Navarino Coast

The beaches in Navarino are some of the nicest of the Peloponnese. In this corner of Greece you will still find many areas where mass tourism hasn’t arrived yet and only few people get to see. The tourism is a rather high-end one since many resort sand hotels are some of the most luxurious in the whole world. Here are the best beaches if you are visiting this part of Greece.

{gallery}Navarino-coast/Spiagge/{/gallery}

Voidokilia Beach - Unequipped sandy beach

We are facing one of the most beautiful beaches in the whole Mediterranean . Its shape is very reminiscent of the omega letters of the Greek alphabet, and the circle is so perfect that it seems drawn with a compass. From a naturalistic point of view, it is a real spectacle: a long tongue of white sand , with shallow waters , sheltered by the sand dunes that separate it from the lagoon which is located at his shoulders. The shallow waters, the color of the sand which in some places tends to pink , the context of the bay, is very reminiscent of the context of the coral atolls of the Pacific Ocean.

The beach of Voidokilia is positioned close to the castle of Paliokastro , from which you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the gulf and the rest of the Peloponnese. The beach is not equipped so it is recommended to bring water, an umbrella and a snack, as no service is present. It is also one of the favorite beaches of the Caretta Caretta turtle for spawning.

The beach is easily accessible by car from the village of Pylos, which is only 12 km away , can be reached by passing through the village of Petrochori.

Divari Beach - Sandy beach - equipped

Another wonderful bay is this one of Divari beach , well sheltered from the winds thanks to its conformation, where even during on windy days you can bathe and rest on the beach in complete relaxation, undisturbed by the gusts of wind that often hit Greece in the summer months. The beach has a fine golden sand , shallow waters, and guarantees all the services of a equipped beach as there are some kiosks where you can buy snacks and drinks, as well as than renting sun beds and umbrellas : which are often included in the cost of consumption .

One of the most beautiful points of the beach is located towards the end , where the dirt beach part begins: there are no services here, so you will have to get there equipped with umbrella and water if you want to spend the day there. At this point, however, the wind is almost completely absent so the sea reminds us of a perfect lagoon , and is often much less crowded in the summer months. Furthermore, from this point of the beach it is possible to reach on foot and with a short swim of about 50 meters, the islet of Sfacteria, where you can swim in a sandy island beach.

Glossa Beach - Sandy and pebbly beach- not equipped

Glossa beach is a cove located behind Voidikilia beach : an almost lonely corner with sand with some pebbles and decidedly low bottoms, easily accessible on foot after parking the car along the dirt road that leads to the end of Voidikilia beach. There is no type of service , so to spend a day on the beach we recommend that you equip yourself with water and an umbrella. Suitable for nudism .

Romanos Beach - Sandy and pebbly beach - equipped

Long equipped pebble beach with a tavern on the beach where you can rent sunbeds and umbrellas , which are mostly included in the cost of consumption or in any case at very low figures (between € 5 and € 8 per day for umbrella and two beds). During the summer months it is often very crowded , but you just have to move a hundred meters, and you will find yourself alone , or in any case in the company of very few people, with the show of the sea ​​in front of you.

Characteristic are the pine trees close to the beach , they can guarantee shade especially during the hottest hours of the day.

Petrochori Beach Sandy beach - equipped

Immediately after Romanos beach, about one km south, you meet this small beach with fine sand almost like talcum powder , and shallow waters . In fact, the beach slopes gently, therefore suitable for swimming with children as the seabed is low for several meters off. There are two beach bars behind the beach two that offer fresh drinks and some snacks as well as a good tavern . The beach is equipped with sun beds and umbrellas : beware of the small enclosures on the beach, under these there are turtle eggs. Recommended for families with children.

Navarino is part of Messenia, a rich region with over 4500 years of history that has many things to see and do. Of course in this area there are many cultural activities to take part in(wine and olive oil tasting, traditional Greek cooking lesson and walks across old and historical paths), sports to practice and beaches to explore. There are also the main cities of Messinia, Kalamata, Kardamyli Gytheio and Olympia. You will certainly find an activity to choose from.

{gallery}Navarino-coast/CosaFare/{/gallery}

Ancient Messene

The old part of Messene is very close to Navarino. The city ruins are still in pretty good conditions and once inside you will see fortresses, public spaces where the ancient Greeks used to gather and the remains of old buildings.

Neokastro

Built during the Turkish invasion of 1573, Neokastro is a well preserved fortified castle. It also has a citadel surrounding it, a mosque that was then converted into a church and a nice courtyard. There is also a museum on marine archeology where you can admire the remains of many ships of the past.

Polilimnio

Polilimnio is one of Greece’s less known and most underrated attractions. This is a natural paradise with lush nature, lakes and waterfalls. Kardoula lake is especially unique as it has the shape of a heart and many couples go there for a relaxing swim after a long excursion. We recommend you don’t spend too much time in one lake as there are a total of 15 lakes nearby, all worth seeing.

Voidokilia Beach

Thanks to its unique geological formation Voidokilia is one of Navarino’s nicest beaches. It has the shape of the Greek letter Omega, it is covered in fine sand, surrounded by crystal clear waters and it is the perfect place for enjoying a relaxing day by the beach. There is also a path nearby that will lead you King Nestor’s cave, the place where according to Greek mythology the king had hidden all his animals. Further on you will encounter the ruins of Paliokastro and the tomb of Thrasymedes. Next to the beach there is also the Gialova lagoon, a natural ecosystem that is home to more than 270 species of birds and many other animals.

Methoni

Methoni is famous for its castle that dates back to the VII century A.C. and has resisted to the many invasions over the course of the years. While there we recommend you also the Bourtzi, that used to be used as a prison and as the center of executions.

Olympia

Olympia is one of the region’s most famous sites. Luckily it is less than an hour away from Navarino. Enjoy a nice walk through the ruins of the old stadium where athletes used to train and compete or in the temples dedicated to Hera and Zeus. There is also a nice history museum in Olympia where you can see and discover all the secrets of this old city.

Proti island

Proti island is only 1,2 km away from the port of Marathopoli. According to Greek mythology the name of the island comes from the god of the sea Proteus, Poseidon’s son. Nowadays the island is considered very important under an archeological point of view. It is an excellent choice if you are thinking to take part in a day trip. On the island you will also find the beautiful beach of Vourlia, covered in white sand and the perfect spot where to practice some scuba diving.

For moving around Navarino we recommend you use a car. There are a few alternatives to choose from: you can use your own vehicle and arrive in Igoumenitsa, or even better at Patrasso, before reaching Navarino. This is certainly cheaper than renting a vehicle at the airport or in Navarino.

Renting a car in the airports of Kalamata or Athens

Probably the best options that you can choose from when moving around Navarino is to rent a car. The best place where to rent it is in the airports of Kalamata and Athens.

Renting a car in Patrasso’s port

Are you planning to reach Navarino by ferry but without a vehicle? No problems, you can always rent a vehicle directly in the port of Igoumenitsa.

Navarino doesn’t have an airport buti t is still well connected to the neraby international airport of Kalamata, where airplanes from all over Europe. Otherwise you can also reach it by ferry.

Reaching Navarino by plane

As previously said, the airport of Kalamata is the closest from Navarino and once you land there you can directly rent a vehicle that will get you to Navarino in just an hour. Otherwise after you have landed you can take a KTEL bus that from Kalamata’s airport will take you to Pylos (Navarino).

Here you can find the timetables under Kalamata–Pylos. Otherwise you can land in the international airport of Athens and reach Navarino after having rented a vehicle. The journey lasts about 3 hours and there are 270 km dividing the two localities.

Otherwise after having landed you will reach the bus stop in front of Sofitel: from here you will take the bus X93 that will take you to Athens’ bus station where you will take a second bus to Navarino. Be careful about the timetables in order to avoid bad surprises and having to spend the night in Athens. This is a cheaper option but it will take you a longer time to reach Navarino. A nice way to enjoy the landscape and views of the Peloponnese.

Navarino is famous for its luxurious hotels and resorts surrounded by the beautiful sea, golf courses, tennis courts and breathtaking villas. Luckily there are also some more accessible hotels and even the traditional Greek studios (the cheapest of all options). Navarino has an accommodation for any type of tourist!

Hotels in Navarino

Most of the hotels in Navarino are located by the coast: these hotels go from the simple and traditional hotel forall kind of tourists to the most extreme and luxurious resorts that only few people get to enjoy. Obviously the hotels by the coast cost more than those in the inner parts. Luckily even these hotels offer great services in order for you to easily reach the beach and other places that you may want to visit.

Studios in Costa Navarino

Also the studios in Navarino are a good option for finding an accommodation for your holiday. Like for the hotels the studios located closest to the coast are usually more expensive than those in the central part of the area. There are studios for couples for a single person and for families.

The resorts in Navarino

This part of Greece is famous for its resorts. Many VIPs, footballers and actors/actresses come here to enjoy the beauties of Navarino. In the resort you will find any kind of service or comfort you may need besides private pools and beaches.