The people of Mani believe themselves to be the descendants of the ancient Spartans.....

....and have the honor of living on the land that was never 
occupied by enemy forces during the 400 year Ottoman 
occupation of Greece. 
Once we drove to Mani, it was easy to see why. 
The land is inhospitable and progress is slow through 
the meandering passages between towering mountains, 
where stone houses hang precariously high on the tops. 
Each stone house was built like a fortress with tall watch 
towers that would make any opposing force pay a price for attacking it.
Greece