Citta dei Nicliani

Why we like Citta dei Nicliani

Citta dei Nicliani must be one of Greece’s best-kept secrets – a heavenly hideaway tucked behind an old church and up a cobbled path in the village of Cita. The welcome from Panos is akin to the greeting from a long lost relative, and before you know it you are sitting down to a Greek Moussaka, made by Panos’ father, the resident chef. It is no surprise that he used to run a top restaurant in Athens. Fresh fish and traditional Greek family recipes accompanied by carefully selected wines for dinner and homemade jams and bread, with omelettes for breakfast, the menus are all delicious and a particular highlight.

This is unpretentious luxury with immaculate attention to detail (from pristine linens to flavoured salts from over 50 countries) where everything is tailored to each guest’s needs, be it advice on which secret cove to visit the next day or what’s on the menu. And we love the intimate atmosphere where guests mingle and swap stories on the terrace before dinner.

Facilities

This family-run hotel centres around a large, leafy courtyard where authentic dining experiences take place. All en-suite rooms (double beds only) feature engravings and paintings by local artists, dramatic stonewalls and are fitted with terracotta tiles or wooden floors. The hotel does not have it’s own swimming pool however there are beaches within an hour’s drive or a public swimming pool close to the hotel.

Activities

The region of Mani is ideal for hiking in the beautiful canyons and pathways, alternatively visit the local markets on the doorstep. Enjoy sampling the hotel’s impressive collection of over 100 Greek wines or visit the local wineries in the Nemea region. A complimentary activity is visiting a local olive oil press where you can view the production of the famous Greek Olive Oil.