Summer in Messinia has a precise rhythm, and those who respect it enjoy their holiday far more than those who try to fight it. It is not a complicated rhythm: you split the day into three parts, and in the middle one you do nothing.
Morning
The best hours for the sea run from first thing in the morning until around noon. The light is good, the temperature bearable and, not least, the best-known beaches are still quiet: at Voidokilia the difference between nine o'clock and midday is huge.
The same hours also work well for excursions: the climb to Navarino Castle, the Palace of Nestor, Niokastro in Pylos. Anything that involves walking in the sun should be done now.
The middle of the day
Between noon and four in the afternoon, in July and August, nothing happens. It is time for a slow lunch, the outdoor shower to rinse off the salt, the shade of the garden or a rest in your room with the air conditioning on and the insect screens on the open windows.
It is also the time when Greek villages empty out: shops closed, streets deserted. Trying to do anything during these hours almost always means finding everything shut and sweating a great deal.
Afternoon and evening
From four or five o'clock onwards the day starts again. It is time for a second swim, when the sun is low and the water is at its best temperature, or for a walk. Marathopoli, a few kilometres away, has tavernas looking onto the sea with Proti Island in front: it is the right place for the sunset.
If you would rather stay at home, you have the most comfortable option of all: fire up the barbecue in the garden, set the table in the shade of the olive trees and end the evening in the hot tub. With the app-controlled sound system, the music reaches outside too.
A few tips
The Messinian sun in August is serious: high-factor sunscreen, a hat, water always in your bag. Wild beaches like Voidokilia have no natural shade, so an umbrella is not an accessory but a necessity; there are some at the house, along with sun loungers and beach gear.
Handling the heat
July and August days in Messinia are hot and dry, and the difference between a tiring holiday and an enjoyable one lies almost entirely in how you organise it. Drink plenty, avoid the sun in the middle of the day, really rest in the afternoon: obvious advice, but also the things everyone knows and almost no one does in the first few days.
Indoors, you deal with the heat using the air conditioning in the bedrooms and by keeping the rooms shaded during the sunny hours. The insect screens let you leave the windows open all night, which is the most effective way to cool the house down.
Days with children
If you are travelling with children, shallow water is your best ally, and there is no shortage of it around here: the gently sloping seabed lets them stay in the water safely for a long time. The rest is a matter of shade, and since there is none on the wild beaches, the beach umbrella becomes the most important piece of kit of the day.
The garden of the house, shaded by the olive trees, takes care of the afternoon: it is where you can stay outdoors even when the beach would be madness.
The evening, which is the best part
In Greece in summer, the real day begins when the sun goes down. Temperatures drop, a breeze picks up, the villages fill and tables are laid outside. This is the time to fit in everything you want to do: a stroll, dinner, a wander round the village, the last swim of the day.
That is why it makes sense to turn your usual habits upside down: no dinners at seven and no early nights. Eat late, stay out, and the next morning get up early anyway, because those are the hours when the sea is at its best. You catch up on sleep in the afternoon, which is exactly what the Greeks do.
A house made for summer
Air conditioning and insect screens in both bedrooms, an outdoor shower, a garden shaded by olive trees, a barbecue area and a Jacuzzi for six.
And in the house you will find the extra virgin olive oil and the soap made from the olives of our own grove.