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Sightseeing and monuments
 One cannot start talking about this land whose every corner brings to mind
some myth or historical event. Innumerable scenic sites, natural wonders
and famous archeological areas constitute this region. On crossing the
Corinth Isthmus one beholds the famous canal, one of the more impressive
feats of 19th century engineering. Visitors may know the ancient city of
Corinth, at least by name, from the Apostle Paul's epistle to the
Corinthians in the New Testament. The Acrocorinth is the Acropolis of
Corinth, which rises up from the ancient city. It is the largest and oldest
fortress in the Peloponnese, containing a number of shrines and temples
including the Temple of Aphrodite.
The view from Acrocorinth is simply
incredible and if for no other reason this site should not be missed. Moving
on to the south is the peninsula of Argolis, the region once ruled by King
Agamemnon of Mycenae. The city was utterly destroyed by the nearby Argos in
468 B.C. and what remains today of its glory are parts of the prehistoric
citadel, with its gigantic or "Cyclopean walls" and the Necropolis, the
burial site of the kings. In the same area is the site of Epidaurus, renown
for its ancient amphitheatre, with incredible acoustics. It is the best-preserved
example of classical Greek theatre, which seats up to 14,000 spectators. It
is most likely that people will choose the pretty seaside town of Nafplion,
with its elegant buildings and massive castles, as their base for
discovering the aforementioned and other significant sights of Argolis.
 To
the west, in peaceful, serene, verdant, valleys of Ilia, stands Ancient
Olympia, with the grandiose temple foundations, the colonnades, the stadium
and the altars. The numerous interesting archaeological findings exhibited
in its museum are crowned by that masterpiece of sculpture, the Hermes of
Praxiteles. Entering into Lakonia, we reach its capital, Sparta. Unlike the
Athenians who built temples and massive walls, the men of Sparta were
considered the walls and there are few ruins from classical times, but they
include the remains of the ancient acropolis, the sanctuary of Artemis and
the tomb of Leonidas, whose small band of Spartan warriors held the Persians
at Thermopaleae.
 On nearby Mount Taygetos there are numerous traditional
villages, well worth a visit and the Byzantine castle-state of Mystras with
its incredible churches, monasteries, palaces, and mansions. On the eastern
coast of Laconia is placed the citadel town of Monemvasia. It's a walled
city on the site of a giant stone mountain, which rises from the sea,
connected by a narrow isthmus. When in Messinia, worth visiting besides the
capital Kalamata with its 13th century fortress, are the little Venetian
hideaway towns of Koroni and Methoni. Astonishing are also the villages in
the rough land of Mani. The Maniots, are renown in Greece for their
indomitable spirit and the fortified towers they call homes, underline their
unique temperament.
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