TREASURES OF THE PAST Tour from Kalamata to Nestor Palace, Pylos, Methoni Castle

NESTOR’S PALACE

The Upper Englianos Mycenaean palace, better known as Nestor's Palace, is the only Mycenaean palace that has been preserved in such good condition. It is located 4 km south of Chora in Messinia.

German Archaeologist Henry Schliemann had researched in 1888 but failed to find the Palace of Nestor. In 1912 and 1926 Kourouniotis discovered two domed tombs, that Carl Blegen felt that they were royal. The palace discovered in 1939 by Kourouniotis together with Carl Blegen who continued and completed the research. For ten days in 8 excavated sites was found Mycenaean pottery. On April 4 of the same year they had already found fragments of frescoes and the excavations continued until May 10, revealing a large part of the palace.The excavations were interrupted by the start of World War II until 1952. The palace complex consists of four main buildings, which have dozens of apartments. After the discovery of the throne room, Blegen called it “the Palace of Nestor”.The Palace of Nestor was decorated with colorful murals and had two floors. Unlike Mycenae, Pylos Palace was fortified with Cyclopean walls. It was not necessary to have such walls after the site was selected because of its natural fortification

PYLOS

Pylos is a charming town in the southwestern part of the Peloponnese. Built in 1828 by the army of General Maison. In the center of the square lies the Three Admirals monument which was completed in 1933. On the left and right are placed two cannons, one Venetian and one Turk. Nowadays Pylos is a small, picturesque, seafront town of 2.104 inhabitants.

CASTLE OF METHONI 

The castle of Methoni is one of the most important sets of Greek fortifications. The castle occupies the whole of the SW coast of the Peloponnese, with a fine natural harbor, which in medieval times was a station on the road of pilgrims to the Holy Land and of merchant ships from the West to the East. The heyday of the castle was during the Venetian Era (13th-15th ad.)The harbor and castle of Methoni were for centuries a great geopolitical hub thanks to its placement.

ENJOY A DELICIOUS LUNCH in seaside restaurant in Methoni. After lunch drive back to the port of Kalamata.