Lagada

On the road from Kalamata to Diros Lagada is built in a dale on the foot of Taygetos (altitude 456m). Lagada is one of the most beautiful villages of Exo (Western or Messinian) Mani having authentic traditional houses surrounded by lush vegetation.

Four main settlements, Miloutsianika, Pera Chroa, Tsifolianika and Kato Pigadi, compose the villag , whose history dates back to Roman times, when the Romans occupied it in the 68 AD the neighboring city, Thalames, installing in Lagada their stables and in the adjacent region of the bodyguard of Somatiana. At the entrance of the village there is the old paved road , which is said that no Ottoman step foot on and only Byzantine despots of Mistra, Kolokotronis with captains from Mani passed to go to Kalamata.

On Sotiros square in Lagada there is the homonymous Byzantine church and attractions of the area are the Byzantine churches of Faneromeni and SAinte Marina with frescoes by monk Andronikos, brother of Constantine Palaeologos. In the square of Saint Nicholas in the Cathedral of Lagada there is the marble shrine with the relics of Armenian Nikon who christianized Mani.

Attractions of Lagada are also tower of Kapitsinos (19th century) with its simple construction, the Tower of OIkonomeas and fine marble mansion of Yannakos Kiskiras with built- reliefs and busts.