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Gythion is
touristically one of the best
fit cities in Lakonia.
The cultural year starts up traditionally on 6 January with the celebration of the "Holy
Water Rites" in the port of Gythion.
In th meantime the Carnival has
been established in Gythion. It is committed on the last Saturday
of the Carnival period.
All culture associations of the city and also the neighbor villages participate,
it is all fun.
From the middle of July to the middle of August different cultural events in the context of the so-called "Marathonisia"
are taking place, sports events
as well as concerts, art exhibitions and
theatre in the ancient theatre
of Gythion. At the end of the summer,
in the middle of September, the
"Panijiri" is moving
into the town for two weeks, the annual
bazar with much traditional
stuff. Closely on that the Marides celebrations
follow on 30 September with plentifully fresh fish for the visitor.
The small island Kranai opposite
to Gythion, accommodates the local history museum of the Mani in the rebuilt Mani tower of
Tzani Tzanetaki.
Gythion, one of the most beautiful ports of the Mediterranean, can offer a
great number of good hotels, a set of traditional taverns, restaurants, taverns and above all
Ouzo bars, which serve the "Meze"
(hors-d'oeuvre) from grilled Octopus Gythion is so famous for.
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Gythion was built at the slopes of the mountain Larysio (also Koumaro), which
falls steeply to the bay of Lakonia. As
mythic founders Herakles and the God Apollon are delivered. The first
referral to the city goes back
to 400 b.C. The small island, Kranai, opposite
to the city, Homer mentions,
saying, that beautiful Helena and
Paris are to have spent the first common night there after the
kidnap in Sparti and before their embarkation
for Troia.
Already in the antiquity Gythion was an important commercial port for the
Phoenicians. Later the Spartians used the port for
their special purposes - as
their naval port.
Ancient Gythion is situated north of the
modern city. Still remnants of the
Acropolis as well as
walls of some houses are
preserved. At the foot of the Acropolis
hill, the ancient
theatre of Gythion can be
found in a very good condition, which
up to now is used for cultural
events as concerts and theatre.
The city hall exhibits archaeological
finds from classical, Roman and Byzantine
time.
Pausanias
(3rd century) about
Gythion
The
archaeological Museum
The
ancient theatre
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