Skala is 38 km away from Sparta and has about 3000 permanent residents. Skala has been mentioned since 1700 in the Venetian census, where 61 families with 219 inhabitants were recorded. The Skala plain is crossed by two rivers, Vasilopotamos and Evrotas, while Lake Vivari is at a distance of 12 km from the town, which hosts a large number of birds due to its geographical location.
In Skala, visitors can see the church of Agia Paraskevi, which was built in 1950. It is the town's patron saint, and every year, on July 25th-26th, a big celebration takes place. Finally, at the entrance of Skala is the "Botanical Garden of Hippocrates", a unique and specifically designed area of 4 acres with trees, shrubs and, mainly, plants with healing properties used in antiquity by the father of Medicine, Hippocrates.
