Greece ~ Trahila, That Treasure at the End of the Road

Often times while discussing . . . okay. . . make that gushing over, our Greek Stone House on the Hill with friends in the United States they ask,

“Well, aside from the house, what is it you like about Greece? Why Greece?”

“Many things,” we say, ticking off our rather grandiose and tourist brochure sounding list: the country’s beauty, the people, the food, the culture, the history. . .it is the same things other travelers or ex pats are likely to say about the country.

The Stone House on the Hill and our neighboring mountain behind us

The one thing we usually don’t try to explain -- because you simply have to be there to understand this -- is the thrill of discovery and the diversity of experiences that seems to be waiting just around the corner. Not earth-shattering discoveries and experiences, mind you, but the kind that lodge in your memory banks and tug at your heartstrings; those experiences that make it difficult to leave and and prompt a yearning for a quick return. 

Such is the case with Trahila, a tiny village near us, quite literally at the end of the road, tucked between that green hill and mountain pictured above.

Just around the corner from our house on the road to Trahila

The narrow ribbon of road that links ‘our’ villages, Agios Nikolaos, and Agios Dimitrios, forks at the base of the hill. Going to your left will take you up the hill, past our house, to another village named Platsa, but taking a right turn will take you along a coastal route that brings the area’s rugged beauty right up to the edge of the road, that leads to Trahila.

Trahila, The Mani, Greek Peloponnese

After a few kilometers of breathtaking scenery the road narrows a bit more and winds through the village before coming to an end just beyond the village proper.

Trahilo village on a summer afternoon

Our first visit here was in the early spring when window shutters were closed on the stately stone buildings. It was so deserted it felt spooky. By early summer though the place had come to life: the town’s two tavernas were open and seasonal residents were back! The tavernas are the only commercial businesses in town. The village, with a year-round population of a couple of dozen people, doesn’t have a store of any sort.

By the sea, the salt-producing sea in Trahilo

Here the only other commercial enterprise (aside from the few fishing boats) is the gathering and selling of sea salt by some of the local women. This path pictured above leads to tidal pools where the salt crystals form.

Petro's Place or Akrogiali Restaurant in Trahilo - at the end of the road

Our friends and neighbors were raving about Petro’s, one of the two tavernas in Trahila. After our first visit to his eatery, its formal name, Akrogiali, we understood the place’s popularity.  His wife prepares the food in a small kitchen to the side of the restaurant’s indoor seating area; he’s the tour guide proudly raising the lids on various pots and pans to let you see and smell their contents.

The fruit and vegetable vendor roams the streets of the The Mani

We take the tour and then settle in at one of the half dozen tables that overlook the sea. Like many Greek waterfront village restaurants, the road bisects the business. Thankfully there isn’t much traffic aside from a local or two and the roaming fruit vendors. Those roaming vendors make it easy to purchase produce while waiting for your meal to be served.

Our favorite meal at Petro's in Trahilo

Petro routinely brings a plate of treats to munch while sipping our wine and waiting for the souvlaki we’d order there to finish grilling.  Although we had to take some of it home, we couldn’t resist his offer of dessert (both the pre- and post-entre plates were gratis). Dinner: 10 euros plus tip.

Trahilo, at the end of the Road

The taverna will be open until November 10th, overlapping the start of olive harvest by about a week as is the way with many restaurants in this area where the countryside is carpeted with olive groves.  Families must focus on harvest and oil production so their restaurants close for the season. I've already marked the 2016 reopening date on my calendar (March 20th if you are in the area)~

The Bing map above shows our area of Greece with the larger Ag. Nikolaos near the top and Trahila on the bay just above the measurement line.

Thanks for your time today – hope you enjoyed this trip to the end of the road. We've now been at our Greek home for several weeks and will be here for the remainder of the fall. With most of our big projects completed around the house, we are setting out to explore and I will give you a glimpse into the ex pat life we are living - but I have a few more cruise tales that I'll be telling as well. As always our thanks for stopping by! And today if you have a bit of time, hit one of the links below and take a look at the destinations and daily life of some fine bloggers from around the world.

Linking up this week:
Travel Photo Thursday – Budget Traveler’s Sandbox 
Our World Tuesday
Travel Inspiration – Reflections En Route
Mosaic Monday – Lavender Cottage Gardening
Mersad's Through My Lens
Photo Friday - Pierced Wonderings
Wordless Wednesday