Mistras Favorite Tips by SirRichard Top 5 Page for this destination

Read the signs

Favorite thing: All along the paved roads you will find these useful signs (at right in the pic) written in greek & english, telling you the story and details of every building and landmark, as well as the story of the place and tips on the everyday life at that times.

A lot of ruins and some churches

Favorite thing: Mistras was a really important city at byzantine times. It had palaces, churches, monasteries, walls, paved streets...
Most of what remains are ruins, but there are several well preserved churches and the main palace is being restored.
The only inhabited building is a nuns' monastery that you can see at the left in the pic.

Plan the visit

Favorite thing: Is important to plan the visit when U come. If you come by bus, you will be dropped by the Xenia Cafe, by the lower gate.
BUT the best way to see Mistras is FROM THE TOP. This way, you start by the castle (Kastro) and go down. There are hundreds of steps, so this is the easy way.
So do some hitchiking and go up to the gate that is UP THE HILL.
I f you arrive by car/taxi, just tell the driver to drop you at the upper gate.

A view of Sparta

Favorite thing: Mistras is located very near from Sparta, a modern city that kepps very little of its famous past. Hardly a little archeological museum. What made Sparta famous was more their life style and armies than the monuments.
From Mistras summit you can have a wonderful view of all the valley. The white spot U see at the left is Sparta...