Foinikounta or Finikouda, and formerly known as the Tavern or Lachanada Beach, is a coastal settlement near Methoni and is administratively part of the Municipality of Pylos - Nestoros, in the Prefecture of Messinia. Finikounda is today a large fishing village on the homonymous beach, with significant tourist development and is located south of Lachanada, which is the port. It is built together with its neighbor Loutsa in the western corner of the base of an imaginary isosceles triangle, facing south, which forms the Cape of Akrita (also known as Kapo - Gallo or Kavogalo).
Foinikounta is located southeast of Methoni, from which it is about 10 km, southwest of Pylos, from which it is about 20 km and west of Koroni, from which it is about 18.5 km. It is located on the 13th Provincial Road Harakopiou - Methoni, has an altitude of 0-5 meters and is bathed by the sea. Near Finikounda are also located, to the north Lachanada, at a distance of about 2 km, to the east, Iameia at 7 km, Akritochori at 4 km and Loutsa at a distance of about 2 km and to the west the Windmill , which is only about 850 meters.
The
area of the village Foinikounta has a long history that follows
the history of Messinia and the wider area of both Methoni and
Pylia. In ancient times, it was part of the kingdom of Nestor, of
ancient Pylos. It is claimed by researchers that it was founded by
the Phoenicians who colonized the coasts of the Peloponnese at this
point, although not everyone agrees with this estimate. In the
recent past it was a small fishing village founded, at least from
the middle of the 19th century, and according to local tradition, in
the 1840s, by residents of nearby Lachanada, who were refugees from
Crete. It was originally called "Tavern" (1879-1928), due to the
tavern that existed there. This tavern is known based on local
tradition as the "Tavern of Bagasa" (Panagopoulos), who is
considered to have been the first resident of the village. In 1928
it was temporarily renamed "Lachanada Beach" (1928-1930), while in
1930 it received its current name as "Phoenicians". In recent
decades it has developed into one of the most important tourist
resorts in Messinia, taking advantage mainly of the fact that it is
surrounded by long sandy beaches. The area has developed in recent
years a complete tourist infrastructure, with numerous rooms and
rooms for rent, five campsites and a large number of restaurants,
cafes and tourist shops.
The Phoenician Port
In front of
Foinikounta and its neighbor Loutsa was, in antiquity, the
"Phoenician port", which Pausanias mentions in his "Messinian".