I’ve now seen Stoupa in and out of season. It’s very different. Quite beautiful in the winter.
Public transport: about 4 buses a day to and from Kalamata one way and south to Itylo the other. Good value.
Worth visiting at Orthodox Easter to see and take part in the processions and services – and to eat the spit roast lamb.
Great walking/cycle route south from Stoupa to Agios Nikolaos. Would be fantastic if that could be extended. But you’d soon get into some pretty serious hills.
Lots of useful info on what’s going on locally in English at “Parea Sti Mani”:http://www.parea-sti-mani.com/. Use this to find out about the big variety of voluntary and charitable activity going on. Much of it in response to hardship for many local people and government cuts that have already been made.