Overview

Messinia, at the southwestern end of the Peloponese is one the loveliest corners of  Greece and one of the least discovered by travelers, foreign as well as Greek.

The main reason for that is the two access roads to the region, the western coastal road south from Patras and the inland access road from Tripoli: they are narrow, slow, two-lane secondary roads and it usually takes as long to reach Kalamata from Tripoli as it takes to reach Tripoli from Athens, which is thrice the distance. That is a great pity because Messinia is one of the best spots of the country.

It is covered with olive groves and gardens and the villages are some of the most picturesque and well-preserved traditional villages in the country. The eastern shore of the Messinian bay is spectacular, with the western slopes of the Taygetos mountain plunging into the crystal clear waters of the bay, and the medieval castle-towns of Mani dotting its southern end. The western shore of the bay and the Ionian shore of Messinia are mostly lowlands with lovely sandy beaches and wonderful little fishing villages.

Messinia is a quiet, family-oriented destination, that offers spectacular landscapes, affordable prices, and some of the best beaches in Greece. In addition, the region is one of the major olive oil-producing regions of the country and home of the world famous Kalamata olive. It is also a major agricultural region, mainly of produce, due to its year-round extremely mild weather.

The region spent Classical antiquity subjugated by Sparta and its people were enslaved for hundreds of years. Although the Spartans were brutal masters and the best regular army of its time, the Messinians staged frequent revolts, only to be drowned in blood.

During the Peloponesian War between Sparta and Athens, the Athenian navy occupied the island of Sfacteria, which blocks the entrance to the bay of Navarino, and took prisoner the island's garrison of about 300 Spartan regulars. With the help of  Messinian citizens, the Athenians held off repeated Spartan attempts to take the island and kick their enemies off the southern Peloponese.