After Acritas is the harbor Finicus and the Oenussae islands lying opposite.

Pausanias, Messenia. 4.34.12

Finikounda is mentioned for the first time in Pausanias Messiniaka (4, 34, 12) as a port after Cape Akritas. It is believed that it was a small commercial port where the fishers of murex frunculus (a porphyry shell from where the known dye is produced) could trade their product. The origin of the name also has to do with the ancient Phoenicians whose trade routes came through this natural port. (Valsamidis, Ε. Onomatology III , Athens: Dromeus, 1998 -more information in Greek)

The contemporary village appears at about 1840-1850, from the inhabitants of Lahanada, immigrants from Crete, who started building their houses on this location. It was also called Taverna, from a small tavern that someone kept there. Officially, it got its contemporary name in 1930. (G. D. Kouvelas, Finikounda: History and Life. Kalamata, 1997 -more information in Greek )

Today it is part of the Municipality of Methoni. The main resources of the inhabitants are agriculture and tourism, whish has flourished in the last few years. Finikounda has evolved into a remarkable holiday resort, where travellers do not only live in a beautiful natural environment but enjoy services that guarantee them a comfortable vacation.

You can find more about the history of the area in the list of articles. New addition: The Archival Research of Andrea Nanetti, by Evaggelos Valsamidis . (Greek)

The fist photograph is of Finikounda (1963) and is the kind offer of Petroulakis Panaghiotis, while the second with the schoolchildren on the beach was taken in 1934 and is the kind offer of S. Moudakis.