This is Sparta. The phrase, made popular in the “300” epic, echoes repeatedly, highlighting the courage, bravery and sacrifice of Leonidas and his warriors who dared stand, like a solid rock of the Spartan earth, against Xerxe’s army. Nowadays, Sparta is big, modern but personable, comfortably located on dark, fertile soil, which produces the world’s best oranges, lemons and olives – ingredients which rule in the local cuisine.

A few miles down the road, Mystras’ deserted, fortified town is a landscape of such immense beauty, a digital camera is a must. And filling its memory card with mouth-gaping shots for your iPad’s slideshow will happen quickly. Byzantine emperors still walk the night passages here, at least their ghosts seem to. Mystras’ name is derived from a local cheese!

Mystras – Sparta Must See

• 
• 

The Saint Theodore church for its unique architecture. Also visit the Saint Demetrios church, where, Constantinos Palaiologos, the last Byzantine emperor, was crowned, years before the fall of Constantinople.

Mystras – Sparta Must Do

• 
• 

A visit to the Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil in Sparta will give you the insight of this totally Greek link between history and present.