Sparta Greece - Modern Town With Rich Ancient History

The modern city of Sparta is situated on the locationThere are also statues of warriors that represent the
of ancient Sparta, in the prefecture of Laconiaformer military glory, for which the city is mostly
Peloponnese. It has approximately 20,000 inhabitantsknown. Take into account the Archaeological Museum
and lies on the river bank of Eurotas River. This city isof Sparta in order to complement the visit to these
modern today and was actually built with ansites.
architectural plan in the 1830s, by order of King Otto,However, apart from archaeological sites, the city of
the first king of Greece. However, what Sparta isSparta offers convenient options for visitors when it
famous for is not the Neoclassical buildings and thecomes to facilities, entertainment and accommodation.
ample squares, but its interesting ancient history, whichIt has developed into a modern urban centre, with
considered it the second most important town inmany cultural activities, such as the Sainopouleio
ancient Greece, after Athens.Festival in summer and the Olive Festival in the nearby
Close to the modern town centre, there are manyvillage of Selasia. There are many shopping centres
spots to remind visitors of the old glory of Sparta, suchand cafes scattered around, useful for a relaxing walk
as ruins of temples, public buildings and a Romanin the evening. The architecture of Sparta is also
theatre. The ancient theatre, which belongs to theunique; its current design makes it one of the most
Early Imperial Period, is placed near the ancientbeautiful cities in Greece, plenty of tree-lined
acropolis. It is not used today due to its bad condition,boulevards and parklands.
but you can clearly see its orchestra and someWhen it comes to the economy of the city, apart from
remaining walls. An interesting detail of this theatre iscounting on an important tourism flow, Sparta has
that the scene used to be wheeled in metal bars fixedother resources that assure its prosperity, mainly
to the ground. You can also admire the Tomb ofagriculture and some small manufacturing businesses.
Leonidas, the legendary Spartan king who protectedThe climate of this area is Mediterranean, with hot
Greecve against the Persians in the battle ofsummers and cold winters. Rains are quite common in
Thermopylae.autumn and make the terrain very fertile; Sparta is
In the centre of Sparta, you will find the remains of atraditionally famous for its citrus trees and for
large basilica dated from the Mid-Byzantine period.producing virgin olive oil.