Mantzavinata is a village in the southwest of Kefalonia

Kefalonia

The island of Cephalonia, also known as Kefalonia, Cephallenia, Cephallonia, Kefallinia, or Kefallonia , is the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece, with an area of . It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit...

, Greece

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

, where the famous Mantzavino Vine is sold. Mantzavinata is 4 km southwest of Lixouri

Lixouri

Lixouri is the main town on the peninsula of Paliki in the island of Kefalonia, one of the Ionian Islands of western Greece. Lixouri is the second largest community in Kefalonia after Argostoli and before Sami and is the capital of the small peninsula...

 on the peninsula Paliki

Paliki

Paliki is a peninsula and a former municipality on the island of Kefalonia, Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Kefalonia, of which it is a municipal unit. The name comes from the ancient town of Pale/Pali, which was north of Lixouri and is...

. Mantzavinata has three churches and a small square (plateia

Plateia

Plateia or platia is the Greek word for town square. Most Greek and Cypriot cities have several town squares which are a point of reference in travelling and guiding...

) called Lemonata. In Mantzavinata takes place the famous wine festival in August.

Geography

The area around Mantzavinata are surrounded by hills and features groves. Farmlands are around the area which makes agriculture the main industry in Mantzavinata while tourism dominates the beach area. The islet of Vardiani can be seen to the south as well as Akrotiri and the western part of Livathos and western Argostoli

Argostoli

Argostoli is a town and a former municipality on the island of Kefalonia, Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Kefalonia, of which it is a municipal unit...

 and Mount Aenos and its nearest mountains in the rest of the island.

History

The Maspali hill was maybe an ancient acropolis. At Vazza, a Roman mosaic was found and is displayed today at the Archaeological Museum of Kefalonia.

Until the 1940s, Mantzavinata was an important centre of wine and raisin producers. World war II and the complete destruction of the village in the August 1953 earthquake increased emigration. It took until the mid-1950s to rebuilt the village, electricity and communications later arrived in the 1960s. The community of Katogi (Κατωγή) had its seat in Matzaviata.

The former farmland around Mantzavinata is popular for house building because of its beautiful landscape and view. Today many families built also their new homes outside of the center near to the beaches Xi

Xi Beach

Xi Beach is situated in the south of the Paliki peninsula of Kefalonia, Greece and part of the district Mantzavinata near the town Lixouri.- Location :Its location can be seen in Google Maps ....

 and Mania. This new settlement is called after the cape Akrotiri and is also known as Kounopetra.

Name

The name Mantzavinata comes from the Italian words mangiare (eat) and vino (wine), -ata is the typical ending for places in Kefalonia. Mantzavinata had several persons with the surname Mantzaviatos, one of them founded a subdivision in Patras

Patras

Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...

 and is known as Mantzavineika

Mantzavineika

Mantzavineika, older: Mantzavinaiika is a neighbourhood in the eastern part of the city of Patras northeast of the Ancient Odeon. The origin of the name comes from the family of Patras, Mantzavini which lived in Sotiradi and Pantokratoros Streets...

, another the Mantzavinateio Hospital in Lixouri.

Subdivisions

• Kounopetra, southwest (not listed since there is no municipal offices)
• Vardianoi, former Guardiani. Islet south of Kounoupetra owned by the Kipouria monastery

Nearest places

These nearest places are ordered clockwise:

• Vouni, west (distance: approximately 1 km)
• Soulari, northeast (distance:L approximately 1 km)
• Xi
  Xi Beach
  Xi Beach is situated in the south of the Paliki peninsula of Kefalonia, Greece and part of the district Mantzavinata near the town Lixouri.- Location :Its location can be seen in Google Maps ....
  
   beach, south (distance: approximately 1 km)
• Kounopetra, southwest (distance: approximately 4 km)

Population

Year	Population
1981	309
1991	269
2001	249

External links

• Mantzavinata on GTP Travel Pages (in English and Greek)