Shaded by a vast plane tree and scented by limes, Platía Trión Navárhon is a beautiful public platía, completely encircled by cafés and very much the heart of the town. At its centre is a war memorial commemorating admirals Codrington, de Rigny and von Heyden, who commanded the British, French and Russian forces in the Battle of Navarino. Nearby, just uphill on the Methóni road, the little Antonopouleion Museum (Tues-Sun 8.30am-3pm; ¬1.50) boasts remains from the battle, along with archeological finds from the region.

Further memories of the Navarino battles can be evoked by a visit to the island of Sfaktiría , across the bay, where there are various tombs of Philhellenes, a chapel and a memorial to Russian sailors. You can hire a boat from the port and also snorkel to see the remains of the Turkish fleet lying on the sea bed; ask at the harbourmaster's office or cafés by the port.

The principal sight in town, however, is the Néo Kástro (Tues-Sun 8.30am-3pm; ¬2.50), close by the port on the south side of the bay (further up the Methóni road). The hugely spreading "new castle" was built by the Turks in 1572, and allows a walk around much of the 1500m of arcaded battlements, although unsafe segments are now closed. For much of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, it served as a prison and its inner courtyard was divided into a warren of narrow yards separated by high walls, a design completely at odds with most Greek prisons, which were fairly open on the inside. This peculiar feature is explained by the garrison's proximity to the Máni. So frequently was it filled with Maniots imprisoned for vendettas, and so great was the crop of internal murders, that these pens had to be built to keep the imprisoned clansmen apart. The pens and walls have been pulled down as part of an ongoing programme to restore and convert the castle into a planned museum for underwater archeology. So far, the only attraction is a collection of René Puaux pictures of the 1821 revolution.