The Greek islands have been an absolute vibe for 2024. But when the travel trend hits, so do the crowds. One industry insider recently told me that on top of an already fully-booked island’s worth of hotels, Santorini was seeing as many as 9,000 cruise ship passengers being dropped off daily for sightseeing excursions during peak season this year. So unless you’ve got the budget to stay secluded, it's maybe not quite the chilled island getaway you envisaged…
If quiet beaches, untouched countryside and good food are on the agenda, you absolutely need to consider a trip to Messinia in Greece’s southwest Peloponnese. It’s one of the country’s most beautiful and unspoiled landscapes and, joined to the mainland by only a little strip of land, it’s got all the island vibes, with none of the crowds.
Our pick of the region is Costa Navarino, which sits along the coast, next to quaint and quiet fishing villages, and luxury marinas.
Where we stayed
We stayed at the W Costa Navarino, which opened in late 2022. It’s the first W to open in Greece so, it’s kind of a big deal and you can see the attention to detail everywhere. The hotel has all the things you know and love about the W chain (think: modern, playful, affordable luxury), but feels like a stripped-back, locally-run resort. This is partly thanks to the two-storey limit on all of the buildings, which are all constructed with authentic stone and wood (and topped with living roofs packed with greenery), and gorgeous landscaping full of olive trees and local flowers.
The resort sits right on its own stretch of beach overlooking the Ionian Sea, along with three main swimming pools and multiple swim-up rooms with their own pool areas (which is where we stayed).
Our Fabulous Infinity Swim Up room was great value. Rooms are a generous size, with a king-size bed, seating area with sofa and chair, little mini bar area, walk-in wardrobe alcove, and a sizeable bathroom with two sinks, walk-in rain shower and separate toilet. But the real stand-out is the private outdoor deck area with two comfy chairs, a day-bed for sunbathing and your own steps into the block’s dedicated swimming pool (shared by about 12 rooms, but we barely saw anyone all day).
Rooms at the W Costa Navarino start from Euros 340 per night with breakfast.
Where we ate
The W itself has a decent amount of choice for a few days, but there are so many other options a matter of minutes away, that you won’t get bored if you’re here for a week.
In the resort, Parelía is the best option for dinner. Perched right on the beach, it's a lovely spot for sunset, and serves a range of delicious Greek-inspired dishes ranging from fresh fish to roasted lamb.
There’s also Piqantro, a Spanish-inspired steak restaurant up in the hills behind the resort (the views are great), which you can jump on a free 5-minute shuttle bus ride to. Between (which hadn’t opened yet when we were there) and W Lounge are more bar-style options serving light bites, while Wet Deck is your go-to for a poolside lunch.
My fave spot? Green Pepper, which is nestled away in the furthest corner of the resort, serving amazing brunch and lunch. We’re talking fresh smoothies and juices, açaí bowls and pancakes, labneh and poached eggs, grilled peach and halloumi salad… yum.
Breakfast is also included and has a good range of choice - it’s buffet-style, spread across four buildings (the cafe, the deli, the bakery and XXX), which all sit around a shaded little square.
Right next door to the resort, over a small bridge (we’re talking a 3 minute walk), is the Navarino Agora, a group of restaurants, cafe’s, delis, and boutique shops, set around a little marina. Mediterranean (largely Italian) restaurant Santorre was our favourite, serving cocktails, fresh pastas, and delicious desserts amongst other things, all with a stunning sunset view over the sea.
There are an incredible 40 dining venues across Costa Navarino, but do not miss out on the local options nearby. One of my favouirte meals of the trip was at Anama, a contemporary Greek restaurant on the beachfront of Gialova (just a 4-minute cab ride or 20-minute walk along the beach from the W).
The menu changes weekly, but to get your tastebuds going, we went for halloumi oven-baked in honey, fresh crab linguine, grilled chicken (marinated in yogurt, mint, cumin, paprika and lemon) with artichoke hummus, and a pistachio millefeuille to finish. Delish.
What we did
I was totally ready to park up by the pool with a good book and basically never leave (and ngl, that did make up the majority of my week), but there’s a surprising amount to tempt you away from staying horizontal.
If you just want to roll right out of bed into an activity, there’s the dreamy Away Spa, the on-site Watersports Center, the Health & Fitness Club, pool tables, and the nearby Agora’s shops and open-air cinema showing the latest releases, as well as a regular schedule of events ranging from wine tastings to DJ sets.
If you can bear to explore a little further outside the resort, have a wander around Gialova village or check out the stunning Voidokilia beach. Named an area of natural beauty, the calm blue waters of the lagoon are perfect for a swim, but make sure to take your own umbrella if you want shade, and food and drink, as there’s none available at the beach itself due to it being a Natura 2000 protected area.
The nearby Pilos (aka Pylos) is a nice spot to wander around the harbour, grab a coffee and sit with locals in the square, or explore the Castle of Pilos. Entry is €6pp and I’d recommend spending anywhere between half an hour to an hour there (there are toilets and a very basic refreshment shop on-site selling cold drinks and ice creams).
Feeling even more adventurous? There are a whole host of ancient ruins in the area, including the impressive Palace of Nestor. Plus, you can use Costa Navarino as a base to explore Olympia where the ancient Olympic Games were first held (a 1hr 45min drive away) or even Athens (a 3hr 30min drive away) and its iconic Acropolis. Just speak to W’s Whatever/Whenever concierge for more information!
Need to know
The nearest airport is Kalamata, which is approx. a 45 minute drive away from W Costa Navarino.
Claire Hodgson is Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan UK. Formerly the brand's Digital Director, she has worked in the media industry for over fifteen years, specialising in cross-platform content, from print and digital, to social and video. Originally working as an entertainment journalist, Claire is a film fanatic, box-set binger and music-lover, having interviewed the likes of Channing Tatum and Zac Efron, with her Scarlett Johansson and Mark Ruffalo video going viral in 2015. You're most likely to find Claire writing random entertainment op-eds on her love for Pedro Pascal and F1: Drive to Survive, or lusting after dreamy holiday destinations in our travel section.
