Messenia includes the beautiful coastlines and beaches of the southwest Peloponnese.  Some of the best beaches in Greece are here, as well as plenty for the culturally inclined – including the Mycenaean palace of Pylos, where King Nestor ruled, and the historical island of Sfaktiria, which sits just off the city of Pylos.  The capital of Messenia, Kalamata, is famed world-wide for its excellent olives and olive oil, and a drive through the seemingly endless olive groves of Messenia is a relaxing experience.

The major sites in Messenia are Ancient Messene and Pylos.  Ancient Messene is one of the largest archaeological excavations in Greece, and it is far from finished.  So far, excavators have uncovered theaters, a large sanctuary to Asklepios, government buildings, a temple to Zeus, and city walls, as well as many excellent finds (including phenomenal statuary) which are kept in the Archaeological Museum of Messene on the site.  Established in 369 BC at the same time as nearby Megalopolis, Messene ushered in a new period of independence for the “helots,” the local peoples who had for several centuries lived a trying and persecuted existence under the thumb of their neighbors, the Spartans.