Trip 2 Day 11 (October 16): Amyklai, Sparta, Monemvasia

Leigh gave the first report of the day at rainy Amyklai, home to a sanctuary of Apollo.

In modern Sparta, surrounded by a rod-iron fence, is the "tomb of Leonidas" which we learned was not a tomb at all but probably a temple.

Our next stop was the super cool Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil presenting the history of the cultivation of the olive and the production of olive oil with reproductions of the tools and machinery used from ancient to modern times.

There was a special exhibition on the history of Greek warfare at the olive museum, complete with wax Persians.

There was also a display about the Spartathalon.

We next visited the castle town of Monemvasia where we had lunch and were greeted by dozens of stray cats.

You can almost make out the castle walls on top.

There was a museum featuring objects from the 12th century including this door frame from a church.

After thoroughly exploring the castle, we headed back to Sparta for the night.