Exochori hike from mountain towards the sea

Exochori is a stone-built village with a very old tradition, mentioned several times in history as Androuvista, first seen around 1278 AD. It is located at an altitude of 450 m above Kardamili, in the Taygetos mountain fringes. It used to be the old mountainous capital and the fortress of Kardamili, not only in medieval but also in ancient times. This is like a short taste of west Mani but fully rewarding as an experience. The exploration starts from Kardamili, as we follow the old stone path entering the mountain, meeting some of the … walking through some of the upland villages. Passing through olive groves, we end up in Exochori village, where we can have a breathtaking view of the Viros Gorge, the largest gorge in west Mani. Then, taking a different route to our way back to the starting point, we visit Aghia Sofia. This is a famous church built in the 16th century situated on the 2500-year-old stone path that connected Kardamili with Sparta. This is the path that will guide our steps back to Kardamili through its historical old quarter.