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One of the relatively undiscovered treasures of Greece is Monemvasia, located on
a peninsula far to the south-east in the Peloponnese. Although not
for everyone, this small, Byzantine/medieval village pops up in
novels and travel magazines often enough that it attracts the explorer
class of travelers.
 Getting to Monemvasia can be a trial as it
is five or six hours by car from Athens, although you can find several
buses that connect. Monemvasia is a port on the list of several small
cruise liners, but is not served by a ferry from any of the larger
ports in Greece.
The walled town of Monemvasia in the southeastern Peloponnese,
is an out-of-the-way, highly attractive spot for a respite from
touring.
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Monemvasia was once a
medieval fortress, and today it remains a walled town that has a
gated-entry protecting it. The
city lies across a causeway connecting it to the mainland (and the new town of
Monemvasia) in an area known as the Laconian coast.
In Medieval times, the restricted access made the town a relatively secure fortress,
although it was attacked and conquered several times.
The "old" town has two parts, the major settlement called the "Lower Town" and an "Upper Town" with
some Byzantine era ruins. Click here for a history of
Monemvasia from the Hellenic Ministry of
Culture.
Monemvasia does not offer a lot of excitement or many attractions.
Instead, it is one of those "lazy-feeling", out-of-the-way places
with charming views of the sea that just makes you feel good when you experience it.
Monemvasia is a great area for hiking and exploring the southern end of the
Peloponnese. Lodging in the Old Town
is quite limited, although you can find more modern accommodations across the
causeway in "new" Monemvasia.
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Follow the zigzag trail up the side of the
hill (away from the shore) and you will come to the Church Aghia
Sophia, set in a beautiful scene.
Monemvasia does not have an official tourism website.
However, the website
Greeka provides information on accommodations in
Monemvasia.
Check our recommendations for the
best places to visit in Greece for more details on this vacation
paradise
Additional information on travel in Greece can be found at
Visit Greece, the official tourism website for the
country.
For country facts on Greece, as well as travel information related to visas,
driving rules, safety, medical conditions, visas and other travel-related
information, see this page on
Greece Travel from the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the U.S. State
Department. Regardless of your home country, we think you will find the
information provided to be useful when planning a trip to Greece.
If you need information about another travel destination, try
our
Destination Guide Index
or Googling the web.
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The town of Monemvasia is quite small, but it
has idyllic lanes and friendly people.
It seems that everyplace that you want to get to
in Greece is at the TOP of the hill
Although not on the itinerary of most cruise lines, Windstar sometimes
stops at Monemvasia, if the weather in Mykonos is bad. If it happens,
don't complain.
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