The Peloponnese is a region on the mainland of Southern Greece. Due to its low volume of tourists, beautiful beaches, incredible food, and laidback atmosphere – it’s an idyllic place for anyone looking to escape the hustle and bustle of work and relax on the beautiful beaches of Greece. For nurses, this might sound particularly enticing if you’re looking to escape the bedside, prevent nurse burnout, and checkout from your demanding work schedule back home.
A town that I found particularly enchanting, visiting Koroni was a nice respite from the crazy demands of my work as a NICU nurse. In Koroni, I could enjoy the Greek sunshine with a lower volume of tourists, at an affordable price, while still soaking in the spirit of the Greek people. Below you’ll find my complete guide to visiting Koroni, Greece.
Visiting the Peloponnese: A Guide to Koroni, Greece
For more things to see and do in the Peloponnese region, don’t miss:
The Ultimate Guide to Road Tripping the Peloponnese in Greece
10 Things to See and Do in Greece’s Peloponnese Region
How to Get to Koroni
Located on the southern tip of the Peloponnese, there are many ways to get to the vibrant town of Koroni. Below you’ll find the two easiest ways – arriving form Athens or Kalamata, but there are also ferry ports in the Peloponnese where you can arrive by ferry.
FROM ATHENS
The most popular way to arrive to Greece, and thus the gateway to Greece, is to arrive to Athens and transport from there.
- By car – If you want to explore the Peloponnese (beyond Koroni), I highly suggest renting a car. You can do so at the Athens airport (I prefer to use Enterprise or QEEQ to compare car rentals across multiple different companies). Once you pick up your car, it’s about a 3.5 hour drive to Koroni.
- By plane – Depending on the time of year that you visit, you can take a direct flight from Athens to Kalamata and go from there. Flights are under an hour and you can check prices across multiple airlines here.
If you’re visiting the Peloponnese region from Athens, don’t miss: How to Spend 2 Days in Athens
FROM KALAMATA
The most convenient way to arrive to the Peloponnese and transfer to Koroni is to arrive in Kalamata where they have an international airport. Depending on the time of year, you can find direct flights from major hubs across Europe including Paris and London. (Search here for options).
If you’re visiting this region, again, I highly suggest renting a car. You can do so at the Kalamata airport (I prefer to use Enterprise or QEEQ to compare car rentals across multiple different companies). Once you pick up your car, it’s about an hour drive to Koroni.
Things to See and Do in Koroni
FOUMARISTIS TAVERNA
When you visit Koroni, you can’t miss grabbing lunch at this amazing taverna. The food is absolutely delicious and very Greek. Highly recommend!
KORONI’S CASTLE
Built in the 7th century AD, make sure to visit what remains of this ancient castle in Koroni. Entrance is free to visit.
PARALIA ZAGKA BEACH
If you want to relax and soak under the Greek sun, head to Paralia Zagka Beach to do so! Not only is the beach great, but the views are even better.
ST. ELEISTRIA CHURCH
This Christian church was inaugurated in 1900 and not only is impressive in itself, but offers incredible views of Messenian bay, mount Taygetos, and more. The church is free to enter.
TEMPLE OF APOLLO ANCIENT ASINAION
Another worthwhile place to stop by when you’re visiting Koroni is the Temple of Apollo Ancient Asinaion. Like the other sites listed, it’s also free to enter.
How Much Time Should You Spend in Koroni?
Koroni is quite small, you don’t need much time to explore the town. I highly suggest stopping here on a larger road trip through the Peloponnese, and if you do this, you really only need one day. However, if you like to travel at a slower pace – you can always choose to spend the night. It’s truly an incredible area and easy to access.
What Else Do You Need to Know About Visiting Koroni & Greece?
- Currency – Euro (€); most places take credit cards, but I suggest having cash on hand just in case
- Language – Greek; you can get by with English
- When to Visit – I suggest visiting between June-September
- Adapter – Don’t forget an adapter when traveling to Europe; I use this one (type C)
- Travel Insurance – I highly encourage you to purchase travel insurance when traveling internationally; I recommend SafetyWing
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Kylee is a Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) nurse passionate about making travel affordable and accessible to nurses. Inspiring nurses to travel both near and far, Kylee began Passports and Preemies in 2017 while volunteering in Skopje, North Macedonia as a way to reach nurses and advocate for the prevention of nurse burnout by traveling. Kylee is the original creator of the “8 Day Vacay” – a vacation geared towards nurses who aim to take advantage of the potentially 8 days off between work weeks with no need to use PTO.
