We will be visiting Greece in June, including 7 days in the Peloponnese. 2 questions about the Mani area: is anyone familiar with the Elixirion Hotel and does anyone know if it is practical to make a day trip to Monemvasia from the Areopolis area. How long to get there & allow how long to visit?
After visiting some islands and returning on a flight to the Athens airport, this is my proposed itinerary for the Peloponnese:
Drive from Athens airport all the way to Mani. Stay 4 nights Hotel Elixirion, giving us 3 days to see the area. 5th day, leave early to drive to Dimitsana with stop for visit to Mystras along the way. Stay one night at Kazakou guesthouse. Visit around the next day and then head to Nauplion in afternoon. Stay 3 nights, giving us 2 full days to explore & depart last day driving straight to Athens airport for 2 pm flight.
Does this sound doable? Like everyone else, wish I had more days, but I don't, yet want to visit so much as everything sounds so incredible. BTW, we'll be travelling with our 2 kids (ages 5 & 7), so any tips in that regard are welcomed. Thanks in advance for any feedback.

What town is Elixirion Hotel in? I don't recognize it.

Monemvasia as a day trip from Areopolis :
I don't think that's too practical. I drove the reverse (Monemvasia to Gerolimenas in south Mani), and I recall it was about 4 hrs to Areopolis. 8 hrs driving in one day is not my idea of a day trip!

A 1 night stay in Dimitsana seems strenuous, especially with 2 young kids. There is very pretty Lousios River gorge hiking, the outdoor water-power museum, variety of scenic monasteries to visit, etc. The water-power museum sells a VERY informative map & booklet of the area, called "Cultural Map of the Lousios River" or something similar.

Just an idea, maybe shorten the Mani by 1 night (2 full days), stay 2 nights (1 full day) in Dimitsana.

I am not familiar with Elixirion Hotel however we have toured the Pelopponese twice including the Mani.

Based on our experience I would offer a couple of suggestions for you to consider.

Rather than racing to the Mani that first day why not visit Ancient Corinth and Ancient Nemea on the way to Naphlion. Both are well worth the visit and they will be a jump start for your journey back into history.

We stop in Naphlion that first day to give ourselves a chance to get over jet lag from the transatlantic flight. You can easily visit Mycaene, Epidaurus, and Ancient Tiyrns or just soak in the Venetian archetecture of Naphlion including it's three intact Venetian fortresses.

From Naphlion you can head south to Sparti where you can visit Mystras the last location of the Byzintines. It has a fortress,several churches and an upper and lower town. This will take at least three hours. From there it is about an hour and a half to Monemvasia. Monemvasia is incredible. You enter the city through a bullet scarred door in the fortress wall and step back back 5 ceturies into a living Venetian city. We planned to spend one night there but were so captivated we spent two. There are two or three hotels on the main street that offer period rooms in various locations throught the city. Our bathroom had a gunport for a window.
From Monemvasia it was a 4 hour drive to Aeropoli the entrance of the Mani.

We visted Diros caves a water filled cave ( could this possibly be the river styx) On the drive throught the Mani spend an hour exploring the abandoned tower village of Vathia.

From the Mani we returned to Naphlion for our last night before driving to the airport for our return flight.

As I recall on one of the trips we visited Ancient Corinth on this last leg back to the airport.

I guess the important message here is there is a great deal to see and travel times and visits to sites will take longer than you may plan. Take your time and do not be surprised if something captures your imagination and you decide to just stay there longer than you thought you might.

If you would like ot see our pictures click on the links below.
Naphlio http://travel.webshots.com/album/551991579dJbWvh
Mani
http://travel.webshots.com/album/551987765EoLDkO
Mystras
http://travel.webshots.com/album/551988174qxbTNw
Monmvasia
http://travel.webshots.com/album/551987765EoLDkO

Thanks for your feedback so far. The Elixirion Guesthouse is in Karavostassi near Otilo, right at the waters edge. It seems like a good location to explore the area and they have their own boat that cantake us on excursions along the coast and to the caves, which sound funfor the kids. I couldn't find a place with a pool. and this place although not on a sandy beach is at the water for the kids to swim or play. I have no plans to do far day trips, which is why I asked about Monemvasia. I had read several other places that it was less than 2 hours away. And the reason we're staying in Nauplion at the ned is so we can go straight to the airport without going back into Athens. I wanted to do as much travelling the first day since it's already wasted as a travelling day and stopping anywhere 1/2 way would mean getting back inthe car the next day to continue.

I found the Elixirion on the web and it looks wonderful. Your children should enjoy the Diros caves, the reflections in the water make it quite magical. We visited the Mani when we spent a week at Stoupa, a couple of years ago. We visted Monemvassia from Stoupa in 3 and a half hours - I'd say it was possible in 3 hours from where you are staying. We stopped at a lovely little cove the other side of Gythio to break the journey. I'd allow at least 4 hours for a visit - it is possible, but maybe rather a long day for your children.

I love the Peloponnese and have had several holidays in the area, the last of which was a fly drive staying at Nauphlion, Monemvassia and Paralio Astros, last May - I have some pictures of some of the places you intend to visit on here:

http://www.worldisround.com/articles/296138/index.html