Excursions & sightseeing
Plytra is 290km from Athens, and you can reach the place following National Road Athens to Sparta (via Tropoli), continuing your way towards Gytheio following the signs for Monemvasia and Molaous.
Monemvasia
In Monemvasia coexists the unique landscape of the great rock with the entrenchment built by human hands. As a floating fortress, it became a trade crossroad between east and west. Today, in the Monemvasia rock you can see two different worlds coming together: The busy "lower city" with the stone walls built over the centuries, right next to the sea, in the south-eastern part of the rock, with excellently maintained and renovated buildings with an essence of the Aegean Sea meeting the roughness of the stone itself. The more quite "upper city" is built in on upper side of the rock, with a view to the Myrtoo Sea. It used to be an impenetrable fortress, with many ruins and few buildings to be preserved in our days. You can only access the upper city though the busy lower city.
Elafonisos
Elafonisos is located in the south-eastern utmost of Peloponnese. Elafonisos is famous for its splendid sea waters; numerous sandy bays with exotic beauty constitute a pole of attraction for visitors from all over the world. Among them, you can distinguish the beach of Simos that is found in the southern side of the island, with the emerald color of sea water and the platinum color of sand. It is fairly considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches in Greece. It is characteristic that in August the seaside fills up with thousands clumps of white sea lilies that forms a enchanting setting.
Githio
Gythion is a beautiful city in Lakonia with a picturesque harbour. Houses and buildings in neoclassical rhythm arranged amphitheatrically on the side of Akoumaro mountain, narrow uphill slip roads and stairways, the islet Kranai with its imposing lighthouse, with a small pinewood and the tower of the Tzannetakis family - all these and many other details compose the beauty and the charm of the current city. Gythion is today a true modern city with a romantic touch and atmosphere.
Diros tower
Pyrgos Dirou is a famous destination due to its particular natural beauties. There is found one of most beautiful and unique caves of the world. The cavern of the cave is constituted by stalactites and stalagmites. During the old days the place used to be land, however as the centuries passed by the level of water went up to form the cave. Just a few meters away you can find another cavern, Alepotrypa, with its orifice found some tens of meters from the sea.
Kastanias Cavern
In the Eastern ending of Parnona mountain, in a green landscape, with hill tops and gorges that go all the way till cape Maleas, sits the cave of Kastanias (also known as cavern of Saint Andreas). It is one of the most beautiful and developed caverns, in absolute harmony with the surrounding natural environment. The cavern covers an area of 1500 square meters and it is separated into two levels. With unique richness in density and variety of forms and colors, it is classified as the second of its type in Europe.
Mani
Arid, hard, rocky, windy, unique, these are some of the characteristics of a truly different place, Mani. Mani is one of the most beautiful and beloved regions of Greece, with its wild almost unwelcome landscape and its imposing stone towers. The way to Mani goes through ruins of ancient times, and it is fairly considered to be a cradle of the European culture.
Sparta
Sparta is capital of the prefecture of Lakonia in Peloponnese. The modern city of Sparta is built southernly from the centre of the ancient city, near the right bank of river Eurotas. The surrounding plain is rich in olive trees, orange and lemon trees, mulberries and other trees. In south-western lies the famous Taygetos mountain, with its high tops and wild beauty. The city constitutes the financial and commercial centre of the prefecture. It has an archaeological museum and a museum dedicated to the olive tree. It is characteristic that the city is built over the ruins of the ancient city based on the work of Bavarians architectures in 1834, which explains its perfect urban planning. Sparta is full with green, parks and well preserved neoclassical public buildings.
Mistras
The municipality was named after its neighboring settlement of Byzantine Castle of Mystra, as the least evidence and gesture of respect and recognition of its history and its offering to Greece. Mistras seems to be a round the year open Museum and a marvellous place for recreation and joy. The natural setting, the green hills, the spectacular landscapes together with the monuments of various historical periods and the industrial buildings that are still rescued (olive oil presses, mills) take you to a fascinating journey in time.
Areopoli
Narrow slip roads, tall stone towers, elaborate mansions, such elements compose Areopoli, an enchanting traditional settlement. According to the tradition, Areopoli was named after the god of war Mars (Aris), and is built in the centre of the peninsula of Manis overviewing the west bank of the Messiniako gulf. The architectural layout of houses impresses each visitor. All houses are made from stone, with vertical layout and very small windows to provide a safe shelter against the enemy. The natural landscape that surrounds Areopoli is captivatingly wild with the sharp rocks composing a hard and distant setting.
