Kalo Nero

Kalo Nero square ('πλατεία'), with the railway station behind.

Kalo Nero (Greek: Καλό Νερό or Καλόνερο meaning "good water") is a village and a community of the Trifyllia,Kyparissia Messenia municipal unit, Messenia, southern Greece. The population of the entire district is 741 (2001 census, real population), the main village alone 540, the remaining 201 living in the smaller settlements Ano Kalo Nero, Kakavas, Stasi Sidirokastro (Sidirokastro station, a railway halt), Marmaro and Vounaki.^[1]

Geography

Kalo Nero is situated on the Gulf of Kyparissia, a bay of the Ionian Sea. It is 6 km northeast of Kyparissia, 21 km south of Zacharo and 47 km northwest of Kalamata. The Greek National Road 9 (Patras - Pyrgos - Pylos), and the main road to Kalamata pass through the town. Kalo Nero is a railway junction where the line from Patras and Pyrgos in the north branches to the terminus station of Kyparissia to the south and towards Kalamata via Zevgolatio in the east.^[2] Kalo Nero has a relatively large railway yard, located alongside the central square of the village, with the station building at the southern end of the square. Kalo Nero used to have several daily passenger train services but during recent years these have been reduced until 21-Jan-2011 the last remaining services were closed down.

Tourism & the environment

Kalo Nero has a 2 kilometre stony and rocky beach which attracts a moderate amount bathers in the summer months, both Greeks and foreign tourists. It is frequented by camper-vans from across Europe. On the seafront there are a number hotels, tavernas and bars. Loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta, nest every summer on the beach in front of Kalo Nero, from May to July - with the nests hatching between July and October. This 2 kilometre stretch of beach hosts over 100 loggerhead nests each year, but is under severe threat from the development and construction behind the beach - the lights and noise from hotels, bars and street lamps create problems for both nesting adult turtles, and also hatchlings. Constructions on the beach prevent sea turtles from nesting. Kalo Nero is famous for its marvelous, unique sunsets in the Kyparissian Bay. Nearby are the Mycenian Tombs in Peristeria and the Neda River Waterfalls with Stomio, the entrance to Hades ^{[citation needed]}, the underworld, according to Greek Mythology.

References

Coordinates: 37°17′53″N 21°42′04″E / 37.298°N 21.701°E / 37.298; 21.701