Wild Flowers of the Peloponnese Escorted Tour

7 nights starting from
£1645

Tour highlights:

  • Wonderful spring colour and light

  • The beautiful and distinctive Mani region

  • Seaside Kardamyli, traditional and picturesque

  • The historic medieval town of Monemvasia

  • Travel without the crowds

Offering a rich culture and an inherent natural beauty, the Peloponnese bursts into life in spring, its landscapes awash with colourful wildflowers. Explore areas steeped in myth and legend with botanical guide Graham Kendall, seeking out some of the over 2,300 species of flora, found here amongst the historical sites and lush scenery. 

As the Peloponnese is such a vast area, our tour is designed as three-centre to avoid very long drives on our days out, as well as to provide the opportunity to explore a variety of flora habitats. All hotels have been carefully chosen with each providing a comfortable and convenient base for our stay.

Available Departures

From

24 - March - 2026 £ 1645.00 Travel Info Book Now

Provisional Timings

London Gatwick

Departing: 24th March 2026 at 08:10

Returning: 31st March 2026 at 12:00

ITINERARY

Day 1: Travel to Sparta
Fly from London Gatwick to Athens. On arrival transfer
 to and overnight at the Menelaion Hotel, Sparta. Group dinner..

Day 2: Mystras
Our botanising begins in and around the beautiful ruins of Byzantine Mystras built in 1249. The tumbling and compelling ruins, today a UNESCO listed site, cover the hillside and provide an atmospheric setting that is usually flower filled at this time of year. Overnight Menelaion Hotel, Sparta.

Day 3: Langada Gorge
Today we head into the dramatic Langada Gorge, situated just above Sparta, discovering the type of flora that resides here before moving south to Gythio where we check into our next hotel, the well-located Pantheon Hotel, where we stay for three nights.


Day 4: Gerakas and Monemvasia
Our botanising today takes us further south to the medieval town of Monemvasia with a stop enroute at the village of Gerakas where we will explore around mudflats before following a trail outside the village that we hope will reward us with a variety of spring flora. From here we continue to Monemvasia and explore this pretty town, stopping along the way if we find something of interest. Overnight Pantheon Hotel, Gythio.

Day 5: Gythio
Today will be spent botanising around Gythio, visiting Kranai Island, which is actually joined to Gythio, before exploring around Mavrovouni, a nearby village, where we hope to find a host of orchids and other wonderful plants. Overnight Pantheon Hotel, Gythio.


Day 6: Mani region
Today we head into the colourful Mani region of the Peloponnese following a coastal route that offers exceptional views and plenty of colourful spring flora. We will botanise in various places enroute to the pretty village of Kardamyli, which is where the English writer, scholar, soldier and polyglot Patrick Leigh Fermor built his home, and you can understand why when you glimpse this lovely location. We will have the opportunity to see some of the typical ‘tower houses’ of this area, remnants of times gone by, as well as some picturesque Byzantine churches. Overnight Vardia Hotel, Kardamyli.

Day 7: Kardamyli
Our final day is a relaxed one, morning botanising close to Kardamyli, with time to enjoy and appreciate this exceptionally picturesque part of the Peloponnese.  Then it’s on to lunch by the sea in the little village of Agios Nikolaos before returning to our hotel. Overnight Vardia Hotel, Kardamyli.

Day 8: Departure
Transfer to Kalamata airport for return flight to London Gatwick.

NB: Exact order of itinerary may vary according to local conditions and tour manager’s discretion.

Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 18 passengers.

INCLUDED

  • Flights from London Gatwick to Athens, and returning from Kalamata to London Gatwick
  • Two nights' accommodation on bed and breakfast basis at the three-star Menelaion Hotel, Sparta, based on sharing a twin/double room
  • Three nights’ accommodation on bed and breakfast basis at the three-star Pantheon Hotel, Gythio, based on sharing a twin/double room
  • Two nights' accommodation on bed and breakfast basis at the traditional Vardia Hotel, Kardamyli, based on sharing a twin/double room
  • One dinner and one lunch
  • Entrance fees
  • Transfers and excursions as detailed
  • Tour manager and local guide throughout 

NOT INCLUDED

  • Single room supplement - £275
  • Holiday Insurance
  • Meals other than those stated 
  • Items of a personal nature such as drinks, laundry, telephone calls etc
  • Porterage and gratuities 

HOTELS

Menelaion Hotel, Sparta - 2 nights
Centrally located in Sparta, this comfortable hotel in a perfect location to ensure we get the best out of our visit to the sprawling site of Mystras. Hotel facilities include wi-fi, lounge café, bar, restaurant and pool (seasonal). Bedrooms have en-suite bathroom facilities, TV, air-conditioning/heating, triple glazing and hairdryer. Dinner isn't included at this hotel, but a choice of restaurants are available within very easy walking distance.

Hotel Website

Pantheon City Hotel, Gythio - 3 nights
Pantheon City Hotel is a comfortable and conveniently located hotel in the centre of Gythio, a coastal town in the southern Peloponnese.

Hotel Website

Vardia Hotel, Kardamyli - 2 nights
Perched gracefully above the charming old town of Kardamyli, Vardia Hotel offers guests an authentic escape into the heart of the Mani Peninsula. Built with local stone and wood, the hotel’s architecture harmonizes seamlessly with its natural surroundings, providing a serene and picturesque setting.

Hotel Website

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Review by Anonymous who travelled 25-March-2019


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Since we're both in our 80's we found a couple of the days a bit long, and perhaps this could be borne in mind when there's a temptation to squeeze in one more stop towards the end of the day. Otherwise the small group size made for a very comfortable visit and the efforts of the leader and expert were both greatly appreciated.

Review by Hartley who travelled 25-March-2019


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We didn't have a brochure and didn't travel with you. Oth3ersise, very satisfactory though felt we could have done more each day, it was a bit slow. Also, some recapping of the day's experiences would have been nice, we're used to doing the botany list at least every second evening, and then getting a report some time after, too. Leadership as great.

Review by Burns who travelled 25-March-2018


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A well-organised tour which was fun. We were able to make good use of every minute and the trips and flowers exceeded expectations. Very enjoyable.

Review by who travelled 25-March-2018


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The trip exceeded our expectations. It was the first time we had travelled with you. Jane was an exceptional tour manager and Alan an excellent botanist. The hotel in Nafplio was rather noisy. Gythio was fine.

Review by Mrs Ruth Kenny who travelled 28-March-2017


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Review by Lawton who travelled 03-July-2025


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We thoroughly enjoyed our tour which was extremely well organized and researched by our tour manager. Jane was very knowledgeable and great at making everyone feel relaxed and happy even when she was on a tight schedule. We look forward to our next tour with you.

Review by Mr Graham Alder who travelled 28-March-2017


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Trip is too short to do justice to both the area and to the flora, and it would benefit by being extended to ten days or two weeks. That would also allow for a completely free day. Two weeks would be especially good as the distances from UK to the bases means two whole days are used up in travelling there and back. One of the trips was a problem as lunch was very late (c. 4pm) so that needs reorganizing.

Review by Ms Jennifer Bryant who travelled 28-March-2017


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Out botanist Alan was excellent; informative and entertaining. I could have done with a few more days.

Review by Mr Peter Williams who travelled 28-March-2017


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Hotel 1 room extremely dark. Hotel 2: room uncomfortably small; shower cubicle 75 cm square; main lift not working. But both hotels were well situated. Trip tactics managed very well. Specialist input witty and helpful.

Review by Mr John Hopton who travelled 28-March-2017


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Admin. & Description rather better than good. Hotel at Nafpoli the better standard, though with a worse view! Tour manager (Jane Freeman), botanical expert (Alan Harrington) and the coach driver all first rate - they continued to find truly interesting sites every day, even to the last.

Review by Mr Brian Mulhall who travelled 28-March-2017


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Bianca and Graham, the botanist, both excellent. Hotels very basic, with tiny showers, but clean. Breakfast rather chaotic. Flowers wonderful.

Review by Mr Jeffery Bowman who travelled 02-April-2016


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We had a great time, and would use Travel Editions again. Very informative and friendly staff, and we learnt so much about flowers, history and Greek culture.

Review by Mrs Nesta Morgan who travelled 02-April-2016


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Excellent holiday. Stunning scenery. Well aranged and managed and a superb guide in Graham for our wild flower explorations.

Review by Mr M Kelly who travelled 02-April-2016


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Wonderful holiday! Bianca and Graham were both excellent, and the scenery was just spectacular. Loved the flowers, the sunshine, the landscape, the historic sites, the villages and the food! Everything was well-organised and very enjoyable. Nafplio was a charming and convenient place to stay, but Gytheio was a bit of a disappointment. Might I suggest looking into Sparta as a base in the southern region? It seemed conveniently located, and it would potentially allow those interested to visit Mystra, which we weren't able to do. (For instance, the free day might then be scheduled in Sparta rather than Nafplio, perhaps?)

Review by Prof Jane Singer who travelled 02-April-2016


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Why no printed list of tour participants. A considerable weakness.

Review by Mr Christopher Burns-Cox who travelled 02-April-2016


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Review by Ms Gaye Sheridan who travelled 06-April-2015


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Review by Mrs Penelope Laing who travelled 06-April-2015


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A very interesting tour with both flowers and ancient sites to see. Graham, the botanist, and Jane, the tour manager, were both superb in their knowledge, attention to detail and care of the group. I thoroughly recommend this tour.

Review by Mrs Norma Cook who travelled 06-April-2015


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We were once again very well looked after by our TM Jane Freeman and our expert guide Graham Kendal. Both coped in an exemplary manner with the various crises that arose from our driver's accident, when he was injured quite badly by a fall. They succeeded in reorganising the second half of the tour so that we did everything outlined in the programme. Our thanks to them both, to Nikos the driver, and our two relief drivers.

Review by Mrs Yarnold who travelled 06-April-2015


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Review by who travelled 06-April-2015


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The tour manager Jane and botanist Graham were a great team and made our holiday very interesting and enjoyable. The trips into the mountains were spectacular and the sea caves quite breathtaking.

Review by Mrs Lyndall Bishop who travelled 22-April-2014


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Review by Mr Cedric Evans who travelled 22-April-2014


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