One Day Tour: Byzantine city of Mystras and Sparta City Tour

Overview

Get on your fully air-conditioned vehicle and enjoy a splendid journey across the countryside and the villages among mountains and hills passing through ravines, tunnels, caves and green forests before you reach Mystras.

Mystras, the best preserved example of medieval walled town in the Greek region, is today a standing ghost city that fascinates the modern traveler with its castle, churches and the palatial complex of the ruling Byzantine dynasty, bearing witness to its bygone greatness. Be the knight or princess of your childhood fairy tales in the Byzantine town of Mystras. Wander around the castle city and sense through the silence the city’s sheer grandeur: the Palace of the Despots, the Houses of Laskaris and Frangopoulos, the beautiful Cathedral of Saint Dimitrios and the impressive Monasteries of Our Lady Pantanassa, and of Our Lady Perivleptos. The monuments of the area stay silent and have stories to tell beyond imagination, for forbidden vendettas between families or fairy tales and legends of the old times.Your guide will inform you about the long history of wars that followed and the changing conquerors. You will start from the Upper Gate and the rout you follow leads gently downhill to the Exit Gate.

Leaving the byzantine city of Mystras behind you, you will continue your tour to Sparta city.  Surrounded by mounts Taygetos and Parnon, Sparta was the kingdom of Menelaus and his beautiful queen, the most beautiful of all mortal women of her age, Helen. You will have a free time to wonder in city of Sparta. While your walk in the town do not miss a modern bronze statue of Leonidas, King of Sparta, who with his 300 Spartan warriors fought the mighty Persian army at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. The statue is located near the entrance to the archaeological site of ancient Sparta, with the famous reply MOLON LAVE on its marble plinth.

Optionaly we can organize a luch* in selected traditional tavern where your host will treat you with authentic Greek lunch “meze”.

After this unforgettable byzantine-ancient experience you will board back on your vehicle for return trip.

Highlights

• Mystras
• Byzantine town of Mystras
• Palace of the Despots, Houses of Laskaris and Frangopoulos
• Cathedral of Saint Dimitrios, Monastery of Our Lady Pantanassa, Monastery of Our Lady Perivleptos
• Sparta
• Kingdom of Menelaus
• Leonidas of Sparta
• 300 Spartan warriors
• Battle of Thermopylae
• Archaeological site of Sparta
• Molon Lave

Additional Info

• Bring sun protection (sun cream, hat, sunglasses); temperature can reach over 86˚F (30˚C during summer.
• Low heeled comfortable shoes are recommended due to some uneven and slippery paths.
• Appropriate clothing should be worn in churches and monasteries (no shorts, no hats; shoulders should be covered).
• Last Minute Reservations: We do accept reservations up to 48hrs prior the tour. Full payment for the trip is required upon the confirmation of the reservation. All the last minute reservations are non-refundable.
• Lower rates for larger groups (20+pax) are available upon request!

COVID-19 HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES 

At GeoTravel our highest priorities are compliance, environmental protection, health, safety and well-being of our staff and clients.

Our staff and partners are informed and trained in accordance with the guidelines set by Greece’s public health organization (EODY) to meticulously maintain the last hygiene protocols and cleaning procedures.

Our staff always uses personal protective equipment (face masks, shields and optional gloves) and the temperature is monitored daily to ensure a safe travel experience for our clients.

All our vehicles are regularly sanitized and all seats, armrest, sidewalls, overhead bins are intensively cleaned and disinfected between use.

In addition, hand sanitizers are available to travelers and staff before entering the office or the vehicle.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a whisper audio system (for an extra charge) is recommended to be used by all the travelers and the staff in order to keep social distance guidelines.

Terms & Conditions

Amendments
Geo Travel reserves the right to accomplish any amendments on regular shore excursions’, one day tours’ programs & timings and also abort a specific program/timing during the season. For any previous booked tour/timings which have been cancelled, a new tour program or timing will be suggested as a replacement. If the replacement does not satisfy you, you will be granted with a full refund.
Any scheduled tour or visit, in case of delay due to bad weather, damage of the vehicle used for transportation or any other reason is postponed to the next few days, and if this is not possible it is permanently canceled and no claim is made against the office for compensation as the reason of the cancellation is “force majeure”.

It is emphasized that the travel agency is not able to anticipate or control circumstances that are foreign to its sphere of influence and may lead to the cancellation of the trip or damages due to non-performance or faulty performance of the agreed travel services.

Typical examples of such cases are: strikes, accidents, diseases, epidemics-pandemics, organic disturbances due to local conditions, altitude, climate, due to meals not included in the itinerary or due to insufficient hygiene conditions due to external factors, external factors, injuries, wars or terrorist acts, airstrikes, earthquakes, weather conditions, fires, epidemics, toxic infections and any other emergency or «force majeure». In the above cases, the travel agency is not responsible for repairing any damage caused by them.

Insurance
Our clients are covered by the professional indemnity insurance of our office as well as from the bus transfer insurance which is obligatory in Greece. Our buses are fully insured. Concerning the rest of the tour, if the clients wish to be covered by commercial general liability, it is upon request and a matter upon negotiation with our clients with an extra cost.

Cancellations
In case of cancellation due to withdrawal the following cancellation policy is acceptable:
7 days prior service:                    pay 50% on the total
3 days prior service:                    pay 75% on the total
24 hrs and less prior service:     pay 100% total

Notes
1/ In all above cases, bank expenses that occur for the refund will be deducted from the payment.
2/ For large groups (15 people or more), some expenses, due to their nature, (example: restaurants, prepaid entrance fees) might not be refundable, if the cancellation comes within 4 days before service, whatever the cancellation reason is.
3/ by reserving one of our services you agree with the above terms.