Monemvasia and Laconia

What to See
General Info
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Getting There
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What to see in Monemvasia & Laconia

Tomb of Leonidas in Sparta

The tomb of Leonidas, north to the modern town of Sparta, is an emblem and an important monument, as it is the only monument preserved from the Ancient Agora.

Natural Landscapes of Laconia

Caves with stalactites, endless forests, gorges, canyons, the mountains of Parnon and Taygetus are just a few of the numerous natural beauties of Laconia. Discover them!

Castles of Mistras & Monemvasia in Laconia

Two of the most known castles of Peloponnese are located at the region of Laconia, Monemvasia & Mystras. Visit them, learn their history and enjoy their stunning beauty.

Museums of Laconia

From the Neolithic civilization to nowadays, Laconia recounts its history and traditions. Just a small visit at the museums of Laconia will "fly" you to the past and the residents' habbits.

The City of Sparta in Laconia

Capital of the Regional Unit of Laconia, Sparta is built south of the center of the ancient homonymous city, near the right bank of river Evrotas.

Saint George church in Geraki

It was originally a two-aisled church dating back to the 11th century. It underwent many transformations during the Rule of the Franks, such as the addition of a third nave and a narthex to the west.

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About Monemvasia and Laconia

The region of Laconia is a significant tourist destination, which combines famous sites, such as medieval Mystra, the fortress city at Monemvasia, and the tower houses in Mani, with locations of exceptional natural beauty, such as the Diros caves, Mt. Taygetos and cape Tainaros.

It has been inhabited since the Palaeolithic and Neolithic years, while it was later settled by the Leleges, Achaeans and Ionians. The Dorians arrived in 1100 B.C. and made Sparta their capital, which for centuries together with Athens, was one of the most powerful city-states in Ancient Greece, until its occupation by the Romans and later by the Franks and Turks.

Here was the kingdom of Menelaus and his beautiful queen, the most beautiful of all mortal women of her age, Helen. But Aphrodite had promised Paris of Troy the most beautiful woman on earth in return of a favor, so the Trojan prince came to Sparta to claim his trophy. He abducted Helen and travelled back to his homeland. Menelaus wanted his wife back and talked all the other kings of Greece into fighting against the Trojans. That’s pretty much how the most celebrated war of the myths started.

Nowadays modern Sparta, which is built directly on top of the ancient settlement, is an easy-going city with wide, tree-lined streets and offers many ruins to visit and also it is by far the best base for exploring the ruins of Byzantine Mystras, 6km away.

The fortress city of Monemvasia, a narrow strait of land on the coast of Southern Laconia, is the most popular destination of the region. A city founded by Greeks, transformed by Venetians, the experts on military architecture and completely restored by Ottoman rulers, Monemvasia is a perfectly preserved medieval settlement still inhabited, a world cultural heritage monument and a major attraction for every traveler in Greece.

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Getting to Monemvasia & Laconia

By car:

The capital of the Prefecture of Laconia, Sparta, is 225 kilometers away from Athens (about 3 hours by car). To drive there you follow the National Highway from Athens to Tripoli and then you take the rural road from Tripoli to Sparta. Its distance from Tripoli and Kalamata is 60 kilometers, while Patra is 230 kilometers away.

The road trip from Sparta to Monemvasia is 2 hours. The road from Sparta to Monemvasia is not highway but rural which means that it has only one line per direction.

By bus:

There are daily buses that connect Athens with Sparta. The buses depart from Kifissos Bus Station in Athens and arrive in Sparta in about 4 hours. There are also buses to connect Sparta with other cities in Peloponnese, like Tripoli and Monemvasia.

For more information please visit the KTEL Laconias website (http://ktel-lakonias.gr only in Greek language)

Telephone numbers of the most famous bus stops of Laconia:

KTEL of Sparta: 0030 27310 26441

KTEL of Athens: 0030 210 5124913

By plane:

The closest airport to the Prefecture of Laconia is the Kalamata airport which is located 55km from Sparta and the International airport of Athens which is 245km from Sparta, about 2,5 hours driving.

By boat:

In the southern part of the prefecture there are two small ports, the port of Githio and the port of Neapoli. The first one is connected with Kithira and Antikithira. The second is connected with Elafonisos and Kithira.

For further information about the timetable you can contact the port authorities:

Port authority of Githio: (+30) 27330 22262

Port authority of Neapoli: (+30) 27340 22228