Greece is home to numerous destinations that stir a poetic ambiance in visitors, and Monemvasia was no exception for us during our recent trip. To explore this medieval fortress town, we needed the right vehicle to tackle Laconia’s intricate road system. Avis car rental provided the solution.

16

On avis.gr, we found the perfect vehicle – comfortable for a group of four, robust for both highway and rural roads, and fuel-efficient during a time of rising fuel costs. After collecting the car at the scheduled time and location, we arrived at the striking rock formation approximately four hours later. Standing before this natural wonder, one cannot help but be in awe. Monemvasia is a unique, peaceful, and enigmatic location, boasting incredible beauty that resembles an optical illusion.

About one and a half kilometers away lies the Western Gate of Monemvasia Castle, near the charming playground at the edge of the new settlement, right where the bridge begins that both connects and separates the “Gibraltar of the East” from mainland Laconia. By the vibrant, well-stocked kiosk at the start of the bridge, customers briefly gather, leaving their cars with blinking alarms on the roadside while they purchase small items and exchange friendly greetings with others doing the same. We choose to walk, parking our car in the lot in front of the new harbor. The ongoing construction for its expansion reveals the maritime development that appears to play a significant role in the region’s future.

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Photo: Nikos Kokkas
Myrtoan Sea / Photo: Nikos Kokkas

As spring arrives, a gentle northerly breeze ruffles the surface of the crystal-clear waters, extending visibility on the horizon to astounding distances. The shape and form of Monemvasia’s rock seem to change depending on the observer’s position, the time of day, and the sun’s location in the sky. This natural masterpiece serves as a testament to the area’s life and history since the 6th century AD. Morning light filters through dark glasses, casting shadows of various shapes. The atmosphere is so clear that one can see as far as the “tip” of Agios Georgios below the village of Faraklo to the right. To the left, the roughly 200-meter stone mass rises, creating a subtle optical illusion of size as one strolls along the coastal road.

As the distance to the Western entrance of the Castle decreases, a line of parked cars narrows the pedestrian path for workers and business owners in the settlement. During summer months, private vehicle access is prohibited, and visitors and locals alike rely on frequent bus services covering the 1.5-kilometer route. A turnaround platform in front of the entrance arch accommodates vehicles and tourist buses, which give their passengers a set time to wander the Byzantine settlement’s alleys before returning for pickup a few hours later. Catering business workers unload products and raw materials onto carts with carefully deflated tires to cushion the cobblestone vibrations. This task doubles as a strenuous workout, as multiple trips up and down are necessary for complete resupply.

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The house of G. Ritsos/ Photo: Nikos Kokkas
Supplying shops/ Photo: Nikos Kokkas

The cobblestone paths are smooth and slippery, worn by the ceaseless footsteps of residents and visitors throughout the centuries. With cautious steps, just past the first entrance arcade, a smaller arcade ascends to the left at the beginning of the main street, known as Meses Odo during the Byzantine era. The home of poet Yiannis Ritsos, situated at the first house on the Lower Town’s western wall, can be found here. Bathed in light and offering sea views from almost every angle, it serves as a tasteful and poetic landmark. The poet’s bust on the terrace gazes at the sea horizon, embodying perpetual inspiration.

The main street, traversing the entire length of the Lower Town from west to east, continues its historic function, housing elegant shops, mini markets, cafes, bars, and restaurants. Some establishments boast access to stunning terraces and courtyards that overlook well-preserved tile roofs, winding cobblestone paths, and the deep blue sea beyond. Ochre and terracotta prevail in the buildings’ color palette, adhering to construction regulations, but every detail, repair, adjustment, restoration, and renovation abides by stringent rules to preserve this remarkable heritage. Tourism has contributed significantly to Monemvasia’s development and transformation, in a refined and delicate manner. The Castle accommodates guesthouses, small self-contained houses, and hotels, providing romantic destinations for travelers who appreciate the beauty and quality of such places.

Facing the square with the Cannon, a steep and somewhat challenging winding path ascends toward the Upper Town, which appears to struggle under its weight. Midway along the route, a narrow path veers from the main road and leads to the small, cave-like chapel of the Holy Apostles. This serene, shady spot is shielded from the sun, offering a view of the castle town away from any crowds. In the Upper Town, remnants of homes that once housed residents before being abandoned are scattered throughout the area, with storage spaces and cisterns that were essential for the water supply in this arid region. The plateau atop the rock is sloping and easily accessible. Amid the wild flora of Laconia, paths lead to the rock’s western edge, high above the bridge, providing a revealing view of the mainland and Monemvasia’s new settlement.

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Church of Panagia Myrtidiotissa/ Photo: Nikos Kokkas
The Church of the Drawn Christ/ Photo: Nikos Kokkas

Throughout the castle’s hiking routes, which are devoid of vehicles, Byzantine churches are prominent as cultural monuments and places of devotion and faith. From Agia Sofia in the Upper Town, with its radiant dome and entrance arches, St. Nicholas in the Lower Town’s east, Panagia Myrtidiotissa or Kritikia of the Castle, to the Church of the Drawn Christ in the settlement’s central square, which is currently under restoration, religion and history intersect in every corner of the centuries-old castle town.

Seeking Portello, the “secret” passage to the sea, located roughly below Chrysafitissa Square and the Cells, the Lower Town’s alleys, stairs, and arches evoke a labyrinthine feeling, a pleasant disorientation amid centuries-old stone structures. Just before arriving at “Portello Beach”, a rocky plateau offering gentle sea access for swimmers, we speak with brothers Vasilis and Kostas Bîrsanu, skilled stone builders and craftsmen who have expertly constructed, reconstructed, and repaired time-forgotten, sea-ravaged buildings and houses for 20 years, breathing new life into them.

Before departing the Castle, painter Manolis Grigoreas leads us through his simple yet richly referential artwork in his tasteful two-story space, filled with icons, ornaments, and beautiful lines, gifting us with lasting visual memories of Monemvasia.

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The main street/ Photo: Nikos Kokkas
Photo: Nikos Kokkas
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Car rental from Avis/ Photo: Nikos Kokkas
Photo: Nikos Kokkas

Strolling at a more leisurely pace after a full day in Monemvasia on the cobblestone paths, we head toward the bridge in a soft pink landscape at sunset, contemplating the etymology of Moni Emvasis, the unique entrance to the rock from the mainland. For the second time in one day, we observe Christos Spyridakos with his horses at the rock’s base, sitting on the ground and listening to the Myrtoan Sea’s splashes against the jagged rocks. Monemvasia reminds us of Greece’s unparalleled beauty, and renting a car from Avis is a practical and comfortable way to experience it.

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