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.
Messinia is renowned for its fine cheeses with unique personalities. 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 Kafenio, where local women 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.
*Available in specific periods and upon request for large groups
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.
Visit Gialova Lagoon, one of the most iconic spots in Messinia and discover the art of shore fishing using the method of Catch & Release with the help of local fisherman.
During the fishing experience, you will receive expert advice, tips and tricks throughout and get acquainted with this significant sand – dune ecosystem.
During the birds’ migration period, you will have the opportunity to meet numerous migratory birds as Gialova lagoon provides shelter to 217 bird species.
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Discover the rich history and fine culinary tradition of Messinia and explore unspoiled nature. Messinian Picnic is an all-encompassing experience that gives the opportunity to walk through history, feel, see and listen to nature, and savor local delicacies.
Against a background of unspoiled nature, enjoy delicacies with a twist and become acquainted with authentic Greek hospitality at first hand.
Taste local and other Greek wines and become familiar with their distinctive colors, aromas and flavors.
Wine experts will not only guide you through a unique tasting journey in the very place where the life of wine begins, but also help you choose the perfect food pairing for each wine you try.
Don’t miss this great opportunity to be part of one of the most fun and authentic Messinian celebrations, the wine grape harvest. People of all ages come together each year to gather and press the grapes in Costa Navarino’s vineyards at Mouzaki.
After helping to hand-pick the grapes, you will be invited to join in the merriment of the old-fashioned method of grape-stomping, before tasting a selection of fine local wines and delicacies.
*Seasonal Activity: Aug – Sept
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 months, learn all the steps of the process of olive harvesting by experiencing the traditional procedure of olives’ collection, visiting the local olive press and finally tasting the extra virgin olive oil which has just been produced in front of you. Learn the local varieties and the olive tree planting projects in the region and taste the famous olive oil of the region along with local delicacies.
*Seasonal Activity: Oct – Nov
Join a unique olive oil tasting session and learn from local experts how to discern the subtle flavors of Messinia’s renowned extra virgin olive oil. You are in a region that produces excellent quality extra virgin olive oil, which has been an important part of people’s daily lives for centuries.
The soil, the variety of olives and the process followed from tree to bottle, yields high quality results that have earned this olive oil its worldwide reputation.
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.
*Available in specific periods and upon request for large groups
Experience Costa Navarino located at SW Peloponnese in Greece, through your mobile device. Download the Costa NavarinoApp for your ipad, iphone & android.
