Costa Navarino in southern Greece is idyllic for vacationing in many ways and has evolved into a golfer’s paradise with four magnificent courses:
- The Dunes Course, designed by Bernhard Langer, is a championship layout and is considered the first signature course of Greece. It is picturesque, with wide fairways and tall dunes separating some holes running alongside the beach.
- The Bay Course is a seaside delight to play through three natural landscapes. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., it delivers elevated tees, a grove area with mature olive trees, and panoramic views of Navarino Bay.
- The International Olympic Academy Golf Course overlooks the Ionian Sea and the Bay of Navarino. Designed by José Maria Olazábal, a two-time Masters champion, it offers even more stunning views.
- The Hills Course is another strategic design by Olazábal that overlooks more of the Bay and routes through the rural landscape of Messinia.
Costa Navarino Resorts
Costa Navarino has four high-end resorts in one, giving guests ample restaurants, pools, and beaches to explore. At the luxurious Westin, W, The Romanos, and Mandarin Oriental, service is top-notch, and everyone speaks English, which is important. There is a reason for the saying, “It’s Greek to me,” but we always try to speak the basics when in a foreign land. So, thank you is Ευχαριστώ, pronounced ef-cha-ree-‘sto. We practiced it repeatedly, and still, most times we said it, we were corrected. Nonetheless, people appreciate the attempt and consideration for their culture.
Our trips are often noted by the pounds gained while indulging in the cuisine of renowned chefs, but our trip to Greece with Golf Inspired ended with a negative pound result after a week of incredible food, giving credence to the benefits of a Mediterranean diet. It certainly wasn’t for lack of consumption, beginning with beautiful breakfast buffets loaded with protein, pastries, fruits and legumes. Three decadent meals a day replaced our normal two and with no shortage of delicious desserts. Pasta was on most menus as well as on the cooking lesson plan with two Greek sisters, one of who spoke English. In their authentic village home overlooking the Bay, our fun group donned aprons and pitched in to the chores assigned – chop the cucumber, roll the dough. In between, we snuck out to the balcony to watch the brilliant sunset over the distant mountain. A floating yacht lit up the water beneath the bright yellow moon. Danny is now fluent in pasta making, and we were rewarded with a feast and wine accompaniment. After dinner, the music turned up for Greek dancing lessons. No plates were broken like in the movies, but a glass was shattered when customarily lifting it from the floor with teeth for a toast. What a night!
Costa Navarino is romantically set among hillsides of olive groves flowing down to the sparkling Mediterranean waters. Already olive oil addicts, we cook everything with it and even add it to our morning coffee so we happily returned with a favorite can as well as olive oil soaps.
Costa Navarino is a four-hour drive or short commuter flight from Athens, one of the most amazing cities in the world to explore. We only spent two evenings there, including rooftop dinners with a view of the Acropolis. We would be content rooftop hopping for many nights for the astonishing sight and cuisine. Arriving a few days early is a good idea to acclimate to the time change and recover from jet lag.
From Athens to the Temple of Poseidon, the coastal drive was an absolute tease, passing pristine beaches with turquoise water lapping the shore as an invitation to enter, but there was no time. We recommend a leisurely trip with your swimsuit and snorkel gear to stop periodically along the way. As a day trip, though, it was phenomenal to walk the ruins, in awe of construction and preservation, reading the history and imagining it unfold. En route back, we ducked into a hillside seafood restaurant with picnic tables al fresco, where the locals know to go. We tried so many different fish, one better than the next, while fat cats were happy over the stone wall, lapping up leftovers tossed by the waiters. Anchovies? No thanks. “Just try.” They looked good, smelled lemony, and were as fresh as they get, tasting delightful. We’d have more here, but will we order them back in the States? Uhuh.
Costa Navarino has garnered attention as one of the best golf resorts in the world, and we agree. Luxury meets adventure and guilt-free relaxation as the hours zip by way too fast. Golf Inspired has another signature trip planned there for September if you are tired of vicariously living through our travels and want to join a like-minded group or grab your gang to come along—the more, the merrier.
