Sparta Travel Guide
Sparta was the ancient rival of Athens, known for its fierce warriors and military culture (as showcased in the historically inaccurate movie 300). These days, the city doesn’t get the visitors Athens does but it does still have a lot of ruins to explore.
While Sparta is much smaller than Greece’s capital, there is a good number of things to do, sights to see, excursions to take, and places to eat. I would say you could get a good feel for the city in two nights.
It’s an often-overlooked city (most travelers skip this entire area as it’s out of the way) but you can get all the history of Greece without the tourists of Athens if you visit. The city is small and you only really need a couple of nights to check it all out. If you have a couple of extra days, it’s worth the drive or bus ride from Athens — especially if you’re a history buff.
This travel guide to Sparta can help you plan your trip so you can make the most of your trip to this underrated city.
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Top 5 Things to See and Do in Sparta
1. See the King Leonidas Statue
King Leonidas was one of the most famous kings of ancient Sparta, known for his defiant stand against the Persians at Thermopylae in 480 BCE. Technically named The Memorial in Thermopylae, it recognizes not only King Leonidas but the legendary 300 soldiers that fought along with him. Located in front of a soccer stadium, this statue is a testament to the fading glory of the Spartan legacy.
2. Visit the Archaeological Museum of Sparta
One of Greek’s oldest archaeology museums, this museum focuses on Sparta’s vibrant and wealthy past, housing thousands of artifacts from excavations of Sparta’s ancient Acropolis. Though the museum is fairly small, there’s a lot here, with reliefs of Helen and Menelaus, sculptures of King Leonidas, bronze figurines, heads and torsos from statues of gods, votive masks, and more. You can also see intricate mosaics from the Hellenistic and Roman eras. Admission is 2 EUR.
3. Tour the Diros Caves
The Diros Caves, which formed hundreds of thousands of years ago, consist of a 5-kilometer (3-mile) network of flooded caves, most of which are part of an underground lake. Prehistoric pottery, animal bones, and remains of ancient settlements have been found in the caves as well. A 30-minute boat tour takes you through the passageways to admire the stunning stalagmites and stalactites. Admission is 12 EUR.
4. Visit Mystras
The ancient city of Mystras has some of the best-preserved Byzantine ruins in the area. During its heyday, it was second only to Constantinople (now Istanbul). Set against the slopes of Mt. Taygetos, this UNESCO World Heritage Site contains the remains of a castle, libraries, church domes, houses, monasteries, and crumbled walls. Prepare to do lots of walking around the site, which also offers incredible views of the surrounding countryside. It’s just located around 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the modern town of Sparta and admission is 12 EUR.
5. Visit the Museum of the Olive and Olive Oil
This whole museum is dedicated to olives and olive oil. It takes you through the culture, history, and technology of olive oil production in Greece, as well as all the uses of olive oil in everyday Greek life. On display are items like fossilized olive leaves from 60,000 years ago, ancient and contemporary art depicting the importance of the olive, and replicas of ancient olive presses. You can also check out the reconstructed 20th-century olive presses in the courtyard. Admission is 4 EUR and it’s open every day except Tuesday from 10am-5pm.
Other Things to See and Do in Sparta
1. Walk around the modern town
Travelers don’t often hang out in the modern town of Sparta, which is why you should check it out. You can walk right by the tomb of King Leonidas, which is situated in the middle of a little park. Head to the main square where the town hall is and enjoy some people-watching at one of the cafes. There are also a handful of ouzeries (a Greek tavern that serves ouzo, a Greek liquor) in the square if you would like to enjoy the country’s favorite alcoholic beverage. Goude Park is a wonderful place to relax with a book in the shade after a day of wandering. It’s on the southwest edge of town.
2. Explore the ancient Sparta archaeological site
There’s not much left from the ancient city, located north of the Leonidas statue, but a walkthrough leads to where the acropolis and the agora stood from the 2nd-century BCE until the Roman era. You can also find the remains of an ancient theater (it used to be the second-largest in Greece) and the Sanctuary of Athena (a place where people could worship Athena and leave offerings). It’s free to wander around.
3. Visit the Sanctuary of Artemis
On the north side of town are the remains of the Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia, the most important deity for the Spartans. Artemis was the goddess of wild animals and the hunt as well as chastity and childbirth. The Orthia moniker mostly likely comes from a local deity who became merged with Artemis over the centuries as it is not found anywhere else in Greece. The Sanctuary was the site of some rather violent rituals, including the flogging of young Spartan boys until they bled. Since Spartan culture revolved around military service, this was considered an important way to prepare the children for the challenges ahead. Most of the ruins are Roman or Byzantine, but it’s still worth a visit.
4. Check out the Koumantareios Art Gallery
Opened in 1982, this gallery features a permanent collection of around 80 paintings and sculptures from the 16th to the 19th century. The art here shows historical scenes, portraits, Greek culture, and even abstract imagery. There’s also a temporary, rotating exhibit of pieces from the National Art Gallery in Athens. Housed in a Neoclassical 20th-century mansion, the gallery is a small and intimate space. Entry is 5 EUR.
5. Explore the Menelaion
A few miles outside of the city on the hill of the Prophet Elias lies the Menelaion, a 5th-century BCE shrine that was built to honor King Menelaus, husband of Helen of Troy (who was considered the most beautiful woman in the world). This site also had Mycenaean palaces and mansions dating back to the 15th century BC. Over the centuries, the buildings were destroyed by earthquakes and fires and others built over the top. There is not a lot left to see of this site except for its crumbling ruins, but it’s worth a visit to walk around here if you have extra time in Sparta since it’s a cool site to walk around. It’s free too!
6. Make some mosaic art
Dimitra, a self-taught mosaic artist, hosts art classes in her cozy workshop. She makes her mosaic pieces by hand so that each section of glass is unique. If you want to try your hand at making your own mosaic, she hosts three-hour workshops in her courtyard for 75 EUR (there are also 90-minute workshops). The workshop comes with all the tools and materials you’ll need, plus a small snack. If you don’t want to do a workshop, you can simply visit to browse the shop and buy some lovely art.
7. Go hiking at Taygetus Mountain
At 2,405 meters (7,890 feet), Mount Taygetus is the highest peak in the range of the same name. It dominates Sparta’s skyline and makes for an excitingoutdoor adventure if you have the time. You can take one of the many routes as several-hour day hikes, or summit the peak as an overnight trek. The usual route takes 3-4 hours to get to the peak and goes through forests of pine and firs, then goes into the Taygetos Refuge. There’s about 850 meters (nearly 2800 feet) of elevation gain so be prepared with lots of water.
8. Watch the Spartathon
How to Stay Safe in Sparta
Sparta is a very safe place to travel. Violent crime is rare in Sparta so petty crime like pick-pocketing is your only real concern (though it’s also uncommon). Keep an eye on your possessions when out and about and don’t flash your valuables just to be safe.
If you’re visiting in the summer, always bring water and sunscreen and wear a hat as heat stroke can occur.
If you rent a vehicle, don’t leave any valuables in it overnight. Break-ins are rare but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Solo female travelers should generally feel safe here. However, always follow standard safety precautions (never leave your drink unattended at the bar, never walk home alone intoxicated, etc.). Check out one of the many wonderful solo female travel blogs on the web for specific information about a destination. They’ll give you tips and advice that I can’t.
Scams in Sparta are rare but you can still read about common travel scams to avoid here.
Always trust your gut instinct. Make copies of your personal documents, including your passport and ID.
If you do experience an emergency, dial 112 for assistance.
The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase quality travel insurance. Travel insurance protects you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past.
Where to Stay in Sparta
Sparta doesn’t have any hostel options but, fortunately, there are lots of budget-friendly hotels and small apartment rentals. These are some of my recommended places to stay in and around Sparta:
Sparta Travel Costs
Accommodation
- Budget hotels – 45-55 EUR
- Airbnb apartments – 40-55 EUR per night
- Campsite – 13 EUR per night
Food
- Street food – 5 EUR
- Sit-down restaurants – 13-18 EUR
- Casual take-out places – 7-12 EUR
- Beer – 2-4 EUR
- Glass of wine – 2-4 EUR
- Cocktails – 6-8 EUR
- Cappuccino/latte- 2-4 EUR
- Groceries for a week – 40-50 EUR
Sparta Suggested Budgets
Backpacker – 45 EUR Per Day
If you’re backpacking Sparta, this budget covers camping, eating cheap fast food, cooking some meals, and walking everywhere. You’ll have to limit your drinking and stick to mostly free activities like wandering the ruins.
If you plan on drinking, add 5-10 EUR more to your budget per day.
Midrange – 105 EUR Per Day
On a mid-range budget, you can stay in a budget hotel room, eat out for all your meals, and take an occasional taxi to get around. You’ll be able to enjoy a few drinks and do some paid activities like visiting the museums and the caves.
Upscale – 215 EUR Per Day
On a “luxury” budget, you can stay in a hotel or private Airbnb, eat out anywhere you want, drink more, rent a car to explore the region, and do more paid tours and activities.
This is just the ground floor for luxury though. The sky is the limit!
Sparta Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips
Sparta is a pretty inexpensive city. It’s more of a “local place to live” than a hub of tourist activity and as such prices are a lot cheaper than elsewhere in Greece. Here are some of my favorite ways to cut your costs in Sparta:
- Use the Greek salad/bread rule – Is a restaurant cheap or expensive? Here’s how to find out: if the bread cover is .50 EUR or a Greek salad is less than 7 EUR, the restaurant is cheap. If the cover is around 1 EUR and a salad is 7-8.50 EUR, the prices are average. Anything more than that and the place is expensive.
- Eat super cheap – Gyros (and other street snacks) usually only cost a few euros. They are quick and easy and can keep you full for 10-15 EUR per day!
- Take a self-guided tour – Don’t indulge in the guided tours that are often very costly. The ruins in the area are easy to get around and visit on your own.
- Stay with a local – If you plan ahead, you can usually find really friendly Couchsurfing hosts all throughout Sparta. This way, you not only have a place to stay, but you’ll have a local host that can tell you the best places to go and things to see. There aren’t many though so be sure to send your request early!
- Bring a water bottle – The tap water here is safe to drink so bring a reusable water bottle to save money and reduce your plastic use. LifeStraw is my go-to brand as their bottles have built-in filters to ensure your water is always clean and safe.
How to Get Around in Sparta
Walk – Sparta is small (just 16,000 people live here) and you can get around easily on foot to see most sites.
Taxi – Taxis are cheap here and they’re really your only method of getting to attractions outside of town (like Mystras). A taxi from Sparta to Mystras should cost less than 10 EUR.
Car rental – There are a couple of car rental offices in Sparta with prices starting at 35 EUR per day. Drivers must be at least 21 years old and have had their license for at least one year. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is required. For the best rental car deals, use Discover Cars.
When to Go to Sparta
Summer in Sparta is hot. The average daily temperature in July-August is 34°C (93°F). There’s not much relief here if you want to escape the heat either — the sea is around 100 kilometers (62 miles) away. There’s also very little rain or cloud cover during these months. Walking around in the sweltering heat can be a bit much, so I’d avoid coming in the middle of the summer if you can.
May-June and September-October are the best times to visit as the weather is much more comfortable. It averages around 22-28°C (70-82°F), so you’ll be able to walk around and explore without sweating bullets. It cools off in the evening and there are a few days of rain during this time of year, so bring layers.
Winter temperatures average 10°C (50°F) so it’s still warm enough to visit, however, some businesses shut down during this time. It’s also quite rainy and a lot of what you want to see is outside so I’d avoid visiting in the winter if you can.
Sparta Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources
These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.
- Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
- Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
- Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
- HostelPass – This new card gives you up to 20% off hostels throughout Europe. It’s a great way to save money. They’re constantly adding new hostels too. I’ve always wanted something like this and glad it finallt exists.
- Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
- The Man in Seat 61 – This website is the ultimate guide to train travel anywhere in the world. They have the most comprehensive information on routes, times, prices, and train conditions. If you are planning a long train journey or some epic train trip, consult this site.
- Trainline – When you’re ready to book your train tickets, use this site. It streamlines the process of booking trains around Europe.
- Rome2Rio – This website allows you to see how to get from point A to point B the best and cheapest way possible. It will give you all the bus, train, plane, or boat routes that can get you there as well as how much they cost.
- FlixBus – Flixbus has routes between 20 European countries with prices starting as low 5 EUR! Their buses include WiFi, electrical outlets, a free checked bag.
- SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
- LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
- Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
- Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!
- Ferry Hopper – If you’re looking to book your ferries, this website is an easy way to search the various companies, piece together routes, and book your tickets.
GO DEEPER: Nomadic Matt’s In-Depth Budget Guide to Europe!
There’s a lot of free information online but do you want to spend days searching for information? Prob not! That’s why guidebooks exist.
While I have a lot of free tips on Europe, I also wrote an entire book that goes into great detail on everything you need to plan a trip here on a budget! You’ll get suggested itineraries, budgets, even more ways to save money, my favorite restaurants, prices, practical information (i.e. phone numbers, websites, prices, safety advice, etc etc), and cultural tips.
I’ll give the insider view of Europe that I got from years of traveling and living here! The downloadable guide can be used on your Kindle, iPad, phone, or computer so you can have it with you when you go.
Click here to learn more about my book on Europe!
Sparta Travel Guide: Related Articles
Want more tips for your trip? Check out all the articles I’ve written on Greece travel and continue planning your trip:
