Petalidi is situated 13 kilometres to the southwest of Messini and 18 kilometres from Kalamata. It is a seaside tourist town which combines the mountain, the sea and the plain. Most likely, Petalidi took its name from its coastline's "horseshoe" shape. At the main square, the visitor will find several cafes and restaurants, and it is worth taking a walk to the small, picturesque port. If you happen to be in Petalidi in September, do not miss the opportunity to go to the local festival organised annually on the 13th and the 14th.
Petalidi has many notable monuments to visit, and the history of the town's creation is also fascinating. In 1828, the French general Maison disembarked at Petalidi Bay to ward all of Ibrahim’s Egyptian soldiers off the Peloponnese. In August 1830, by the decision of Ioannis Kapodistrias, the settlement of the people of Mani to Petalidi started taking place after the establishment of the new Greek state. That was done for Kapodistrias to thank the people of Mani by offering them public land. That is why, today, we come across so many names of Mani origin, such as Troupakis, Kourakos, Stefanakos etc. The proper erection of the town began in 1835, based on the sketches of the Bavarian engineers Colman and Strauss. By 1836, more than 200 families had settled down, and about 120 houses were built. Interesting is the fact that the newspapers of the time wrote about the establishment of the colony of Petalidi built by the people of Mani that both Otto and Amalia visited in 1838, out of great interest.
In Petalidi, the visitor may see the "Liar’s Fountain" ("Vrisi tou Psefti") on the beach, the Outdoor Archaeological Collection (with findings from ancient Koroni), as well as the churches of Zoodochos Pigi and Agios Nikolas at the main square.
