Greek Culture in Messinia | Costa Navarino

Cheese Tasting & Making Experience

Messinia is renowned for its fine cheeses with unique personalities. Some, such as rich and spicy Sfela, have received a coveted Protected Designation of Origin, while others, including melt-in-the-mouth Talagani, have achieved global recognition. A great way to learn about the region’s long and proud cheese-making tradition, but also a delight for the taste buds. It all unfolds in the Taverna, where our chef will reveal the secrets of the local cheese varieties and explain the time-honored production methods. Sample the various styles of cheese accompanied by delicious regional wine and seasonal fruits, all of which capture the flavor of Messinia, and watch as local women make soft Tyromyzithra from fresh goat’s milk, which will then be served with honey and cinnamon.

Farm to Table

Messinia’s rich soil and favorable climate prompted the 5th century BC Greek playwright Euripides to call it “the land of the good fruit”. And today, a wide range of agricultural products from the region are in demand all over the world on account of their superior quality. So it is a fitting place for this illuminating “farm-to-table” experience, aimed at people who want to know more about what they are eating and where it comes from. Visit the vegetable garden, collect the seasonal produce and enjoy a delicious outdoor meal surrounded by nature. The set menu (for 5-15 persons) and buffet option (15-25 persons) feature dishes prepared with the freshest local ingredients. Sit back and savor baked eggs with cherry tomatoes and herbs, towers of roasted vegetables, divine Greek yogurt cheesecake with figs and honey!

Authentic Village Cooking

Visit our picturesque village home and discover traditional Messinian cooking with the help of local women who will share authentic family recipes passed down from mother to daughter. You will learn how to prepare a typical full Messinian menu, using regional techniques and fresh ingredients, followed by lunch and the opportunity to savor the food prepared.

Nature Tour

Explore local nature through a discovery tour of Messinia’s trees, flowers and herbs that have been growing in the region since antiquity and are related to old stories and myths. Hop on a buggy and take a tour around Navarino Dunes with our botanical expert who will guide you through the secrets and highlights of the local flora, as well as the garden vegetables, underscoring the quality and value of the Mediterranean diet as practiced in Messinia.

Wine Master Class

Expand your enological knowledge at our Wine Master classes. Learn about Greek and local wines from the experts and assess the characteristics of certain Messinian Varieties. Tasting sessions are held at Enoteca, accompanied by savory snacks.

Wine Making

During the vineyard and wine-tasting tour, which runs from August until October, participants enjoy a route that takes in Costa Navarino’s vineyards at Mouzaki, where they can actively join in the foot pressing of grapes. Under the shadow of trees, they enjoy a wine-tasting session by our sommelier followed by an informative discussion focusing on local varieties.

Olive Harvesting

Costa Navarino embraces the age-old tradition of olive harvesting, an experience that can only be learned first-hand and which has been part of the daily lives of the people of Messinia for centuries. During the olive harvest, visitors learn all the steps of the process, the local varieties and the olive tree planting projects in the region.

Olive Oil Tasting

Join a tutored olive oil tasting session in which you will learn by local experts how to discern the subtle flavors of the region’s renowned extra virgin olive oil. Tasting sessions are held at Enoteca.

Songs Around the Table

Participate in the preparation of traditional delicacies with a group of local women while they sing regional folk songs a capella, a Messinian practice that brings locals together to eat, drink and sing.