Things to do
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Panagia Chrysafitissa
A whitewashed church stands on a broad paved square at the eastern end of the lower town, open to the sea wall. Beside it, a small shrine marks the spot where, by local tradition, an icon carried from the village of Chrysafa came to rest. The square is quiet and open, with the sea visible through a gap in the walls.
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Archaeological Museum
A small museum in the former mosque on the main square, opposite the cathedral, shows finds from the town's medieval past. Carved marble from churches, glazed pottery traded across the Mediterranean and everyday objects fill a single domed hall. A short, worthwhile stop before the climb to the upper town. The square outside lies a few minutes' walk from the main gate.
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Church of Christ Elkomenos
The cathedral of the lower town faces the main square, its bell tower rising over the stone roofs. Inside, a carved wooden iconostasis and old icons fill the dim nave. The square in front, with a cannon and a view down to the sea wall, is the natural meeting point in town. Modest dress is expected inside.
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Church of Hagia Sophia
The domed Byzantine church stands on the cliff edge of the abandoned upper town, the one building left whole among the ruins on the summit. A zigzag stone path climbs the rock face from the lower town in about twenty minutes. Inside, fragments of frescoes survive under the dome. The path is steep, polished and unshaded, so good shoes matter.
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Epidaurus Limera
Epidaurus Limera, an ancient archaeological site near Monemvasia, makes a day trip from a room on the rock. Take the car from Gefyra, the village at the mainland end of the causeway, and give the site an unhurried hour on foot.
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Gerakas
A long, narrow natural harbour, shaped like a fjord, shelters the quiet village of Gerakas, a drive along the coast from Monemvasia. Give it a slow half-day. Walk the waterfront, then take lunch at a table by the water before the drive back to the rock.
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Kastania Cave
A show cave on the hills of the Vatika peninsula, south of Monemvasia, packed with stalactites, stalagmites and draped rock formations. Visits run as guided tours along lit walkways through several chambers. The inside stays cool all year, a relief in summer. The drive down from Monemvasia takes a little over an hour along winding roads.
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Kinsterna Hotel
A restored Byzantine and Ottoman estate on a hillside a few minutes' drive inland from the rock, with views over olive groves to the sea. Rooms are set around stone courtyards and terraces, with a large pool below the main house. Vegetables, olives and grapes come from the estate's own land. It opens seasonally, from spring to autumn.
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Pori Beach
A sand and pebble beach on the mainland coast north of Gefyra, with a clear view back to the rock. The water is clean and shelves gently, and a few trees give some shade. Facilities are minimal, so water and an umbrella are worth bringing. It is a short drive from the causeway, or a long walk along the shore road.
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Portelo
In the southern sea wall of the lower town, the gate called Portelo opens onto a small cove below the fortress walls. Go through it to get from the lanes down to the water. From a room inside the walls it is a short walk through the lanes, with no causeway crossing and no car needed.
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Xifias Beach
About seven kilometres south of Monemvasia, Xifias is a long sandy beach and one of the nearer swims to the rock. Bring the car round from Gefyra, the village at the mainland end of the causeway, since no vehicle enters the walled town.
