Kalamata

Kalamata is the capital and main port of Messenia, spread along the head of the Messenian Gulf in the south-western Peloponnese. With around fifty thousand residents it is a genuine working city rather than a resort, and that gives it an appealing, unforced energy: a long waterfront lined with cafes and tavernas, a good sandy beach, a lively centre and an international airport that makes it the natural gateway to this corner of Greece.

The city has two distinct faces. Inland, the old historic centre climbs towards the thirteenth-century castle built by Geoffrey de Villehardouin, with the church of the Ypapanti cathedral, a restored railway park and a bustling central market where the region's produce is sold. Down by the water, a broad promenade runs for kilometres past the marina and beach, filling with locals in the evening for the customary stroll.

Kalamata is, of course, synonymous with olives. The distinctive dark, almond-shaped Kalamata olives and the region's olive oil have been produced in the surrounding valleys for a very long time, and they appear on every table. The city is also known for its silk scarves and for a sweet local variety of dried figs.

Beyond the city, Kalamata's real value is as a base. The beaches and villages of the Mani peninsula begin just to the south, the bay of Navarino and the town of Pylos lie to the west, and the mountain roads over Taygetos climb east towards Sparta. Ancient Messene, one of the most impressive and least crowded classical sites in Greece, is a short drive north, and the mountain village of Kardamyli, gateway to the Outer Mani, lies along the coast to the south.

Kalamata also has a serious cultural side, with a well-regarded international dance festival held each summer and a lively year-round arts scene befitting a regional capital. For food, beaches and a real sense of everyday Greek life away from the postcard islands, Kalamata makes a rewarding and well-connected stop, comfortable as a destination in its own right and unbeatable as a base for the wider region.