#messene

Messenia or Messinia is a region located in the far south of the Peloponnese, mainland Greece. It is one of the most popular destinations of the mainland, notable for its natural beauty and its history. Below is what you should not miss in a trip to Messenia:

Kalamata

The regional capital city of Messenia is Kalamata, a city built along the Messenian gulf and on the foot of Mt Taygetus, the biggest mountain in the Peloponnese. In Kalamata you should first and foremost visit the Old Town, with its traditional hat shops, the Church of Panagia Ypapanti, the Archaeological Museum of Messenia and the Byzantine Church of the Apostles. There you will also find the War Museum and the Folk Museum of Kalamata, which houses one of the best collections of Greek traditional costumes from the entire country. The Old Town is close to the city center, where the central square of King George is, as well as most shops and restaurants. Kalamata can be explored with bikes, as it is one of the few Greek cities in which the citizens prefer this mode of transportation. Of course, it is impossible to miss the most important feature of the city, its long waterfront and beach where you can take a stroll or a swim.

I could have gone with a more typical travel photo but I saw this cute picture, apparently taken during the the Carnival, and could not resist it.

Pylos and Voidokiliá

But when it comes to beaches, the obvious answer is Voidokilia in Pylos, one of the prettiest beaches in the country. Aside from the pristine and dramatic coastline, in Pylos one can see several Byzantine and Frankish fortresses, such as Niókastro and Palaeókastro of Navarino and the castle of Methoni. In Pylos is where you will also find the best preserved Mycenaean royal archaeological site, the Palace of Nestor.

Voidokilia beach || eftopia_gr (IG)

Messene and Messenia

As of late however, the archaeological site that draws the most attention is the ancient city of Messene or Messini, which gave its name to the whole region. The archaeological site keeps being excavated and its archaeological museum is brand new. Nature is another strong attraction for Messenia though: some few examples are Polylímnio and Neda, hidden gorges with waterfalls and lakes, the coast of Finikounda but also the beautiful Koroni with its spectacular views.

Ancient Messene

The Shadowy Mani

Also known as Messenian Mani or Outer Mani (as opposed to its other side in Laconia, which is called Laconian Mani or Inner Mani or Sunny Mani), this is the Messenian part of the Mani peninsula that is formed by Mount Taygetus. A remote place of natural beauty with many pristine beaches and traditional villages. While - maybe counter-intuitively - the Shadowy Mani offers a more green and less stern landscape than the Sunny Mani, it still comes with its fair share of impressive landscapes combined with Byzantine monuments. The region has also several caves and gorges that can be hiked and explored but the ultimate gem is probably the area of Kardamyli.

In the small gorge of Neda in Messinian Mani || arethousahotel.gr

What to eat

Let's start with the obvious one; when you hear "Kalamata", does anything come to mind? Messenia is home to some of the best olive groves and quite possibly the most famous olives in the world. They are known as "Kalamata Olives" abroad, we call them "Eliés Kalamón". Messenia is also renowned for its olive oil obviously, its figs, its peanuts and the "lalángia", which are like oily breadsticks that can be found in every bakery. For the sweet tooth, the diples and the pastelia (pastries with honey and nuts) should be tried, as well as a curiously named one; "the tongue of the mother-in-law", a dessert with filo crust and cream.

(and how its events unfold in my AU)

(It’s best advised if you read the first part, as to be in tune with the reasoning behind the following.)

As we have set the earliest date of the Dorians’ residence in Phthiotis to 1560, I’ll be setting Doris’s exile on that date;

Mycenae, upon putting Achaea under his control, had consulted the oracle regarding his future as supreme ruler of Peloponnesus. The oracle foretold that his thread of life would be cut short by one of his own;

“The claws of the lion that you cherish, are to bring you to the gates of Hades”

Evidently agitated by that prospect, he determined the one to slay him and put an end to his reign would be his son, Doris. He thus exiled him to Phthiotis, believing that by doing so he secured his position as ruler.

With the Greek authorities’ recent announcement that they were making these sites more accessible to the public, increased attention has been drawn to the Peloponnese’s ancient theaters at Messene and Sicyon, which were centers for drama and culture in both ancient times and during the Roman period of Greek history.

The Hellenistic theatre at Sicyon (present-day Kiato) was built between 303 and 251 BC, but was renovated and altered at least twice by the Romans. The scene building was expanded in the first century and the stage was altered in the late Roman period. With a seating area estimated at 122 meters (400 feet) wide and 58 meters (190 feet) deep, it is one of the largest theaters in the Peloponnese.

The present day ruins at Sicyon are a faint reminder of the Romanized theatre the historian Pausanias visited in the second century AD.

The Spartans- still salty about that city they lost: