The Westin Resort, Costa Navarino, The Peloponnese, Greece, Mediterranean

Gloriously under-the-radar, the Peloponnese peninsula is one of mainland Greece’s greatest secrets. With more than 4,500 years of history, countless monuments and an abundance of natural beauty, the region is a blissfully uncrowded alternative to the better-known Greek islands. Just 45 minutes from Kalamata Airport, the beautiful south-west region of the Peloponnese, known as Messinia, is home to Costa Navarino. It is a childhood dream fulfilled for one local man, Captain Vassilis. Born in 1935 in the small village of Diavolitsi, he loved Messinia and dreamt of putting it on the global travel map. After years working at sea, encouraged by his wife Carmen, he took out a loan to buy a small ship and established Costamare Shipping Company, a venture that proved hugely successful. But despite this, he held on to the boyhood dream and in the early Eighties, began acquiring land, planting the seeds of Costa Navarino. Today, that dream is a reality, one that has been taken on by his son Achilles and celebrates all that Captain Vassilis loved and believed in: sustainability (he was an environmental activist ahead of his time) and a whole-hearted celebration of the beauty, culture, history, and hospitality of his beloved Messinia. Sweeping the stunning Ionian coastline and surrounded by a sun-drenched olive-dotted countryside, there is little doubt the effortless charm of this region will enchant you. Costa Navarino comprises several hotels and The Westin is the luxury family friendly resort which overlooks the white sands of Dunes Beach and offers an abundance of fun activities.