Spartan route

Spartan Route 

Spartan nowadays is a synonym for strength, consistency, ideals, faith, love for humans. There are many events around the world that try to imitate the fight of the 300 against Persians, but few have really understood the meaning, that is today more or less lost. If we look to history, we could find it in medieval Japan and Samurai class. Even if Spartans were not professional warriors, they had some similarities with the Japanese mentality of “win or nothing”. 

Thermopylae

The area of the famous battle of 480 BC today actually doesn’t exist. There is no museum, nothing. Literally, Thermopylae means Hot Gates or Hot Springs- Spa baths. Today there are some small streams that you can visit but don’t expect to see anything really interesting there. Some people have discovered the ancient trails, but you need a guide to explore them. Marathon on the other hand, is a place you can visit, near Athens. 

Mystras 

Mystras is a medieval ghost city, thankfully a museum today. Really close to ancient Sparta, Mystras is the remain of Byzantine era’s capital of noble Paleologos family, last Roman Emperor’s family. 

Mani 

Even Sparta was abandoned, the area of Mani in South Peloponnesus, today reminds us some characteristics of its glorious past. You can visit Areopoli and discover the leaders of the Greek War of Independence birthplace and Gythio port nearby. Mani is located at the south coastline of Peloponnesus actually.