It is the seat of the municipality of West Mani in the region of Messenia on the Mani Peninsula.

The area is filled with beaches: Ritsa, Belogianni, Salio, Tikla, Amoni, Santava. The older town includes a medieval castle and outworks, and the imposing church of Saint Spyridon.

Many of the buildings of Old Kardamili, also known as “Pano Kardamili”, or “Upper Kardamili” were built by the Venetians and feature a mix of traditional Greek and Venetian design.

The skyline of Kardamyli, like many other Mani towns and villages, is dominated by the distinctive regional architectural of the various towers built by scions of the Nikliani clans, the mediaeval aristocracy of the Mani.