Inside the Mani

In this episode of Inside the Mani, Mat sits down with Aris Christeas, owner of Vesuvius Taverna in Ayios Nikolaos, for a wide-ranging conversation about a life shaped by adventure, music, and the sea. Born in Toronto in 1973, Aris was brought back to the Mani as a young child when his father made the spontaneous decision to return to Greece and build a restaurant on the rocks by the water - a business that would become a local institution. Before taking over the taverna, Aris carved out his own path as a DJ and owner of Diogenis, a legendary open-air club where the music shook the mountains and the circle of fire on the dance floor became the stuff of local legend. Now, with karaoke nights, full moon parties, and a menu rooted in Greek tradition, Aris continues to bring creativity and passion to everything he does.

In this episode Mat sits down with his longtime friend Alison Schofield, who first arrived in Stoupa in 1993 as a 21-year-old holiday rep after unexpectedly being reassigned from Lesbos. Alison paints a rich picture of a quieter, undiscovered Stoupa, the tight-knit community and reminisces about the now-gone hot spots of the time.

In this episode, Matt sits down with Bjarne - the Norwegian founder of the Kardamyli International Jazz Festival — now in its remarkable 12th year. Recorded at Lisa's Bistro, just a stone's throw from the festival office on Kardamyli's main high street.

An introduction to the Inside the Mani podcast crew, presenter Mat the and producer Jeff. Mat explains the backstory of his print publication — an annual magazine and guidebook he ran for 15 years, and its digital 'rebirth as a podcast and a new website. They discuss their 'origin stories' and vision for the podcast - moving beyond typical travel-guide content to capture in-depth personal stories from the diverse community of people who live in and are drawn to the Mani. Become a member and explore deeper Inside the Mani