As mentioned before, don't be fooled into thinking Greece is all blue skies and azure seas. Once the weather breaks in late October this country can produce rain, making us think more than once that we must be in Britain. After a prolonged period of dark cloudy skies we even thought of flying back to England for a week to get some sun ....
Kalamata on the southern shores of the Peloponnese is a well developed large town with a thriving marina and separate commercial port. All the usual tavernas line the main promenade along the coast and some are still open in late November.
The marina office allows motorhomes to park and hook up to electricity inside the harbour area and you are also free to use the shower / toilet facilities for the reasonable sum of 12Euros per day. You have a limited choice of where to park depending on where there is a free electricity connection, if you need one. We opted for a spot near the main buildings close to the shower block and with a view across the marina.
Of course being near the main building and its yacht clubhouse / tavern / place-to-party means late night music, voices and laughter. Fine if you're part of the party, but if you aren't ....
We stayed three nights, Joan did all the laundry using the marina's large 8kg machines and of course the day spent at the Hellenic Air Force open day at Kalamata Air Base - see previous post.
The Peloponnese have three large finger-like peninsulas jutting out into the Med from its southern shores and the Kalamata-Pylos-Methoni and back to Kalamata was our direction when we left the marina. All roads we've travelled on since crossing onto the Peloponnese have at times been slow going due to their mountainous nature, twisting and turning slow going in third gear doing max 50km/h at times. Driving to Pylos was no different, but the view from the cliff top just next to the Hotel Philip was spectacular, just before you descend into town.
We spent the next few days around Pylos alternating our night stays between the cliff top next to Hotel Philip, the marina and the palm tree promenade in town. Here we also, for the first time in some weeks, came across fellow motorhomers going around Greece.
Pylos is a lovely town blessed with that palm tree promenade, bakeries and mini supermarket(s) for basics, large central square, bank and the usual tavernas. Overnighting on the palm tree prom is not allowed if the sign is anything to go by, but two other motorhomes did same on a very windy and wet night. I actually went and spoke to the Harbour Master asking about a electricity plug-in, which was denied and they confirmed no overnighting. Well ....
The only way further along our anti-clockwise trip of the Peloponnese is to pass through Kalamata again which we duly did, stopping at the marina again for two nights, charging the leisure batteries of Fifi, Joan doing all the laundry and me cooking a lamb casserole in the Le Creuset. We opted for a different view on the marina, and quieter, away from the main building, taverna and yacht club.
Ensconced between sea going yachts parked up for winter, is our non-sailing permanently land based 'yacht'.
Speaking of recharging the van's leisure batteries, this was vital in the marina due to the lack of sun over many days resulting in too little charge going into the leisure batteries (Fifi has two) via the solar panel. We were down to the red lights on the monitor panel and needed a good charge over 48 hours to boost them up again. Stocking up on groceries from Lidl's and Carrefour ensured that we were ready for the road from Kalamata going south to Areopoli on the middle finger of the three peninsulas.
Kalamata marina offers pleasant surroundings at a reasonable tariff for all your needs, more so in the low season when open campsites and camperstops are not readily available. Then of course, the tolerance of free camping in Greece is a good reason to go during the winter months when peace and quiet is far more assured than in the hectic summer months.
From Kalamata harbour wall
Kalamata on the southern shores of the Peloponnese is a well developed large town with a thriving marina and separate commercial port. All the usual tavernas line the main promenade along the coast and some are still open in late November.
The marina office allows motorhomes to park and hook up to electricity inside the harbour area and you are also free to use the shower / toilet facilities for the reasonable sum of 12Euros per day. You have a limited choice of where to park depending on where there is a free electricity connection, if you need one. We opted for a spot near the main buildings close to the shower block and with a view across the marina.
Kalamata marina
Late afternoon
Of course being near the main building and its yacht clubhouse / tavern / place-to-party means late night music, voices and laughter. Fine if you're part of the party, but if you aren't ....
We stayed three nights, Joan did all the laundry using the marina's large 8kg machines and of course the day spent at the Hellenic Air Force open day at Kalamata Air Base - see previous post.
The Peloponnese have three large finger-like peninsulas jutting out into the Med from its southern shores and the Kalamata-Pylos-Methoni and back to Kalamata was our direction when we left the marina. All roads we've travelled on since crossing onto the Peloponnese have at times been slow going due to their mountainous nature, twisting and turning slow going in third gear doing max 50km/h at times. Driving to Pylos was no different, but the view from the cliff top just next to the Hotel Philip was spectacular, just before you descend into town.
Overlooking Pylos bay
Sunset over Pylos marina
We spent the next few days around Pylos alternating our night stays between the cliff top next to Hotel Philip, the marina and the palm tree promenade in town. Here we also, for the first time in some weeks, came across fellow motorhomers going around Greece.
Pylos is a lovely town blessed with that palm tree promenade, bakeries and mini supermarket(s) for basics, large central square, bank and the usual tavernas. Overnighting on the palm tree prom is not allowed if the sign is anything to go by, but two other motorhomes did same on a very windy and wet night. I actually went and spoke to the Harbour Master asking about a electricity plug-in, which was denied and they confirmed no overnighting. Well ....
The only way further along our anti-clockwise trip of the Peloponnese is to pass through Kalamata again which we duly did, stopping at the marina again for two nights, charging the leisure batteries of Fifi, Joan doing all the laundry and me cooking a lamb casserole in the Le Creuset. We opted for a different view on the marina, and quieter, away from the main building, taverna and yacht club.
Ensconced between sea going yachts parked up for winter, is our non-sailing permanently land based 'yacht'.
Good neighbours
Speaking of recharging the van's leisure batteries, this was vital in the marina due to the lack of sun over many days resulting in too little charge going into the leisure batteries (Fifi has two) via the solar panel. We were down to the red lights on the monitor panel and needed a good charge over 48 hours to boost them up again. Stocking up on groceries from Lidl's and Carrefour ensured that we were ready for the road from Kalamata going south to Areopoli on the middle finger of the three peninsulas.
Kalamata marina offers pleasant surroundings at a reasonable tariff for all your needs, more so in the low season when open campsites and camperstops are not readily available. Then of course, the tolerance of free camping in Greece is a good reason to go during the winter months when peace and quiet is far more assured than in the hectic summer months.
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