There is a hidden Greece beyond the frenetic, thriving Athens, that is on the southmost mainland but a world away in a verdant, rural, peaceful idyll.

When Athenians permit themselves the few trihmera (long weekend holidays) breaks from work, or time off at the height of August, they pour out onto these southern peninsulas of the Peloponnese (Peloponnisos).

For the overwhelmingly rest of the year these peninsulas are quiet, peopled with few mostly retired villagers.A timeless peaceful quiet of business in this Hidden Greece, not stirring till late morning, of long languid brunches and lunches under the unique sunlight of Greece, then long afternoon siestas, awaking for dinners lit by the great orb of the moon late into the night, of quiet bars, of coffees enjoyed on settees of pavement cafes until the early hours. All set against dramatic mountain scenery at the back and girthing the harbour and sea fronts, with the end of the day giving the spectacle of a huge fiery sun setting and the sea becoming ‘afire’ in ‘molten gold’, with the raising of the moon then turning the sea into ‘sparkling diamonds’.The outdoor life, of aromas of freshly baked bread, percolating coffee, flowers with a scent into the night air, the cries of the nightingale at midnight, or the joyous cries of the swooping swallow by day.

Friendly villagers remain in these hidden villages, the aged forefathers of a population that left long ago for Athens and then on to New York and Melbourne. But today, my relatives are beginning to return. To work with Athenian exuberant business, but with a home in amongst the safe and quiet of the countryside, only a few hours away.

Non-Greeks are kept at bay. Olympic no longer fly from Athens to Kalamata (the regional airport). The new suburban train line of the Proastiakos (online timetable only in Greek – www.proastiakos.gr ) from Athens has not plunged south, but is resolutely marching west to Patras and its ferry port. The motorway went as far as the industrial large town of Megalopouli and then returned to good class two-way road. Each year the motorway onward to Kalamata is promised for the next year. This year its conclusion is promised for 2009. We will see.

I wander from west to east and back across the base of the southmost Peloponissos and roads are improving, to bring the coaches of Athenians the few times a year they are let loose from their hard-working city lives.

Non-Greek tourists once having found this region return year on year, and more and more came with flight only and not a package with the English tour operators. Now the tour operators have tired of this and the flights from regional English airports are being cancelled even in March for holidays in May. Only London remains and then now mostly only for July and August holidays.

The Germans, French and Dutch trickle about few in number. In fact, the Greek tourist board usually misses this southmost Peloponissos off its literature in any non-Greek language.

We want to keep it our secret! Shhh!!

So with reluctance do I tell of this ‘earthly paradise’ with its palm and banana trees, as well as orange, lemon, tangerine and the silver-green olive trees. No-one sets forest fires down here. It is no ‘property hotspot’. It is a lifestyle of idyllic repose, somewhere to live in tranquillity. With great Greek fresh food produce cooked well. Amongst tall, well appointed churches. With a civil society. In peaceful quiet, with the Police having little to do but enjoy this quiet, looking down on everyone they know each day. Few strangers. For as you oft visit you are absorbed into that friendly village life.

Yet with Athens only hours away to enjoy that cultural life for a visit and that scoot back and return to serious rest and relaxation for the mind, for the body, for the soul.

We hide our favourite from the world. If you want to join this tranquil community, then look not at London Greek property shops for they deal with few if any of this southmost area. This is not investment, this is lifestyle. You will not find this land in the property shows. We are a ‘hidden Greece’.

Even in the height of July the roads are quiet and you can enjoy your favourite coffee shops and restaurant, and many a hotel in peace.

Very few new builds occur as there are stringent planning controls that have kept the areas rural appeal. No whole village resorts here. But renovation of village homes or villas set in their own 4 stremma grounds in the countryside or less within the town or village boundary, as you prefer.

A large 250m2 Villa has been built only 300 m north of Koroni, made up of 4
self-contained apartments. Three on the ground floor, and one encompassing all of the top floor. All with sea views to the front and country views to the rear. With 5 bathrooms split between them. Set in its own large flower bedecked garden. An ideal extended family home as well as a possible tele-working base. Somewhere to bring the kids to gain a far better quality of life and education in the local state schools. An excellent place for the young at heart, but aged in body like myself.

More pictures of this Villa, named ‘Casa Assini’, are on my website accessed from my friend, the vendor’s agent page of Mr Giorgos Kapiniaris (from whom I bought my land recently), whose offices will re-open for the season from Harakopio that he has used for the last 15 years, to central Koroni. If you want the chance of this villa, be quick. It will be snapped up.

My website not only lists the details of Casa Assini, but part of the catalogue of previous builds of Mr Giorgos Kapiniaris, if you would prefer to build your own monokatoikia on your own oikopetho or renovate a xoriatiko monospito and breathe new life to it.

Also on the website are the contacts for flights (Olympic Airways can be booked through Opodo, as its own website is being updated, for flights London to Athens), travel insurance, and Expedia for booking with the beautiful, top range hotels in the region, of Messinian Bay overlooking the wide sweep of Kalamata’s bay and the Sunrise Village that is a whole ‘village’ of your own little ‘houses’ set in parkland by a gorgeous beach, only a few kilometres north of Koroni. There are links to local car hire personally recommended if family members want their own independence, and to Athenian car hire to bring the family down, or a coach with a driver if you prefer (contact through me for the latter).

My website is:

www.anastasias-south-peloponnese-greece.co.uk

Further information about Koroni is also on my co-website of:

www.anastasias-koroni-greece.co.uk

My websites lists the world that the English flock to, the usual destinations, but hidden within it is my home region. Keep it a secret amongst ourselves. Shh!