The eastern slope of the Taygetos rises straight from the Eurotas valley to 2,407 metres — mountain villages, monasteries, fir forest, and the highest summit of the Peloponnese.
Taygetos is the great north–south spine of the southern Peloponnese, separating Messinia and Mani from Laconia. From the Eurotas plain on its eastern flank the mountain rises 2,200 metres in 12 horizontal kilometres — one of the steepest slopes in Greece.
The Laconian eastern slope is wetter, greener, and more wooded than the Messinian western side — fir forest above 1,200 m, oak and chestnut below. The trailheads cluster around four villages: Anavryti (850 m, reached by a single zigzag road from the Eurotas plain), Mystras village (with the great Byzantine site at the foot of the slope), Toriza, and Paleopanagia. The classic ascent of the summit (Profitis Ilias, 2,407 m) starts from the EOS Spartis refuge at Varvara (1,550 m), a long walk up from Anavryti: about two and a half hours on a marked path to the summit, a serious alpine day, snow possible into June. Lower walks include the Lagada gorge (the ancient pass to Messinia) and the signed paths around Anavryti itself. Most travellers take the lower walks; serious hikers do the summit. Two nights in Anavryti or Mystras village is the right base.
An Anavryti day for non-summiteers.
Half an hour on the zigzag road from the plain, cooler with every bend.
Greek coffee at the kafeneio on the small square with the marble fountains.
The marked paths out of the village — down the Anavryti gorge, or up to Agios Ioannis (3.5 km, 350 m of climb): about an hour each, both signed. Steady; not steep; quiet.
The taverna at the village entrance — grilled lamb, local sausages, salad, half a litre of bulk red. Two hours.
An optional walk above the village for the wide Eurotas valley view east. Sit in the grass.
Slow zigzag back to Sparta, the late sun lighting the limestone walls of the higher peaks above.
Diethnes for the long meze dinner — the second meal of the day, but lighter.
Within an hour.
At the foot of the eastern slope — the great Byzantine site. Detail on the Mystras page.
Twenty minutes east on the plain — the regional capital. Detail on the Sparta page.
Twenty-five minutes from Sparta on a single mountain road — the village at 850 m, the natural mountain base.
The mountain road between Sparta and Kalamata — 56 km over the central Taygetos, topping out at 1,316 m. Spectacular drive.
Across the ridge — the Mani side, with different villages and trailheads; Exochori, in the hills above Kardamyli, is a classic start. Different trip; both worth doing.
Tell us a little about the trip you want — pace, who's coming, how you'd like to spend your mornings. We'll build the days.
