There is a place at the southernmost tip of Europe – dreamlike, magical and secret – cradled by idyllic vineyards, olive and fruit orchards and only a few minutes from the bright blue Aegean Sea. The Kinsterna, an impressive mansion and sprawling estate dating to the Byzantine, Ottoman and Venetian eras, has been meticulously restored and returned to its former glory with an air of discreet luxury.
With a view of the medieval fortress town of Monemvasia, which is listed among the ten most popular monuments in Greece (Tripadvisor Traveller’s Choice Awards 2018), the Byzantine-era Kinsterna mansion has been restored with the utmost respect for its long history and now is an entire settlement unto itself, with a central manor house, adjacent outbuildings, and nearby dwellings. At the same time, the owners have also set out to restore the estate’s rich natural environment, emphasizing various traditional agricultural activities such as harvesting grapes, producing olive oil, distilling tsipouro, and making soap –with the aim of making the estate as autonomous and self-sustaining as possible. Today, the Kinsterna produces its own wine, extra-virgin olive oil and table olives, tsipouro (traditional Greek spirits), bread, marmalade and other fruit preserves, soap, and much more. The fruit-bearing trees and fertile vegetable gardens, the beds of aromatic herbs and flowers, and the springs with their fresh, flowing waters all contribute to this ethos and model of sustainability.
In addition to its exciting history as a centuries-old fortified manor, today the Kinsterna is a year-round pole of attraction as a comprehensive vacation experience. Explore the mansion; stroll the pathways among the gardens, and enjoy the vivid colors and fragrant smells of the decorative and aromatic plants, herbs, and flowers (over 250 kinds); taste the fruit and other products from our vegetable gardens and orchards; visit our wine cellar; relax in the spa with locally inspired treatments, and try local specialties of Greek cuisine in a unique natural setting. A visit to Kinsterna will undoubtedly remain etched in your memory for years to come. And you will certainly return.
Each and every room is different and unique, with individualized layout, design, styling, and decoration. All the rooms and suites, however, share certain common characteristics, such as traditional hand-made embroideries on the walls, custom headboards and lamps, impressive wooden ceilings covered with herringbone-patterned reeds, luxurious marble baths, traditional wooden doors and shutters, new and antique design objects, top-quality linens and personal-care bath products. At the same time, all rooms come equipped with such modern comforts as flat-screen TV, wireless internet service, king or queen-size beds, and a choice of top-of-the-line pillows from Cocomat.
These suites will surprise you with their beauty and will lead you into a world of timeless architectural splendor. Several Junior Suites are located on the ground floor with lushly planted private verandas where you can enjoy a sumptuous breakfast with your tea or coffee. And in one of these suites, the cistern’s drain opening has been preserved, complete with stalactites. It was at this point (Junior Suite 14) that the outflow of water for the estate’s irrigation was controlled.
The remaining Junior Suites, located on the mansion’s upper floor, promise a restful stay among warm earth tones, which provide an interesting contrast with the vivid colors and aromas of the gardens outside.
A special feature of one of these suites (Junior Suite 32) is the impressive Ottoman fireplace, perhaps the oldest in the building, which creates a warm and romantic atmosphere during the chilly nights of winter.
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