Koroni is a small coastal town of Messinia county, in the Messinian Gulf.
It has 1700 inhabitants and is located southwest of Kalamata, from where is 52 km away while from Kyparissia is 90 km away.

With the first glance, the visitor sees the Venetian Castle and the port town lying at the foot of the village.

The port, almost always, is "decorated" with sailboats and fishing boats that supply the village taverns with fresh fish and seafood.

Easily one is tempted to walk through the picturesque whitewashed streets of the town where he meets old two-storey terraced houses of medieval style.

Necessary is to place a stop at the museum store where there is a variety of vessels, columns, capitals and also there is a remarkable collection of ancient coins from different eras of Ancient Greece.

The next destination of the route is the famous Venetian Castle of Koroni that dominates despite the centuries. It appears to be floating in the sea, in harmony with the village that touches its walls. Reaching the castle, the visitor finds out with astonishment that the entire Messinian gulf stretches in front of his eyes. Please note that the castle is inhabited even today.

Descending from the castle from the wide and stoned steps, on the left, one can see the house of the chieftain Karapavlos. The road leads to the main square of the village where one meets the Ionian school of the Cathedral of Agios Demetrios and the central clock of the settlement.

Next to the main square, there are many shops that blend harmoniously with the architecture of the village. Furthermore, the square is the crossroad of the village as the small alleys on the left lead to the port, while those on the right lead to the upper neighbourhoods.

After his stroll, heady of the beauties of nature and history, the visitor is flirting with the idea of having an enjoyable meal in one from the many and different kinds of taverns at the port. Hallmark of these are the hanged octopuses!
Apart from the fish-taverns, the cafes and the ice-cream shops sweeten the palate after the seafood delicacies.

The history of Koroni

According to an ancient folk tradition, the name Koroni came from the copper coin Kourouna, which was found during the excavation of the foundations for the walls.
It is indicated that "Koronia" was the original name of the town that it was given due to its founder Epimilidis from Koronia of Viotia.
The locals, however, had trouble to get used to the name of the village. This had as a result to the change of its name into Koroni.


Here, it is placed the Messinian ancient town of Assini, which was identified with the Homeric Epia, one of the cities that Agamemnon had promised to Achilles during the Trojan War. The area was inhabited since ancient times and there are signs, seashells, vases, etc. to confirm this.


Koroni flourished from the 13th to the 17th century and, along with Methoni, it was a key port for the trade to and from the East. Koroni, as well as Methoni, were widely known in the southeastern Mediterranean Sea as the "eyes of Venice".

Then, in the 19th century, the economy continued to be flourishing and this fact has led Koroni to be the centre of commerce and crafts. Even today, the castle of the town is standing stately at the top of the settlement. The castle of Koroni, on the south-eastern edge of the Messinian Gulf, is the least well preserved of all that exist in Peloponnese.
Its geographical location is a focal point. Its residents always gave a great importance to the transit trade. The large height and the size of the surface are an ideal combination for fortification, offering the greatest possible safety.

You will find many accommodations in Koroni and in the surrounding areas, such as hotels, apartments and rooms of various categories and types. For those who prefer an alternative accommodation, there is the possibility of camping on the nearby beaches.

Access:
To reach someone to the Municipality of Koroni is easy as there are daily bus services from Athens and Kalamata.