The Gibralatar of Greece, Monemvasia is an island separated as a result of an ancient earthquake from the southern Peloponnese by a narrow channel of sea. These days a bridge cross that water but as you wander across you see a few venetian buildings but that is it....
In olden days this was a fortress. When the TRurks over-ran Greece, the Venetians in Monemvasis held out. It is quite simply impregnable.
Walk around the rock on a new purpose built road and for 800 yards you see nothing and then you turn a corner and bang... a fortified wall comes into view.
Walk a bit closer and you approach a narrow gate. But at this stage you have no idea what lies behind.
Aha, you are inside. At once you are in a small, perfectly preserved Venetian town. It is not a dead museum but a liv e ( if tourist focussed) place. Everything is perfectly preserved and contains hotels, bars, normal shops and houses where folks live. There are churches a plenty. It is just magical as you wander through the narrow streets.
And finally looking up from the town to the citadel, the fortress on the rock
It is a trek to get to Monemvasia. It is not something you do every day. Although for some reason I did it twice in 10 days on this last holiday. If you go to Greece and do not see this place it is criminal - of all the post Ancient world sites of Greece, this has just got to be the most impressive ( albeit with Meteora a close second)
If you enjoyed reading this article from Tom Winnifrith, why not help us cover our running costs with a donation?
Filed under: