Getting Married in Monemvasia and Mani: A Guide to the Southern Peloponnese

Insights · Getting married in Greece

A medieval town on a rock in the sea, and a peninsula of stone towers, blue waters and wild mountains. Monemvasia and Mani are two of the southern Peloponnese destinations that draw the most couples from abroad.

This guide covers what makes each place special for a wedding, where the ceremony and the reception can take place, the best time of year, and what a couple from abroad needs to get married in Greece.

Monemvasia: a town with a single entrance

Monemvasia is a town built on a rock in the sea, joined to the mainland by a single road. That is where the name comes from: moni emvasia, “single entrance”. The Lower Town, inside the walls, is still lived in. Up on the flat top of the rock sits the Byzantine Upper Town, with the 12th-century church of Agia Sofia.

Byzantines, Franks, Venetians and Ottomans all passed through here, and every stone shows it. For a wedding, that gives you cobbled alleys, stone arches, bougainvillea over the doorways and the sea around every corner.

The ceremony in Monemvasia

On the main square of the Lower Town, the one with the cannon, stands Elkomenos Christos, the most important church in the castle town. Weddings take place here, and the bride's procession through the alleys to the church is one of the loveliest sights of a Monemvasia wedding.

The ceremony falls under the Holy Metropolis of Monemvasia and Sparta, which issues the marriage licence. Start the process early, especially if one of you is coming from abroad.

The reception

There are no cars inside the Lower Town, so the reception usually takes place just outside the castle. One example is Kinsterna Hotel, a restored mansion on a large estate overlooking the castle, which hosts weddings.

Practical points for Monemvasia

• No cars. Inside the walls you get around only on foot, along cobbled alleys with steps. The bride will walk, so think about her shoes and the length of the dress in advance.
• Getting there. About four hours by car from Athens. The nearest airport is Kalamata, about two and a half hours away.
• The best time of year. May, June, September and October. In July and August temperatures climb above 30 degrees and the town fills with visitors.
• The light. The stone gets very hot at midday. The best photos come early in the morning or in the afternoon, towards sunset.

Mani: towers, stone and sea

Mani is the middle peninsula of the southern Peloponnese, and a place with real character. Stone towers from the 18th and 19th centuries, villages perched on the mountains, small harbours with crystal-clear water, and Mount Taygetos behind. For couples after wild, photogenic scenery, Mani is one of the best choices in Greece.

The places that stand out

• Areopoli. The historic capital of Mani, with stone towers and the church of the Taxiarches on its square.
• Limeni. A small fishing village with very clear water.
• Kardamyli. Stone houses running down to a pebble beach, with Mount Taygetos behind.
• Vathia. A village made almost entirely of towers.
• Gerolimenas. A small fishing village at the southern tip, a few kilometres from Tainaro.
• Cape Tainaro. The southernmost point of mainland Greece, with its lighthouse and the ruins of an ancient temple.

In Laconian Mani, Gytheio (with Marathonisi and the shipwreck) and Cape Tainaro (with its stone lighthouse at the tip of the peninsula) are among the most beautiful spots for a couple photo shoot. See our pages on Gytheio and Cape Tainaro.

Weddings and elopements in Mani

In Mani, weddings take place in stone chapels and restored towers. One example of a venue is Kyrimai Hotel in Gerolimenas, a 19th-century mansion on the old harbour, which hosts weddings. Mani is especially suited to small, private weddings and elopements, with few guests and a lot of scenery.

Practical points for Mani

• Getting there. About three hours by car from Athens. Kalamata airport is closer, about an hour and a half from Mani.
• The best time of year. May, June, September and October. In July and August temperatures can go above 35 degrees.
• The distances. The roads are narrow and mountainous. Allow plenty of time between the church, the photos and the reception.

How a couple from abroad gets married in Greece

• Religious wedding. A Greek Orthodox wedding is also legally valid. One of you must be Orthodox and the other a baptised Christian. See our guide to the Greek Orthodox wedding, step by step.
• Civil wedding. Performed by the mayor or a deputy mayor, at the town hall or an approved venue. It is the most common choice for couples from abroad.
• Documents. Foreign documents need an Apostille and an official Greek translation. The marriage is registered at the civil registry within 40 days.
• Start early. Procedures vary from one municipality to another and from one Metropolis to another. Ask the local municipality or Metropolis directly.

For more destinations, see our guide to getting married in the Peloponnese.