Kalamata

Kalamata surprises most first-time visitors. People expect a sleepy provincial town and find instead a confident, food-obsessed city of wide boulevards, a long palm-lined seafront, and the best olives in the world hanging in every market stall. Arriving on the day of the local festival means finding the streets given over to music and dancing, with the whole city seeming to eat and celebrate at once. The old town, with its Byzantine churches and its little square beneath the castle, is compact and full of character, and the castle itself — built by the Franks in the 13th century on a ridge above the city — commands a view over the Messenian Gulf that runs all the way to the Mani. The seafront promenade is where the city lives: joggers at dawn, families in the evening, tavernas serving grilled octopus and the local wine. And everywhere — in the shops, on the tables, in the very air of the place — are the olives: the dark, almond-shaped Kalamata olive, brined in red wine vinegar and olive oil, the taste of Greece in a single bite.

Kalamata's name is said to come from the Greek 'kala matia' (beautiful eyes), after a Byzantine legend of a beautiful woman rescued by local fishermen. The town grew to prominence in the medieval period, and in 1208 it was taken by the Franks under Geoffrey Villehardouin, who built the castle that still crowns the hill above the city. It passed between Franks, Byzantines, and Venetians, and in 1685 the Venetians captured it from the Ottomans, leaving their mark on the old town. Kalamata became famous for two things: its silk, which was renowned across Europe from the Byzantine era, and its olives, grown in the vast groves of the Messenian plain. On 23 March 1821, the Greek War of Independence effectively began here when the Greek revolutionaries, led by Petros Mavromichalis and Theodoros Kolokotronis, marched into the city and raised the flag — a banner that was carried through the town and is remembered as the Kalamata Flag. The city was devastated by the great earthquake of 1986, which killed 20 people and destroyed much of the old centre, but it was rebuilt with remarkable speed and its character survived. Today Kalamata is the second largest city of the Peloponnese, the capital of Messenia, and the great gateway to the Mani and the southern Peloponnese.

Kalamata is the gateway to the Messenian coast, one of Greece's most beautiful and least crowded coastlines. The city's own beach — a stretch of pebbles and sand along the seafront — is fine for a swim, but the real treasures lie to the south. The Messenian Riviera, running from Kalamata toward Kardamyli and Stoupa, offers long sandy coves set against the dramatic mountains of the Taygetos. Santova, Stoupa, and Kalogria are among the loveliest; the water is clear and turquoise, the tavernas are simple and excellent, and the crowds are a fraction of those on the more famous islands. For a proper beach day, head to the long strand at Mikri Mantinia or the endless sands of the western Messenian coast.

Kalamata is a serious food city. This is the home of the Kalamata olive and the rich, fruity olive oil of Messenia, and of the dark red Agiorgitiko-influenced wine of the region. The local specialities are the 'tsiirda' fish soup, the kaltsoynia (fried pies of wild greens and cheese), and the legendary souvlaki of the city, which locals will argue is the best in Greece. The market — the 'Kalamata market' — is a daily celebration of the Messenian plain: oranges, figs, honey, cheese, and of course olives in every form. The seafront tavernas serve the day's catch simply grilled, and the old town's kafeneia serve the strong Greek coffee and a spoon sweet that define the Mediterranean afternoon. Save room for the local pasteli and the famous Kalamata kourabiedes.

Kalamata is at its best in spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October), when the weather is warm, the coast is quiet, and the city is at its most pleasant. Summer (July to August) is hot and lively, with the seafront full of life and the beaches of the Messenian Riviera busy but never overwhelming. The festival season in the city brings music and food to the streets, especially around Easter, when Kalamata is famous for its celebrations. Winter is mild, and the mountain scenery of the Taygetos, snow-capped behind the city, is beautiful.

Kalamata airport 'Capetan Vasilis Konstantakopoulos' is inside the city limits, and the A7 (Moreas) motorway and the A8 are what bring most arrivals in from Athens or from the north. There is no passenger rail: the metre-gauge Corinth-Kalamata line that once made the city a terminus has been suspended since 2011, and only occasional excursion trains use the station. KTEL Messinia runs the intercity buses, and the road south from Kalamata is the usual approach to the Mani and the Messenian coast.

Do not leave without trying the olives — and the olive oil, which is arguably the finest in Greece; both are sold everywhere in the city. Visit the castle at the end of the day for the light on the gulf. Allow a morning for the Archaeological Museum — it is one of the best in the Peloponnese. Kalamata is the perfect base for the Mani and the Messenian coast: rent a car and drive the coastal road south, past Stoupa and Kardamyli, to the tower villages and the beautiful coves of the peninsula. The airport is small and convenient, and the city has excellent train and bus connections to Athens and the rest of the Peloponnese.