There is a reason why the main square in Pylos is called the Square of the Three Admirals and has a monument with three figures: here, in the bay in front of the town, one of the decisive naval battles of 19th-century Europe was fought. And every October, the town remembers it.
What happened in the bay
In October 1827, during the Greek War of Independence, the allied fleets of Britain, France and Russia sailed into Navarino Bay, where the Ottoman-Egyptian fleet lay at anchor. The clash, which had not been planned as a pitched battle, was decided within a few hours with the almost complete destruction of the Ottoman fleet.
The outcome had enormous consequences: deprived of control of the sea, the Ottoman position in the Peloponnese became untenable, and the road to recognition of Greek independence opened up. The three admirals to whom the square is dedicated, the British, the French and the Russian, were the commanders of those fleets.
The commemoration
Every October, Pylos devotes several days of celebrations to the anniversary. The programme typically includes official ceremonies with the authorities and diplomatic representatives of the countries involved, the laying of wreaths at the monument in the square, religious services and music. Some years there are also guided tours and events linked to Niokastro.
It is not a folk festival and should not be approached as one: it is a commemoration, with the tone that implies. But it is also one of the few occasions when a small Greek provincial town hosts an international gathering, and the square fills with people.
Why October is a good idea
The anniversary falls at one of the most pleasant times of year to visit Messinia. Temperatures are mild, the sea is still warm after the summer, the beaches are empty and travel prices drop. Voidokilia in October is a different place from August: you can have it almost to yourself.
It is also when the olive harvest begins in the countryside, and the whole region changes pace. Come at this time of year and you will find a Messinia that is less touristy and more itself.
Why the bay was the right place for a fleet
Navarino Bay is an almost enclosed natural harbour: the island of Sphacteria stretches across its mouth like a barrier, leaving narrow passages at either end. For a 19th-century sailing fleet it was an ideal anchorage, sheltered from almost every wind. It was precisely this feature that turned it into a trap: once the allied ships had entered the bay and the fighting began, those at anchor had very little room to manoeuvre.
Climb up to Niokastro and look down, and you understand how it all unfolded without needing any explanation. It is one of those cases where seeing the place is worth more than reading the account.
What to see from that chapter of history
Besides the monument in the Square of the Three Admirals, Niokastro fortress has exhibition spaces that take up the story of the battle and the naval history of the bay. On the island of Sphacteria, reachable only by sea, there are also monuments to the fallen of the various nations involved.
Boat trips from Pylos harbour, when the season and the sea allow, take you around the island and let you see the bay from the point of view of those who sailed into it back then. Here too, availability needs to be checked locally.
Pylos is about twenty minutes' drive from the house: an autumn weekend in Messinia, with the commemoration as an excuse, is one of the best ways to get to know this area.
An October in Messinia
Out of season the house is still the right place to be: air conditioning, a fully equipped kitchen and a Jacuzzi in the garden, with the beaches finally empty.
And in the house you will find the extra virgin olive oil and the soap made from the olives of our own grove.