At the origin of this Homeric project, a great captain of the merchant navy, Vassilis Konstantakopoulos, who made his fortune, wanted to devote it after World War II to the reconstruction of his region, Messinia, while protecting and preserving its nature. and its heritage. Its vocation is to breathe new life into the stricken region, launching a project providing jobs through a high-end tourist complex. The titanic project in an arid region notably required the establishment of 10 olive trees. After ten years, the first phase of the project was opened to its public in 000, offering two 2010 * hotels and two golf courses, in an environment of breathtaking coastal landscapes. Today, it is “Troon Golf”, the largest golf management, development and marketing company in the world, which manages the two courses of Costa Navarino. On the well-being side, on 5 m², the Anazoe Spa offers a whole range of treatments inspired by the techniques of ancient Greece, as well as floating pools, cold treatment rooms, hammams and saunas diffusing essential oils of aromatic herbs. In addition to gentle therapies, thalassotherapy and physiotherapy, the spa offers oleotherapy® treatments, the treatments of which were discovered in the nearby Palace of Nestor and date back to Homer's time. The philosophy of Costa Navarino is based on its natural beauty and its unique heritage, with a construction area that represents only 4000% of the total land area. This exceptional establishment is made up of different sites, including 10 * hotels, luxury residences, conference centers, a spa and thalasso, and signature golf courses.

Navarino Dunes

On 130 hectares of gentle hills, Navarino Dunes, the first site is breathtakingly beautiful. Nature is generous and the waters of the Ionian Sea, clear and temperate, run aground on a golden sandy beach, more than a kilometer long. Navarino Dunes welcomes hotels to its sanctuary The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort et The Westin Resort Costa Navarino. Inspired by the architecture of traditional mansions and rural houses in the region, the infrastructure is low and built with local materials and details of traditional decoration to blend harmoniously into the surrounding landscape. At the heart of olive groves overlooking the azure, The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort is a 5 * hotel which has 320 rooms and suites from 43 m² to 192 m². The majority of the rooms on the ground floor benefit from infinity pools. The superb Royal Villa Koroni occupies a record surface of 660 m². The resort offers the choice of several restaurants such as However, which showcases international cuisine orEleon which offers modern Greek cuisine. In general, each restaurant offers a unique dining experience at Navarino Dunes. Hookah, Lebanese specialty restaurant or Japanese bar and restaurant INBI invite the visitor to a gastronomic journey through the scents and flavors of the world. Traditional Greek cuisine is obviously in the spotlight at the restaurant Taverna which offers Messenian cuisine with traditional dishes. At the restaurant wine shop, customers have the opportunity to discover the full range of Greek wines.

Panoramic views

But back to the main, that is to say golf. The Dunes Course was designed by Bernhard Langer, former US Masters champion and Ryder Cup captain, in association with European Golf Design. In the heart of a hilly landscape between sea and rivers, The Dunes Course is the first golf course designed by a big name in golf in Greece. The 18 hole, par 71, measures 6018 m from the bottom tees and a little over 5000 m from the tees located at the front. It includes a driving range complete and space for the short range practice. The elegant club house hosts the restaurant Flame, a lounge exclusively reserved for members, and a boutique. About 10 km from the Dunes, along the bay of Navarino, a second course inaugurated in October 2011, The Bay Course, signed by the American architect Robert Trent Jones Jr and managed by Troon Golf, has just opened. It offers panoramic views of the sea and the surrounding mountains, two of the holes of which are located near the historic bay of Navarin, for an incredible golfing experience. Navarino Bay, the second site, currently only hosts The Bay Course. The second phase of the project is already underway, with two other 5 * hotels, other spas and a thalassotherapy center. Two other golf courses (Hills and Blue Courses) are currently under construction. The Golf Odyssey has only just begun ...

David Raynal

Getting There

To get there, the easiest way is to use the Greek company AEGEAN, which has direct flights from the main European capitals to Kalamata, in season (resumption of flights from Paris in May 2015). From there, an hour's drive with your rental vehicle or your transfer organized by your hotel. Otherwise, when landing in Athens (all year round), allow 3 hours of driving, 2 of which by highway. Messinia is a region which enjoys a very mild climate, with sunny summers, mild winters and very pleasant average temperatures.

Some pricing ideas:

On the price side, depending on the season, the night is offered in Costa Navarino:

- from € 180 per standard room with breakfast at the Westin.

- from 250 € the deluxe room with Pdj at the Romanos.

- Green fees: 105 to 120 €, depending on the season.

- Weekend package idea: from € 930 for 3 nights with B & B at Romanos, with 2 green fees included.

To find out more about Costa Navarino: www.costanavarino.com

To find out more about AEGEAN Company: aegeanair.com