Messinia Coastal Tour

Day 1: Arrival in Kalamata Airport (seasonal) or Athens Airport.

Transfer from Kalamata Airport (Athens on request) to your 3* to 4* hotel. Bike testing and adjustment as well as a little warm-up tour through the beautiful City of Kalamata.

Kalamata is in the heart of the Messinian Bay, has a long beach just in front of the coastal road, a big local market, a unique nightlife, many water front beach bars and a Frankish castle in the centre of the city and its old town.

After a breakfast, we cycle our way along the only coastal road, passing through many small villages in the heart of agriculture country. Many fields of produce are visible which the farmers take advantage of, with small roadside shacks selling their daily hand-picked vegetables/olives/local wines they've produced themselves. Our first stop for coffee is to the bustling fishing village of Petalidi. It hosts a weekly hustle and bustle farmers market on Fridays as well as a daily fish market. The locals are visible in the many street lined cafeteria´s discussing Greek life while enjoying their frappes. Continuing along with the ever blue sea right in your view, we make our way to the first stop to Agios Andreas. A welcome glass of fresh squeezed orange juice greets while you sit at the taverna that faces the harbour. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you want. Sunbathing and swimming on 2 different sandy beaches, hiking around the foothills or visiting the local 800-year-old church just around the corner. The evening comes alive in this little town many locals come out to eat or walk around the harbour enjoying the sunset

On this day we are biking from Ag. Andreas on the coastal road and have a few hills to do. The first 5 km cycling, the road is somewhat hilly to Koroni and then we cut into the hillside and ascend to 200 m above sea level over a 7 km stretch, the views are fantastic when we reach the plateau, where we enjoy a nice picnic and break before descending 7 km to Finikounda — a quaint fishing village with a long sandy beach, an ideal paradise for windsurfing and kitesurfing enthusiasts. This lovely village hosts some wonderful shopping for the ladies.

After a refreshing sleep in Finikounda and a hearty breakfast we bike 10 km and our first coffee break to Methoni. There you can explore the perimeter and inside this Venetian castle.After this short break we cycle towards Pylos on the coastal road or as an alternative road, through the hills (for our more adventurous cyclists). Pylos is the third most important historical town and has a medival castle like Koroni and Methoni. We will have a great view over the Navarino Bay, where Russian, French and English battle ships destroyed the Ottoman and Egyptian ships and set Greece free from occupation. Once you've booked into our beautiful hotel with an amazing view of the bay you are free to go exploring in Pylos to view the castle or watch the sunset with a cocktail at the hotel by the infinity pool.

You'll feel like a king and queen this morning after a quiet and more than comfortable sleep. The day starts with a full delicious breakfast in this family run establishment and then cycling through the many olive groves this area boosts. Our route takes us through Gialova, a windsurfing and kite boarders paradise, and on to the most famous beach called Voidikila and right beside it lies a bird sanctuary. The whole region is under protection status and is home to over 254 types of birds like herons, cormorants and flamingos. Our passage through the narrow watermelon lined road has us arriving in Marathopoli for the end of this day. Once you're settled into the beautiful hotel, you are free to lounge around the pool, swim in the sea or go for a long walk along the sea shore. This quiet seaside town also comes alive in the evenings, and has a new and trendy sea front restaurant offering a nuevo twist on Greek cuisine while you sip local wine and take in this wonderful ambience.

It will be difficult leaving this place, while we breakfast and take in the most relaxing view of the bluest water looking out onto the harbour. But we must leave to make it to our last destination. Cycling on to Filiatra for a picnic under the little "Eiffel Tower" a smaller version that stands out on main street. It was built from a local man as a tribute to Paris.A short coffee break in the bustling town of Kyparissia before we continue to bike to Kalo Nero, a small seaside village, which is surrounded by 25 km long beaches, which are the nesting grounds for the Carretta - Carretta, the endangered sea turtle of the Mediterranean Sea. They lay around 80–100 eggs in early summer, and they hatch in later autumn usually around the full moon. Perhaps you will be lucky enough to witness this rare and beautiful occurance while on tour. After arriving you have the day free to do as you please, the pool, sea and long walks on the endless sandy beaches are all waiting for you to enjoy.

After breakfast at the hotel in Kyparissa, it's time to hit the road back to the Kalamata Airport. Perhaps you wish to stay in Greece for a little while longer, enjoying a few days more in this peaceful area in and around Kalo Nero or head to Athens and check out the world-famous Acropolis, the Plaka or the Parthenon. Everything is possible, just ask us, we're here to give you other suggestions to help make this holiday the best ever.