The modern town of Sparta, Greek Peloponnese, Lakonia prefecture, lies in a fertile valley with a backdrop of the awesome Taygetos Mountains. The tidy streets and busy centre belie the myths and legends of this renowned part of Greece. However outside the town, in a magnificent old olive orchard, lie the rubble and remains, including a ruined theatre, of the once famous city of Ancient Sparta. But it’s to see the ruined Byzantine thirteenth century town of Mystras that brings most tourists here. Mystras is a special place, serene in its hillside setting, resting among wildflowers and lush trees. My pictures include the beautiful ruins of the Byzantine church of Agia Sophia, the Palace of the Despots, the Monemvasia Gate, the Convent of Pantanassa, the Monastery of Perivleptos, and the Cathedral of Agios Dimitrios, also called the Mitropolis.