Pylos cruise port guide

About Pylos

Pylos, historically known as Navarino, is a picturesque harbor town on the Bay of Navarino in the Peloponnese region of southwestern Greece. Surrounded by rich Mycenaean history and stunning natural scenery, it offers cruise passengers access to the Palace of Nestor, medieval castles, the famous Voidokilia Beach, and the site of the decisive 1827 Battle of Navarino.

The Palace of Nestor, about 17 km northeast near the village of Chora, is the finest preserved Mycenaean palace in Greece—its throne room with frescoed walls, clay Linear B tablets, and bathing chamber remain extraordinary. The lagoon-enclosed Voidokilia Bay, a crescent of pure white sand opening onto the Ionian Sea, is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Greece. Boat tours from the harbor circumnavigate Sphacteria Island, site of the famous 5th-century BC Battle of Pylos during the Peloponnesian War and the 1827 naval battle that sealed Greek independence. Two castles flank the bay: the better-preserved 16th-century Turkish Niokastro and the 13th-century Frankish Palaiokastro at Koryphasion.