The drive from the airport to Costa Navarino truly whets your appetite for the feast to come. As you sweep up and down valleys, whizz past forests of olive trees and snake through sleepy villages from Kalamata, your anticipation builds for the destination, which is surrounded by some of Greece’s most strikingly untouched beauty.
The Peloponnese is a sizeable peninsula at the southern tip of the country’s mainland – and in its south-west lies Messinia. It is not the best-known Greek destination, but more fool anyone who misses out on this region of stunning beaches, azure waters and ancient sites.
Pylos harbour at sunset
The shimmering jewel in Messinia’s crown is Voidokilia beach. The still, turquoise sea is so pretty it deserves a hug – and it gets one, embraced warmly by a semi-circle of sand dunes that form the shape of the Greek letter omega. This serene beach is thought to be the “sandy Pylos” referred to in Homer’s epic, The Odyssey.
Around it, more beauty and history. The ruins of the Nestor’s Palace are nearby, while 30 minutes away are the Polylimnio waterfalls, a secret paradise of aqua waters set to a hypnotic, natural soundtrack.
Voidokilia beach
Farther out, ancient Messene is an hour-odd excursion. The city dates back as far as the bronze age, but the current site was built in 369BC and has been untouched by later settlements, its huge fortifications among the best preserved in Greece. Its most stunning feature is a vast ancient theatre, said to have held up to 10,000 spectators. Flanked faithfully by the Arcadian mountains on one side and the Ionian Sea on the other, it is a visceral and mesmerising site.
If you’ve got a bit more stamina, the breathtaking landscape of Messinia is prime for hiking. Joining a specially curated tour allows you to really connect with this unspoiled corner of the Peloponnese, with some tailored to specific themes: local herbs, wines or castles. There are also fun biking and rock-climbing opportunities, or philosophy-flavoured ambles for a gentler, more cerebral afternoon.
(Clockwise from top left) The ruins of King Nestor’s palace; the Tholos tomb nearby; the Polylimnio waterfalls
After all that activity, your feet and your soul will long for somewhere beautiful to retreat to for pampering. Take them straight to Navarino Dunes, a spectacular 130-hectare estate nestled on the Ionian Sea coastline, and one of five distinct areas of Costa Navarino.
Home to a pair of luxury resorts – The Westin Resort Costa Navarino and The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort – both of which were designed to reflect traditional Messinian style, with natural stone and marble. Buildings take up only 10% of the total area of the site – so it is amply spacious and criss-crossed with herb-lined walking paths.
The Venetian fortress at Methoni
Costa Navarino’s founder, the shipping magnate Vassilis Constantakopoulos, aimed to preserve the area’s natural abundance, building with local materials, and even planting a special type of grass for its on-site golf course, which requires 30% less water. At night, the resort uses low-intensity lights to make sure the beach is left dark in the evening, so baby turtles can find their way to the sea.
Both The Westin and The Romanos offer a range of accommodation options, varying from deluxe rooms with garden or sea views, through to grand suites with their own infinity pools, while a handful of luxe beachfront villas at The Romanos offer direct access to a mile-long sandy beach – glorious at any time of day but approaching heavenly at sunrise. Keep your eyes peeled for sea turtles that lay their eggs on the sandy shores of the resort’s Dunes beach.
Scuba diving off the Peloponnese
Between them, the two resorts offer more than 20 restaurants and bars, ranging from fine dining to casual and family-friendly. There is a strong emphasis on providing the best contemporary Greek cuisine at venues such as Flame, Armyra and Perovino, but you’ll also find Japanese at Onuki, Italian at Da Luigi and the flavours of the Middle East at Nargile. There are also a number of private dining options such as the farm to table experience, family gatherings around the barbecue pits or intimate dinners for couples.
On-site activities include pampering at the multi-award winning Anazoe Spa, which offers, among other things, thalassotherapy and signature treatments based on the health and beauty practices of ancient Greece. There is also swimming at the many outdoor pools, along with 16 tennis courts at the Mouratoglou Tennis Center (the first of its kind in Europe), health clubs with pilates and yoga classes, a variety of watersports and a diving centre – not to mention the 18-hole signature golf course on-site, as well as another three courses within an eight-mile radius of the resort.
Costa Navarino has more than 20 restaurants and bars, a spa and countless sporting activities
With a range of authentic gourmet experiences on offer, those looking to immerse themselves in Greek culture and cuisine won’t be disappointed either. Highlights include a wine tasting masterclass, cheesemaking courses, and the chance to prepare a delicious, traditional Messinian village lunch using regional techniques and fresh ingredients.
All of which creates a very luxurious foil indeed to the days out exploring the area’s rich assortment of Mycenaean palaces, classical temples, Byzantine churches and medieval castles – switching between upscale contemporary living and 4,500 years of history and a palpable cultural heritage. And then, at the end, you have that stunning drive to look forward to again.
Book your Peloponnese holiday to The Westin Resort Costa Navarino or The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort at ba.com/costa-navarino
With British Airways Holidays, you can reserve your well-deserved break with deposits starting from just £60 per person and pay the balance in as few or many instalments as you like*. All package bookings are ATOL-protected (5985) and include a 23kg baggage allowance per person. Their Customer Promise is a commitment to quality and service which ensures that their hotel partners adhere to strict safety standards, you’ll get a speedy refund should your holiday be cancelled and there’s a 24-hour helpline if you need any assistance on your holiday – just some of the reasons why 92 per cent of customers say they would choose British Airways Holidays again.
*T&Cs apply. Deposit balance due 7 weeks in advance for long haul and 28 days in advance for short haul. Travel restrictions may apply.
**From over 27,000 independent Reevoo reviews in the last 12 months – as at March 2022
