Ancient Sparta & Mystras Private Day Tour from Athens

Sparta with our amazing driver Alexander...

We booked this tour after seeing and being impressed by the movie "300". As a reminder, this film tells the heroic battle of 300 Spartans in the Strait of Thermopylae against the Persian army. As the distance between Athens and Sparta is around 250 km, this tour involved a lot of time in the car and you would think it could have been boring. On the contrary, our driver Alexander performed magic and gave us a university level course on the history of ancient Greek civilization. During the entire trip, he told us everything about Greek mythology, down to the smallest detail. This allows us to understand how the ancients thought and why they built their city in this way. Mythological awareness also transforms our understanding of archaeological constructions: although a stone will always look like a stone, knowing that King Leonidas could probably have sat or walked on it sparks the imagination and makes everything much more fascinating. We made a first stop at the Corinth Canal and were able to take some impressive photos. Arriving at the archaeological site of Sparta, we were able to see the remains of the ancient city. Restoration work was still underway to try to rebuild as much as possible of what time and invasions had destroyed. Bearing in mind the many stories our driver Alexander told us along the way, we could better imagine what life was like here thousands of years ago. We also visited the Spartan Museum where we could see well-preserved statues, sculptures and other relics. A next stop was planned in the "newest" medieval city of Mystras. We explored the site on foot, but we were still too impressed by the Spartan archaeological site, and we were not in the mental state to appreciate this “modern” site. So we changed the plan and asked our driver Alexander to return to Sparta for shopping and walking in the streets. On our way, we discovered pretty statues in the (new) town evoking the glorious past of this town. On the way back to Athens we had some more fun and exciting talks with our driver Alexander. We are delighted to have carried out this tour and we can only recommend Alexandre to lead it. Congratulations Alexander!

Great!

Great touring guide, realy knows a lot! Epic scenerys and lots of information about history an myths!

Exceptional Tour Guides pt. 2

We were delighted to learn that Babis and Alice would be our tour guides for the second time for a Private Sparta Day tour. For years, my mother's family has been attempting to find family in the Sparta area, which was what prompted this tour. When we mentioned this in passing, Babis did a great deal of research attempting to locate our municipal village in Sparta. Ultimately we found and visited the village, where no one in Greece spoke English, and we did not speak Greek. This prompting our tour guides to become our translators. The end result was that we met family and learned so much more about our histories. It was the first contact of American Greeks with their Mainland Greek family in 50 years, and our guides went out of their way to facilitate this connection. Through this connection, we learned of more Greek family in the United States. We were delighted that the Greeks kept insisting that Babis and Alice were part of the family, and they are more than welcome at our next reunion.

Sparta and Mystras were fantastic

Nasos was a fantastic driver who has a lot of historical knowledge. Nasos was on time, made all the stops we requested, and gave us enough time at each stop to enjoy the sights. Nasos knew his way very well and when roads were stopped, he quickly navigated around so that we even had time to get to our ship on time! We highly recommend Nasos and if we come back, we will look forward to his help!

Fantastic historic trip with an exceptional driver

Thank you Alexander for a great day. We loved not just the sites but your knowledge of each area and the mythical stories and your enthusiasm. It was great to learn more about not just the past but what life is like in the present. We hope to visit again some day. Chrissie and Ross, NZ

Spectacular Spartan adventure

Nasos and Mano made this a trip I would never forget. They personalised it and made it the highlight of my holiday. I cannot thank them enough

Sparta and Mystras

We had an amazing time on our tour. Sparta and Mystras were both awesome towns and places to visit. What really made the tour great was our tour guide Nasos. He personalized our experience and brought personality to the tour. Him being a local was a plus as well because he knew much of the history of the area and local places to eat and see. If we ever come back we are asking for him personally!

Enjoyed my trip

Professional and friendly driver. Would definitely book with Olive Sea Travel again next time ! Thank you!

Great day trip to Sparta and Mystras

Alexander was a wonderful tour guide. He arrived on time to pick us up at our hotel, and provided us with water. He was very knowledgeable, kind and engaging. He gave us a great recommendation for lunch and made sure to get us a table. His van was immaculate and comfortable. He dropped us off at the top of Mystras and waited for us at the bottom so we could walk down at our own pace (instead of walking UP), which was very much appreciated. We had a terrific day, and enjoyed his conversation in the car. We would definitely ask for Alexander again if we return to Athens.

Historic Sparta and Mystras

Hiking up to Mystras and seeing the beautiful scenery. It's was breath taking on the hike itself and picturesque. Our tour guide Nasos was magnificent and very knowledgeable. Would definitely do it again.

An ancient experience for the ages

Our driver was amazing! We took this tour mainly to see Sparta but Mystras was a very pleasant surprise. Our driver Petros was knew so much! We talked almost non-stop al the way If we get here again I would insist on him as our driver

The best part of our trip

We loved our day trip to Sparta. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and friendly and funny. The Mystras stop was beautiful and a nice hike up to the top before descending down through the town. The stop at the Corinth Canal was beautiful as well. Definitely would recommend this tour and tour company to anyone for a fun adventure.

Exciting Experience Visiting the Mystras and Ancient Sparta

The tour was amazing. Our guide and driver, Alexander, was very knowledgeable and charismatic. We really enjoyed the history of Greece, Sparta and the Mystras that he told us throughout the drive. Overall, it was an amazing experience, 5 out of 5 rating and would recommend to everyone.

Excellent private day tour to Ancient Sparta and Mystras

A highlight of our recent stay in Athens was the private day tour to Sparta and Mystras. We chose Olive Sea Travel on the basis of other reviews and we were not disappointed. Our driver, Lysandros, was excellent. Punctual; friendly; efficient/flexible in terms of managing the day's itinerary; and most importantly, very knowledgeable and informative. Thank you Lysandros. It was a pleasure to enjoy your company and conversation on what was a most interesting tour both in terms of the destinations and the countryside and sights en route. William and Christine Smith

Just Do it

If you are looking for a flexible and wonderful tour please choose this Sparta Private Tour. Chris was wonderful and knowledgeable about everything. Easy way to view everything on your own time. Mystras is a must see, bring comfortable shoes and be ready to take a lot of photos overlooking Sparta.

This is Sparta

The knowledge of our “ Pilate “ Nasos and his co companion Andreas was exceptional. The trip has been the highlight of our week in Athens. We would highly recommend this excursion and only wish we had booked more. Thank you Nasos & Andreas for a fabulous day. From Mr Darin & Miss Gemma

Amazing tour of Sparti by a Spartan

We had the best day and guide with Theodoropoulos - it was amazing to be shown around Sparta by a local who made sure to show us all the secret spots and made sure we saw the best of Sparta and Mystros. The time spent at each stop was perfect (we were never rushing or waiting around) and he had lots of really good local recommendations. All round an amazing day!

Excellent tour company

Our private guide and driver made this day trip exceptional. Both were knowledgeable in different ways and collaborated and corroborated information. We enjoyed the museum, walking tours and lunch. I suggest one wear secure hiking shoes or sneakers for Mystras. Thank you Olive Sea tour company for your excellent communication in the weeks and days before the actual tour. The Mercedes van was big & very clean.

excellent trip to ancient sparta and mystras!

Our driver and guide were phenomenal! thank you. We had an interesting drive from Athens, full of valuable information, walking tour on site, museum visit, delicious lunch at a quaint taverna, and fantastic hike around Mystras. I just hope I tipped enough because I wasn’t sure if custom- to give each the same amount or give one more. Also- be sure to wear sneakers or comfortable walking/hiking shoes with good grip.

Amazing Tour

We took this tour on July 3, 2022, and had an amazing day at Mystras and Sparta. Our driver / guide , Lysandros was very knowledgeable and accommodating, we got to visit all the sites we wanted to see and , learnt a lot of history about Mystras, Sparta, and Greece from him. We highly recommend this tour and Lysandros as a guide.

Superior Guide to Our Travel!!

Our tour with Olive Sea given by Natos was superior, it was one of the highlights of our trip. He treated us as though he was showing sights to his friends rather than strangers he had just met. He added special sights, and filled us with knowledge we did not expect! One of the best tour guides we have ever had!!! We had the best day, despite the warm temperatures!!!

Highly recommended!

We loved this tour! Our guide/driver picked us up at our hotel in a clean and comfortable car. He was very friendly and fun. Extremely informative about every location we visited. He did an excellent job driving and parking. He had reservations ready for us at lunch and it was delicious. It was a stress-free day for our group because he was so prepared and knowledgeable.

Best Tour I have been on Hands down

This was the best tour! We loved our driver. Nasos new so much history and took us on little extras!

Fantastic day trip

Overall it was a fantastic experience! My guides were incredibly knowledgeable and extremely helpful throughout. By the end, I felt like I’d spent a day touring Greece with friends rather than simply guides!

Great day

Mystras is an amazing place. Our driver Alex was top-notch with lots of information and friendly advice. A very memorable experience that we would recommend to others.

Our life will never be the same! Pick him and pick this tour and you will not regret it!

Our day trip to Sparta would not have been the same without Nasos. He made the trip an epic adventure! You will never meet anyone as kind and generous as Nasos. He knew all the secret spots for great photos, the best way to survive the hike to Mystras castle, and all the stories behind everything we saw. His genuine pride in his job and his culture being a Spartan himself just added to the experience. He is very gentlemanly and respectful. He made amazing recommendations for food and gift shops in the area. The city, the culture, the views were amazing and the trip well worth it. Nasos was more than just a driver or a guide. He took us on an adventure by sharing his love of his home and his enthusiasm was endearing and contagious. I would recommend this tour to anyone. Even if you have visited Sparta. Do it again with Nasos. You will feel like you are seeing it for the first time! We did and it made all the difference. We couldn’t have imagined a more perfect day!

The best experience in Greece!

Our guide/driver, Dem made our trip exciting, memorable and very special. We even got to add a stop to the itinerary, even though it was not included. I am going back with a promise to recommend this company and its services to my friends and family. Thank you for the lovely day!

Great day of touring and learning about the region!

We had a wonderful tour of Mystras and Ancient Sparta. Our tour guides, George and Jimmy, were very professional and accommodating. George was a great driver and went out of his way to make us comfortable and show us the sights. He is very knowledgeable about the area and he spoke perfect English! We went to a very good restaurant for lunch and then headed back to Athens. The car ride was 2.5 hours each way, but it went fast and the scenery was beautiful.

Okay tour

This tour was okay but extremely expensive for what we received. Our driver was good and had good knowledge and it was not his fault that the tour did not meet our expectations, however this tour should not be conducted when a number of the sites were closed. The ancient site at Sparta was closed so should not be. A Sparta tour. At Mystras the palace and Museum was closed. For almost $700 Australian dollars I was left disappointed. Basically we did not see much.

Mystras and Sparta Tour

This was a great experience and well worth it. We loved getting out of Athens to see the beautiful countryside. Mystras is a beautiful site and we had a wonderful time exploring the ruins. Dem was a great driver and very knowledgeable.

Sparta Mystras Private day tour.

We had fun and great time. Our driver and guide was excellent and we learned a lot of history and Mystras was amazing and we saw the statue of the great King Leonidas is Sparta. Demostines our driver and guide is great and knows his history and very pleasant and prompt.

Sparta was definitely a place to...

<p>Sparta was definitely a place to check off the bucket list, but not much to see. Mystras was also great and there was much more to see, with an extensive stronghold extending halfway up a mountain next to Sparta. It was fun, not to mention great exercise to climb the mountain paths to get to the top of the citadel. A guide would have helped with both places to help appreciate more about both Sparta and Mystras, but our driver Vasilis was a great resource for much information.<br/> For lunch he took us into modern Sparta for Gyros, which were excellent, and then to the Leonidas monument, and to the 300 gift shop, and finally the olive oil museum. The olive oil museum is interesting and only takes a half hour to appreciate. We missed the Sparta museum since it closes early and we had all the above activities scheduled first. The driver told us there isnt anything to see there.<br/> Try to include these sites in a multiday tour if possible to avoid some of the extra commutes from Athens.</p>

Great Visit!

Reading the reviews written by previous visitors, I wasn’t expecting a whole lot. But I’m very interested in the history of Sparta. So using history, reading a little beforehand, asking plenty of questions, and taking the time to explore the ruins that are there, I think I had a great experience. My 11 year old daughter also enjoyed it, since we were the only ones there and could explore the ruins together freely. We didn’t have time to go to the Sparta museum before it closed. But the driver says it does not contain much to see yet. Maybe in the future they’ll uncover more ruins. The Mystras tour was an unexpected and very pleasant surprise. A very old yet pretty well preserved, and very very scenic with its outstanding mountain and valley views. It was a decent mountain hike workout as well, getting up and down the Rocky Mountain paths. The kids enjoyed that too. The olive museum tour was also interesting, even though I had only come for Sparta. It only took an extra 30-45min to appreciate the museum and learn a few new interesting facts. It’s worth including since you’re already there. Last but not least, Our driver, Vasilis, was outstanding from start to finish. He was a great resource of information about the sites and about Greece in general, which also helped make the long commutes more worthwhile. Overall I would say that we got what we were looking for A+

We booked this trip on a whim and it...

<p>We booked this trip on a whim and it ended up being the highlight of our Greece vacation. Our tour guide, Visalis, was very knowledgeable and accommodating. He made us feel comfortable during the 10 hour trip. I'd highly recommend taking this tour if you're in Athens!</p>

Exciting tour!

The tour was really fun! Special requests were no problem either - we visited an olive oil museum in Sparta -, a little gift at the start, a nice driver... That's what makes vacations so enjoyable!

Excelente tour

O tour foi muito bom. Dá pra conhecer bem Esparta, o sítio arqueológico e o museu, e também Mistrás, com sua maravilhosa vista e as construções Bizantinas. E o Alex é o melhor guia de toda a Grécia. Vale a pena fazer o tour com ele!!

Sympathiquement bien 😜

Après une visite à mystras, nous sommes allé manger à Sparte et de la nous avons prit une photo souvenir du monument. Bon s'était le soir mais au moins on l'aura fait. S'était marrant en famille.

Pior Sparta

Organização correta. Motorista gato, pontual e falando inglês corretamente. Uma pena que Sparta não receba a atenção merecida. Mystras é um encanto de cidade, com um sítio arqueológico imenso (monastério e castelo), mas um tanto caro. Porém vale a visita.