Voulkano Monastery

A quiet place to spend the night, is the parking outside the monastery Voulkano. It is situated in a strategic location 28 km from Kalamata and less than 4 km from the archaeological site of Ancient Messene. For those arriving from the north to Kalamata it is a deviation of only 11 km from the main road.
Being in the green on the hill, it is a great choice for cooling off a bit on the hottest days of summer.
Ahh, since you are there, take a look also at the monastery, it is not a masterpiece, but it is authentic and not a bit touristy. It opens at 8am every morning and closes more or less at sunset, with a break from 2pm to 5pm for the siesta.

GPS Coordinates:
N 37.172790
E 21.942121

Mpoukas Beach

Another possibility, just 16 km from Kalamata, is the beach Mpoukas where you can conveniently park in the woods in front of the beach.
If you arrive at ‘working’ hours you will immediately be approached by Panayotakis, who for years is an improvised guardian of the parking lot and he will ask for a small fee. We were asked for 2 euro, but I have the impression that the rate is variable, in any case you are not obliged to pay, it’s up to you …
If you need supplies, coming down to the beach you will pass next to a grocery stall very well stocked and with very reasonable prices. At the end of the trees, near the small pitch, there are public toilets and a little further down the road you will find a fountain with a water tap with perfect for filling the tank.
The beach is equipped and not bad at all.
One note: during the day there are many gypsies that come and go, enjoying the beach themselves. Most of them live in a fixed camp near the airport and are considered locals. We stayed for two nights with absolutely no problem.

GPS Coordinates: :
N 37.014080
E 21.994830