Spectacular Peloponnese Exploration and Nature

Day 5
Nafplion to Monemvasia. Visit Mystras.
Enjoy a spectacular drive south towards the Medieval citadel of
Monemvasia,, a tiny island, separated from the Peloponnese by a
barrow. On the way you will stop to visit Mystras. Often overlooked it
is a spectacular sight with a rich history and extensive grounds
to explore.
Sightseeing
Mystras
Mystras, the 'wonder of the Morea', was built as
an amphitheatre around the fortress erected in 1249 by the prince of
Achaia, William of Villehardouin. Reconquered by the Byzantines,
then occupied by the Turks and the Venetians, the city was
abandoned in 1832, leaving only the breathtaking medieval ruins,
standing in a beautiful landscape. Mystras was a living settlement
from the 13th century to the 19th century when it gradually started
to be deserted due to the foundation of the new town of Sparta. It
retained its completeness as a fortified urban unit of the late-
Byzantine period. Mystras constitutes a unique example of a
Byzantine city, an expression of flourishing urban society within the
late Byzantine Empire. As a political and administrative
provincial centre of the Byzantine state, Mystras became a unique
intellectual, cultural and artistic centre.
Mystras is a truly outstanding example of late Byzantine
culture which influenced the rest of the Mediterranean world
and beyond.
After a lunch stop (at leisure) at Mystras village continue to
Monemvasia.
Overnight in Monemvasia
Breakfast
Driving hours approx: 2 hours Nafplion to Mystras and 2 hours from
Mystras to Monemvasia
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