The green village of Vasilakio, formerly known as Tarapsa, is located on the outskirts of Taygetos, built at an altitude of 380 meters. It has about 100 permanent residents and is 25 km from Sparta and 23 km from Gythio. The village stands out for its beautiful forest, which covers an area of 80,000 acres.
The visitor, there, can see the church of Agios Ioannis, as well as the chapel of Ai-Giannakis. The small church, although ruined, has wonderful frescoes and its construction material is from ancient building material. The small Castle of Tarapsa (or Zaloumi Tower), which was built in the 15th century by the ancestor of the Zaloumi family, a famous pirate of the time, is located to the south of the village.
Every year, on July 26th, the festival of Agia Paraskevi takes place, while on the first weekend of November, the Tsipouro Festival is organized in the countryside where the visitor can buy local products such as tsipouro, figs, wine, olives, etc. at the kiosks.
