Inside the Mani explores the Mani region of Greece through conversations with locals, foreigners and people who visited and decided to stay. It moves beyond typical travel-brochure coverage to share firsthand stories, personal histories and local perspectives. The show is presented in English and focuses on the real lives and experiences that shape this part of Greece.
Επεισόδια
012: Building the Future - with Professor Pavlos Eleftheriadis
As uncertainty and heated debate surround Mani's building rules, Inside the Mani talks to law professor Pavlos Eleftheriadis who sketches a future where the region's landscape and heritage are safeguarded, residents' worries are heard, and a proper plan, fair compensation, and social housing make development sustainable and land rights clear for everyon
011: Gimme Shelter - with Bee Huskisson
We speak to Bee Huskisson, president of animal welfare organization MIAO. With more stray dogs and cats in Greece than humans, the task is both daunting and solutions complex. Poisoning and abandonment need to be replaced by education and adoption, helped by the construction of a new shelter.
https://www.miao-mani.com/en/
EP010: Summer or Winter? - Mat and Jeff
Mat and Jeff compare summer versus winter in Greece's Mani peninsula. They discuss overtourism, traffic congestion, water shortages, and winter's quieter beauty. Matt admits developing "thermophobia"; Jeff prefers summer's buzz. They note fewer tavernas staying open in winter now, likely due to economic pressures, and debate visible climate shifts.
Epi
009: Crossing Canes - with Mic Fleming
We talk to 83 year old historian and writer Mic Fleming - about his passion for Byzantine churches, tower houses, and Greece in general. A former US Army captain in Vietnam, Mic talks about the Allied troops who escaped through Mani in WW2, and his playful "cane-crossing" duels with elderly villagers
Sponsored by http://ManiMoney.gr
008: The Horses Trust - with Ben Blant and Stavroula Cheila
Mat catches up with friends Ben and Stavroula, a couple living near Delphinia Beach, about the unexpected journey that led them to establish the Delphinia Horses Trust. They discuss rescuing three horses, the daily realities of their care, and the practical struggles involved. They also reveal how they met, their life together in the Mani, their creativ
007: Hoop Dreams - with Yanno Xanthopoulos
Mat sits down with basketball player Yanno Xanthopoulos, who grew up in Mani before chasing a professional career. Yano discusses playing for Greece's U20 team at Eurobasket 2026 in Slovenia, his injury setbacks, a Princeton scholarship lost to a fracture, a tough year in Canada, and finally earning a Division 1 scholarship at the University of New Hamp
006: Do you need to speak Greek? - Mat and Jeff
Can you ever truly belong somewhere without learning its language? Mat and Jeff take on this divisive question, confessing they've both stalled in their Greek despite years of trying. Is that a failure, or just reality? Should locals expect foreigners to make and effort, or is politeness enough? Join us as we look at all sides of argument.
005: The Voice... of Mani
Mat and producer Jeff chat with singer-waiter Giannis "Johny" Diskos, a two-time Voice of Greece contestant working summers at Patriko in Stoupa. Johny discusses his Mani roots, musical training, flawless English singing accent, and the surprising truths behind reality TV production. He shares plans for an eclectic debut release and closes the episode w
004: Tragedy, tremors and tranquility
Mat interviews his 88-year-old mother Glenda, a lifelong Hellenophile and classics teacher who stumbled upon Stoupa in 1986 and never looked back. From earthquake-hit Kalamata to a permanent stone house in the Mani, Glenda shares 40 years of memories, beloved local friendships, and an unwavering belief that this corner of Greece is simply the finest pla
003: Ring Of Fire
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
002: Stoupa in the 1990's
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.
001: All that jazz
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.
000: Introducing....
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-guid
