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The PALACE of NESTOR
It was in May 1952 that C.W. Blegen brought to light the remains of a Mycenaean palace at Ano Englianos, Pylos. Ano Englianos is a ridge-like acropolis running from northeast to southwest, with a maximum length of 170m and a width of 90m at its broadest. The hill rises from the surrounding ground in steep scraps and is some 9km to the nearest point of the Navarino Bay.
The most important compartments of the palace are the big rectangural "throne room" with its circular hearth, the room with the clay bath tube and the stores with their numerous storage vessels. The walls of the palace were decorated with fine wall paintings.
The finds from the palace are exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of Chora, Messenia.
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Source: Hellenic Ministry of Culture
Painting: Piet de Jong
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VOIDOKILIA COVE, PALEOCASTRO and GIALOVA LAGOON
Just to the north of the bay of Pylos, the curve of VOIDOKILIA seems to be traced with a compass (the name means "cow's belly") from the two rocky promontories that define the entrance of it. It is surrounded by a magnificent beach of light, fine sand, and the crystalline beach invite one to go swimming.
Immediately to the south, the PALEOCASTRO or Paliokastro (old castle), whose exterior walls are perfectly preserved, overlooks it around 150m above. This anchorage is able to be utilised only with good weather; in such case it is a ideal point for stop for some hours. The entrance is safe, passing to the north of a rock that stretches out from the southern point.
You must anchor just inside it, to the south east of the rock in 4m of water, since the bottom rises abruptly further on. A path in the southern corner of the bay goes up to the castle to which you are able to go for a walk, following the path around. From here the glance is directed to the magnificent bay of Navarino and to the surrounding land. You can distinguish the village of Pylos, also dominated by its fortress.
You will also enjoy the wonderful panorama that unfolds in front of you: the lagoon of Gialova, the beach of Divari and the olive covered hills across the bay.
From Voidokilia beach you can pass onto the LAGOON of GIALOVA through a natural path to observe the lagoon’s bird life, and the fascinating world of one of Europe’s most important wetlands.
On the same path, halfway up, you will also visit the grotto of Nestore, a great chamber extended at the top by a chimney that emerges 30m higher than the sides of the mountain. The grotto is easily seen from the anchorage.
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Voidokilia Cove
Paleokastro (old castle)
Gialova Lagoon
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The NAVARINO BAY of PYLOS / SPHACTERIA ISLAND
The bay is closed to the west by the island of Sphaktiria, high and craggy, separated from the coast to the north by a narrow and impracticable passage. Two rocks and the island Pylos are separated from Sphaktiria to the south.
The north coast of the bay, low and sandy, has some lagoons in the vicinity.
In the southeast corner, one finds the charming village and the marina of Pylos, overlooked to the southeast by a Turkish fortress, right at the entrance to the bay. At the centre of this, there is the island of Khelonosi with a lighthouse.
From north or from the south, the arrival at Pylos is always very interesting: the high cliffs of Sphaktiria, the French castle constructed on a spur around 150m high to the northwest of the bay, the Turkish citadel at the entrance, make for an exceptionally impressive scene, where you are able to stay several days.
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Pylos and Navarino Bay
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The CITY of PYLOS
Pylos (Navarino) is an immense, well-sheltered bay, that was the theatre of one of the most important chapters of the Greek history: the naval battle of 1827 that was brought to an end by the Treaty of Adrianopoli (1829), the basis of which was the autonomy of Greece imposed on the Turks by the Anglo-Franco- Russian alliance.
Pylos is a small town, with about 3.000 inhabitants, in the Southwest part of the Peloponnese. It is 52 km from Kalamata, the capital of Messinia. One can get here following the route from Patras (216 km) driving through Patras-Pyrgos-Kyparissia, a seaside route for the most part. or inland from Athens (305 km.)
A special trait of Pylos, other than its spectacular amphitheatrical layout that offers an exceptional iew of the town and the island of Sfaktiria as the traveller descents towards the port, is the Three Admirals Square, in the centre of the town with its impressing sycamore trees.
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The three Admirals Square, in the centre of the town
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The NIOKASTRO CASTLE of PYLOS
Two castles are built on the summits of the two hills at the ends of the Bay of Navarino, overlooking the town of Pylos: the older castle of Navarino, called Palaiokastron or Palaionavarinon and the more recent castle, called Niokastron.
The latter was built in 1573 by the Turks, and in 1686 was given over to the Venetians. It again came under Turkish domination in 1715, along with the castle of Koroni and Palaionavarino. In 1816 it was captured by Ibrahim Pasha and remained under his control until 1828 when it was liberated by the French general Maison. During the Second World War it was used as the seat of the Italian and, later, the German headquarters.
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The Niocastro Castel
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The CITY of METHONI / CASTLE and BOURDZI
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Fifteen minutes down the coast lies Methoni, with its sea-girt castle and exquisite island keep. It was built by the Venetians to guard their commercial and pilgrim routes to the Levant and the Holy Land.
A massive tower on different levels with nearby fortifications lapped by the waves of the sea; this is how the Venetian Citadel of Methoni presents itself, constructed on a low rocky point (Soukouli) 10 miles to the northwest of Cape Akritas .
To the east of the point, right at the foot of the walls of the fortress, a marina is protected to the south by a breakwater without a quay, with a lighthouse at the extremity. To the side of the lighthouse, there is a little concrete wharf , where is found an abandoned refuelling station. This wharf, allowing you only to put your feet on the breakwater, is made of large blocks of stone piled up that cause you to engage in some acrobatics before reaching the land.
Some hundreds of metres to the north of the bay, one finds a modern town devoid of charm. On the beach around the bay, there are several taverns and small hotels.
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Methoni
The Bourdzi
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