Kalamata is the largest city in population in the Peloponnese Region and its geographical position makes it an important urban, economic and commercial center of the wider region.

In Kalamata, 4 faculties of the University of Peloponnese operate in the Antikalamos and Old Camp campuses. The city has complete and modern sports facilities and a modern hospital.

Particularly important is the coastline that exceeds 10km as well as the extensive beach, characterized by the crystal clear waters and the organized beaches that have the Blue Flag even within the urban fabric.

Dominant in this natural landscape is the massif of Taygetos, which is a rare ecosystem with the dominant trees being firs and pines. It is the largest green lung both for the city of Kalamata and the wider region, since it starts from the outskirts of the city.

Sights of the city

A reference point of Kalamata is the castle of Princess Izabo, built in the 13th century. by Guillielmos Villeardouinos.

At the foot of the castle is the Old Town, which is the heart of the city's nightlife. In the wider area is the metropolitan church of Ypapanti (1873), the Kalograion Monastery (12th century) and the Byzantine church of the Holy Apostles (13th century) of special historical value as the first doxology of the liberated Kalamata was held there on March 23, 1821.

The city is connected by road, by sea with the rest of Greece and also by air with direct flights to Athens, Thessaloniki and major European capitals.

The highway was handed over to traffic in 2014 and the Athens-Kalamata distance is now covered in less than 2.5 hours by car. To the west, Kalamata is connected to the Tower of Ilias and to Patras with a road network for which the connection with the Ionian Sea is planned, so as to connect Kalamata with all of Western Greece, creating a road axis with a total length of 460 kilometers.

A railway network operated in Kalamata until 2010, but it was suspended due to the financial crisis. The central station is located in the center of the city while a stop is also located inside the Antikalamos campus.

The shipping infrastructure is remarkable and serves the connection of the Peloponnese with Kythira and Crete, while the operation of a waterway has already been launched. The infrastructure of the marina on the west side of the city is important, allowing the docking of dozens of private boats.

The urban transport of the city is fully supported by 8 bus lines, one of which connects the city with the Antikalamos campus (Line 2).

The airport is located at a distance of 3 km from the Antikalamou campus and 9 km from the city center and travelers are served for their transfer by the Messinia intercity KTEL bus.

Finally, the city has a long network of bicycle paths that exceeds 3km and connects the beach with the city limits on the outskirts of Taygetos.

The city stands out for its intense cultural life with its bodies the Municipal Enterprise for Cultural Development of Kalamata - DEPAK, the Municipal Regional Theater of Kalamata - DIPETHEK, the municipal non-profit enterprise Faris and many other active private bodies. DEPAK includes three schools: the Municipal Conservatory, the School of Dance and the Art Workshop

Every July, the international Dance festival with a high artistic level and global influence takes place both in the city's Dance Hall, but also in other parts of Kalamata, hosting performances and dancers from all over the world. Cultural life is framed by painting exhibitions that take place in the Municipal Art Gallery and in the new Kalamata Dance Hall (with an area of ​​1500 sq.m., 675 spectator seats and 15 special seats for the disabled), with history, philosophy and other seminars organized by the academic staff of the University of Peloponnese, as well as with various other events, organized by city agencies.

The Central Municipal Library, which operates as a lending institution, and the Archaeological Museum are also points of reference. In addition, due to its location, the city is within walking distance of very important archaeological sites such as Ancient Messina, the Temple of Epicurean Apollo, Ancient Olympia and the castle of Mystras.