Week 1 - Messinia

On Sunday 17 June, we flew to Kalamata to spend the first week of our Greek adventure in Messinia. We stayed at Saint Fridays in Gargarou, the villas here are set in olive groves and are well off the beaten track. The complete lack of mass tourism in Messinia makes for a very pleasant, rural, totally Greek, experience and a basic grasp of holiday Greek does not go unused here as in many of the villages there is no English spoken. The hospitality received at Saint Fridays is very welcoming and while the accommodation is basic, this does not detract from the whole experience. The setting of the villas is so peaceful with only the sounds of local wildlife and it is very conducive to complete relaxation. The best thing about the the villas is the view laid out before you and the very enticing day bed on the verandas. I could wax lyrical about this for ages but basically such is the panoramic view, as far as the eye can see in all directions, you find yourself just in quiet contemplation as you spend endless time watching the fishing boats moving around the bay or changes in the clouds over the mountains and trying to mentally capture every little piece of the beautiful picture before you. I cannot recommend this accommodation and local villages highly enough, this was a great start to the holiday.

We spent a few lovely days in Koroni as the tavernas on the harbour are excellent and the shops in the tiny streets of the village are fascinating. There is a bank and post office and the fortress is well worth a visit. Pylos is lovely with it's square and venetian buildings, as is the fortress town of Methoni. The natural crescent shaped lagoon at Voidokilia with it's perfect sandy beach and crystal clear waters is stunning and also recommended is Zanga beach with the taverna just across the road. The beach is clean and the only hurdle is getting across the shingle to get into the sea (dive socks or jellies recommended to avoid pain!).

In Messinia on Sunday's all shops are closed and in most villages there is a goat roast at a local taverna, this is well worth a try but don't forget about the shops being closed and make sure you stock up on essentials (beer, wine, coffee, etc!) In Harakopio on Sunday it is market day and many locals set out their stalls of fresh fruit, vegetables, plants and preserves from the early hours of the morning, in the centre of the village. The local wine is cheap and well worth investing, unlike other regions where we have tried some very dubious local brew, the local wine in Messinia was consistently good, particularly the rose wine.
The local tavernas are inexpensive compared with more touristy areas of Greece and the food is good. Many village tavernas are Greek kitchens where there is no set menu and you are invited into the kitchen to choose from the day's freshly prepared food, recommended is Nico's (opposite the church) in Harakopio.

If you are looking for a totally relaxing, laid back, off the tourist track, break this is the place to go. The pace of village life here is very pleasant and makes you totally wind down. One week of this tonic is not enough! If you are looking for frenetic nightlife this may not be the place to go!

By the end of the first week we wanted to stay for another week, but the adventure was to continue as, in the early hours of the following Sunday morning, we drove 3 hours north to the ferry port of Kylini to board the ferry to Zakynthos (Zante) where the next part of our odyssey begins .... a review of week 2 will follow soon ...