A magnificent natural harbor – one of the largest in the world, the entrance of which is almost blocked by the island of Sfaktiria – the Bay of Navarino was the scene of the famous naval battle in 1827 in which an allied British, French and Russian fleet defeated a combined Egyptian – Ottoman armada, marking a decisive turning point in the Greek War of Independence. This was the last major naval battle in the world to be fought entirely with sailing ships.
