Discover the city: Monemvasia, Greece

It is amazing that the name of Monemvasia is very little known outside Greece because it is one of the most incredible cities across the country

The result of this situation is that this city remains unoccupied by tourists. Those who swing up here see the city as a special place that only few have the privilege to admire.

Monemvasia is known as the Gibraltar of Greece. When you approach the city for the first time, you feel that really it really is an impressive sight. The city's name means "one entry". To discover the secrets of this remarkable islands have to go through one gateway, just like a medieval fortress.

After you enter that gate, you feel you step back in the fourteenth century, when the Byzantine Monemvasia was a crowded city, inhabited by about 50,000 people. Today, its permanent population is of only 50 inhabitants, the city remains haunted by ghosts and echoes of the past. Some of the old houses were renovated and converted into hotels, and several others have been reinvented as restaurants and souvenir shops. But development was made on very small scale so the atmosphere remains unique here.

The hotels are small, so if you want to stay in the old town and really feel the flavor of the city, you will have to make reservations in advance. Since dining out here is wonderful, Greek goodies will delight you. Whether you visit the city during the day, whether you visit in the evening, let yourself the time to ride on the streets - not just on the main streets, but also on the back-streets, where the houses and churches create a picture of what was once the life of the city’s people.