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Mystras landscape
Photo: Holger Uwe Schmitt · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

Mystras

A hillside Byzantine city of palaces, churches and frescoes above Sparta.

VillageCultureHiking

About the destination

Mystras is a UNESCO-listed Byzantine fortified town on the slopes of Mount Taygetus, a few kilometres from Sparta. It was the capital of the Despotate of the Morea in the 14th and 15th centuries, and its churches, palaces and houses climb the hillside beneath a Frankish castle. The Pantanassa monastery, still home to nuns, and the frescoes of Perivleptos and Agios Dimitrios are the highlights.

What makes this place special

  • The Palace of the Despots
  • The Pantanassa monastery, still home to nuns
  • The frescoes of the Perivleptos church
  • The Metropolis church of Agios Dimitrios
  • The Frankish castle at the summit
  • The lower town's Byzantine houses and lanes
  • Views over the Evrotas plain and Sparta

Across the seasons

Spring

In spring, Mystras invites fresh greenery and comfortable walks along lower mountain paths. Orthodox Easter brings candlelit services and processions through local streets.

Map · Mystras

37.077° N, 22.366° E
Source: openstreetmap.org · © OpenStreetMap contributors

Nearby attractions

Nearby, Sparta, a few kilometres away, has an archaeological museum and the Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil.

KEEP EXPLORING

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Distances are approximate and measured in a straight line.