Things to do nearby

Beaches

We are lucky to have a lot of beautiful beaches nearby. Here are our favourites:

Methoni, the most family/child friendly.
Lampes, the closest and quite wild
Mavrovouni near Finikounda, maybe our favorite
Voidokilia Beach, world famous! (there is a beautiful walk around the fortress here too, see below).

Restaurants

(best to make a reservation during peak season)

Mesochori, our village

Trichordo: The most beautiful restaurant at Mesochori with great food

Pylos, our town

Koukos: best at sunset, amazing view, great food
Four seasons, perfect for a summer lunch literally in front of the water, you can have a quick dive straight from the restaurant! Great food!

Methoni, our fisherman town

To Kastro: Amazing Sunset and good food, daily menu, a little fancy but prices are reasonable
Alektor, a back street quality taverna with the best veggies and traditional food
Modon, a classic taverna on the main square, good value, great food
Katsarola local and authentic, a good option for take away

Gialova beautiful seafront town with bars and restaurants

Notre Maison, great location, lovely staff and good food (they have the best wild mushrooms!)

Kinigou traditional village

Taverna Argiris, for local traditional food. Highly recommended. Argiris is our friend, mention you come from Dio Pigadia he might offer you an Ouzo or something 😉

Marathopoli

A bit further north but don’t miss Riki if you pass by

Kalamata

If you are passing by with a car don’t miss Costas Vassiladis Tavern, a busy locals spot.

Waterfalls

Don’t miss Polylimnio, the most famous, but try to avoid peak hours
Kalamaris is also amazing and closer
Stenosia waterfalls: not our #1 favorite but still very nice and on the way to Kalamata/Polylimnio, a good refreshing possibility coming from the airport!

Historical

Castles of Methoni and Pylos: Both are a must see. In the Pylos castle the museum is really good.
Messinia archeological site: one of the most impressive in Greece, worth the trip to Greece!
Mycenean Palace of Nestor, dive in a far away past, let go your imagination, this is a travel through time

Sport

Hikes

Do not miss the hike to the Old Castle (Paliokastro). The view from the top over the Vodokoilia beach and natural reserve is breathtaking. Check for flamingoes and chameleons near the laguna. There is also an impressive cave on the way. It takes about an hour and a half, one part is quite steep but well equipped. We HIGHLY recommend.

This is the shortest way there. Park at the cross.

Follow the blue line. The path is well marked. Sometimes it divides in 2 but just continue you will be back on the main track.

There is a wonderful fresh hike in the shadow of the trees between Kalamaris waterfalls and Stenosia waterfalls. It is a little adventure, make sure you have good shoes and you are in a sporty mood. Avoid if big rains. It is a long walk if you have to walk forth and back so organising to have someone pick you up at the other end is a wise idea.

Other sports

Mountain biking: you can borrow our bikes free of charge to explore the area!
Watersports
Golf

Enjoy your stay!

What others think about us

Alyson Coles ★★★★★ 2 months ago
I stayed at Dio Pagadia for a month as an active volunteer over the olive harvest. It was such a special learning experience, it really helped me to learn … More about myself and opened my eyes to community living. A huge family made from people of the universe 💞 The animals are super cute too and I especially loved skordo and Vouno the donkey. I'm very sad to be leaving now, and miss the farm and the people so much. We share not only meals, but goals, values and connection. If you want an unforgettable, valuable experience then don't hesitate to give Dio Pagadia a visit!
We learn as we wander ★★★★★ a year ago
My daughter and I only wanted to visit Dio Pigadia for one afternoon but we ended up staying three weeks. It was a truly great experience for us and we … More both enjoyed taking care of the animals, gardens and veggies on the farm and fell in love with this little paradise. We ate daily together with the other volunteers amazing fresh meals with very tasty vegetables from the garden, helped out at a beach clean up event and even went sailing together.
Saying goodbye was a hard one here but we both know for sure we want to come back, so it's only bye for now and thank you for everything Jules.
Lia, Jenny and Tito
Foteini Vervelidou ★★★★★ 3 weeks ago
What can I say…how to put into word what being with you all has been for me…At various moments I had to pinch myself to convince me I am not dreaming…Surrounded … More by such natural beauty, walking among the olive and orange trees, cuddling with the dogs and cats who add to the serenity and the magic of this place and this community. A community with a clear vision of how life on Earth can be like when we tune into ourselves and realize what feeds our souls. I leave recharged by spending my day in the sunlight, working with my hands and living in community. I leave inspired by the amazing people I had the chance to get to know here. And more importantly I leave hopeful that a better future is not only possible, but it is already being built and offered to the ones who care to choose it.
Soizic Brun ★★★★★ 12 months ago
Amazing place where you can explore sustainable practices including composting, mulching, wood work, lacto-fermentation, low-technologies... in an interacting … More community. Jules is very willing to share his knowledge with you and explore shared governance. Don't miss this opportunity to live an off-grid experience.
Monica Vargas ★★★★★ 8 months ago
Fantastic place and lovely community, it is really nice to have had the experience to join it for a bit and be I touch with nature, organic food and beautiful … More people. cannot recommend it enough :)
Laura H ★★★★★ 3 months ago
Dio Pigada is a very special place. I spent 8 weeks there during the olive harvest season which is special in itself because the farm works differently, … More there is an olive harvest schedule and there were way more volunteers than usually live at the farm. I really enjoyed the harvesting which is not the easiest work but really satisfiying. Every volunteer also harvested only for 3-5 hours/3 times a week. Apart from the harvesting we were able to work at the house extension and help with other tasks around the farm. There were two meals shared every day and everybody could take care of their own breakfast. I really appreciated the weekly feedback meetings where we would share how our week has been and how farm and community life could possibly improve. Every person could share their thoughts and the feedback was treated with much respect. I really loved my time there and already miss it. I loved the community life, forming connections, being confronted with new ideas and perspectives, taking part in great workshops and presentations, singing, dancing, playing games, going on trips, watching the stars and so much more! Thank you for everything! I will definitely come back.