We will be visiting in May. I have a couple questions.
Online I saw that you could buy tickets for specific slots. Does that mean that you cannot buy them on site? We have two different days we may visit and I would prefer to just show up, if that is possible.
Someone (maybe Jo-Lui) recommended a nearby restaurant for lunch. I found Ithomi Taverna online as being nearby. Has anyone been here or have another recommendation.
BetFL - There weren't even 10 other visitors besides us and our guide on the entire site when we visited the ancient Messene in late May (3 years ago). See for yourself
https://photos.app.goo.gl/tTdFDXYjcZSbwTdq6
No need to buy tickets online, just go there directly, there's a ticket booth on site.
I had also considered Ithoumi taverna as a possible stop, but in the end we found other places.
Two tavernas near the ancient Messene, one of which is only a 5-minute drive away in the village of Arsinoi, "To tiganaki tis Xristitsas"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZvA6sdQxVeon6Vxt9
We have very fond memories of this one, especially because of the people we met there and because we spent much more time there than planned. So my opinion on the meal is a bit hazy (anyway, we didn't even choose the dishes). After the meal they drag us inside, the after-dinner drinks were on the house, and I don't think we even paid for the meal. LOL
The other one is a little further north, on the E55 road.
Its name is Platanos.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/AG6rvTkjj5EagKhB7
Very nice, traditional taverna, homemade dishes, good grilled food, you eat on a terrace under the trees, about €12 for the meal including house wine.
Same experience in late May 2019, we practically had it to ourselves!
My son and his wife are traveling with us. I am thinking this will be a great introduction to Greece for my sons wife who has never been. The lack of crowds will make the visit so much more fun.
Jo-Lui — it was To Tigananki ‘tis xrsititsas ! I can see why I could not remember it, although I thought I had saved it!
I urge some homework and photocopy or print out relevant info, it will add SO much more to the experience ... there is some signage, but not extensive. Blue guide, Rough Guide, Wikipedia, etc.
I was there early October a few years ago and it is spectacular with so much still standing and/or has been restored.
It's a large site with plenty to see and located in a beautiful rural location.
I feel it's one of the best and least known site in Greece and highly recommend it.
I showed up and bought a ticket with no problem, hardly any one else around.
Here's some photos of it including other areas of the Peloponnese on one of my several visits there.
The photos of Messene start a little more than half way down, look for a yellow rose.
You'll have to click on a photo to get a caption (not all photos have captions)
We visited in June and it wasn’t crowded. No need for tickets in advance. Definitely worth visiting. Enjoyed dining at Ithomi. Beautiful views!
I’ve been 7 or 8 times (I used to live not far away from the site) & only one of those times was there quite a lot of people as a couple of coaches were in but it’s still not crowded & you just go to any part of the site where they’re not being herded around, it’s so big it’s easy to avoid them. Also make sure to continue along the road past the site entrance to the Arcadian Gate, a little bit further along you have some sections of the wall :)
The Ithomi restaurant has wonderful views across the site & is of course the most convenient place to stop even if it’s just for a coffee. Other choices to go to eat are not far away, some of which have already been mentioned.
Thanks everyone.
Janet-I do have the Rough Guide and Cadogan guide. I will have to study them!
And Tommy thanks for sharing your pictures. We are going to most of the same places so I especially enjoyed them. I actually tried staying at the same place you did in Gytheo but they have raised their prices a lot.
BethFL:
I originally booked through their website and at the time the studio was 25 euros a night!
I checked again early February and it's now 50 euros a night but still a bargain.
However, I had to go through their facebook page to make contact for this past February.
I'm going elsewhere this April but still would like to return to Gythio in the future.
Tommy- that is interesting that you were quoted 50 euros. I was quoted 70 euro a night for May. I reserved a room for 79 euro but including breakfast at Pantheon City Hotel.
We have been away for a while so I am late on this thread. When we visited Ancient Messene we just drove to it and bought tickets at the office. It is a huge site and easily takes 2 to 3 hours to wander around. There could not have been more than 50 people in the whole site.
It indeed can be called the best Ancient site in Greece that very few people visit.
Some additional photos.
Messene images start at the 57th image in the album.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72157711323535897/with/48898193218
Hi Beth:
Earlier this year I contacted the studio via their Facebook Page and got the 50 euros a night offer.
I'm a solo traveler so I don't know if that made a difference in the cost for you.
I didn't arrange for breakfast as I go to local markets for food for breakfast and lunches.
Maybe as a repeat customer I got a better offer but can't say for sure.
Anyway you should have a studio with a balcony overlooking the sea, along the waterfront and the small islet where Helen of Troy and Paris spent the night before heading for Troy!
There's a restored mansion that is now a museum and worth going to.
Stanbr-I really enjoyed your pictures too! Some your ones from Monemvasia were just stunning.
Tommy-yes, perhaps as you suggest the rate was different because there was two of us. In any case, it was your posts that had me consider Gytheo. I think the Venetian look will be a nice visual contrast with other areas we will have seen by then.
Hey Beth good to hear from you again. Have a great time on your trip.
Thanks Stanbr.
I became interested in exploring the Peloponese when planning for our first trip to Greece in 2018. But we were a group of seven and I wisely decided to confine our exploration to Nafplio that trip.
So I am very excited! May is not that far off now.
Beth - has is really been that long since your first trip? though from your many contributions, it seems the memories have stayed strong, and now you are back ... for the next chapter in your Book of Greece... may you build a volume as I did, or th Encyclopedia stanbr is still adding too...!
Janet-2018 was our first trip but returned in 2022 to go to Crete, Delphi, and Meteora. I also was in Athens in 2025.
So yes, it has been a long time since our first trip which was wonderful with the help of this board. We are returning with our youngest son and his wife who has never been to Greece (our son went with us in 2018).
I’ve just found an album of Ancient Messene & the Arcadian Gate photos spanning at least 4 visits, in one of them (16 yrs ago) is a member on this forum, I won’t name them in case they choose not to be identified :)
https://flickr.com/photos/33114203@N05/sets/72157618342876072
Thanks for sharing your pictures. I am struck by how beautiful the countryside is as well of course the amazing ruins.
And I did see a picture of the must be member of the forum in one of the pictures!
Very much enjoyed that re-visit to Messene... specially since my own camera with shots of the site was swiped (right off my lunch table!) at a busy Monastiraki gyro site! Brings back memories of that stunning wall (think Great Wall of China)... and more memories as well. Thanks!
