Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cluding the city of Sparta and the spectacular ruins of Mystras, the Byzantine Empire's
last stronghold.
Dominating the landscape are two huge mountain ranges, the Taÿgetos Mountains in
the west and the Parnonas Mountains in the east. These taper away to create the central
and eastern fingers of the Peloponnese.
English speakers can thank the Lakonians for the word 'laconic'.
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SpartaΣπάρτη
POP 16,200
The gridlike streets of modern Sparta (
spar
-tee) are in line with its ancient precursor's
image of discipline, although fortunately, not deprivation. It is an easy-going, if unre-
markable, town that lies at the heart of the Evrotas Valley, surrounded by olive and citrus
groves, while the Taÿgetos Mountains, snowcapped until early June, provide a stunning
backdrop to the west.
The town was refounded in 1834 on the orders of King Otto, who had just made the
decision to move his court from Nafplio to Athens.
Mindful of history, Otto and his court felt that since Athens was to be rebuilt to reflect
its former glory, so too should Sparta. There's a pleasant-enough square and a fascinating
oil museum, and a few ruins attesting to its ancient pre-eminence. Most visitors head to
the nearby site of Mystras, but it's worth spending at least a few hours here.
