The harsh landscapes of the south of the peninsula give way, in stark contrast, to the verdant banks of the finest coastline in the Peloponnese. Pleasant and varied, the road winds between the bare foothills of the Taygetus and the blue waters of the Gulf of Messina, which may well tempt you in for a swim. Numerous Byzantine chapels are dotted along the roadside, some of them open to visitors. Stop at Limeni, a small fishing port in a superb creek.