Pylos

Pylos is a coastal town in Messenia, southwestern Greece, situated on Navarino Bay along the Ionian Sea. It lies near the southwestern coast of the Peloponnese and serves as an administrative and economic center for the surrounding region. The town is known for its maritime heritage and access to nearby beaches and natural landscapes.

Ancient Pylos was a major Bronze Age center and the seat of the kingdom of Pylos. The site at Ano Pylos houses the Palace of Nestor, a Mycenaean palace complex whose archives included thousands of Linear B tablets. Excavations led by Carl Blegen in the 1930s uncovered the palace and a large corpus of administrative records, providing important evidence about Mycenaean administration and economy. The Pylos tablets are among the key sources for early Greek writing and Mycenaean society. Artifacts such as Nestor's Cup have contributed to the site's archaeological significance.

Historically, the area around Pylos is tied to naval and military events. The Battle of Navarino in 1827, fought in Navarino Bay, was a decisive engagement in the Greek War of Independence, with the allied fleets defeating the Ottoman-Egyptian navy.

Today, Pylos is a small coastal town whose economy centers on fishing, tourism, and agriculture. Nearby attractions include Voidokilia Beach, a shallow, horseshoe-shaped shore, and the network of medieval and Venetian-era fortifications in the region. The area is part of the broader Navarino–Pylos landscape known for its natural beauty and archaeological significance.