Study Tours

Two study tours are suggested here: a one-day tour and a four-day tour, both within the Laconia region having the CIIEM as the starting point.

One-day study tour

GYTHEIO:

  • The tour begins with a visit to the CIIEM.
  • Visit to the ancient theatre
  • Kranai Island: the lighthouse and Tzanetakis Tower
  • Short browsing of Gytheio to become familiar with the neoclassical architecture of the city.

AREOPOLI:

  •  March 17th 1821 Square
  •  Pikoulakis Tower Museum

PYRGOS DIROU:

  •  Visit to Diros Caves

TAINARO:

  • Visit to the Gate of Hades
  • Mosaics in Tainaro
  • Path to the lighthouse of Tainaro, the southernmost tip of continental Europe.


Four-day study tour

1st DAY

BEFORE ARRIVING AT GYTHEIO

 

  • Stop at Monodendri, 15 km away from Sparta, where you can visit the memorial commemorating the execution of 118 people by the Germans on November 26, 1943.
  • Students start with a visit to the CIIEM.
  • Visit to the ancient theatre and the Roman tombs.
  • Kranai Island: Visit to the lighthouse and the Tzanetaki Tower.
  • Browse Gytheio to become familiar with the neoclassical architectural style of the city and with buildings such as the City Hall and the Chamber of Commerce.

2nd DAY

SMYNOS AREA

Set off from Gytheio in the direction of Sparta. 16 km from Gytheio take the Aigies – Kastania provincial road towards Aigies.

  • MELISSA (16 km. away from Gytheio):
  • Bridge of Stara
  • Traditional fountains
  • AGIOS NIKOLAOS (20 km. away from Gytheio)
  • Castle of Bardounia
  • KASTANIA (29 km. away from Gytheio)
  • Panayiotarou Venetsanaki Tower
  • Monastery to Panagia Giatrissa
  • Vassiliki forest
  • Return to the Gytheio – Sparta national road from where you take the provincial road to Petrina.
  • PETRINA (15 km. away from Gytheio)
  • Old agricultural cooperative and stone mill of Petrina, dating back to 1913.

3d day

AREOPOLIS-DIROS TOWER

  • March 17th 1821 Square – Historical ContextPikoulakis Tower Museum
  • Visit to Diros caves in the village Pyrgos Dirou
  • Visit to the Byzantine church of the Archangel in the village Glezou (just before Pyrgos Dirou), dating back to the second half of the 11th century.
  • Inside the church, there are marble reliefs signed by Nikitas Marmaras, a local sculptor.

4th DAY

SPARTI

  • Visit to the library of Sparti, to the Laconian Studies section and the Nikiforos Vrettakos Archive
  • Acropolis of ancient Sparti – Roman theatre
  • Archaeological Museum of Sparti – Olive and Greek Olive Oil museum- Museum of Modern Sparti (open on a limited number of days and hours)
  • Visit to Mystras
  • Browse the modern city of Sparti and admire its beautiful neoclassical buildings such as the City Hall.

OR

MONEMVASIA

  • Visit to the castle of Monemvasia. Do not miss the square of Elkomenos Hristos
  • Visit to the house of the poet Giannis Ritsos.
  • City tour.