Surroundings
Location of Messinía
The map of the Peloponnese resembles a large hand with 3 fingers and a thumb. The leftmost, western finger is the province of Messinía, with its capital Kalamata. The middle finger is called Máni. The northwestern part of the province of Máni also belongs to the province of Messinía.
Temperature:
Messinia has the mildest climate on the Greek mainland with many hours of sunshine. The mild climate and the many hours of sunshine ensure an extremely fertile landscape.
April and May are certainly the most beautiful months because the many plants and trees are in bloom, the sea is usually warm enough for swimming, and many mountain tops are still covered in snow. The summer months are pleasantly busy, because many Greeks also celebrate their holidays in this area.
The months of September and October are wonderful because the peace has returned. The residents come out of their houses to enjoy the wonderful weather. The sea is then wonderfully warmed up.
Messinia also lends itself well to overwintering. The months of November to February are roughly comparable to the climate in southern Spain, Tunisia and Turkey. The period from mid-November to the end of December normally accounts for about 60% of the total annual rainfall.
Average Maximum temperatures
| January | 14 |
| February | 14 |
| March | 16 |
| April | 20 |
| May | 25 |
| June | 30 |
| July | 33.5 |
| August | 33 |
| September | 27 |
| October | 23 |
| November | 18.5 |
| December | 15.5 |
What to do in the area?
Hiking
There are many beautiful hiking trails in Messinia. Hiking area par excellence.
Tip: the Polilimnio waterfalls, a beautiful area with many lakes and waterfalls.
Make free use of our hiking guide Endaxi. It is also possible to take a nice walk with Peter.
Mountain biking
The entire area is ideal for exploring on mountain bike. You must be practiced because of height differences. Bicycles can be rented in Finikounda.
Play golf
Between Pylos and Gialova are the Costa Navarino Golf Courses, with a beautiful location surrounded by greenery and by the sea.
Surfing
Surf school Alpha Watersports is located on the beautiful wide Anemomilos sandy beach of Finikounda.
Sailing
You can rent a boat from Finidivers in Finikounda, to sail to the beautiful hidden beaches, such as Marathi & Tsapi or to go snorkeling.
Local skippers can usually be found in the port of Finikounda and offer boat trips to the beautiful islands of Schiza, Aghia Marina, and Sapientza.
Pyloscruises is located in the port of Pylos. You can rent a boat here or book a boat cruise.
Sailing
In Kalamata at Messinia Sailing they have various options for sailing trips and fishing trips.
Shopping
There are plenty of shopping opportunities in Kalamata.
Sun, sea and beach
The whole coast of Messinia is dotted with beautiful beaches.
Deserted quiet bays or busier hip beaches with nice beach clubs. So plenty of choice for everyone.
The beach beds are often free if you order a drink.
Villages and towns in Messinía
There are several nice villages and towns in the area. In the south you will find, for example, Methoni (Venetian port), Finikounda, Pylos with its bay of Navarino, Palace of Nestor and the square with beautiful plane trees. If you drive north, you will arrive in Chrani, Petalidi with its lovely square and Kalamata, the capital of Messinía, with the cathedral, the archaeological museum and the lively daily market.
Finikounda
Finikounda is a very popular seaside resort with the Greeks and foreigners. The buildings have remained small and picturesque. Finikounda is located between Methoni and Koroni.
From Zizani you drive through the olive groves and then you see Finikounda with the beautiful blue sea in the distance. This trip of about fifteen minutes is great every time, you imagine yourself in unspoilt and beautiful Greece.
Finikounda has an abundance of outstanding natural beauty and some of the best beaches in all of Greece. It is a very charming fishing village with a small harbor and its own beach. The taverns are on the beach (eat with your feet in the sand!). Here you can enjoy the warm Greek hospitality, the local specialties (ask for it!) and of course the local wine. The atmospheric shopping street is pleasantly busy in the summer and the meeting place for the people of the village in the evening. There are several supermarkets, butchers, bakers and there are plenty of good and cheap taverns.
There are several beautiful long, wide sandy beaches around Finikounda with several beach clubs. On Lambes beach there is even one with a swimming pool where you can spend the whole day enjoying a snack and a drink. The long, wide Anemomilos beach is perfect for surfing.
Local skippers, usually located at the port of Finikounda, offer boat trips to the beautiful islands of Schiza, Aghia Marina, and Sapientza.
Kalamata
Kalamata is located at the foot of the impressive Taygetos Mountains and is the capital of the department of Messinia, it is a modern city. It is about 50 km from Zizani and you drive about an hour.
At Kalamata is the only airport of the Peloponnese. You can also find a Lidl near the airport.
Kalamata can be divided into 3 parts; the boulevard with the harbor, the shopping center and the old town around the castle. A new bike path runs along the boulevard of Kalamata, the bike path runs along the entire boulevard up to the center of Kalamata.
There is a pleasant shopping center, you can shop well; there are jewelry stores, leather stores, shoe stores and clothing stores. There are also plenty of souvenir shops. The opening hours of the shops are from 09:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 19:00.
Kalamata is known for its succulent black olives, honey figs and the sesame-seed covered sweet called “Pastelli”.
The city of Kalamata is dominated by its beautiful 13th century castle, where many cultural events take place. From the castle you can view the wide sea with the beautiful beaches or focus your gaze on the deep green land. The castle is closed on Mondays. Just below the castle you will find the Ypapanti; the Cathedral of Kalamata from 1839. The city has many churches, including Agii Apostoli from the 13th century. This is where the Greek Revolution against the Turks began on March 23, 1821.
The evening and nightlife often takes place along the boulevard in the many bars and taverns.
Koroni
The cozy picturesque harbor town is located in the extreme southwest of the province of Messinía on the Gulf of Messini. Koroni used to be called, together with Methoni, “The eyes of Venice”. It is located at the foot of a Venetian castle built in 1206.
The town itself (1830) is built against the hill and is attractively divided by narrow streets, which are connected by alleys and stairs, which provide beautiful views of the harbor and the sea. The shutters and wrought iron balconies on the houses provide an authentic Greek atmosphere. It has several beaches and a lovely boulevard with many terraces and taverns.
Along the quay are many cozy restaurants and cafeterias and a nice boulevard. Ideal for a nice fish lunch. It is more than worth walking through the narrow streets and
Tips:
- There is a large supermarket (Sipsas) just before Koroni.
- Delicious food or drinks on a terrace by the water.
- Beautiful pictures to take from the castle.
Gialova
Gialova is located just past Pylos on Navarino bay. Gialova is a pleasant village in a beautiful setting. It is a popular holiday destination especially for golfers.
Between Pylos and Gialova is 1 of the 2 golf courses of the Costa Navarino Golf & Navarino Bay Golf Course. There is a beach boulevard with taverns, restaurants, bars and shops. From the terraces you have a beautiful view of the bay and Pylos.
About 6 km further you will find the beautiful Voidokilia beach. This beach can be characterized as one of the most beautiful beaches of the Peloponnese. The sandy beach is located in a horseshoe-shaped bay along the southwest coast of Voidokilia, which is a bit hidden and protected from strong winds from the south and north. In the bay the sea water is shallow for a long time and also crystal clear. A child-friendly sandy beach, however, there are no facilities on the beach. So bring enough food and drinks and chairs and a parasol. There are no natural shady spots along and on the beach and it can therefore get quite hot. For the beautiful view of the bay of Voidokilia you can go to the Paleokastro fortress on the south side of the beach.
Pylos
Pylos (Pilos) is a cozy idyllic harbor town in the north of the bay of Navarino. Pylos is located on the slopes of two hills, at the bottom of the hill are the harbor and marina. The view is breathtaking as you enter the city!
The elongated island of Sfaktiría is imposing and protective of the bay, forming one of the largest natural harbors in the Mediterranean. In the center many villagers come from the surrounding villages.
There is a lot of nice shops in the center and the streets around it. The square in the center is called Platia ton Trion Navarchon and is lined by neoclassical houses. There are many cafes with terraces under the huge plane trees where you can relax and enjoy the Greek life in and around the square.
At Pylos, in the direction of Methoni, is the impressive Castle of Pylos, the Neokastro.
There is a small archaeological museum with, among other things, beautifully polished hand axes from prehistoric times and a beautiful glass bowl from Roman times.
It is very nice to take Pylos as a stopover when you are on your way to Gialova. You can then enjoy a Frappe among the Greeks at a terrace on the Plein. Check out the shops and continue on your way.
Methoni
Methoni is a historic town in the southwest of the province of Messinía. It is about a 20 minute drive from Zizani. The bay and sandy beach of Methoni is a popular holiday destination in the summer. Methoni has a cozy village center and is located between Finikounda and Pylos.
Here is one of the most impressive Venetian castles of the medieval period. The castle was built on a peninsula in the 13th century. When you come from Finikounda you will see, from very far, the peninsula with the imposing castle on it.
The Bourtzi tower at the end of the peninsula can be reached via the stone bridge. In the fortress they built a minaret and a hammam. The fort forms a romantic beach backdrop. The inner garden of the somewhat dilapidated fortress is worth a visit (admission free, open daily from 09:00 to 15:00).
Opposite the fortress on the beach is a pleasant square with many terraces of various cafes and taverns. There is also a children’s playground and an information kiosk. The natural harbor of Methoni attracts more and more sailors, the bay provides good shelter and the view is beautiful. From the harbor it is a short walk to the old town, which gives the many small shops a cozy Greek authentic atmosphere.