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Greek summer at its finest: beautiful beaches, quaint fishing villages, endless olive groves, coastal and mountain trails with glorious views. And beyond that: ancient civilisations, Mycenaean palaces and the Gialova wetland, the only one of its kind in Greece. You’ll go hiking at Paleokastro, walk around the ruins at Neokastro and at the Methoni and Koroni castles, followed by a lovely lunch or dinner at tavernas on the water, serving fresh fish and meze. Or perhaps a round of golf?

Piece by piece, you’ll put together the puzzle that is Western Messinia. One summer on the southwestern coastline of the Peloponnese is never enough. 

What to do in Western Messinia

Paleokastro: A forgotten Frankish castle

Don’t miss the opportunity to travel on foot to this cliff-side castle, one of the many attractions you’ll encounter in Western Messinia. It’s located on the Gulf of Navarino and the view is so impressive that the locals claim, albeit rather imaginatively, that on a clear night you can see as far as the lights of Malta.

Pylos: ‘Hostess’ of the Peloponnese

The calm of today belies a troubled past in a city synonymous with the Battle of Navarino. Now it rests peacefully, built in the shape of an amphitheatre below Neokastro, reminiscent of an island hamlet. Enjoy a leisurely coffee in the shade at a traditional ‘kafenio’ in the central square of Trion Navarhon with its exotic palm trees. Visit the Archaeological Museum. Take a stroll along the coastal road and then sit down for dinner at one of its many restaurants. A little outside town, you can admire Kamares, a section of the old water tower. 

Neokastro: The impressive, listed Ottoman fortress

This is possibly one of the best-preserved fortresses in Greece and looking around it is an indescribable experience. Right in its centre is the impressive Transfiguration of the Saviour church (Metamorphosis tou Sotiros), which functioned as a mosque during Ottoman rule. It was built in 1573 and, invisible from the sea, played a key role in the famous naval Battle of Navarino.

Gialova, facing Navarino bay

The beautiful village is about six kilometres north of Pylos. The beach part of the village consists of two short streets, one fronting the Bay and the other at right angles to it, leading to the main Pylos-Kiparissia road. This part is largely touristic – bars and restaurants, shops, and the one hotel. In addition to the village beach to the south of the mole, a 1.5 kilometre long sandy beach, signposted “Golden Beach” but known as Divari to local people, starts at Gialova and continues west to Old Navarino castle.

Voidokilia beach: A semi-circular summer dream

Images of the beach under Paleokastro, with its famous bay – shaped in a perfect semicircle – have travelled the world. Incredible turquoise water and fine white sand, hidden in which you’ll find beautiful seashells.

Gialova Lagoon: A habitat for rare birds and animals

Equipped with binoculars and camera, you’ll follow the footpath that leads to the bird observatory. Gialova is an incredibly beautiful nature reserve in the Peloponnese, home to 250 species of rare birds – among them flamingos, swans and mallards. Particularly important is the presence of the African chameleon. Gialova is the only place in Europe where it survives and reproduces.

Beautiful beaches of all sizes

In Pylos, you’ll find the beach of Chrisi Akti (also known as Divari), situated in a protected area. Nearby is Voidokilia and from there until Kyparissia you’ll come across seemingly endless sandy beaches, like Mati and Lagouvardos (perfect for surfing and other water sports), as well as small and picturesque bays with deep water, such as Stomio and Filiatra. North of Voidokilia is the miraculously expansive beach of Romanos.

Methoni Castle: Guardian of the port

As soon as you set foot on the stone bridge with its 14 arches, flirting with the swell, you’ll be impressed by the castle and its imposing gate. A second and then a third gate lead you to the inside of the castle, where there was once a settlement. Among its remains is the pretty church, Transfiguration of the Saviour (Metamorphosis tou Sotiros), the Turkish Baths (dating to the 19th century), the house of Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt and the Bourtzi, founded by the Venetians in the 13th century and rebuilt by the Turks in 1500.

Methoni: Picturesque, quiet and authentic

The picturesque seaside new town of Methoni, famed for its low stone homes, one beside the other, with their lovely patios and fragrant flowers, will charm you and invite you to enjoy its beaches, cafes and restaurants.

The impregnable castle of Koroni

It was built around the same time as the castle of Methoni. Under Ottoman rule, it was considered the best-fortified castle in Messinia, if not in the entire Peloponnese. Inside the castle and on the ruins of an ancient temple dedicated to Apollo, the Byzantine church of Agia Sofia was built, next to the monastery of Timios Prodromos.

Koroni

Built in what used to be ancient Asini, modern Koroni is aristocratic and stately. With its well-preserved old stone homes and sloping streets, it has an ambience reminiscent of southern Italy. In the summer months, the coastal road overflows with coffee shops, tavernas and people, while all around, you’ll find beautiful beaches, the most popular being sandy Zanga. 

Sheltered and welcoming Finikounda

Be sure to include Finikounda on your route and stop for lunch or a coffee. Situated on a sheltered bay, surrounded by sandy beaches with shallow waters, it is ideal for families with small children. Its name derives from the Phoenicians who had trade links with the region, while the modern village was developed by Cretan immigrants around 1840.

Sphakteria: The island-protector

On this wooded islet, monuments have been erected, dedicated to the dead of the Battle of Navarino. With the caique that takes you to Sphakteria, you’ll see the small islet Helonaki (‘little tortoise’), with its monument to the British soldiers that fell in the battle.

Nestor’s Cave

That this region has been inhabited since the Neolithic period is endorsed by the findings that date back to the middle of the 6th millennium BC, found in Nestor’s Cave, located on a hill above Voidokilia beach and under Paleokastro.

Nestor’s Palace

The palace belonging to Homer’s Nestor covers an area of about two hectares and is perhaps the best-preserved Mycenaean palace in the Peloponnese identified so far. Notable finds include tablets with Linear B texts.

Chandrinou village

The semi-mountainous village of Chandrinou (previously referred to as Prophet Ilias or Ai Lias) is 13.5 kilometres from Pylos. It is built at an altitude of 309 metres and has approximately 600 permanent residents. Within the geographical limits of today’s Chandrinos (at the “Kotronakia location”), there are findings from the Neolithic period. Also, in the “Platania” site, findings dating back to the Archaic period have been discovered. In ancient times, the area was part of Nestor’s kingdom, the kingdom of ancient Pylos.

Marаthopоli village

A small fishing villаge οn thе west coast оf Pelоpοnnesе, сlose tо Navarinο bаy. The placе is known fоr its fish tаvernas wherе yοu сan eаt fresh fish and sеa foоd. Therе is no beach inside thе villаge but in the arеa there аrе many sandу beасhes which yоu can сhοosе frоm, including οne on Prоti island which is just in frοnt of Mаrathоpοli. Proti is alsо suitаble fοr snorkеling and bоat trips during which yοu саn swim in one оf its secludеd small cοves. The closеst beaсhes tо Mаrathοpoli arе Lаgоuvardοs to the nоrth (4 кm), Vrоmοnеri аnd Golden beach tо thе sοuth, at а distance of 7 and 8 κm, respесtively.