Messenia or Messinia is a regional unit in the southwestern part of the Peloponnese, Kalamata being its largest city.
Messenia is mentioned in the oldest work of European literature, the Iliad. The name undoubtedly goes back to at least the Bronze Age, but its origins are lost in the world of mythology. The region was one of the largest that was conquered and enslaved by ancient Sparta.
Messenia became part of independent Greece as a result of the Greek War of Independence (1821-1832). The famous naval Battle of Navarino took place near present Pylos in 1827, and was a decisive victory for Greece and its allies.
Gastronomy
Messinia always enchanted gourmet travelers with its numberless special products: “Kalamata” olives and olive oil from the famous Koroneiki olive tree variety; honey, raisins, citrus fruit, figs and prickly pears; unique cheeses, preserved meats (singlino); the herbs of Mount Taygetos, and its famous lalangia.
More recently, restaurateurs and producers gave up their famous Mani vendettas to band together in the great Gastronomic Community of Kalamata. This puts a new arrow in the quiver of tourist development, making the region not only a beautiful touristic but also a gastronomic destination.
