Kalamata

Kalamata, famous worldwide for its olives, is Messinia’s capital and the second-largest city in the Peloponnese. Most travellers blitz through. Give it a chance and you'll discover a long beach, decent restaurants, good shopping, lively nightlife and some excellent museums.

Below the kastro (fort) is the small but attractive old town, which was almost totally destroyed by the Turks during the War of Independence, rebuilt by French engineers in the 1830s, then levelled again by an earthquake in 1986. The new town stretches south of here; after a couple of kilometres you reach the beachfront, lined with hotels and restaurants.