Peloponnesian Mountains

The long ridge of Taygetus divides Messenia from Laconia, rising above deep gorges and wooded slopes. Black pine and Greek fir grow in its mountain forests, while the heights hold snow through much of the winter. The Nedon and Langada gorges separate northern Taygetus from the higher central massif. Farther south, the Vyros gorge descends towards the Messenian Gulf, below the mountains that shelter the settlements of Mani.