The fires that flicker nightly in the firepits at Costa Navarino have a history. They’re modern-day echoes of the celebratory bonfires that sprang to life on hilltops throughout the Peloponnese in 1827, when word of the Allied nations’ decisive naval victory in the Battle of Navarino spread from the shores of Navarino Bay like wildfire. That victory propelled the fledging Greek Republic firmly down the path to independence from its Ottoman Empire overlords, and Greece has never looked back. Little could any of those sailor-combatants have imagined that almost 200 years later, a son of the Peloponnese would bring to life a major tourism destination on the pristine shore of that historic bay, a destination that has put Greece firmly on the map of must-visit ports-of-call for anyone seeking a one-of-a-kind, luxury golf travel experience.
Costa Navarino is to Greece what Bandon Dunes is to Oregon—a great reason to go a little out of your way to play some truly great golf.
Location
Tucked away in southwestern Greece’s Messinia region, quiet Costa Navarino lies four hours’ distance from the hubbub of modern Athens, but just under an hour from the small city of Kalamata, whose olives are world-famous and whose airport welcomes flights from many European cities. The drive from Kalamata to Costa Navarino is a hilly one through small villages and grove after grove of olive trees, some hundreds of years old. When you enter through the gates of the expansive property, you quickly realize that you’ve arrived someplace special. At the 2020 World Golf Awards, Costa Navarino was named the “World’s Best New Golf Development,” and it’s easy to see why.
A Sailor’s Vision
Costa Navarino was the brainchild of the late Captain Vassilis Constantakopoulos, a Messinia-born sailor who went on to found one of the world’s largest shipping companies. His dream was to give back to the region of his birth—and to share its many splendors with the world. His vision called for a project that would honor the unique architectural styles of his homeland (as the designs of the low-rise hotels certainly do) and to create a sustainable destination that would adhere to strict environmental management guidelines, preserve the area’s natural landscape and heritage, and create jobs and business opportunities for the people of Messinia. At all those things, Costa Navarino succeeds wildly.
Not a Resort—a Destination
To call Costa Navarino a resort would be to do it a disservice. It’s really a world unto itself, with four very different hotel options spread out over hundreds of acres, four unique (and uniquely wonderful) golf courses, 40 different dining outlet choices, and much more. Each hotel anchors its own small village, with two main agoras (marketplaces) welcoming guests from throughout the property for dinners under the stars and nightly entertainment. Travelers looking for the most upscale, intimate accommodations may favor the Mandarin-Oriental Hotel or Romanos hotel, each with a range of thoughtfully appointed rooms and villas; families often opt to stay at the Westin with its variety of kids programs at the Sand Castle and water park; and for hipsters, there’s the laid-back W Hotel, where the beach and beach bar are always hopping. Whichever you choose, you’ll be within walking distance of most Costa Navarino amenities, including a stunning Blue Flag beach, two spas, shopping and entertainment venues, and all those wonderful places to sample the distinctive flavors of Greek and Mediterranean cuisine.
The Golf Courses
From your hotel, you’ll also be within walking distance of the first of the four golf courses you’ll be privileged to play during your visit—the first course to open at Costa Navarino back in 2010: the Dunes Course. Designed by German golf legend Bernhard Langer, its holes twist and turn, rise and fall, meander through groves of olive and fruit trees, and carry you over gently undulating and immaculately maintained terrain right to the edge of the sea. Measuring 6,851 yards from the back tees, with generously wide fairways and large greens, it’s not a course that will beat you up. But if the breezes that blow in off the sea or drop down over the mountains kick up, you’ll need to keep your mind on your work and not the scenery to score well.
In 2011, Costa Navarino’s second course debuted, the Bay Course, a shorter, more scorable track courtesy of Robert Trent Jones Jr. In keeping with its name, this course offers stunning views of Navarino Bay from many points, including the tee of the first hole, which sweeps down from the clubhouse to a green just steps from the shoreline. The course is divided into three distinct sections, each taking advantage of its unique topography and environment. The group of opening and closing holes make up the Seaside section and run closest to the bay, with the downhill par-five 4th hole giving players a glimpse of the nearby harbor town of Pylos. The other sections, Grove and Canyon, take you alternately through stretches of olive trees and steeper terrain, where club selection is at a premium. Throughout the course, the bunkers are penal and to be avoided—especially at the par-four home hole where a sinuous fairway bunker and deep greenside bunkers are bona fide scorecard-wreckers.
Costa Navarino’s two newer courses are situated on higher ground, a five-minute shuttle ride to the top of a broad mountain ridge where the views of the bay and distant Sphacteria Island become even more breathtaking. The Hills Course and International Olympic Academy Course were both designed by Jose Maria Olazabal. Each presents a stern test, with the hilltop winds almost always be a factor. The International Olympic Academy Course is the longest and most challenging of Costa Navarino’s four tracks, tipping out at over 7,000 yards. It’s a true championship course that would give any pro all they could handle. Again, the fairways are broad and the greens large, but Olazabal’s bunkering and greenside collection areas call for careful shot placement to avoid trouble. Challenges take many forms on this course. Even its shortest hole, the 120-yard par-three 8th, which seems laughably simple from the tee, is no easy par thanks to its devilish, split-level green. It yields three-putts as readily as olive presses squeeze out their oil.
The Hills Course serves up one broad, sweeping hole after another, and again, your ability to find the right section of the greens will be a major factor. Some are wide but shallow. Many are angled diagonally to your angle of approach. All but two are guarded by steep-faced bunkers—and those two feature steep drop-offs into collection areas from which getting up and down will require the deft touch of an Olazabal. It’s a complete examination of your short game. This is not to say you won’t need to hit solid shots—and work the ball. At the par-four 8th hole, your drive will need to carry a massive ravine. There’s another ravine to be avoided to the left of the fairway on the snaking, par-five 11th, where four fairway bunkers look to trap your second shot and club selection on your approach to the deep green is no picnic. There, as at so many other holes on both the Hills and International Olympic Academy Courses, beware going long. If you do find your ball, you probably won’t love the recovery shot that awaits you.
A Lot More than Golf
Off-course, Costa Navarino offers too many amazing experiences to even list in detail, but one that shouldn’t be missed is a beachfront meal at Barbouni, a casual, open-air dining spot with an enchanting ceiling whose layers of sculptured fabric are animated by the ocean breezes. Barbouni’s seafood, grilled vegetables, myriad hummus options, and specialty cocktails and delectable wine choices just dazzle.
If you’re playing a lot of golf, you owe it to yourself to schedule a visit to the Anazoe Spa, where the oleotherapy (olive oil) treatments derived from ancient local practices found inscribed in clay tablets at the nearby Palace of Nestor are uniquely rejuvenating. The Healing Massage Remedy by Hippocrates stems from that icon of early medicine’s art of physiotherapy and is guaranteed to make you forget all about the day’s mishits.
Beyond the gates of Costa Navarino, don’t miss the opportunity to visit the nearby village of Pylos, where you can sit at a table in the tree-lined town square and sip ouzo, relax at a harborfront restaurant and take a quick dip in the sea between courses, or make the short trek up to tour the Neokastro, one of two historic castle-fortresses guarding the entrance to Navarino Bay. If, after 10 minutes in Pylos, you’re not thinking of selling your home and moving to this beautiful village, you probably need therapy of a different kind.
Final Notes
The best times to visit the Messinia area are the shoulder seasons, Spring and Autumn. If you like it hot, June and July offer great beach weather, but you may find August temperatures in the Peloponnese to be prohibitively toasty. Whatever time of year you come, be sure to pack plenty of sunscreen, since rain is an infrequent visitor to these climes.
The currency used in Greece is the Euro.
U.S. citizens with blue tourist passports do not need a visa to stay in Greece for up to 90 days—so you’ll have plenty of time to see some of the country’s many historic sites while you’re there.
Greece is on Eastern European Time (EET) – UTC/GMT+2 hours.
When you’re ready to plan your visit to Costa Navarino, the golf travel experts at Premier Golf are people that know this destination well. Their Ultimate Greece Tour includes rounds at all four courses and a range of accommodation options.
