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Voidokilia beach on the Peloponnese

This story takes place when I first visited the Peloponnese. I flew to Kalamata and had booked rooms in three different villages: Pylos, Koroni and Kardamili. Since it had been a long time since I had discovered anything new in Greece, I felt happily expectant and very curious.

The journey began in the village of Pylos, where I booked a room at Hotel Anezina. When I got there by taxi from the airport in Kalamata, the owner Anezina came and met me and welcomed me to her hotel. A hotel, as it turned out, the best I have ever stayed at in Greece.

After I was shown my room and dropped off my luggage, Anezina offered me an hour of teaching about Pylos and the surrounding area. Over a cup of coffee, she talked about the southwestern Peloponnese, and showed pictures from a thick book. Even though I was well read, there was a lot I didn't know.


The beaches Voidokilia and Glossa beach near Pylos in the southwestern Peloponnese in Greece.

Anezina tells me how to get to Hidden (Glossa) beach and Voidokilia beach.

 

I was most curious about the Voidokilia beach, which I had heard so much about, and which I had seen lots of pictures of. Could that beach be as amazing as the rumour said? Staffan Stolpe (a famous Swedish writer) calls Voidokilia the "the beach of the beaches" in his eminent book Morea, and since I trust Staffan Stolpe, the rumour should be true. But I was probably a little sceptical.

The next day I rented a quad bike and headed north towards Voidokilia. I also visited the beaches Gialova beach, Golden beach, Glossa beach and the beaches around Petrochori and Romanos. Beautiful beaches everywhere. But Voidokilia beat all the other beaches head on. What an amazing beach!

 

Voidokilia beach and Paleokostro where Nestor's cave is located.

Wonderful Voidokilia beach. Paleokastro is under the red arrow.

 

To be able to see the beach from above, you have to use a drone, or hike up to Paleokastro from the other side. And since I didn't own a drone, I had to hike there, but not on this particular day. Those of you who have read Homer's Odyssey may remember Nestor's cave, which is located on the cliff.

 

Swimming and snorkeling at Voidokilia beach on the Peloponnese.

Calm waves heading towards Voidokilia beach.



My brain wanted so badly to see the beach from above, but neither my right leg nor my right hip wanted to. I had been in great pain for some time, and suspected that it would be impossible for me to hike up to Paleokastro. But my brain doesn't always listen to my body, and this was one such occasion. So I decided to make an attempt to go up to Paleokastro the next morning. Sorry legs, sorry hip, but now that I'm so close to my goal, you'll actually have to put up with it, said my brain, and I could only agree.

 

Glossa beach near Voidokilia north of Pylos in the Peloponnese.

Before driving home to Pylos, I stopped at Glossa beach.

 

Glossa beach is commonly called Hidden beach because it is so secret.

Glossa beach is commonly called Hidden beach because it is so secret.

 

Voidokilia beach seen from the path to Glossa beach.

Voidokilia beach seen from the path to Glossa beach.

 

The next morning I started the journey to the beach of my dreams. Join me!

 

After breakfast I drove towards Gialova lagoon where the hike to Paleokastro begins. I stopped many times to enjoy the beautiful scenery and the bay of Navarino. I also stopped at Golden beach and took some pictures in the beautiful morning light, before continuing towards the destination.

 

Navarino bay off Pylos in the southwestern Peloponnese.

The insanely beautiful Bay of Navarino.

 

Golden beach near Voidokilia and Pylos in the Peloponnese.

Hello hello Paleokastro and Voidokilia, see you soon.

 

When I arrived at the Gialova lagoon, I studied the information board very carefully. I didn't want to get lost with my wobbly leg and aching hip. According to the information board, it looked like a fairly easy hike, at least if you had healthy legs.

 

Map of Gialova lagoon in the Peloponnese where Divari beach, Paleokastro and Voidokilia beach are located.

Information board about Gialova lagoon.

 

Divari beach in the Gialova lagoon on the Peloponnese.

I parked the quad bike and started walking along the very beautiful Divari beach.

 

When I and the man you vaguely see in the picture above met, I asked him for the path up to Paleokastro. He explained how to go, but advised me not to continue because Paleokastro was closed due to racial danger. Guess if I was sad. My right leg and right hip smirked, something my brain didn't like, not at all actually, and ordered legs and hips to keep going. And we all did.

The path that goes from Divari beach to Paleokastro above Voidokilia beach.

After walking a little way I saw this sign, but I went on anyway.

 

Hike to Paleokastro and Voidokilia beach in the Peloponnese.

I continued up, despite the heat, the leg and the hip. Paleokastro is under the red arrow.

 

Paleokastro and Nestor's cave near Pylos in the Peloponnese.

Now it is not far to Paleokastro and the view I longed for.

Voidokilia beach above the Gialova lagoon on the Peloponnese.

I sneak up to a hole in the wall, and look, there's the beach!

 

Kalimera on the Peloponnese in Greece.

I never thought my bad leg would make it through the hike, but - thanks leg - it did!

 

Greece's best beach Voidokilia beach on the Peloponnese.

Then I stood for a while and enjoyed the view of beautiful Voidokilia beach.

The unexploited sandy beach of Voidokilia in the southwestern Peloponnese.

I zoomed in with the camera and saw a person enjoying the same beautiful beach.

 

Voidokilia beach near Pylos in the Peloponnese is Greece's best and most beautiful beach.

I agreed with Staffan Stolpe who calls Voidokilia “the beach of the beaches".

 

When I was satisfied - which I really wasn't - I went back the way I came. The brain was now brimming with endorphins, so much in fact that the aches and pains had disappeared. Yippee!

Then I did a lot of other things, like getting lost for a while and looking at a nice waterfall. When the old body reminded itself that it is not as young as it once was, I drove to the village of Gialova where I had intended to take a well-deserved swim.

 

Gialova beach north of Pylos in the Peloponnese.

The beach in Gialova. Paleokastro is under the red arrow.

 

Read about Gialova beach here »

 

But there was no swimming because the stomach started rumbling with hunger and you should always listen to the stomach. So I looked up the cosiest taverna in Gialova and ordered a Greek salad (with capers!) and a well-deserved ice cold FIX.

 

Good restaurants in Gialova north of Pylos in the Peloponnese.

The reward after a rather strenuous, but absolutely wonderful, hike to the shore of the beaches.

When I got home I took a well deserved shower and rested for a while thinking about today's feat. I was so happy that I had managed to go up to Paleokastro, and to see the beach of my dreams from above. Before going out to eat down in the port of Pylos, I sat for a while on my balcony at the Hotel Anezina and enjoyed an ouzo, in the company of a nice sunset over Pylos and the beautiful bay of Navarino.

 

The sunset over Navarino bay seen from the village of Pylos in the Peloponnese.

The sunset over Navarino bay in Pylos.

 

Balconies with a view at Hotel Anezina in Pylos in the Peloponnese.

A day to remember was almost over and me and my brain were sooo happy!

 

Read more about Peloponnese here »

 




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