Agios Nikolaos, Messenia

The population of Agios Nikolaos and of similar fishing villages in this part of Greece fell rapidly in the decades after World War II through emigration, mainly to Australia, but since the road from Kalamata was built in the late 1960s the tourist business brought prosperity to the area. Agios Nikolaos still has few tourist amenities, but the hills above the town offer Byzantine churches[2][3] and views of the Gulf and of the Taygetus mountains further inland.

Over the last few decades, Agios Nikolaos has been rapidly evolved into a top tourist destination in Messenia and in the Mani peninsula in particular. However, it is still a picturesque and an active fishing harbour with a fish market most days. As fas as the accommodation is concerned, luxury stone villas with all the amenities can host a great number of tourists and visitors during the summer period. Additionally, there are several Tavernas and Kafeneia (cafés) around the harbour as well as tourist shops. There is also an emergency medical center (est. 2004), a pharmacy, a post office, and several small grocery stores. Lastly, there is also a small lighthouse (5m) situated in the west edge of the village.

Agios Nikolaos was formerly called Selinitsa^[Etymology] (meaning simply village, settlement). The name Selinitsa is still used by many locals. It was a theatre of battles during the Greek Civil War, being on the side of Government fighting the 'communists' who were mainly in the mountain villages. There are still three towers, built as machine gun emplacements scattered around the village; the largest about 20 metres or 66 feet high dominates the 'skyline' on the main road into the village. There are no documented ancient remains in the immediate area.

The famous Greek poet Nikiforos Vrettakos used to spend his summer vacations at his wife's house in the village of Agios Nikolaos.

It has to be mentioned that Ioannis Giannouleas, a rich merchant and businessman from the Outer (Exo) Mani, donated a large parcel of land along the sea to the then Municipality of Mani for the purpose of the erection of the village's cemetery. Today, there is a plaque with his name engraved in the cemetery, commemorating his generous donation.

Some notable people who are from Agios Nikolaos are listed below (indicatively):

• Ioannis Giannouleas (Greek: Ιωάννης Γιαννουλέας, 1890–1933), rich merchant and businessman of the Outer (Exo) Mani and benefactor of the village.
• Dimitrios I. Giannouleas (Greek: Δημήτριος Ι. Γιαννουλέας, 1919–2010), Lieutenant Commander of the Greek Navy and World War II Veteran. In 1941, he sailed with the Greek Navy to the Egyptian port of Alexandria, in order to continue the fight against the Axis powers, on the side of the Allies.
• Grigorios Skalkeas (Greek: Γρηγόριος Σκαλκέας, 1928–2018), prominent doctor and academic. He was the doctor of the former Prime Minister of Greece, Andreas Papandreou.

^ Etymology: Greek: Σελίνιτσα, from Slavic *Selьnica : selo »village, settlement«; compare also to current Slovene/Croatian Selnica and Croatian/Serbian Seonica with the same meaning. Although Vasmer referred to another village of the same name about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of Gytheio in Laconia – also located in the Mani – the same reasoning is applicable here.[4][5] Patrick Leigh Fermor in his 1958 book Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese uses Selinitza.

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