Greece gets into the swing
Swanky new hotels in the Peloponnese are attracting golf-loving tourists and celebrities
GREECE is not exactly renowned for its golf: there are only nine courses in the entire country, after all. Yet four are to be found on the wild, beautiful and remote coast of Messinia in the south-west Peloponnese.
Costa Navarino opened in 2010 with a single course (another followed the next year). It was the brainchild of the late Captain Vassilis Constantakopoulos, who grew up locally and who made his fortune in shipping. Returning to his home region later in life, he aimed to revitalise one of the country’s most depressed areas by introducing a top-class golf resort.
Costa Navarino is the result, taken on by his son, Achilles, and it’s been an unlikely hit. After the initial opening of Westin and Romanos hotels on its grounds, two new swanky properties, a
W Hotel and a Mandarin Oriental have just been introduced, along with a pair of new courses designed by former Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal.
Greek stars flock to the resort, while footballing legend Cristiano Ronaldo has also been spotted with his family.
You get there by flying to Kalamata either on easyJet or British Airways, about an hour’s drive to the east (many visitors hire rental cars). And after checking into your hotel, you’re soon out on one of the courses.
Each has a distinct character. The Olympic course has a back nine that offers sea views, with the 12th and 16th holes framed by the Mediterranean. Stick to the fairways or you’ll lose your balls. By contrast, the Hills course wends inland through olive groves and trees, and is more forgiving with wider fairways. It does, however, include the longest hole in Greece at 573 yards (the sixth hole). No, I didn’t make par.
Of the other two courses, the Dunes has a stunning sixth hole with the sea a gorgeous backdrop; while the Bay course, on the coast near the town of Pylos, has delightful holes by the sea. Beyond the golf courses, there are beachfront restaurants and bars that are popular with locals and tourists alike.
The resort also boasts the Anazoe spa, with olive oil treatments, pools galore, an outdoor hot-tub and steam room, as well as a children’s area with water slides.
Yet Costa Navarino remains a wild spot. More than 250 species of bird can be spotted, turtles nest on the beach, the sunsets are spectacular . . . and the golf’s pretty good, too.