Area
Location – History – Lifestyle:
Methoni is located at the southwestern end of the prefecture of Messinia and 61 km far from the city of Kalamata. It is a beautiful coastal town with unique tourist sites. During summer, a lot of visitors choose Methoni as a quiet and family destination.
According to Pausanias, the first name of the town was Pidasos. Homer mentions it as one of the seven cities that Agamemnon had promised to Achilles during the Trojan War.
Methoni is built on the ruins of the ancient city of Methoni and is one of the most historic towns in the Peloponnese, famous for its strategic and commercial port.
Here is the imposing Venetian castle, one of the largest in the Mediterranean, well-known for its fortification during the Middle Ages and the Ottoman rule. For this reason, many people tried to conquer it over the centuries, such as Franks, Venetians and Ottomans.
Methoni is one of the most beautiful areas in Greece. The harmonious coexistence of the old with the modern gives a special colour to the area. The natural beauties, the historical monuments and the wonderful beaches, in combination with the perfect tourist infrastructure have made Methoni one of the most popular tourist resorts of the southern Peloponnese.
The magnificent complex of Oinousses is located just opposite Methoni and consists of the picturesque islands of Sapienza, Schiza and Agia Marina. These islands are distinguished for their rare natural environment and exotic beauty. Their rich vegetation hosts wild species of birds and animals. It is worth visiting them and enjoying the unique landscape.
In Methoni there are many beautiful beaches, some with pebbles, others with fine sand; some are crowded and others almost private and quiet. Here the visitor will have the opportunity to swim in the clear blue waters of the Ionian Sea, to enjoy the sun and to indulge in water sports, living moments of relaxation and fun.
Methoni with its endless natural beauty, heritage sites, picturesque landscape, wonderful beaches, splendid tourist infrastructure and the warm hospitality of the locals promises to grant you an unforgettable vacation.
The tourist infrastructure of Methoni has been significantly developed in recent years, offering a wide variety of the rich traditional cuisine and many pure local products, restaurants and taverns, where the visitor will have the opportunity to taste, among other things, the special flavours of the traditional Messinian dishes.
Do not leave without trying “diples”, “lalaggia” and “ladokouloura”. Do not forget to take with you some of the famous and of excellent quality Kalamata olives and honey, “pastelia”, ouzo, balsamic vinegar, “trachanas”, “chilopites”, aromatic plants and herbs.
Worth Seeing:
The castle of Methoni is one of the largest in the Mediterranean, built on ancient walls. This imposing castle was built in the 13th century by the Venetians. Over the centuries, it passed through the Frankish, the Venetian and the Ottoman rule due to its location on the sea lanes between the West and the East. A typical architectural construction in the castle of Methoni is Bourtzi, which is a small sea fortress. Other buildings existing inside the castle are the Church of Metamorphosis Sotiros, the Column of Morosini, gunpowder depots, ruins of a Byzantine temple, ruins of a Turkish bath and remains of buildings.
Sapienza is the most beautiful island of the Oinousses complex. The island is an important natural reserve and has been included in the Natura 2000 network. At the northern part of Sapienza, at Cape Karsi, there are significant shipwrecks, where diving enthusiasts have the opportunity to live unique experiences. There is a controlled hunting region on the island of Sapienza with kri-kri, mouflons, partridges and pheasants. Hunting is allowed from October to December.
The Cemetery of Saint Onuphrius is a rare specimen of the early Christian era. The catacombs are carved into the natural rock, part of which was used to build the castle. A short distance away is the Byzantine church of Agios Vasilios. The church is an 11th-century building in excellent condition. It is also worth visiting the ruins of the catholic church of Saint Leo, the sunken settlement of the Middle Bronze Age in the bay of Methoni, the Kapodistrian school, the arched stone-paved bridge that has been declared a historic and preserved monument, and the 2 Venetian wells, the one on the Limarizi square and the other on the Syngrou square.
