The modern epicurean traveler has long evolved past the standard checklist of overcrowded islands and predictable coastlines. Instead, the contemporary connoisseur chases a deeper currency: exclusivity, narrative, and place.
Enter the era of “set-jetting” 2.0. While The White Lotus sparked a mainstream frenzy in Sicily and Koh Samui, a far more cerebral cinematic wave is approaching.
Christopher Nolan’s upcoming movie, The Odyssey. Armed with a formidable cast including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron, the production spent twenty days filming in the southwestern Peloponnese. The epicenter of this quiet revolution is Messinia, and its crown jewel of luxury hospitality, Costa Navarino.
Unlike the stark, sun-bleached Cyclades, Messinia is a canvas of deep greens and dramatic history. It is Greece’s olive oil heartland, a region deeply intertwined with Homeric myth and the ancient kingdom of King Nestor. For the discerning traveler, Messinia’s charm lies in its seasonal rhythms—from the lush, quiet sanctuary of spring to the crisp autumn olive harvest in October. Crucially, Costa Navarino was master-planned for low-density luxury. Comprising four distinct five-star properties—including the palatial Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort—the estate is uniquely insulated against the overwhelming travel surges that often compromise filming locations.
At The Romanos, architectural substance meets elite leisure. The grand reception is a nod to the nearby Bronze Age Palace of Nestor, framing sweeping views of the Ionian Sea over a welcome flute of chilled pomegranate juice. Premium rooms wind through the grounds, many featuring private infinity pools, while the ultra-private, two-story Royal Villa Koroni offers a detached sanctuary with its own gym, spa room, and direct beach access.
While Costa Navarino boasts forty dining venues—including Parafrasi, helmed by Chef Alexandros Tsiotinis of Athens’ Michelin-starred CTC—it is their conceptual dining that truly caters to the epicurean. Leaning into its cinematic future, the resort has introduced Nestor’s Feast, an immersive culinary journey anchored in the ancient Greek code of philoxenia, or hospitality. This hyper-purist menu is restricted exclusively to ingredients available in ancient Greece, meaning you will find no tomatoes or citrus. Seated at a communal table on the sands of the W Costa Navarino, guests dine on slow-cooked lamb with carob, goat’s cheese with grape molasses, and flame-grilled apples cooked over open flames against a violet-pink sunset.
To unwind, the 43,000-square-foot Anazoe Spa offers a labyrinthine sanctuary dedicated to oleotherapy, utilizing estate-grown olive oil and raw honey in ancient healing rituals. For active restoration, the estate’s sports infrastructure features four signature golf courses hugging the coastline and the European Mouratoglou Tennis Center. Beyond the gates, the region begs to be explored. A perfect day balances a morning visit to the Palace of Nestor with a midday stop in Pylos’ seaside square for fresh grilled octopus, followed by an afternoon e-bike ride to the horseshoe-shaped Voidokilia Beach. Upon returning, guests can participate in the Philosophy Walk, discussing ancient Greek literature with a resident professor beneath a century-old olive tree. In Messinia, you are not merely visiting a destination; you are stepping inside a living myth.
For more information contact our travel advisor HERE
