The satellite maps of Messinia proove that it is a truly green region surrounded by blue waters, while the Mani (on the Laconian peninsular opposite) is rocky and grey.

How to get to Messinia

Kalamata, which is the capital of Messinia, can be seen as one of the three points of a triangle, the others of which are Corinth (Korinthos) and Patra. This triangle shows the main passages of entry to the Peloponnese.

Fly & drive 

From April to October there are charter flights to Kalamata Airport and Araxos Airport (Patras), from various European cities. Also, there are daily scheduled flights from most of European countries to Athens International Airport. The distance Athens - Tripoli - Kalamata is 260 Km long and can be covered by car in approximately 3 ½ hours. The road takes you through the vineyards of Korinthia and the mountainous masses of Arkadia before you reach the fertile Messinian valley.

Last summer the Greek airline Aegean operated domestic flights between Athens International Airport (ATH) and Kalamata airport (KLX). From May until October 2010 there were two scheduled flights a day covering the distance from the Greek capital to the heart of Messinia in just 45 minutes. Not only business travellers but also holiday makers had been waiting for many years for this connection to be re-established. It is not clear if the same flights will operate during summer 2011, but Kalamata can be reached via domestic flights via Thessaloniki.

Aegean Airlines was founded in 1999 and was the first private airline with an air operator's certificate in Greece. Today it is a partner of Lufthansa , TAP Portugal , Brussels Airlines and BMI and thanks to this cooperation passengers can enjoy code-share flights, convenient transfer and many other benefits. In 2008 Aegean received the Gold Award Airline of the year 2008/09 at the prestigious European Regions Airline Association, Airline of the Year awards ceremony and last year Aegean was named top Regional Airline in Europe by SKYTRAX.

Car & ferry boat

If you are planning a trip with your own car, there are daily ferryboat services from Italy (Venice, Ancona, Bari, Brindisi) to Patra. The distance Patra - Kalamata is about 215 km (3 hours drive).

Scheduled coach KTEL

Kalamata is also connected to Athens by bus. The KTEL bus can by taken at the Bus Terminal of Kifissos in Athens and covers the distance in about 4 hours. There are several bus services throughout the day.

Greek Railways OSE

Kalamata can be reached by train but due to renovation works throughout the Peloponnese this mode of transport is not recommended until the entire network has been fixed. The only reliable and fast connection is the new Proastiakos Suburban Railway between Athens International Airport and Kiato.