The beautiful Greek seaside town just as pretty as Mykonos you may have never heard of

Gythio, also Gytheio, is a town located on the eastern shore of the Mani Peninsula in the Peloponnese of mainland . Arguably just as pretty as , Mykonos and , you can be safe in the knowledge you will not be vying for the best photography spots in Gythio.

Constructed on the hillslopes around a natural bay, Gythio is the largest town in the region and ticks all the boxes for the perfect Greek holiday - , seaside tavernas, bars and sightseeing opportunities.

Stroll around the elegant mansions, beginning at Town Hall Square and the municipal building, designed by Ernst Ziller, a major designer of royal and municipal buildings in Athens, and finished in 1891.

The of Dimitros is probably the most famous location, found in a picturesque spot on an easily accessible beach - Selinitsa - near Gythio. There are many rumours about the ship's origins and how it came to be stranded.

Most claim that the ship used to smuggle cigarettes between Turkey and Italy, and she was seized and deliberately released by port authorities and dragged by the sea to her final resting place in 1981. She was then set on fire to hide any evidence. Another, less common, rumour speaks of a of unknown origins.

Another popular beach is Mavrovouni beach, a partly-organised, family friendly, sandy beach. It has lots of facilities and different kinds of water sports, but with this comes larger crowds. For a more secluded spot, head to Skoutari beach, another sandy beach eight miles from the town.

The historical lighthouse of Gythio is also a must-see, lying on Kranae islet. It is made of white marble and is 25 metres high, while the height of its focal plane is about 78 metres. It was built in 1873 and from 1989 it houses the Maritime Museum that displays items of the long nautical history of the town and the wider region.

The Diros Caves, half an hour's drive southwest, are one of the most important natural sites in Greece and are open to the public, offering organised tours on a route with a total length of 1,500 metres, of which 1,200 are via a boat across a lake.

Located on a hill above the town lies the ancient theatre of Gythio, which was originally built in times. Today, it hosts many cultural events and festivals during the summer. The most famous church is Agios Petros, with its bright red-orange roof and turquoise trims, found right in front of the harbour on Kranae.

It was the seaport of Ancient Sparta, which lies approximately 25 miles north of it. It is the site of ancient Kranae, a tiny island where, according to myth, Paris and Helen spent their first night together before departing for Troy in present-day .

Gythio maintained its position as an important port until it was destroyed in the fourth century AD, possibly by an , though its strategic location continued to give it a significant role in Maniot - the ethnic subgroup that inhabited the peninsula - history.

There are many restaurants and tavernas to choose from selling tasteful traditional dishes, including seafood dishes at Saga Fish Restaurant and Kali Kardia, offering a wide variety of classic and original appetisers and Greek meats. There are also plenty of other food stops, including cafes and pizzerias.

For those wanting to drive to Gythio, one can take the National Highway that links to Corinth, after which you take the Highway to Tripoli and then to Sparti. The distance from Athens is about 168 miles.

There is no airport in Gythio, helping the area maintain its hidden gem status. The nearest airport is found in Kalamata, which only operates during the summer, and receives charter flights from abroad. The airport of Athens receives more all year round.

The port of Gythio is small and serves only a few ferry connections, including from Kissamos port in western Crete via Kythira and Antikythera. This ferry operates all year round, three times a week, connecting the Peloponnese with .

One visitor on Tripadvisor described Gythio as a "beautiful place to relax", while another said it was "worth a short visit".