METHONI TOWN

(tel.prefix: 27230)

History

Methoni is a well-known town of Pylia province. It is 60km away from Kalamata and 11 km away from Pylos. As with every seaside settlement, it has a beautiful sandy beach, ideal for a swim. The tourist infrastructure is quite developed and numerous hotels, rooms to let and camping spaces are available for accommodation.

The milestone of Methoni is undoubtedly its Venetian castle, one of the most impressive in Greece. It is a massive construction just beside the sea. A huge gate with two pillars on each side welcomes the visitors. The pillars bear capitals of the Corinthian style. There are also weapons sculpted on limestone for the visitor to admire, a spear, a lance and a flag. Someone shouldn’t also miss the old well, the warehouses and the reservoirs. The moat that used to surround the castle has been filled in with earth and there is also an octagonal fort, Burtzi, to protect the castle from the sea. Recently, the southern gate of the castle was restored with its original arch and two tall towers on each side.

On Shrove Monday there is the revival of an old custom held in Methoni, the “Marriage of Koutrouli”. Two men are dressed up like groom and bride and go to the main square for the wedding ceremony. There the pre-marital agreement is being read to the public with many funny rules and jokes. It is something that dates back to the 15th century and absolutely worth seeing.

The Inousses Islands

This group of 4 islands is scattered along the coastline and has been included in the Natura 2000 programme. These islands include; Sapienza, Agia, Marina, and Schia. The islands are inhabited by pheasants, partridges, wild goat, sheep, and are supervised by rangers.
South west of the island of Sapienza there is and abyss called the well of Inousses which is the deepest point of the Mederterian with a depth of 5,121. Scientists of the Nestor Project are currently carrying out research. The results are providing signification information about past and future of the universe.
A sunken settlement has been discover on the bottom of the ocean between the island of Sapienza and Methoni. It has prove to be of great archaeological importance. There are also an abundance of shipwrecks from all ages shattered across the seabed making it excellent for driving. Boat trips around these islands can be taken daily.

Worth seeing places:

The castle:

Impressive is the mass of the castle, one of the most gigantic of Greece. The city has been fortified with walls since the ancient times. Nowadays, there are ancient Greek materials at the base of the wall which the Romans built at the beginning of the 13th century, when they managed to conquer Methone and made it the largest fortress of Peloponnesus. In 1500, the Turks conquered the city while later it was taken back by the Venetians (1715) who ruled it till 1828, when it was liberated.

At the place where the castle is connected with the land, the Venetians opened a ditch and constructed a wooden bridge, which was replaced by a stone with fourteen arches which are still saved. Entering the castle, impressive are the attached on the walls sculptured articles representing the lion of Saint Mark, the coats-of-arms and the inscription. The large gates and particularly the main one over the ditch have excellent decoration. The fortress has a polygonal shape while its enormous mass dominates the area.

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Useful Telephones

• POLICE : 31203
• POST : 31266
• CASTLE OF METHONI: 22010
• TAXI: 31333
• MEDICAL CARE : 31456
• METEOROLOGICAL STATION: 31322
• PHARMACY: 31140
• DENTISTS: Dr. Tsafara Zoi, tel. 31395

BANKS

• AGRICULTURAL: 31570
• NATIONAL: 31320

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Interurban Bus Routes

KALAMATA - PILOS - METHONI

• WEEKDAYS:
  05:00, 06:45, 09:30, 13:00, 19:45
• SATURDAY:
  05:00, 06:45, 09:30, 13:00, 19:45
• SUNDAY:
  06:45, 13:00, 19:45

ATHENS - METHONI

• EVERYDAY: 08:45, 15:30
  

KALAMATA - PILOS - FINIKOUNTA

• WEEKDAYS:
  05:00, 09:30, 13:00
• SATURDAY:
  05:00, 09:30, 13:00
• SUNDAY: -

FINIKOUNTA (via CHAROKOPIO) / PETALIDI - AKRITOHORI - FINIKOUNTA

• WEEKDAYS:
  05:00, 13:00

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Accomodation

HOTELS

FURNISHED APARTMENTS

CAMPINGS

• METHONI, tel. 31228 & tel. 31188 & 31455 http://www.methoni.gr/eng/index.htm
  

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Food

RESTAURANTS - TAVERNS

• ADAMOPOULOU P.
• AKROYALI
• ALEKTOR
• BOURTZI
• ELENA, tel . 31773
• INOHOOS, tel. 693 65 06 599
• INOUSES, tel . 31638
• KALI KARDIA, tel. 31260
• KALIORA 31172 , mob: 6972 441764
• KANELLOPOULOS A.
• KANTALAS - TSONIS P.
• KLIMATARIA, tel. 31544
• MELTEMI, tel. 31187
• METHIMON, tel. 31744
• NIKOS, tel. 31282
• OREA METHONI, tel. 31791
• PARADISOS, tel. 31175
• PAPAGALOS, 71165, 1 km. from Finikounda
• REX, tel. 31239
• SAPIETZA, tel. 31459
• THRAKA, tel. 31888
• TRIANTOU A.
• TRIKALA, tel.. 31837
• TSONIS D., 71043
• VENETICO

CAFETERIAS - PIZZERIAS

• BAKOS
• EPOCA
• GEORGE, tel. 31588
• ILIODISIO
• IL POSTO, tel. 31824
• IONION, tel. 31341
• KIPOS
• LA MARE, tel. 31311
• LA PLAZA, tel. 31731
• OSTRIA, tel. 31035
• PAPADOPOULOU
• PERIVOLI, tel. 31425

INTERNET CAFES

• DOURIOS IPPOS tel. 28729, ir@sam.com

CLUBS - BARS

• ARCHITEKTONIKI
• ATLANTIS
• JRB
• BOURTZI, tel. 31025
• RENDEZVOUS
• STADION, 28500

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Market

REAL ESTATE

• METHONI REAL ESTATE, tel . 28740 & 693 257 3664, http://www.methoni-re.gr, email: info@methoni-re.gr

CONSTRUCTION

LOCAL CRUISES

• AG. DIMITRIOS, 697 353 2754 & 697 746 4281, http://www.messiniathisweek.ws/oneday_cruises_sapientza.html

GALLERIES

• ATELIER SUD STUDIO YAMGIA, atelsud@otenet.gr
• DIONISOPOULOS, http://www.geocities.com/athensart01

ACCOUNTANTS

• MIHALAKOPOULOS N., Methoni, tel. 31738 & tel. 31114, email : adellh@kal.forthnet.gr
• MIHALOPOULOU TH., tel. 31085

GALLERIES

• ATELIER SUD STUDIO YAMGIA, atelsud@otenet.gr
• IVON & JOHN Tel.:31004 Mob. 6976509221 Web: http://john.artex.nl
  Email: dejongh@otenet.gr
• DIONISOPOULOS, http://www.geocities.com/athensart01
  
  

FISH FARMS

SAPIENZA tel. 31470
WATERSPORTS
www.windsurf-methoni.com

SUPERMARKETS

• DIA, 31334

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