This is definitely a destination you'll want to make time for. Getting there is a long haul from Athens, but it's too awesome to skip!
We enjoyed our tour of Sparta and the surrounding areas with Christos as our guide. The ride was comfortable, and he readily accommodated our requests for restroom breaks at clean facilities.
Christos shared his deep knowledge of Sparta, its history, and its significance in Greek culture and history. The tour was at a comfortable pace, so we never felt rushed. He expressed genuine care for our overall experience in Sparta.
The ruins in the heart of Sparta were better than other similar sites because visitors are allowed to walk among them so they can feel connected to the past, unlike other ruins where you can only look at them from afar.
As a side note, while most places take credit cards/tap-to-pay, bring euros to support the local economy. Christos also made sure that we had maps and printed guides to take with us as mementos of our adventure. We had a great time on our trip!