We had a delightful stay in this very comfortable villa with a lovely pool and garden situated only 5mins from a wide, sandy beach (Analipsi) where we would swim in the sea before lunching at the excellent taverna nearby. Our hosts were very friendly and hospitable giving us great advice on places to see and eat etc. We were met at the airport and made the 10min journey to the villa, up through the little village of Drakoneri and into the olive groves. It’s a beautiful setting, peaceful and with a gorgeous view towards the bay. A long terrace beside the kitchen was where we ate every day and watched for geckos at night, sipping a G&T with lemons from the garden and nibbling on Kalamata olives prepared by Sonia from their own olive trees.
As always the magic of Greece - its sunny climate, mountains juxtaposed with warm sea waters, unhurried ambience, fabulous cuisine and outgoing people- ensured that we had a very relaxing and happy holiday.
We found ourselves alternating beach days with visits to towns and sites such as Ancient Messini (a highlight), Polylimnia waterfalls, museums and villages with gorgeous beach coves to the west. This area is the real deal and as yet not over developed and has so much to see and do! Kalamata with it’s excellent Archeological Museum is very interesting and the market is just fabulous.
We have been visiting Greece regularly for 40 years and have found again in this area an authenticity of the early days which we thought had been lost and we will be coming back soon to explore more.
Our only complaint- should have booked longer!
Thank you Sonia and Freddy for all your kindnesses.