A Weekend at Navarino Challenge: What to Expect

From May 9 to 11, 2025, Costa Navarino welcomes guests and athletes from around the world to experience Navarino Challenge a wellness weekend grounded in movement, meaning, and the spirit of Messinia. Whether you arrive with a goal or simply a love for the outdoors, here’s what to expect on your first visit.

A Landscape Made to Move You

Navarino Challenge unfolds where the Ionian Sea meets olive groves, ancient trails, and coastal paths. Here, wellness is a way of life shaped by nature, tradition, and the shared joy of movement.

The highlight? The Navarino Challenge Half Marathon. Runners follow a route that weaves through sand, trail, and road, with the unique Voidokilia beach as their backdrop. For those seeking a gentler pace, 10km and 5km routes offer breathtaking views perfect for both runners and walkers. Even the youngest guests can take part in the 1km children’s runs, open to all.

More Than a Race

Navarino Challenge offers much more than a finish line. With over 60 activities and 20 Olympic sports, the weekend brings people together regardless of age, experience, or ability.

This year, basketball legend Panagiotis Giannakis joins the program, leading sessions with his namesake academy for children aged 5–15. It’s a unique opportunity to learn from one of Greece’s most respected athletes.

On the field, Football Clinics return, led by Kostas Katsouranis, Euro 2004 champion where young players can develop their skills and connect through the power of the game.

For those seeking a higher-intensity experience, the F45 Barrio Salamanca HYROX makes its Messinia debut. This hybrid challenge blends endurance running with strength training across eight functional stations, each separated by a 1km run a full-body experience for those ready to test their limits.

A Taste of the Mediterranean

This year’s program also brings a unique gastronomic dimension. Ettore Botrini, one of the most influential chefs of the past decade, will host two exclusive masterclasses, offering a creative journey through Mediterranean cuisine. These sessions are more than culinary workshops, they are an invitation to connect with local flavors, techniques, and traditions in a setting that celebrates authenticity and excellence.

Wellness That Resonates

Navarino Challenge is not about winning. It’s about feeling well, moving with intention, and honoring your body. Throughout the weekend, wellbeing sessions support recovery, mobility, and balance.

Enjoy Pilates High Intensity Interval Training and Stretch and Strength classes, alongside targeted physiotherapy sessions by the Joint Athens team. Each experience is designed to help you reconnect, recharge, and move with ease.

Stories That Inspire

This year, the program welcomes the launch of Navarino Challenge Talks, a series of inspiring conversations on performance, health, and mental strength.

Among the featured talks is a powerful exploration of how mindset, focus, and emotional awareness shape high performance. Drawing from both neuroscience and real-world examples, this session highlights the connection between movement, purpose, and resilience—offering tools and inspiration for athletes, professionals, and anyone seeking balance in their daily lives.

Together, We Move

Navarino Challenge also champions inclusion, education, and community. This year, Olympian Dimitris Papanikolaou joins efforts to inspire local youth through talks on acceptance and diversity in sport.

Where You’ll Stay

Where you’ll stay during the Navarino Challenge is part of what makes the experience unforgettable.

The weekend unfolds across three of four Costa Navarino resorts, The Westin Resort Costa Navarino, W Costa Navarino, and The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort. Each offers direct access to the event, wellness spaces, and the signature Messinian hospitality that makes everyone feel welcome, whether you’re traveling solo, with family, or with friends.

Navarino Challenge is more than a weekend. It’s an invitation to move with purpose, connect with others, and embrace the energy of the land. Because here Sports Unites People.

Explore the full program and reserve your place.