Listen to the locals! Wise counsel, which is leading me down new roads (literally). When I had lunch with friends in Barsinikos, I mentioned to Christos (a native of the area) that I was trying to determine where my great-grandfather, Andreas Kostakos, may have lived before he was in Agios Ioannis in 1844. With waving arms and rapid Greek, he said, Anavryti and Perganteika (these are two villages on top of the Taygetos mountains). I was a bit stunned; my cousins had said Anavryti, but there was never a mention of Perganteika. So I replied in a nice manner, “But how do you know that?” Christos looked at me incredulously (how could I possibly doubt him?) and went into a long and animated explanation about how a man would settle in a certain area, have children, and then those children would populate the area; and, that a small settlement (not a village) would be formed by a couple of families. Therefore, the origin of specific families is known.

During the Ottoman occupation, families fled to the high mountains where they lived in ways that are unimaginable to me. After the Revolution of 1821, they began to descend into the valleys where the land was fertile and flat.  When I told Christos that Andreas Kostakos was listed in the 1844 Election Rolls as living in Agios Ioannis (in the valley), he said that by that time, he had already come down from the mountain.

1844 Election Rolls, LADA Collection; Line 1205: Andreas Kostakos age 35, indigenous; owns property; village Agios Ioannis

Location of Perganteika:  it is above and over the mountain from Anavryti; Agios Ioannis is in the valley. Seeing it on a topographical map, it is easier to understand how Andreas followed the pattern of descending from the highest to the lowest location after the Revolution.

Perganteika, in relation to Anavryti and Agios Ioannis

Christos’ words have been weighing on me for two weeks, and I resolved to go to the now deserted settlement of Perganteika. How could I not go if my great-grandfather could have been from there? So this afternoon, I left the flat terrain of Agios Ioannis and headed up the mountain.

Anavryti is an historic village situated near the top of one of the Taygetos mountains. Prior to a road constructed in 1980, it could be reached only by foot or donkey. The white spaghetti-looking lines on the map above are the switchback roads, with hairpin turns providing magnificent views of the valley below.

Leaving the valley on the road to Anavryti

Almost to Anavryti; almost to the mountain top

When I entered the village, I stopped to take photos. The owner of a taverna which overlooked the valley came to say hello, and I asked him where I could find the road to Perganteika. He said to go through town and when the road dead ended to turn left, and when I reached a fork in the road with a steep turn, to go right. Then he looked at my Honda Civic, shook his head and said, “not in that car. With a Jeep, maybe.” I had heard that there was a church service in Perganteika the previous Sunday so I completely disregarded his caution, thanked him, and kept going. The road through Anavryti is paved stone; very narrow; with homes so close you can almost touch them from your car window.

The road in the village

Every mountain village has fountains where cold, pure mountain water flows continuously. Villagers and hikers fill their water bottles. This fountain was donated by the Katsichtis family and is at the edge of town.

Fountain of Anavryti.

Towards the end of the village, the road changed from stone to asphalt, still narrow, still winding, but easily driveable. It wasn’t long before the road dead-ended and I came to a sign. The dark blue addendum with the left-pointing arrow proved the taverna owner was correct and that I was going the right way.

Immediately, the road changed. It became narrower. The asphalt became rougher and big ruts appeared randomly. There was a steep drop-off so I had to stay far from the edge. Donkey droppings were everywhere; they are still part of life in the high mountains. Here, in the middle of nowhere, a truck appeared. I stopped and asked the men where they were going. I thought that if they were headed to Perganteika I could follow them, but they waved me off and muttered something in Greek which I could not understand.

Drop off

I was doing great! The road was not bad and I was feeling a bit smug about ignoring the taverna owner and forging ahead. Until I got to the fork in the road where I was to turn right. I started on the hairpin turn and stopped. No way could I go any farther in a Honda Civic. The pavement ended and ahead there was nothing but rock.

The rock road to Perganteika

I considered leaving the car and walking, but the map showed Perganteika was 4.2 km and I was wearing sandals. I ventured a bit by foot but the road worsened as it continued. It wasn’t going to happen today. Disappointed, I headed back towards Anavryti. I decided to go to the Faneromenis Monastery, just 2 km from the road into Anavryti. Although there are thousands of churches in remote and uninhabited places, I continue to be amazed whenever I find one. Despite their lonely habitat and disuse, they are decorated with beautiful icons.

Agios Stratigos

Once again, the passable road ended at the monastery. I would have liked to continue towards Mystras, but the road became a steep gravel path descending precipitously down the mountain. Not in a Honda Civic! That’s when I realized that the road was maintained for the monastery. I turned around again and drove back to Anavryti.

Faneromenis Monastery; a lovely but lonely edifice in the wilderness

No village stopover is complete without a visit to the cemetery. Cemeteries in Laconia are lovely memorials to loved ones. White marble crypts are decorated with flowers  and photos. With the mountains as backdrop, they are peaceful and spiritual resting places.

Cemetery in Anavryti

Next summer, I am renting a Jeep and bringing walking shoes. I will get to Perganteika. How can I not go?