The Bourtzi tower of Methoni Castle at sunset, its stone causeway over the sea, Messinia
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Luxury in Greece

Costa Navarino

The ancient heart of Greece by the sea: resorts and golf among the olive groves of Messinia, the bay of Navarino, and Olympia, Mystras and the Mani within reach.

Methoni Castle at sunset, MessiniaPhotograph: Valentinos Loucaides

Kalós orísate

Olives, battles and myth

Costa Navarino lies on the coast of Messinia in the south-west of the Peloponnese, a land of olive groves, long beaches and quiet villages. Above the bay stands the Palace of Nestor, the king of Homer’s Odyssey, and in the bay itself the battle of Navarino in 1827 helped win Greece its independence.

The resort was the vision of a local shipowner, Captain Vassilis Constantakopoulos, who bought the land plot by plot from hundreds of families, and it opened in 2010 with hotels, villas and championship golf set among the olives.

The Peloponnese holds more of ancient Greece than anywhere else: Olympia, birthplace of the Games, is about an hour and a half to the north, and the Byzantine ghost city of Mystras lies to the east. To the south, the tower houses of the Mani and the fishing village of Kardamyli line the coast.

A few words of Greek
EnglishGreekSay it
HelloΓεια σαςYAH-sas
PleaseΠαρακαλώpa-ra-ka-LO
Thank youΕυχαριστώef-ha-ri-STO
Good eveningΚαλησπέραka-li-SPE-ra
The bill, pleaseΤον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώton lo-ghar-yaz-MO, pa-ra-ka-LO

Where to go

Costa Navarino at a glance

When to go, the one best hotel, and how to arrive privately.

The Peloponnese

Best time to visitLate May to June and September to October are ideal: a warm sea, dry days and none of the 31°C (88°F) heat of July and August. Temperatures are for Kalamata, about 45 minutes from Costa Navarino.

  • Stay
    Mandarin Oriental, Costa NavarinoOne of the 25 Finest Resorts

    On Navarino Bay on the Peloponnese's west coast, within the Costa Navarino estate, Mandarin Oriental's Greek resort spreads its villas and suites, most with private pools, down a hillside of olive trees to the sea.

  • Dine
    None that meets our standard yet.
  • Beach
    None that meets our standard yet.
Arrive privately
By private jet
Kalamata International (KLX / LGKL), about 40 to 45 minutes by car.
By helicopter
Costa Navarino has its own helipad, and the resort arranges helicopters and private jets for its guests.
By sea
No superyacht marina here yet meets our standard. At Costa Navarino, the marina at Pylos and the Bay of Navarino offer safe anchorage for private yachts.

Stay

Luxury hotels in Costa Navarino

The finest hotels in and around Costa Navarino: each rated Forbes Five-Star, holding two or three MICHELIN Keys, or among the 25 Finest Resorts of the Mediterranean.

Messinia, Peloponnese

Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino

On Navarino Bay on the Peloponnese's west coast, within the Costa Navarino estate, Mandarin Oriental's Greek resort spreads its villas and suites, most with private pools, down a hillside of olive trees to the sea.

Visit website ↗

The finest hotels

Each rated Forbes Five-Star or holding two or three MICHELIN Keys.

Cruises

Costa Navarino by sea

How the ships arrive in Costa Navarino, and the luxury lines that call.

Small ships anchor in Navarino Bay off Pylos, about 12 km from Costa Navarino, and larger ones berth at Kalamata.

The luxury lines that call here

From the lines' own 2026 and 2027 voyages. Ports change from season to season, so check the voyage before you reserve.

Luxury Cruise LinesSuites at Sea

Experience

Events and things to do in Costa Navarino

The finest things to do in and around Costa Navarino.

Golf

Health spas

  • Euphoria RetreatMystras near Sparta

    A holistic retreat in its own forest at the foot of Mount Taygetus. Visit website ↗

  • Anazoe SpaCosta Navarino

    A 4,000-square-metre spa in Messinia inspired by Hippocrates' approach to health, with hydrotherapy pools among herb and olive gardens; named on The Times and The Sunday Times list of the world's 50 best spas in 2025. Visit website ↗

Live

Luxury real estate in Costa Navarino

A home in Costa Navarino: the agencies and advisers at our standard, for the purchase and for life after it.

Prime real estate

All the leading agencies in Greece ›

Looking for a home in Costa Navarino? Write to travel@TheMediterranean.com and we will introduce you, in confidence, to the right agency.

Branded residences and new developments

  • Navarino ResidencesCosta Navarino, Messinia

    TEMES's 1,000-hectare destination offers privately owned luxury villas within the resort, alongside its Mandarin Oriental hotel and signature golf courses. Visit website ↗

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Costa Navarino and the Mediterranean: your questions answered

Plan your journey to Costa Navarino

Where is Costa Navarino?

On the coast of Messinia in the south-west Peloponnese, Greece. Kalamata airport takes private jets and is about 45 minutes by road; Athens is about three hours by car or under an hour by helicopter.

What is Costa Navarino famous for?

Its resorts and championship golf among the olive groves, the beaches and bay of Navarino, and its place in the Peloponnese close to Olympia, Pylos and the Palace of Nestor.

When is the best time to visit Costa Navarino?

Late May to June and September to October are ideal: a warm sea, dry days and none of the 31°C (88°F) heat of July and August. Temperatures are for Kalamata, about 45 minutes from Costa Navarino.

Where are the best luxury hotels in Costa Navarino?

Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino (One of the 25 Finest Resorts).

How do you arrive in Costa Navarino by private jet?

Kalamata International (KLX / LGKL), about 40 to 45 minutes by car.

Do you tip in Costa Navarino?

Service is generally included in the price, but leaving 5–10% for good service is customary. Round up taxi fares, or add 5–10% for longer journeys. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day.

What should you wear in Costa Navarino?

Dress modestly at churches and monasteries: women cover their shoulders and knees, and men wear long trousers and sleeved tops. At the monasteries, wraps are usually provided at the entrance and men in shorts are turned away. No hard-soled shoes on yacht decks. Fine dining is smart-casual, and Athens and Mykonos can be dressier.

Beyond Costa Navarino

More in Greece

Mykonos, Santorini, the Athens Riviera, the Peloponnese and Crete, and the Mediterranean beyond.

GreeceLuxury Greece Holidays: Mykonos & SantoriniExplore GreeceThe MediterraneanTwenty-two countries and Gibraltar, first class onlyExplore the MediterraneanPlan your journeyFrom your home to Costa Navarino, with the costsOpen the trip planner

Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Costa Navarino

How Greece does things.

Language
Greek is the official language. English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and anywhere that serves visitors.
Greetings
A firm handshake with eye contact on first meeting is usual. Friends typically greet with a hug or two cheek kisses. Address people as Kyrie (Mr) or Kyria (Mrs/Ms) with their surname until invited otherwise.
Dress
Dress modestly at churches and monasteries: women cover their shoulders and knees, and men wear long trousers and sleeved tops. At the monasteries, wraps are usually provided at the entrance and men in shorts are turned away. No hard-soled shoes on yacht decks. Fine dining is smart-casual, and Athens and Mykonos can be dressier.
Dining
Greeks eat late. Lunch is usually taken by about 3 pm, and dinner rarely starts before 9 pm, often 10 pm or later in summer. Reservations are essential at the top restaurants in Athens and on the islands in high season. Sharing plates is the custom.
Tipping
Service is generally included in the price, but leaving 5–10% for good service is customary. Round up taxi fares, or add 5–10% for longer journeys. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day.
Good to know
Avoid the open-palm "stop" gesture towards someone, because in Greece it is an insult (the moutza). It is illegal to approach, photograph or film military installations, vehicles or buildings, and offenders can be arrested; take the same care in border areas.
Tourist tax
Hotels add a climate resilience fee per room per night, €15 at five-star hotels from April to October; cruise passengers landing on Santorini or Mykonos pay €20 a visit in summer.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.