Some time ago, I had identified one of my paternal great-grandfathers as Panagiotis Lerikos of Agios Ioannis, Sparta. Recently, I found his marriage record and discovered his wife’s name–Eleni Dimitrakakis of Mystras. That piece of genealogical information has turned a friendship into a “cousinship.”

Joanne Dimis-Dimitrakakis and I met virtually on Facebook as we were each researching our family history. We met in person in July 2016, when she invited me to her guest house, Arxontiko Taygeti, during my stay in Sparta. It had just been completely renovated and opened for visitors.

Arxontiko Guest House

A beautiful retreat from the heat and noise of Sparta, Arxontiko is situated near the top of the Taygetos mountains overlooking the city of Mystras.

 On the road to Arxontiko overlooking Mystras

Arxontiko was originally built by Joanne’s great-grandfather (and most likely one of my relatives), Kyriakos Dimitrakakis in the mid-1800’s. Situated in the mountain village of Taygeti, the view from several balconies overlooks the Byzantine castle of Mystras and the entire valley of Evrotas.

The Byzantine Castle of Mystras as seen from the balcony of Arxontiko

Although Joanne and I visit frequently in Mystras, I love to be in her guest house. It is beautifully decorated and boasts every modern convenience, including fast wifi (sometimes hard to access in Sparta).The architectural details make each apartment cozy and inviting.

Cozy and lovely!

Joanne welcomes visitors from all over the world who enjoy the hiking, the fresh (and cool!) mountain air, the lovely home and her warm and joyful hospitality. “An amazing guest house with exceptional views, warm hospitality and an outstanding hostess,” recently commented a guest.  So true!

Truly a “warm” welcome!

This evening, Joanne and I met in Arxontiko to have dinner and discuss our Dimitrakakis family connection. Over time, I had collected documents from Mystras and its surrounding small villages, and shared them with her. In turn, she gave me a book written about the families of Taygeti (formerly known as Barsinikos). She explained that Barsinikos was the Ottoman name for the village near the top of the  mountains, and in 1955, the Greek government ordered that Turkish village names be abolished and renamed. Thus, Taygeti was established.

The Dimitrakakis connection with Joanne reinforces my almost insatiable desire to gather documentation, books, and historical records about the villages immediately surrounding Sparta–and not just my ancestral towns. People from neighboring settlements married, and you never know who will be your next new cousin!