Stoupa and the Beaches of Stoupa, Peloponnese (Greece)

The beaches of Stoupa

Stoupa has 3 beaches in the village and several quieter beaches within walking distance.

Stoupa beach

Stoupa beach is the main and most popular beach, centrally located in the village. It is a large sandy bay with sunbeds, parasols, pedal boats and canoes for hire, and good snorkelling. The water deepens more steeply here than at Kalogria.

Kalogria beach (Zorba's beach)

Kalogria beach, also known as Zorba's beach, is a large sandy beach with sunbeds, parasols and a few tavernas. The sea stays shallow, which suits families with small children. The writer Nikos Kazantzakis befriended Alexis Zorbas at Kalogria and based his novel Zorba the Greek on him; a statue on the beach honours Kazantzakis.

Halikoura beach

Halikoura beach is a small pebble beach with a couple of tavernas and good snorkelling over its underwater rocks. Watch your footing when entering the sea here.

Delfini beach

Delfini beach lies a 15-minute walk north of Stoupa, signposted from the road and reached by a steep trail. It is sandy with shingle and rocks, offers little shade, and has a campsite and a seasonal cantina. The water deepens quickly, so Delfini suits strong swimmers rather than small children, and its clear water and anemones make it excellent for snorkelling.

Foneas beach

Foneas beach sits a little further north, between Stoupa and Kardamyli, and is visible from the road. It is a quiet cove of white stones and pebbles, marked by a large rock standing in the sea that makes it very photogenic; cliffs shade the beach in the morning and a seasonal cantina sells drinks and snacks. The village of Kardamyli, 10 kilometers north of Stoupa, adds a further pebble beach.

History of Stoupa: ancient Leuktra and the Mani

In ancient times Stoupa was known as Leuktra, and the nearby village of Kardamyli served as the main port of the city-state of Sparta. Southeast of Stoupa, on the mountain, stand the remains of the small Beaufort Castle, built by the Frankish ruler William II Villehardouin in 1252 after his conquest of the Peloponnese, on the site of ancient Leuktra with its acropolis and a sanctuary to the goddess Athina. Stoupa sits in the Mani, a region known for its stone defence towers that stayed hard to reach until the 20th century, which also made it a favoured refuge for pirates.

Villas with private pools in Stoupa

Villa Angeliki

Villa Angeliki is a self-catering villa in Stoupa with an outdoor pool, free bikes and free WiFi, 33 kilometers from Kalamata Airport. Each unit has a full kitchen, air conditioning and a balcony, and the private bathrooms include a spa bath. Villa Angeliki adds a hot tub, barbecue facilities, free parking and sea and mountain views.

Villa Io

Villa Io is a self-standing stone villa with a private pool, 450 metres from the sandy beach of Stoupa, with free WiFi and on-site parking. It has 2 bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, air conditioning, a washing machine and a flat-screen TV, with sea and mountain views from the terrace. Villa Io lies 52 kilometers from Kalamata Airport and 45 kilometers from the port.

Olympia Villas

Olympia Villas is a complex of stone-built, self-catering villas a 3-minute drive from Stoupa beach, each with a private pool, free WiFi and views of the Messinian Gulf. Every villa has a living room with fireplace, a fully equipped kitchen, air conditioning and a modern bathroom, and some add barbecue facilities, a hot tub or a hydromassage shower. Olympia Villas sits 1 kilometer from the village centre with its shops and taverns, and provides private parking for each villa.