This is the reason why today, almost two centuries later, after all those necessary changes, deteriorations and additions, Sparta is a place where, even as a first time visitor, you can never get lost. Everything is built with sharp definition and on the basic principle of facilitating the traveller, the resident, and the man who lives and breathes in its market places, its roads and its beautiful neoclassical buildings.
The city's two main streets, that expand from north to south and from the east to the west, are the Konstantinos Palaiologos avenue (with its characteristic median strip and the tall palm trees counting more than eighty years of age) and Lykourgou avenue, which intersect at the city centre, mainly lined with new stores, traditional coffee shops and neatly constructed shopping centres. The creations of nature, the vast orange and olive groves, for a moment give their place to amazing human creations that is impossible to overlook, bypass and not admire, without continually recollecting your trip in the enchanting Municipality of Sparta.
A special place in the social, cultural and everyday life of the city is deservedly reserved for the dominant City Hall, erected at the west end of the large central square, a "must" meeting point for locals and foreigners. This exquisite two-storey building dated from 1909, is a creation of the notable architect G. Katsaros and stands out, among other things, for its balcony resting on pillars and the overall "Π" shape of the edifice. From here and around the square, one can find a numberof commercial stores and coffee shops in arcades, designed and built in the beginning of 1860. With an already dazzled look, the visitor will surely spot and admire, on the cobbled floor of the square, the beautiful replica of the "Abduction of Europe, dated from the 4th century, that used to decorate a luxurious Roman villa and was found in a house garden, in 1872.
The list of the excellent neoclassical edifices of Sparta is long and cannot be exhausted in a boring list and enumeration. On the other hand, all that the newcomer needs is the willingness to visit and get acquainted with them, in orderto examine their valuable architectural merit in depth. Indicatively, one can admire the Archaeological Museum and the "Matala Mansion" where the military club is housed, at the intersection of Lykourgou and Leonidiou streets. A special mention should also be made to the majestic courthouse, built in 1837, a national rare architectural example of that era, along with the two "Linadrakis mansions" located in Ananiou and Palaiogolou streets, respectively. Also worth mentioning are the "Liounis Mansion" (Evangelistrias and Agisilaou streets), the "Fikioris Mansion" (117 Palaiologou street), the building that houses the Agricultural Bank, and of course a number of other architectural structures, scattered in this admittedly historical city. The degree of acquaintance of the traveler with the entire wealth of sights Sparta offers, relies almost exclusively upon the sincere mood and the amount of time the traveller has, in order to fully and constructively approach the whole intellectual and historical "treasure" emerging on each corner and each beautiful street of the city.
