The town of Gargaliani is built at the foothills of Mount Aigaleo on a green slope and an altitude of 300 metres. It is 26 kilometres from Pylos, 65 kilometres from Kalamata and has approximately 5000 permanent residents. The broader area of Gargaliani has been inhabited since 3000 BC. And in ancient times, it belonged to the kingdom of ancient Pylos, under King Nestor. During the Venetian period, it was referred to as Gurgulia or Gargaliano, possibly from the name of a Venetian who lived in the area.
The village participated in the Greek Revolution of 1821, during which it was almost completely destroyed, with over 1000 volunteers recruited by Makrygiannis.
After the liberation, it was a vital raisin production centre until the beginning of the 20th century. On July 31st, 1935, the Raisin Conference was held in Gargaliani, followed by the great uprising in August 1935 that spread throughout the Peloponnese with rallies and rural mobilisations. Ultimately, these demonstrations were met with violent repression by the then government.
The town's patron saint is Saint Dionysios the Areopagite, celebrated every year on October 3rd with splendour and a great fair. The central church of Gargaliani is the church of the Nativity of the Virgin (Genesis of the Theotokos), located at the western end of the main square and was completed in 1715. The church of Prophet Ilias, which dominates the northwest of Gargaliani in the area of Ai-Lias, is also noteworthy. It is rightly called "the balcony of Messenia" since it has a beautiful view of the plain, the Ionian Sea and the Isle of Proti, which used to be a stronghold of pirates.
The Briskeios Municipal Library is located in the central square of Gargaliani. The building was founded in 1958 with a monetary donation by Dimitrios Briskas (1883-1968). In front of the library, visitors can see the marble statue of the Macedonian warrior Sarantis Agapinos, known by his martial nickname Tellos Agras, who came from Gargaliani. Every year, in the first fortnight of July, anniversary events take place in his honour.
Close to Gargaliani, there are several beaches with clear waters, such as Marathos, Lagouvardos, Ai-Giannakis, Chrysi Akti (also known as "Mati") etc.
Finally, the 39th vice president of the USA, Spyros Agniou (1918-1996), also known as Spyros Anagnostopoulos, came from Gargaliani.
