Photos from Koroni Messinia, the crown of the bay

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Koroni Messinia is one of the most beautiful towns of this beautiful prefecture, built amphitheatrically on the slopes of a hill where the Venetian castle dominates.

Access to Koroni

It is about 280 km from Athens and 51 km from Kalamata, the capital of the prefecture. Access to the prefecture of Messinia has become very easy as most of the works on the road network between Tripoli and Kalamata have been completed. So on this road and a few kilometres before you reach Kalamata, you will turn left towards Messini.

In the beautiful bay of Koroni

About ten kilometres after Messini you will see signs for Petalidi where you will turn left again. From there the road will continue alongside the sea with a view of the Messinian Gulf and the several villages on its eastern side.

Photos from Koroni
Area map with photo locations and access information to Koroni.
Hotels in Koroni.

Arriving in Koroni you will have the opportunity to enjoy the view of the picturesque town with the two-storey traditional houses with tiled roofs and the well-preserved castle with its imposing walls, towers and the big gate.

Don’t miss the view from the Venetian castle of Koroni

Koroni and its castle.

After you leave your car, there are two main options to get to know beautiful Koroni. Either follow the downhill road to the beach with its cafes and taverns or go uphill to the entrance of the castle.

The second option will lead you to some wide cobbled steps and will give you the opportunity to see the beautiful traditional houses of Koroni with their flowered balconies and freshly painted courtyards.

Arriving at the great gate of the castle, do not hesitate to enter and walk through the areas where Turks, Greeks, Venetians and French fought Homeric battles to gain or maintain control of the city with its strategic geographical location over the centuries.

Koroni with its medieval castle

Walk around the castle and see the fortification towers, the ruined walls and after 150 meters from the main gate you will find yourself at the entrance of the Holy Monastery of Timios Prodromos. In the area of the monastery is the Byzantine church of Agia Sophia of the 12th century! The view from the monastery and after climbing the steps of the highest fortification tower is amazing. On one side, and behind the monastery, the Messinian Gulf dominates, while on the back right side you can see the harbour of Koroni, the houses of the settlement and the long beach just behind.

The Pyramid of Taygetos as seen from Koroni in Messinia

Koroni Beach

Then you can descend to the coastal road where the cafes and tavernas are next to the sea and have a wonderful view of the opposite side of the Messinian Gulf over which the imposing mountain range of Taygetos dominates !

If you want to swim in the bay in front of the beach shops, you have two choices. Either on the right side of the small bay of Koroni, in the shallow waters of the beach with the beach bar or better still on the small pebbly beach on the left side just below the large fortified tower of the castle.

Swim under the castle overlooking the settlement of Koroni and the Tavgetos.

There the waters deepen more quickly and if you have a mask or swimming goggles with you, you will see that in some places you are swimming over the ruins of the legendary and much-loved castle of Koroni.

Hotels in Koroni

See the available hotels and rooms to letfor your stay in Koroni and read other travellers’ reviews from the largest online booking website (booking.com, Koroni).

text/photos: Yannis Tsouratzis