Gialova

Gialova is a small coastal village in the municipality of Pylos-Nestor, Messenia, on the eastern shore of the Bay of Navarino in the southwestern Peloponnese. It sits beside the Gialova Lagoon (also called Divari), a protected wetland and Natura 2000 site that is a major stopover for migratory birds and home to the only wild population of the African chameleon in continental Europe. Sand dunes separate the lagoon from the crescent-shaped Voidokilia beach and the ruins of Paliokastro just to the north. Settled at the start of the 20th century, Gialova grew from a small fishing hamlet into a low-key beach resort, its population rising from 49 residents in 1928 to 275 in the 2011 census. Its palm-lined waterfront promenade is lined with tavernas and cafes, and the village serves as a base for visiting Voidokilia beach, the Bay of Navarino (site of the decisive 1827 naval battle), and Old Navarino Castle.