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Village · Monemvasia, Peloponeso
Kastro de Monemvasia (cidade baixa)
The walled lower town of Monemvasia, clinging to a sea rock and closed to cars: a main stone street, alleys, restored Byzantine and Venetian houses, forty churches and the wall with a gate to the sea.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Kastro de Monemvasia (cidade baixa)
Monemvasia was founded in the 6th century, when inhabitants of Esparta fled to the rock ahead of invasions and built a town with a single entrance, which explains the name, from moni emvasis, single access. Byzantines, Franks, Venetians and Ottomans contested it for a thousand years, and in the Venetian period the town gave its name to the wine malvasia, exported across Europe. By the 20th century it was almost abandoned; the restoration of houses from the 1970s brought back residents, guesthouses and visitors.
You enter on foot through a tunnel gate in the west wall, after the bridge that links the rock to the mainland. Inside, the main narrow stone street climbs between shops, cafés and tavernas up to the square of the church of Christos Elkomenos; from there stepped alleys descend to the sea wall, where a gate opens onto the rocks for those who want to swim. The houses have two floors, tiled roofs and chimneys, and many have become guesthouses. There are dozens of churches, some tiny, and an Ottoman mosque that houses the archaeological collection.
There are no cars, and supplies are brought in with handcarts. At night the lanterns are lit in the alleys and the town falls silent, with the sea hitting the wall. The poet Yiannis Ritsos was born here and is buried in the cemetery by the wall; his house is just past the entrance gate.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
2 to 3 hours to walk around the lower town; a full day for the upper town and a swim.
Best time
In the late afternoon and evening, when the day-trippers leave and the town is left to overnight visitors. From May to October everything is open; in winter several guesthouses and tavernas close. In August the main street gets crowded at lunchtime.
How to get there
From Atenas it is about 300 km and 4½ hours by car, via the A7 to Trípoli and Esparta and then along the Molaoi road. KTEL buses link Atenas to Monemvasia, usually with a change in Esparta. The car stays in Gefyra, on the mainland, or on the shoulder of the bridge; the Kastro is pedestrian-only, with a summer minibus operating the bridge crossing.
Tip
Bring a small suitcase: the guesthouses are in alleys with stairs and no car access. Wear sturdy footwear, because the stone is polished and slippery. Swim at the sea gate on the south wall early in the morning. Try the local malvasia, which is now being produced again in the region.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Kastro de Monemvasia (cidade baixa)
Can you drive into Monemvasia?
No. The Kastro, the walled town, is pedestrian-only. You leave the car in Gefyra, the village on the mainland, or by the bridge, and it’s a 10–15 minute walk from there to the gate. In summer a minibus runs the route.
Is it worth staying overnight inside the Kastro?
Yes — to feel the town empty at night and early in the morning. The guesthouses are in restored houses, down alleys with steps; arrive with a small suitcase. Gefyra is more practical and cheaper for those traveling by car.
What is malvasia?
A sweet wine that the Venetians exported from the port of Monemvasia in the Middle Ages, named after the town. The grapes came from other regions, including Creta. Today wineries in Lacônia have resumed producing a local malvasia.
How long is it from Atenas to Monemvasia?
About four and a half hours by car, 300 km, via Trípoli and Esparta. By KTEL bus, with a change in Esparta, allow 5 to 6 hours. There is no airport or regular ferry.