Gialova is a modern well known surfing village on Navarino Bay in the municipality of Pylos Nestor belonging to the regional unit of Messinia in the south-west Peloponnisos, about six kilometres north of Pylos. The name is inherited from Greek word “gialos” meaning shore and Turkish word “ova” meaning lowland so it’s called “lowland shore”.
You will find a large organized sandy beach with various shops, taverns, restaurants, coffee shops and bars along the seaside. It is an ideal destination for families with small children and also for surfers all over the world. We recommend you to visit this beach and additionally some of the shops and the sights that are nearby. In the past, the customs station of Pylos was based in Gialova, mainly exporting local raisins and wine. Nowadays, the residents of Gialova work on agriculture, but also on tourism industry as the village became extremelly famous.
Gialova was in the past a part of the Karamousal subdivision of Nicosia, today it is the capital of the homonymous prefecture. It is a famous village for its thermal spas, in which lots of people come to find some sort of medication. Before the population exchange in 1923, Gialova counted 1025 permanent inhabitants, of whom 520 were Greeks, 275 Armenians and the other Turks. Today this number is about 70,000 inhabitants.
In Gialova, similarly as throughout the prefecture of Messinia, you’ll find a rich traditional cuisine and plenty of pure and healthy native products. The main agricultural foods produced in Messinia are olives, grapes, raisins, figs, citrus and fruit and vegetables.
Some of the specialties of the local cuisine are salads, boiled goat, scrambled cod with garlic, roast pork, and sage-smoked sausages unique to their taste and quality.
Try even marvelous “diples”, “lalagia” and oil bagels. Don’t forget to shop the far-famed Kalamata olives, honey, that are of excellent quality, “pasteli”, “ouzo”, balsamic vinegar, “trachana”, noodles, herbs and organic products.
Gialova’s local products and food is worth visiting. Don’t hesitate to arrange a trip until there in order to taste and see for yourselves!
Starting with “Golden Beach” or Divari as it’s called, is one of the most important hydro biotopes of Europe. It is a protected hydro biotope with lots and different rare species of flora and fauna. Here many migrating birds rest during their journey. Some rare mammals can also be found here like jackals and otters, species that can’t be found somewhere nearby. It’s the only place in Europe where you can still see the endangered and very rare species of the African chameleon which originates in this particular area and can’t be explained until today how this is possible. In the nearby coasts of Gialova’s lagoon you might also encounter the protected species of the turtle Caretta-Caretta.
This is an ideal place for walking and also for bird-watching due to the innumerable species of birds in this lagoon. Those who get excited with the traditions of each area and this one specifically, should visit the Folklore Museum of Gialova. Here Mr. Balafoutis collected cultural items from Gialova and the wider area of Pelloponisos. You will find here tools of professions that don’t exist anymore. Near to Gialova you will find signs that lead you to the Kalamari Waterfall which are on the road towards Sxinolaka. Here you should follow a hiking path of about fifteen minutes that ends up to the amazing waterfalls.
Famous Voidokilia beach is located immediately to the north of old Navarino castle. Above Voidokoilia beach there is the archeological site of the Mycenaean grave of Thrasymedes, the son of king Nestoras.
Spring Breaks
Visitors who head to Gialova between late March and May should expect to find clear skies and temperatures that hover between fifteen and twenty five degrees, making sightseeing pleasant and creating perfect walking conditions. It’s not uncommon for water temperatures to be warm enough for swimming throughout the early Spring also. The important Easter preparations that take place this time of year, where you see locals flooding the streets for the biggest celebration of Christianity. Next day is followed by music, dancing, eating and drinking as a tradition. By avoiding the summer rush, tourists should be able to find smart deals on flights and accommodation, making Spring a good season for budget travellers to visit Gialova.
Summer Sun
Sunscreen and shades are essential for a Summer visit to Gialova, and the dry heat, which is possible to exceed 40 degrees, can feel stifling. If you intend to visit Gialova at this time, don’t attempt to pack too much clothes into your trip. Arrange several of lazy beach days and make sure your hotel room or apartment is air conditioned. Greek holidaymakers flock here during the summer months, so you should expect crowded beaches so book your lodgings earlier as well.
Autumn and Winter in Gialova
As the temperatures drop, also do the tourist numbers, and the early Autumn is a very pleasant time to visit Gialova. During September the waters are still warm enough for swimming, and you’ll have plenty of space for splashing into. Sightseeing becomes more comfortable as the heat becomes less oppressive, so October, November and forward are good times of the year to explore the mountains. During the Winter, there are fewer international flights to Kalamata, but it is always possible to fly in to Athens and take the transport through the beautiful newly created highway and inside the graphic villages along the way.
To reach the small village of Gialova from the main road Kalamata-Pylos, you have to turn right on the new crossroad, a few kilometers before Pylos, following the relevant signs on the road. If you take this road downwards, you will see the golf facilities of Costa Navarino on your left hand. In the end of the highway, you must follow the right end of the road and after a few hundred meters, you will see the village of Gialova.
The village is divided in two parts. The beach or port part of the village consists of two short streets, one fronting the bay and the other on the right side, leading to the main Pylos-Kyparissia road. This part is largely touristic with bars and restaurants, shops, and rooms/hotels. The point where the two streets meet is where a mole is used by local fishing boats.
The other, residential and commercial part of the village is about 1 kilometer further north alongside the Pylos-Kyparissia road. The modern structure of Gialova nowadays includes several houses and holiday villas some of them available also for rent, on the hill called Dapia behind Gialova.
Driving: You’ll be able to drive from Athens to Gialova in about three hours twenty minutes on the National Road. Its not a bad drive and you will pass some attention-grabbing countryside. After all it’s a lot more interesting for the passenger than it’s for the driver who should keep his eye on the road in order to be alert for all the crazy things Greek drivers do. However even that may be amusing and if you’re a good driver you will not have any issues. Rent a Car
By bus: Coach services are operated by KTEL between Athens, Pylos Nestor.
The trip time depends on bus schedule. Ticket value depends on bus schedule also.
You don’t have to pre-book for a price ticket. You’ll pay at the terminal, before bus departure or on the bus. If you’re there half an hour before departure you must find a seat. Find a Bus
By taxi: You’ll be able to rent or hire a taxi transfer from Athens directly to Gialova through the contact form and also you can arrange the price with the driver! This can be a simple solution if you don’t wish to drive all the way by yourself! Taxi Transfer
Gialova is a modern well known surfing village on Navarino Bay in the municipality of Pylos Nestor belonging to the regional unit of Messinia in the south-west Peloponnisos, about six kilometres north of Pylos. The name is inherited from Greek word “gialos” meaning shore and Turkish word “ova” meaning lowland so it’s called “lowland shore”.
You will find a large organized sandy beach with various shops, taverns, restaurants, coffee shops and bars along the seaside. It is an ideal destination for families with small children and also for surfers all over the world. We recommend you to visit this beach and additionally some of the shops and the sights that are nearby. In the past, the customs station of Pylos was based in Gialova, mainly exporting local raisins and wine. Nowadays, the residents of Gialova work on agriculture, but also on tourism industry as the village became extremelly famous.
Gialova was in the past a part of the Karamousal subdivision of Nicosia, today it is the capital of the homonymous prefecture. It is a famous village for its thermal spas, in which lots of people come to find some sort of medication. Before the population exchange in 1923, Gialova counted 1025 permanent inhabitants, of whom 520 were Greeks, 275 Armenians and the other Turks. Today this number is about 70,000 inhabitants.
In Gialova, similarly as throughout the prefecture of Messinia, you’ll find a rich traditional cuisine and plenty of pure and healthy native products. The main agricultural foods produced in Messinia are olives, grapes, raisins, figs, citrus and fruit and vegetables.
Some of the specialties of the local cuisine are salads, boiled goat, scrambled cod with garlic, roast pork, and sage-smoked sausages unique to their taste and quality.
Try even marvelous “diples”, “lalagia” and oil bagels. Don’t forget to shop the far-famed Kalamata olives, honey, that are of excellent quality, “pasteli”, “ouzo”, balsamic vinegar, “trachana”, noodles, herbs and organic products.
Gialova’s local products and food is worth visiting. Don’t hesitate to arrange a trip until there in order to taste and see for yourselves!
Starting with “Golden Beach” or Divari as it’s called, is one of the most important hydro biotopes of Europe. It is a protected hydro biotope with lots and different rare species of flora and fauna. Here many migrating birds rest during their journey. Some rare mammals can also be found here like jackals and otters, species that can’t be found somewhere nearby. It’s the only place in Europe where you can still see the endangered and very rare species of the African chameleon which originates in this particular area and can’t be explained until today how this is possible. In the nearby coasts of Gialova’s lagoon you might also encounter the protected species of the turtle Caretta-Caretta.
This is an ideal place for walking and also for bird-watching due to the innumerable species of birds in this lagoon. Those who get excited with the traditions of each area and this one specifically, should visit the Folklore Museum of Gialova. Here Mr. Balafoutis collected cultural items from Gialova and the wider area of Pelloponisos. You will find here tools of professions that don’t exist anymore. Near to Gialova you will find signs that lead you to the Kalamari Waterfall which are on the road towards Sxinolaka. Here you should follow a hiking path of about fifteen minutes that ends up to the amazing waterfalls.
Famous Voidokilia beach is located immediately to the north of old Navarino castle. Above Voidokoilia beach there is the archeological site of the Mycenaean grave of Thrasymedes, the son of king Nestoras.
Spring Breaks
Visitors who head to Gialova between late March and May should expect to find clear skies and temperatures that hover between fifteen and twenty five degrees, making sightseeing pleasant and creating perfect walking conditions. It’s not uncommon for water temperatures to be warm enough for swimming throughout the early Spring also. The important Easter preparations that take place this time of year, where you see locals flooding the streets for the biggest celebration of Christianity. Next day is followed by music, dancing, eating and drinking as a tradition. By avoiding the summer rush, tourists should be able to find smart deals on flights and accommodation, making Spring a good season for budget travellers to visit Gialova.
Summer Sun
Sunscreen and shades are essential for a Summer visit to Gialova, and the dry heat, which is possible to exceed 40 degrees, can feel stifling. If you intend to visit Gialova at this time, don’t attempt to pack too much clothes into your trip. Arrange several of lazy beach days and make sure your hotel room or apartment is air conditioned. Greek holidaymakers flock here during the summer months, so you should expect crowded beaches so book your lodgings earlier as well.
Autumn and Winter in Gialova
As the temperatures drop, also do the tourist numbers, and the early Autumn is a very pleasant time to visit Gialova. During September the waters are still warm enough for swimming, and you’ll have plenty of space for splashing into. Sightseeing becomes more comfortable as the heat becomes less oppressive, so October, November and forward are good times of the year to explore the mountains. During the Winter, there are fewer international flights to Kalamata, but it is always possible to fly in to Athens and take the transport through the beautiful newly created highway and inside the graphic villages along the way.
To reach the small village of Gialova from the main road Kalamata-Pylos, you have to turn right on the new crossroad, a few kilometers before Pylos, following the relevant signs on the road. If you take this road downwards, you will see the golf facilities of Costa Navarino on your left hand. In the end of the highway, you must follow the right end of the road and after a few hundred meters, you will see the village of Gialova.
The village is divided in two parts. The beach or port part of the village consists of two short streets, one fronting the bay and the other on the right side, leading to the main Pylos-Kyparissia road. This part is largely touristic with bars and restaurants, shops, and rooms/hotels. The point where the two streets meet is where a mole is used by local fishing boats.
The other, residential and commercial part of the village is about 1 kilometer further north alongside the Pylos-Kyparissia road. The modern structure of Gialova nowadays includes several houses and holiday villas some of them available also for rent, on the hill called Dapia behind Gialova.
Driving: You’ll be able to drive from Athens to Gialova in about three hours twenty minutes on the National Road. Its not a bad drive and you will pass some attention-grabbing countryside. After all it’s a lot more interesting for the passenger than it’s for the driver who should keep his eye on the road in order to be alert for all the crazy things Greek drivers do. However even that may be amusing and if you’re a good driver you will not have any issues. Rent a Car
By bus: Coach services are operated by KTEL between Athens, Pylos Nestor.
The trip time depends on bus schedule. Ticket value depends on bus schedule also.
You don’t have to pre-book for a price ticket. You’ll pay at the terminal, before bus departure or on the bus. If you’re there half an hour before departure you must find a seat. Find a Bus
By taxi: You’ll be able to rent or hire a taxi transfer from Athens directly to Gialova through the contact form and also you can arrange the price with the driver! This can be a simple solution if you don’t wish to drive all the way by yourself! Taxi Transfer
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Free
€1.650,00
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