Messinia out of season: spring and autumn without the crowds

There is a version of Messinia that people who only come in August never see. It is the Messinia of April and May, of September and October: the same coast, the same sea, but without the squeeze of high season. For many, it is simply the best version.

The beaches

This is the most obvious difference. Voidokilia on a weekday in May or October is almost deserted: you can walk the whole arc of the bay without meeting anyone and appreciate its omega shape as at no other time. The same goes for the smaller coves along the coast, which in summer call for an early start and out of season simply call for nothing at all.

As for water temperature, September and the first half of October are when the sea is at its warmest of the whole season: it has been storing heat for three months and releases it slowly. In spring it is the opposite: in May the water is still cool, and it takes a bit of resolve.

The sites and fortresses

Walking around Ancient Messene, climbing up to Navarino Castle or exploring the fortress of Methoni at twenty-five degrees instead of thirty-eight transforms the experience. They are all large sites, mostly unshaded, and in high summer they force you onto a strict timetable. In the shoulder season you can visit whenever you like, at your own pace.

Bear in mind that opening hours at Greek archaeological sites are generally shorter in winter than in summer: it is the only thing to check in advance.

The villages

Out of season, Messinia's villages go back to being what they are all year round. The tavernas that stay open cater mainly to locals, the pace slows, and newcomers get noticed, in a good way. It is the time when you end up chatting with someone, which does not happen in mid-August.

In autumn, too, the countryside is busy with the olive harvest, which gives the whole region a bustle it lacks in summer.

What to expect

The shoulder seasons call for a little flexibility. Some seasonal businesses on the coast cut their hours or close, and the weather is less predictable: it can rain in spring and autumn, so pack a light jacket and have a plan B for a day indoors.

On the other hand, travel costs drop considerably, the roads are clear and there is no need to book anything months in advance.

What stays open

The question everyone asks before booking out of season is whether they will find anything open. In Messinia the answer is generally yes: unlike some islands, this is an area that is lived in all year round, with a farming economy that does not depend on tourism. The villages function, the shops are there, and the tavernas that serve locals stay open.

What is reduced is the seasonal offering on the coast: some beachfront bars and restaurants close, as do some of the rental and excursion businesses. Archaeological sites and fortresses change their opening hours, which are shorter in the winter season.

The value of the light

There is an aesthetic reason, as well as a practical one, for coming in the shoulder seasons. In spring (April and May) and in October the sun is lower and the light is soft for much of the day, not just at dawn and dusk. The photos you bring home from an October trip are, quite simply, better than those from August.

The same goes for the landscape: in spring the inland hills are a green that is unthinkable in summer, and in autumn the countryside at work on the olive harvest gives the area a liveliness you never see on postcards.