Flavors of the Peloponnese
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Port
Gythion (Sparta), Greece
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$130
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 4 Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
You will cross the plain of Laconia and pass through its olive groves with the mighty Taygetus Mountain in the background en route to Sparta. A large, modern town today, the original Sparta was very simple and basic, earning its inhabitants a reputation for a no-muss, no-fuss way of life and a penchant for unadorned architecture.
The Museum of the Olive & Greek Olive Oil in Sparta aims to highlight the cultural and historical importance of the olive tree. The earliest findings date back to 50,000 years, with rare fossilized leaves found in the Santorini. The first texts mentioning olives date back to the 14th century BC. The importance of the olive and olive oil in the lives of the Greeks is vividly revealed here. The museum's ground floor is devoted to the development of the olive oil production, from antiquity until the early industrial era.
Leaving Sparta, you will proceed to Theodorakakos Estate. The nobles of the Byzantine Empire in Constantinople held in high esteem the wines that were produced here. Taste the wines that are produced on this family estate, which cultivates rare local varietals in the traditional fashion, including Kydonitsa and Mavroudi. The local Monemvasia (Malvasia), Assyrtiko, Roditis and Agiorgitiko are also grown in the region.
Return to the ship at Gythion.