Costa Navarino Wine & Food Trip

As previously announced, we are once again heading to a new, special destination this year. We are always looking for places that inspire and surprise, where wine, gastronomy, and culture come together naturally. These are trips that are curated with care, and the Costa Navarino Wine and Food trip is one such example.

​

For this Costa Navarino Wine & Food Trip, we take you to Messinia, in the southwest of the Peloponnese. A region that still feels authentic while simultaneously exuding a refined, relaxed luxury. This is a destination for true Wine & Food lovers: for guests who enjoy fine wines, pure cuisine, special encounters, and that typical Greek conviviality that arises when everything is just right.

​

Wines from Messinia — authentic, elegant and surprising

The wine culture of Messinia is among the most interesting and promising in Greece. For centuries, this has been a productive wine region where tradition and modern viticulture come together.
The vineyards are scattered across hilly slopes overlooking the Ionian Sea. Thanks to the Mediterranean climate, the cooling sea breeze, and the calcareous soil, the grapes develop a distinct style: fresh, fruity, and with a pleasant minerality typical of Messinia.

They work with both indigenous Greek grape varieties and international varieties. Local grapes commonly found here include Fileri, Roditis, Fokiano, and Mandilaria. In addition, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Grenache, and Syrah are also cultivated. The result is a versatile palette of wines: from elegant white to full-bodied and complex red.

Messinia is developing increasingly strongly as a wine destination. Wine here is not a mass-produced product, but a discovery — precisely what makes this trip so special.

🧿Want to know much more about all the wines of Messinia ? 

​

Olive oil from Messinia — world-class liquid gold

Messinia belongs to the absolute top when it comes to olive oil. The landscape is dominated by millions of olive trees, mainly of the Koroneiki variety, renowned worldwide for its aromatic intensity and quality.

Annual production varies by harvest year but averages around 35,000 to 45,000 tonnes of extra virgin olive oil per year. A significant portion falls under the Kalamata PDO protected designation of origin, a quality label recognized by the European Union.

In Greece, olive oil is not a luxury, but a way of life. Greeks are among the world's largest consumers of olive oil, using an average of no less than 25 liters of olive oil per person per year. In regions like Messinia, this figure is often even higher. Here, olive oil forms the basis of virtually every meal and is deeply intertwined with culture, health, and identity.

​

Saturday, October 17 

✈️ Arrival at Kalamata airport at 10:50 AM (Transavia flight from Amsterdam to Kalamata)
🚐 After arrival, we depart for Koroni — a stunning and authentic coastal town with a lively harbor, colorful houses, and an impressive Venetian castle towering high above the sea 
🍽️ Lunch by the sea with classic Greek dishes and wine 

🚐 Onward journey to Methoni — a charming seaside village where the imposing Venetian fort dominates the landscape 
🍷 Aperitivo with carefully selected wines on the terrace of Hotel La Sapienza, at sunset with a view of the sea 
🛏️ Check-in & overnight stay in Methoni, beautiful Hotel La Sapienza 

​

Sunday, October 18 

🍷 Visit to a wine producer in the Costa Navarino region — one of the most exclusive and beautifully situated areas of Greece (also famous for the Costa Navarino Golf Courses)
🏖️ Free time at Voidokilia Beach / Golden Beach, an iconic crescent-shaped beach with crystal-clear water 

👩‍🍳 Authentic cooking workshop in the olive grove, followed by an early dinner.
☕ Time for coffee in Pylos — an elegant coastal town on the Bay of Navarino, which has recently also been in the international spotlight: scenes were filmed here for the movie The Odyssey, which will be released in cinemas in 2026. 
🚐 Back to Hotel La Sapienza
🛏️ Overnight stay in Methoni

​

Monday, October 19 

🫒 Exclusive olive oil tasting and workshop led by a certified Olive Oil Sommelier
🌿 In the olive grove itself, with a view of the sea, entirely dedicated to extra virgin olive oil from Messinia, belonging to the Kalamata PDO
🎓 Afterwards, you will receive an official diploma — and one thing is certain: at home, you will never again carelessly reach for a cheap olive oil from the cupboard 

🍽️ Extensive Greek lunch with wine 
🏊‍♀️ Free time: swimming pool or visit to the Venetian castle of Methoni 
🔥 In the evening, Greek barbecue at the hotel, including wine 
🛏️ Overnight stay in Methoni

​

Tuesday, October 20 

🏛️ Visit to Ancient Messini
🍷 Visit to a local winery

🍽️ Walking Food Tour in Kalamata, the undisputed gastronomic capital of Messinia — the culinary heart of the region where tradition and a surprisingly modern food scene come together. From lively markets and artisan producers to contemporary restaurants and wine bars: here, it is all about taste, quality, and origin. Lunch included
🌆 Free evening in Kalamata
🛏️ Overnight stay in Kalamata

​

Thursday, October 21 

🚐 Transfer to the airport
✈️ Departure at 10:55 (Transavia flight from Kalamata to Amsterdam)

​

Costa Navarino Wine and Food Trip 2026 Price

• Euro 930.00

• Euro 200.00 single room supplement

• Euro: 25.00 booking fee / VZR guarantee fund (one-time, per booking)

 

Included in the trip 

• no. 4 nights + breakfast (3 nights La Sapienza Hotel in Methoni and 1 night Kalamata 4-star hotel)

• aperitivo with an amazing view in Methoni on day 1

• visit to 2 different wineries to get to know top wines from Messina

• 1 x lunch including wine in Koroni

• 1 x lunch incl. wine in Methoni

• 1 x lunch in Kalamata (integrated into Gourmet walking tour)

• Gourmet Walking Tour in Kalamata 1

• Cooking Class with dinner

• Greek Barbecue (incl. wine) in Methoni 

• bus as mentioned in the program

• travel guidance throughout the entire trip

 

Not included in the trip

• flight 

• entrance Ancient Messini 

• entrance to Methoni Castle

• extra drinks / wines

• Tourist tax at the hotel, this must be paid directly by the guests, €5.00 per person per night

• travel insurance (everyone is required to travel with valid travel insurance from the Netherlands or Belgium)

• everything not mentioned under "included in the trip"

​

Notes

It is always possible to extend the trip, for example by staying a few extra nights at Hotel La Sapienza in Methoni, Golf Costa Navarino, or extra nights in Athens Denk (there is a direct express bus line from Athens to Kalamata in 2.5 hours... The bus runs several times a day). Let us know and we will be happy to arrange it for you.