No matter where you have been, today you get to start again… digging back in history, the legendary Greek epic poem Iliad by Homer refers to this place,  also meticulously described by Pausanias the geographer.

Hang the routine and swing the dreams, next to the 60-year-old raisin machine both history-fueled and olive-surrounded. The scenery of the next peaceful retreat has been set.

They keep saying that autumn is here… but it feels like an Indian Summer painted on a big blue canvas, embraced by the glory of the Palace of Nestor, the King of Pylos in Mycenaean Greece and medievally fortified by the port town of Methoni.

Remnants of the past blend with constant efforts to build a legacy for the future. The neighbourhoods of Methoni proudly host the Kapodistrian School of Mutual Learning, established two centuries ago to organise and reform the educational system of the newly liberated Greek nation. The pedestrian street of the village is passing by the traditional coffee shops, bakeries and leads to the great moat of Methoni Castle.

The successful restoration and enhancement in parts of Methoni Castle unveiled the Venetian magnificence and gravity of history. The Bourtzi of Methoni, the small octagonal sea fort, built on an islet south of the castle is almost floating on the water.

Venetians were the ones to start and complete the erection of ‘castello da mare’ and its surrounding walls; in the interim, the Ottomans added some structural parts. Surveying the harbour, the Bourtzi served as as a secluded prison in its darkest times, a safe shelter in times of siege, a lighthouse in its brightest days and a landmark of nowadays.

Kind reminder after the exit from the Central Gate, the off-season relax under the tamarix against a sailboat backdrop; easy to find following the moat, extended to the sea in an older unsuccessful attempt to overflow the area and isolate the castle from the mainland.

Encircled by the fortified walls in an imposing setting, the stoic patience for the official end of the season offers great opportunities to share on the sun beds , at the few beach bars and the small seaside taverns.

The southwesternmost point of Peloponnese carefully spreads its local hospitality colours through various shades of blue, welcomes the instant rain showers “out of the blue”, only to remind you the hydrological cycle with an  abundance of year-round sunshine.

Craving the sea, your pause-to-dive at the impressive Lampes beach and along the Ionian shorelines between Methoni and Finikounta is sheltered from large waves thanks to the eternal safeguard of the small islands of  Schiza, Sapienza and Agia Mariani.

High upon the hills, stone-built and water-filled, the old Master Well survived the centuries only to attribute its name to the broader region and the luxury villas of “Afentiko Pigadi” (i.e. Master Well). The mountainous landscape hosts a narrow valley for the sight to escape downwards, straight to the coast, the open sea and the island complex of the Natura-preserved Messinian Oinousses (a few miles away from the deepest point of Mediterranean Sea, the Calypso Deep, known in Greek as Oinousses Trench).

On our arrival, we meet a couple from Paris packing for their trip back home. A short discussion of “bienvenue” and vacation wrap-up comes with a sincere exchange of feelings; on their decision to leave their nutrition supplies to us, our quick-cooking of a fluffy Greek-style omelet accompanies them on the way back to Kalamata airport. As if you taste the feeling of “bon voyage”!

Rosemary, thyme and oregano herb inspirations for the table setting. The no-decibel, cozy terrace attributes to our scenography a certainly enviable country serenity.

Overnight stays at “Afentiko Pigadi” are embellished with local stone in full respect to the aesthetic components of countrylife architecture. Made from this very stone, villas representing the palette dreams of beige, cyan, magenta and white are located side by side amid silver-green olive groves, herb gardens and various types of citrus.

Alternative hospitality bells, béton ciré details with stone interplays and simplified designs expand all the functional characteristics up to the second floor in our 2-level magenta villa.

Back-to-childhood wake-up call! When the rooster starts crowing, it’s time to get up in light of the hills of history. Stay connected to the mainland and set your mind free on this piece of land surrounded by water on the majority of its border.

Small little things may still make the difference. It is the very feeling of refined watchfulness over stone handcraftship and nature essentials.

The degrees of your latitude and longitude are thoroughly subdivided into interconnected fragments of time-travel stories. And yes, it feels good to be lost in the right direction, so let your travel knowledge lead the way!

Afentiko Pigadi
[www.methonisfinest.gr/settlements/afentiko-pigadi]

Methoni
240 06 Messinia
Greece

Reservations
T: (+30) 6973.02.82.70
E: methonisfinest@gmail.com