Laya is a mountainous village in East Mani with 113 residents. It is 17 kilometres from Vathia, 24 kilometres from Kotronas and 86 kilometres from Sparta. In antiquity, it was a colony of La (today's Passαvas).
Laya presents a strong Maniatic "colour" with the stone Towers and the characteristic "Colourous Towers", such as those of Mavrodakakos and Giannoginas (1838). Here, the visitor can also see the Giatrakos family cemetery with the church of St. Spyridon. Also noteworthy are the temples of Saint Zacharias (13th century), Saint Nicholas (12th century) with Early Christian marbles and St. Stratigos (14th century), which was a monastery with a tower and ruined buildings. The temples of the Holy Trinity and Faneromeni have also been designated monuments. In Laya, there is also the bust of Lieutenant Colonel Panagiotis Vlachakos (1964-1996), who lost his life in the Maritime region of Imia on January 31st, 1996.
