We have been to Greece 5 times in the last 2 years, in different seasons: June, September, November and January. We definitely wanted to experience a bit of winter there too. In the South of Greece it is on average about 10 degrees warmer than in Belgium. It cools down quite a bit in the evening but when the sun shines during the day it still gives real warmth. The weather can occasionally be bad but it doesn’t last very long. And the south stays green in winter. You do need decent heating in the house, a stove or central heating, otherwise it gets pretty chilly and damp, and that for about 3 months a year. In summer, on the other hand, it’s very hot for 3 months. The in-between seasons are perfect with temperatures around 25 degrees.
Meanwhile, the region we want to go to has been chosen, and we have also found a rental house there. We are going to the Mani, more specifically the area around Kardamyli, Stoupa and Agios Nikolaos, also known as “West Mani” or “Messinia Mani”. It ticks a lot of boxes from our wish list. Quite far South, winters are mild. Sea and high mountains close together, giving a kind of microclimate with little wind, even though you are close to the sea. A beautiful and very varied region with amazing nature and views, fairly green too, not a bare stone region. There is even a climbing rock equipped with security bolts. We look West to the sea, so we can enjoy beautiful sunsets. Life is relaxed there. The region is not completely deserted in winter, a supermarket and a medical aid station within reach. A mixture of Greeks, Albanians and still some (retired) Western Europeans living there. Tourist facilities but no mass tourism. A cool city, Kalamata, an hour’s drive away where you do have a lot of infrastructure, including an airport and a hospital.
Of course, there are always drawbacks. In winter, it is quiet and not very many people live there. The supermarkets are still open, and some restaurants and bars. Is it too quiet then? Is there enough social life? We will have to experience that. For more complicated shopping than a supermarket, you have to drive over a mountain pass to Kalamata each time. In summer, from June to August it gets very hot and in August it is super crowded, and everything is full of (local) tourists. There are certain neighbourhoods where there are more foreigners than Greeks, and you can end up in an expat bubble. And there is of course the bureaucratic chaos of the Greek government that awaits us, but that applies to all of Greece. Chaos is an originally Greek word 😊.
Meanwhile, we were already making contact with some foreigners living in the area. Fascinating to hear their stories, get tips, and just fun to make new friends.
We are really looking forward to it.
Good luck 🥰