Yialova Things to do

Life in the holiday town of Yialova centres around the beach. Pylos beach is golden and sandy and surrounded by lemon trees, orange trees and olive trees. Small bays beg further exploration, while pretty paths take you to olive groves, the Kalamari Falls, the lagoon of Gialova, voidokilia, Paleokastro and the old aqueduct. If you're feeling adventurous, the local windsurfing school will be glad to help you out.

 

No Yialova holiday would be complete without a trip to the lagoon. Just 2 km’s from Thanos Village, the lagoon has its own ecosystem and is home to thousands of birds. Living among the dunes next to the lagoon is the African Chameleon, unique to these parts throughout Europe, a bird that changes colour both for camouflage and to communicate with other birds.

Yialova makes for a great family beach holiday, but it's well worth getting off your towel to visit some of the historic sites around the bay. They include Koryphasion castle, Nestor's Cave, Pylos fort and Koroni fort and, a little further away, Mystras. A trip to Messini will present a world of ancient history or just the chance to laze next to the fountains in the town square, adjacent to a beautiful shady park where you can dine at the restaurant or listen to bands or watch plays in the amphitheatre. You can take in one of the many festivals on a holiday in Yialova and you can also enjoy an open-air market in September.

Yialova is a sleepy holiday town, yet is well served by food and drink establishments. There's a bar on the main street and three restaurants, including a swish Italian. Turn left at the seafront jetty with its great views towards Pylos, to find more tavernas and a bar. Every day, you can stock up with fresh bread, pies and pastries at the local mini-markets. For golf lovers, two large courses are being built around the town.