Great Things to Do Near Elitsa
Go for a boat trip
Drive into Pylos harbour, and take one of the excursion boats over to the 'arched' Sfaktiria rock. You may well have seen this beautiful rock on many posters and postcards, but the only way to see it is by these excursion boats. It's well worth the trip, and the commentary from the captain is very interesting as he will tell you all about the sunken ships in the bay, casualties of the battle of Navarone.
Visit the nearby village of Methoni
You will spot its imposing Venetian castle that dominates the coastline. You can look around the castle, and the village itself, which boasts many excellent cafes and tavernas. Remember your bathing costume as well, as it also has a brilliant golden sandy beach.
Visit the beach at Voidhokilia
Swim in wonderfully clean water, explore Nestor's cave on the way, and have a wonderful walk around the lagoon - a nature lover's paradise.
Sunset supper!
Some of the best tavernas in the area can be found down at the waterfront here in Gialova, so sip the wine whilst watching the sun sink slowly into the ocean. Wonderful!
Take a drive and explore the Mani
It's not too far, but you will need to prepare yourself for being away from the house for a whole day - take your bathing costume, as you will have many opportunities to stop for a refreshing swim, whenever the mood takes you. The Mani, the Taygetos mountains and the charming village of Kardamyli all combine to make this a perfect day out.
Bird watching
Ornithologists will know about the bird watching area at the Gialova lagoon, where you can see several different species of migrating wading birds, as well as the day to day hunters feeding off the plentiful supply of fish in this shallow lagoon.
Visit the Nemea winery
Drive to the town of Nemea in the northern region of the Peloponnese and visit the vast number of wineries there. Nemea wine is one of the most popular in Greece, and you will find varieties of it in all of the shops.
Nestor's Cave
This is an extremely interesting ancient site, and it's only a 20 minute drive from Gialova on the way to the village of Chora.
Wander down to the lagoon
Sit under the trees in the shade and watch the wildlife go about their daily business - frogs, fish, dragonflies etc. It's fascinating!
Get lost in Messinia
Take a map, and head for Filiatra, then Kiparisia and then take the inland route back through the villages of Aristomenis and Vlachopoulos. When you get lost, don't worry, you won't be lost for long as the next village is only a couple of kilometres away. You'll want to stop in all of them, as they are so pretty, very traditional and it's highly unlikely that you'll come across any other tourists throughout the entire day.
Snorkelling
The best places for snorkelling are along the rocky shore at the end of the sandy Golden beach. There are huge numbers of fish along here, as well as many varieties of shellfish - you'll have a whale of a time!
Sit on the terrace and gaze across the countryside
towards the amazing sea view.You'll discover that this will be one of your favoured past times during your stay. The views are simply irresistible, and you'll spend hours just simply gazing.
Spend a day at ancient Olympia
You'll find ancient Olympia on the road heading north towards the market town of Pyrgos. It is well signposted along the way. Spend an amazing day here visiting all the nooks and crannies of the original Olympic stadium.
Eat grilled meat sitting out on the square in Chora
No need to dress up in your Sunday best for visiting Chora in the evening, unless you want to entertain the locals that is! This truly traditional village sees most of the men eating out in the square in the evening, whilst the women stay at home and clean the house - Greek style. The grilled meat served in the tavernas in this hill top village is extremely fresh and tasty, albeit the tavernas themselves are less than fancy!
Spend a day (and a night) in Nafplion
A must do - Nafplion is often regarded amongst most Greeks as one of the most beautiful towns in Greece. This is thanks to the Venetians, who have created a delightful town with many cobbled streets, beautiful buildings and wonderful squares that are now fringed with cafes, boutiques and fine restaurants and first class hotels.
Sit under the very old plane tree in Pylos square (Platia)
As in most Greek towns and villages, the hub of the place is in the platia (square), so called after the Platanos tree (plane tree) planted in all the squares to provide shade from the heat and sun. It is a real honour to sit under some of these grand old specimens and the huge tree in Pylos square is over 200 years old. An excellent place to enjoy your morning or late afternoon coffee.
Eat olives on the terrace
Kalamata olives are famous all over the world. Now you can enjoy this delicacy in their home environment. Why not wash them down with a nice glass of chilled Retsina?
Play a round of golf
There are a small selection of golf courses in the vicinity, two of these being the Bay Course (www.costanavarino.com/golf-resort/baycourse) and Dunes Course (www.costanavarino.com/golf-resort/dunescourse), both at Costa Navarino.
Waterfalls
Polilimnio: These can be reached via the road from Pylos to Kalamata. There are about 15 fresh-water lakes and waterfalls, accessed by a rough track, so sturdy shoes are required. The gorge is about 3 kilometres long and there are no facilities, so remember to take sufficient food and drink. You will be rewarded by some stunning scenery and cool lakes to swim in.
Kalamaris waterfall - Located close to Gialova in the direction of Schinolaka. From the car park it is about a 15 minute walk to the falls along an unmade track. Sturdy shoes are recommended. As there are no facilities take your own food and drink and your swimming things for a refreshing dip.
