We visited Messinia in September 2004, with Simply Travel, our first trip to the Pelopenese. We stayed in the village of Gialovo (also spelt Yialova) in the splendid Koroni Villa

Messinia is less of a tourist destination, very polular with Greecians. Most holidaymakers tend to ignore the Greek mainland in favour of the Islands. It was first recomended to me by a taxi driver working in Athens that I met on a business trip to the city. He assured me that I would not be dissapointed, if I took the time to visit this area famous for it's many unspoilt beeches.

We took a flight to Kalamata, picked up our hire car for the 51 km journey to Pilos / Gialova. Located in the middle of Navarino Bay, the site of a sea battle in 1827 more abaout that later.

Pylos is a small. pleasant, sleepy town, built around the enormous rectangular Plateia ton trion Navarkon (Three Admirals Square) which is open on its west side side of the sea. The centrepiece is a large monument to the Battle of Navarino. The quay is only a minutes walk away and offers a great view of the entire bay, and especially the dramatic cliffs and islands bt the southern shipping gap. Pylos is a popular sailers destination and yacht flotillas are made welcome by the town.

Gialova is approximatley 5 km north of Pilos. offering safe swimming and a fine sandy beach. The village of Gialova has a picturesque seafront with a small pier but its main claim to fame is the Gialova Lagoon, a prime bird watching site, especially in the winter. Between November and March it is home to approximatly 20,000 water birds, with thousands of waders invading these wetlands. You will also find flanigos, ibis, eagles osprey, perigrine falcons and harriers. the easily accessible area is a paradise gto all bird-watchers - as well as being an easily accessible paradise to all birds.

We visisted in July and very early morning was the coolest time to enjoy the wonderfull widelife .

Very close to the lagoon is the beautiful horshoe bay of Voidokilia Bay and nearby you can visit Nestar's Cave where, acording to mythology, hermes hid the cattle he stole from Apollo. Nestor's palace is also nearby - the best preserved of all the Mycenaean palaces.

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