Join us in the beautiful seaside town of Kardamyli for an intimate festival dedicated to literature, history and the arts. After two days in Athens, move to the coast and spend mornings listening to scintillating talks and afternoons walking or cycling in this most extraordinary corner of mainland Greece.
- Duration
- 8 nights
- How We Travel
- Festival Talks, Electric Biking & Walking
- Price
- £5,850 per person
- Group Size
- Maximum 18
- Good To Know
Please note we now only have either suites or discount rooms available. The discounted rooms will be either closer to the main road in Kardamyli or have garden/parking lot view.
Attendees at the festival will number 350. In your party there will be a maximum of 18 and The Slow Cyclist will also be welcoming another 14 guests from the UK.
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Welcome to the Kardamyli Festival
I am delighted to be partnering with Bob Ramsay & Jean Marmoreo again for the 2024 edition of the Kardamyli Festival and I very much hope you'll consider joining us. The festival has, it's fair to say, been my cultural highlight for each of the past few years; a chance to sit beside the sea and listen to some of the world's greatest minds talk on their chosen subject. Then, after the brain has been stimulated each morning, to head into the hills behind Kardamyli and enjoy cycling and walking in this verdant paradise. In this brochure you will, I hope, find lots of information that will help you decide if it's something for you and I hope, if you do join us, that you have a wonderful time.
Oli BroomFounder, The Slow Cyclist
Join Us
We invite you to spend two nights in Athens before travelling to the Southern Peloponnese, on Greece's mainland, for an intimate literary festival like no other. The beautiful small town of Kardamyli, on the Mani peninsula, was home for much of his life to the esteemed travel writer Patrick Leigh Fermor and his wife, the photographer and socialite Joan. The Kardamyli Festival, which opens with a cocktail party in the home (see the cloisters pictured above) and garden they shared overlooking the crystal clear waters of the Messinian Gulf, is a wonderful celebration of literature, history and the arts.
The Festival
Since its inception in 2021, the Kardamyli Festival has grown to welcome 350 guests each year and now attracts the sharpest minds, with past speakers including journalist Anne Applebaum, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radek Sikorski, former UK MP and host of The Rest is Politics Rory Stewart, historian Tom Holland and author Ben MacIntyre among many others. Although the line-up of speakers this year is yet to be announced, it is certain to be stellar. With talks taking place each morning, and during some early evenings, afternoons are free to swim and relax as well as go on guided walks and electric bike rides in and around the beautiful hills above Kardamyli.
2024 Speakers
We will be able to provide details in March, when the festival line-up is announced.
Athens
Due to the long journey and potential for jet-lag, we propose that your time in Athens begins with a relaxed lunch on your hotel rooftop followed by an afternoon at your leisure. The following day we have arranged for our Athenian friend, Vangelis, to guide you around some of the city's most interesting sites.
Walking & Cycling
Each afternoon during the festival in Kardamyli there are opportunities to cycle or walk although of course neither activity is compulsory. The walks will take you on ancient shepherds' paths across pastoral landscapes, through mountain villages and along dramatic coastal tracks. The terrain can be lumpy so you should be able to walk on uneven tracks up and downhill. We use Trek Allant +7 electric bikes (a mix of regular and step-through frames) for the cycling, which is almost exclusively on quiet tarmac roads. They are a cyclist's dream, with very few cars, although steep and dramatic on occasion. You should have experience cycling up and downhill and be confident of maintaining complete control on two wheels.
Swimming
The chance to swim in the crystal clear waters of the Messinian Gulf is one of the great joys of spending time in the Mani. You can be in a tiny, remote mountain village one minute and then at one of any number of beautiful swimming spots the next. Your hotel has a swimming pool and, a short distance down a cobbled path leading to the marina is a small pebbled beach with beautifully clear waters.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Monday 30 September - Arrival in Athens
There is a direct flight from Toronto that lands in Athens at 10.55 this morning. Those of you arriving on that flight will be met and taken to your hotel, the COCO-MAT Athens BC. We will join you for lunch at the hotel, and brief you on your time in Athens and at the festival. You will no doubt be tired so we will leave you to rest before heading to the Benaki museum with your guide, Haris. Dinner will be at the restaurant above the museum.
Day 2 - Tuesday 1 October - Day in Athens
Today your guide will take you on a tour of some of Athens' fascinating and important sites. Lunch will be had in the vibrant old town Plaka, while dinner will again be at one of our favourite restaurants in the heart of the city.
Day 3 - Wednesday 2 October - Transfer to Kardamyli
It is time to leave Athens and head for the coast. The transfer to Kardamyli will take approximately 3.5 hours, and upon arrival we will have lunch by the sea. This afternoon we will show you to your room at Diapori Suites Hotel before leaving you to enjoy a relaxing afternoon at your leisure. We will be on hand in case you need anything and will book a table for you at one of Kardamyli's charming seaside restaurants this evening.
Day 4 - Thursday 3 October - The Deep Mani
The region's clear blue waters offer a very different perspective of this dramatic coastline. This morning we will take comfortable speed boats from Kardamyli harbour, stopping to swim in lovely coves, down to the charming and chic fishing hamlet of Limeni. Lunch at O Takis seafood taverna is a perfect Mediterranean experience, sitting on the water’s edge, jumping into the impossibly turquoise waters and maybe even spotting one of the resident giant turtles. After lunch, given time, we visit Areopolis, the charming capital of the Mani and the place where the Greek revolution started. We will boat back in good time for the festival opening drinks this evening, at the former home of Patrick and Joan Leigh Fermor. We can book tables for dinner in Kardamyli.
Day 5 - Friday 4 October - Festival & Kampos Crater
Walk (up to 3 hours) or Cycle (2.5 hours, 24km, +480m / -755m)
After this morning's festival talks we will drive to lunch at Thomas' restaurant in nearby Kampos. From there you have the optino of a bike ride or a walk. On a bike, pedal through olive groves and tiny villages, into the hills that rise to become the Taygetos peaks, pause at a monastery with stunning views over the deep-cut Ridomo Gorge and end up by the sea in Kardamyli. On foot, there are a number of options, all of which take in olive groves and the stunning lower slopes of the Taygetos Mountains. Back in town this evening, Hellenophile, musician and translator Joshua Barley will entertain Slow Cyclists at a Literary Dinner.
Day 6 - Saturday 5 October - Festival & Petrovouni
Walk (up to 2.5 hours)
After this morning's festival talks and a light lunch by the sea in Kardamyli, we will walk up to and through the ruins of Old Kardamyli before climbing up on an ancient Spartan track, past tiny chapels, the majestic Taygetos mountains unfolding ahead of us. We will loop round to Kardamyli, enjoying spectacular coastal views and returning in plenty of time for a relaxed evening, during which we can arrange for a table at any of Kardamyli's best restaurants.
Day 7 - Sunday 6 October - Festival & Relax
After this morning's festival and a light lunch we will leave you to relax or explore as you choose. We will be on hand to provide shuttles to nearby beaches, although the town's pebble beaches are superb too. This evening is the festival's Gala Dinner, hosted in previous years on a jetty in the centre of town, during which a stellar cast of festival speakers will entertain us into the night.
Day 8 - Monday 7 October - Festival & Kastania
Walk (up to 3 hours) or Cycle (2.5hrs, 21 kms, +410m -930m)
After the final morning of talks we will drive you to the tiny hill-top village of Kastania - home to 11 Byzantine churches - for lunch in a family-run taverna. From there, it’s an easy bike ride down to the sea in Kardamyli. An alternative is to avoid two wheels altogether and walk back to town. It's a beautiful walk downhill through olive groves and ever-present views. Dinner will be in Kardamyli.
Day 9 - Tuesday 8 October - Heading Home
It's the end of your time with us in Kardamyli and we have made arrangements to shuttle you back to Athens for the early afternoon flight back to Toronto. However, we will be happy to assist with alternative travel arrangements if you wish.
Practical Information
Guiding & Support
Our attention to detail sets us apart. You will be accompanied by a member of The Slow Cyclist team from the UK who will act as your host and will be able to help with any questions or issues you may have. In addition, of course, you will be guided by our local team on walks and bike rides in the hills behind Kardamyli. They are all fluent in English and knowledgeable and passionate about this special place. A support vehicle will be on hand (although never too close) in case you need a lift at any time.
Accommodation
Your first two nights will be spent in Athens at the COCO-MAT Athens BC, situated perfectly for exploring the heart of Athens and with unmatched views over the Acropolis from the roof terrace. In Kardamyli, we have chosen Diapori Suites Hotel, located just outside of the town centre overlooking the Messinian Gulf. It's a spectacular setting and a wonderful place to relax. At Diapori Suites Hotel there are two different room types: Deluxe and Suites. There is a supplementary charge for a Suite. In addition, some of the Deluxe rooms have better views than others so we will apply a small discount for those without sea views.
Bikes & Safety
We take your safety seriously. Although there is no requirement to cycle with us at the festival, if you do you must wear a helmet. We cannot accept bookings from anyone unwilling to do so. The bikes you'll be riding with us are electric bikes. You will be given a brief lesson in how to use them effectively before we start cycling. If you have any technical issues during your time with us, from squeaky brakes to punctures, please let us know and we’ll fix it. And finally, please don’t worry if you feel you are too slow or too fast for others in the group; we have a guide at the front and one at the back precisely for that reason.
Packing & Reading
Well in advance of your travels we will send you an online Information Pack including various details you need to know in advance. This will include a suggested packing list but also a reading list, should you wish to soak up the island's literary history before you arrive.
We partner with Trust My Travel so that, in accordance with travel industry regulations, your funds are 100% protected.
Pricing & Booking
Price
£5,850 per person
Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Discounted room in Kardamyli | £250 reduction per room over 6 nights |
| Suite Upgrade (Kardamyli) | £550 pp |
| Single Supplement, Standard (Athens & Kardamyli) | £800 pp |
- Group airport transfers (1 x arrival, 1 x departure)
- Transfer from Athens to Kardamyli
- 1 day guided tour of Athens
- TSC host & English-speaking expert local guides in Kardamyli
- Festival ticket
- Fully-supported and guided walks and electric bike rides
- Electric bike and helmet hire
- All 8 nights accommodation
- All breakfasts and lunches
- Wine and beer at meal times **
- 6 evening meals including Festival Gala Dinner and Literary Dinner
- 100% financial security
- Donation to a cause that is aligned with our Values
** excellent Greek wine is chosen and provided by us at each meal although you are welcome to “upgrade” and buy your own
- Flights
- Personal costs
- Dinner on two nights in Kardamyli
- Tips (optional, of course)
- Travel insurance
- Visas (if required)
For private groups a 30% deposit is required from the group leader and, thereafter, from each member of the party. A minimum of 50% of the party are required to book and pay their deposit within one month of the group leader. The balance is due 8 weeks before the departure date.
If you are travelling on one of our Scheduled Journeys, we require a 30% deposit on the core trip price (i.e. not on any extras) at the time of booking. The balance is due 8 weeks before the departure date.
Please make sure you are familiar with our Standard Terms & Conditions before booking.
You will receive two emails shortly after booking. First, a payment receipt, then a second email explaining next steps. Within two working days you will then be contacted by a member of our Guest Services team who will look after and advise you in the lead up to your travels.
All of our experiences are covered by Trust My Travel who protect our travellers their payments
Flights
You are responsible for booking your own flights. They are not included in the cost of the trip. We recommend the following:
30th September - Air Canada, Toronto to Athens (10.55)
8th October - Air Canada, Athens to Toronto (13.10)
If you would like to travel on different days, both flights are currently listed as running daily.
Transfers
The cost of a 30 minute group transfer from Athens International Airport to the hotel is included. If you are not arriving on the Air Canada flight on 30th September we can help get you to the hotel but we will need to charge accordingly. On the morning of 2nd October we will drive you from Athens to Kardamyli (3.5 hours) in time for lunch. And at the end of your time with us, on 8th October, we will drive you back to Athens in time for the Air Canada flight back to Toronto.
Kardamyli is the perfect setting for a festival celebrating history, literature, politics and the arts, with its place in ancient history cemented by Homer as one of the seven cities that Agamemnon promised to grant Achilles in order to placate him after the extortion of Briseis during the Trojan War. But quite apart from this, Kardamyli's position beneath the imposing, snowcapped Taygetos Mountains and beside the Messinian Gulf make it, quite simply, an incredible location in which to spend a few days. In 2018 The Slow Cyclist began welcoming guests to the Mani, on 6-day journeys taking in the hills around Kardamyli and the moonscapes and hidden bays in the arid south. In doing so we worked with historian and author James Heneage and his wife James Heneage, who hosted our guests at their home in the hills. When James asked if we would like to be involved in a festival he was planning, we jumped at the opportunity. So in 2021 the festival welcomed 70 guests, 25 of whom were Slow Cyclists. Since moving to a new site directly beside the sea, the festival has grown so that it now welcomes 350 guests each year and attracts an array of fantastic speakers.
Exceptional Quality
Our passion for creating exceptional shared experiences in places we love is reflected in the journeys we design. We don't rest on our laurels, seeking continued improvement and innovation so that you, our guests, are enriched around every bend in the road.
Community Driven
The Slow Cyclist was born as an antidote to mass tourism. All stakeholders, from our guests and team in the UK to our local guides, from food producers we work with to the communities whose lives we touch, must feel our influence and impact is positive.
Future Focused
We travel with a light footprint but that’s not enough. We can always do more. We are part of a generation that must act responsibly in business and in tourism; one that begins to restore our planet's biodiversity and delicate ecosystems.