Sailing Routes

Simos Beach is exactly what it looks like: two stunning sandy beaches joined by a narrow strip of land, creating an exotic, almost unreal landscape. No matter how much you’ve heard or read about Simos, nothing truly prepares you for the beauty you encounter when you arrive.

Here, choosing where to settle feels impossible. On one side lies Megalos Simos—also known as Sarakiniko—a one-kilometer stretch of fine, golden sand. On the other side is Mikros Simos, “small” in name only, but equally breathtaking in beauty. Both beaches are framed by impressive sand dunes rising up to 10 meters high, while just beyond them, a cedar forest adds deep green tones to a landscape dominated by the blues of the sea and the white-gold hues of the sand.

According to local tradition, Simos takes its name from a sponge diver from Kalymnos, while Sarakiniko is said to have been used as a hideout by Saracen pirates. But history quickly fades into the background here. This is a place to spend the entire day by the sea—relaxing on warm sand, swimming in crystal-clear turquoise waters, and gazing across the horizon toward Kythira, visible just opposite.

Simos is not just a beach—it is an experience of pure freedom, light, and natural beauty, and one of the true highlights of Elafonisos.

Pavlopetri is a small islet located just off the homonymous beach, near Viglafia, directly opposite Elafonisos.
The wider area is rich in archaeological evidence, revealing continuous human presence since prehistoric times. Between the islet and the mainland lies a remarkably preserved submerged ancient city, dating back approximately 5,000 years—recognized as the oldest known submerged city in the world.

Pavlopetri is truly unique. Unlike scattered underwater ruins, the city follows a clear urban plan, with streets, buildings, and a cemetery still visible beneath the surface. It was discovered in 1967 by Nicholas Flemming and mapped in 1968 by a research team from the University of Cambridge.

Its submersion played a crucial role in preserving the remains. Research has shown that Pavlopetri was once the center of a thriving textile industry, while the discovery of numerous large storage jars originating from Crete indicates that it also functioned as an important commercial harbor.

The work of the archaeological team was brought together in The City Beneath the Waves: Pavlopetri documentary, highlighting the site’s global significance.

Today, Pavlopetri offers an extraordinary experience where history and the sea coexist. Whether explored by snorkeling or from a boat, it invites visitors to witness an ancient city resting quietly beneath the waves—an unparalleled encounter with humanity’s deep past and the fragile beauty of underwater cultural heritage.

The Petrified Forest Geopark of the coastal zone of Agios Nikolaos is included in the Atlas of Geological Monuments of the Aegean and today lays strong claim to a place within the European Geoparks Network.

Along the coastal sites of Agia Marina, Korakas, and Spitha, petrified witnesses of a distant past preserve the secrets and codes of their era. According to research by Evangelos Velitzelos, Professor and Director of Historical Geology–Paleontology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the fossil-bearing sites of Agios Nikolaos are unique in Europe and of exceptional scientific importance.

Millions of years ago, geological upheavals—earthquakes and volcanic activity—led to the petrification of the region’s ancient flora. The organic material of trees, plants, and even mollusks was gradually replaced, molecule by molecule, by silica- and calcium-rich solutions in a slow process that occurred beneath the sea.

Today, massive fossilized root systems—some reaching up to 1 meter in diameter—along with numerous petrified organisms are preserved across large sections of the Agios Nikolaos shoreline. Together, they form an open-air geological museum of immeasurable value, earning its place among Europe’s protected monuments of nature.

Cape Maleas is the second southernmost point of mainland Greece, after Cape Tainaron. It is also known as Xylochaftis (“the ship-breaker”), a name earned from the many vessels that were wrecked near this formidable headland.
Since antiquity, Cape Maleas has been a crucial maritime passage. Sudden weather changes and powerful local gusts—still felt today—made navigation especially dangerous. Ancient Greek writers frequently warned of its perils: Odyssey by Homer, as well as the works of Strabo, Pausanias, and Polybius, all recount the misfortunes awaiting sailors who dared to pass Cape Maleas.

By the late 18th century, a small hermitage dedicated to the Taxiarches (Archangels) stood on the cape. The hermit who lived there would ring a small bell whenever a sailing ship passed nearby, asking for provisions—help that was generously offered when weather conditions allowed.

The stone lighthouse of Cape Maleas was built in 1883. It features a 15-meter tower with a focal height of 40 meters and began operating the same year. The last lighthouse keeper, local Vatikian Vangelis Kynigalakis, lit the beacon for the final time in 1983, after 23 years of service at Cape Maleas.

In 2006, the lighthouse was officially designated a historic preserved monument. Today it operates on solar energy, is staffed by two keepers, and was fully restored in 2009 with the support of the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation.
Standing at the edge of land and legend, the Cape Maleas Lighthouse remains a powerful symbol of human endurance against nature—an unforgettable stop for sailors, hikers, and visitors seeking history, drama, and sweeping views of the Aegean Sea.

The name comes from the Greek words moni (single) and emvasis (entrance), meaning “the only entrance.” True to its name, the fortified castle town of Monemvasia has one single gate—at least when approached from land.

Arriving by sea is a moment you won’t forget. The medieval town slowly reveals itself in all its grandeur, seemingly carved into the rock, encircled by mighty stone walls that plunge dramatically into the sea. From the landward side, however, the castle town remains almost completely hidden, preserving its mystery.

A narrow strip of land and a 130-meter bridge connect the Rock of Monemvasia to the mainland of Lakonia. Just before the bridge lies the modern town of Monemvasia—the gateway to a timeless journey into history, stone, and sea.
Monemvasia is not simply a place to visit; it is an experience—best felt as it first appears on the horizon, rising from the water like a vision from another age.