With beautiful sunsets and golden sandy beaches, Greece is much more than we were taught at school.

Its unique history and ancient culture is undoubtedly a big draw for visitors, but it also offers some of the best natural beauty spots in the world.

The new prime Mediterranean destination in Greece is Costa Navarino in the Messinia region, which combines the best that nature and man can muster.

One of the most unspoiled and breathtaking seaside landscapes in the Mediterranean, this area has been shaped by 4,500 years of human history.

The Costa Navarino philosophy is driven by a genuine desire to promote Messinia while preserving its natural beauty and heritage, which is why the building footprint at Costa Navarino will be less than 10 per cent of the total land area, according to the authorities.

Sensitive development means Costa Navarino will comprise a number of distinct sites featuring five-star hotels, luxury high end residences, state of the art conference centres, signature golf courses, as well as a wide range of activities.

Largely untouched by mass tourism so far, cultural values and traditions are alive and well here.

Visitors will discover palaces and vaulted tombs from the Mycenaean era, classical temples, Byzantine churches and medieval castles.

It is a land of rolling hills and rugged mountains, protected bays and beaches, and broad valleys of lush olive groves, fields and vineyards.

Unesco World Heritage sites, including famous Olympia, Mystras and the Temple of Apollo Epicurius, as well as ancient Messinia and the Palace of Nestor, are all within driving distance.

Costa Navarino is situated in the south-west of the Peloponnese peninsula.

Visitors can learn about Messinia’s unique natural habitats and diverse wildlife species through a variety of interactive exhibits at Navarino Natura Hall, or grab a pair of binoculars and observe the thousands of migrating birds who visit the Gialova lagoon each year.

Delicious wines are produced at local vineyards, scenically scattered on the western hillsides just 500-600 metres from the sea. And olives grown in Messinia’s verdant groves are turned into rich olive oil.