a hot day. The nearby coast has quiet coves and small fishing harbours, and the sea is deep blue.
The roads of the Mani are a delight for a motorcyclist, if you like your tarmac narrow and your views huge. From Areopoli, you can ride north towards Kardamyli, along the Taygetos coast, in a road of tight bends and sea views, or south to the tip of the peninsula through a landscape of stone and sky. The surface varies from smooth to patched, goats and sheep occupy the road in the early morning, and the afternoon heat in summer can be fierce. Spring, with wild flowers on the hills, and autumn are the best seasons. Winter brings rain and the occasional dusting of snow on Taygetos.
Areopoli is the largest town in the area, with fuel stations, supermarkets and banks, and it is the sensible place to fill up before heading south, where services become sparse. Local specialities include syglino, smoked pork, and the oil-rich cheeses of the region, and a plate of fried potatoes with eggs is a classic.