Set on the southeastern side of the Peloponnese Peninsula, the Greek town of Sparta (Sparti) is a small city with a big cultural heritage. The site of Ancient Sparta is located close to the modern city centre, which was designed in 1834 to be a paragon for all Greek towns. The city’s wide boulevards brim with lovely trees, stately squares and gorgeous neoclassical buildings set before a backdrop of picturesque, verdant hills. Pack your itinerary with trips to the Archaeological Museum, the impressive ‘Koumantarios’ Art Gallery; and some charming nearby villages clinging to the slopes of Mount Taygetos. Sparta is frequently overlooked by tourists as it’s a bit out of the way, but those who make the effort are richly rewarded with all the fascinating historical interest of Greece without the hordes of tourists.