Summer in Monemvasia is unforgettable
Did you know that we have fjord in Greece too?
Beaches that glisten under the midday’s sun.
Submerged cities that whisper century old secrets from the bottom of the sea to everyone who is willing to listen while swimming above them. Tiled-roofed villages with narrow alleys winding among the white houses, like you’re on an island.
Mystical caves which count years in millennia. Fjord. Did you know that we have fjord in Greece too?
Summer in the last “foot” of Peloponnese might start from the grandeur of the castle city of Monemvasia, but it doesn’t stop there.
The whole area surrounding it, the Prefecture of Monemvasia starting from Kyparissi in the north and reaching Maleas Cape in the south, hides so many surprises that few days of vacation are not even close enough to explore it. It definitely worths the try, though.
And about the things you won’t have time to see… there’s always the next time. Because there is going to be a next time, for sure.
In the beginning there is Monemvasia
There are a few things that can compare with the magic of a night at the castle of Monemvasia; the moment when the cobbled alleys are atmospherically lit and the quietness, which makes every step resonate on the pavement, lowers the volume of every conversation into a whisper.
However, you won’t fall for this Castle city just for its nights: You will fall in love with the amazing view to the sea from its walls, the “Walks” the spiral route that you will climb panting all the way to the Upper Town, the old mansions, the churches and the alleys that none resembles the neighboring, which altogether compose a puzzle of 15 centuries and many more civilizations that passed by here.
The Kinsterna is a Byzantine mansion that has been painstakingly restored with tremendous respect to its long history with the intent to create a comprehensive settlement encompassing the main mansion and the surrounding houses.
Read more → A castle town that came out of fairy tales
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The most beautiful villages
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Kyparissi:
Nestled among the forests of Parnonas Mt. and the waters of Myrtoo Sea, the coastal Kyparissi is the southernmost tip of the Prefecture of Monemvasia.
It is a magical place which overlooks the sea reaching the horizon and watching the sun rising every morning through its waters, coloring golden the white houses of Paralia, one of the three in total of its beautiful neighborhoods.
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Velanidia:
The absolute surprise of the region, this completely insular village 54 kilometers south of Monemvasia.
And when we say insular, we mean it: white houses with blue windows and tiled- roofs built among white-washed alleys, so that you can’t get enough of walking.
The hiking lovers note down that from the village starts the route which brings you after a few kilometers to the little church of Saint Thomas of Cape Maleas, where you’ll follow the five kilometers long path to the legendary Light house of Cape Maleas (you can see the map here).
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Archangelos:
A Laconian secret that has started to leak the last few years, Archangelos is a quiet coastal village situated under the shadow of imposing rocks in peculiar shapes and with its own certified beach completing the image of a village that has jumped out of our childhood memories.
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Agios Ioannis:
A tiny village, 9 kilometers from Monemvasia, famous for the local delicacies served at its taverns (“gogges” dish, homemade pasta, and “saitia” which is a delicious “hortopita”, a savory pie with greens in it made with thin phyllo dough) and also for the remnants of Ancient Epidaurus Limera that Pausanias said it was built by the residents of the other, the well-known Epidaurus, after they had read the signs sent by gods while they were on their way to Asklepieion of Kos island.
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Moving from beach to beach
Pebbled or sandy, organized or free, hidden at the end of a path or being the reference point in a coastal village. No matter how you dream your ideal beach, in the Prefecture of Monemvasia you’ll find it.
The hard part is to choose among the perfect sandy beach of Pori with a view to the Castle city, the green waters reaching the white pebbles at Vlychada, the golden sand of Archangelos, diving above quite ancient city ruins in Plytra, Pounta and Xifias beaches, the all-day beach party that happens at Tigania beach, the perfect solitary beach of Marathia with the light blue waters or the infinite turquoise waters of Maggano beach. Of course the big star of the area, the famous and many times photographed Simos beach of Elafonisos with the white sand, the turquoise waters and the exotic sand dunes, is just a ten-minute ride with the ferry boat from the Port of Pounta.
Read more → A bright summer at the beaches of Monemvasia
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The surprises…
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The fjord of Gerakas:
A strip of sea audaciously invading land, the opposite of the cape, that’s a fjord. Gerakas is the only sample of this natural greatness that we have in Greece. The windless port is ideal for lazy afternoons with ouzo and fish “meze” by the sea, while the few houses with the sea-viewed windows create an image straight out of our childhood summers.
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The cave of Kastania:
One of the most impressive caves in Greece, if not in the entire Europe, counts approximately three million years of existence and countless unique formations of stalactites and stalagmites that shape red waterfalls on its inside. The guided tours cross an amazing 500 meter route inside the cave.
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The Petrified Forest of Agios Nikolaos:
A unique in Europe geopark of millions of years, the petrified forest of Agios Nikolaos was once a palm forest which transformed through the years into a series of limestone formations that silently gaze at the sea. It is located approximately 55 kilometers south of Monemvasia, near the Cape of Maleas.
7 magical day trips from Marathias
It is a picturesque village located at Vatika of Peloponnese, amphitheatrically built at the foot of the mountain with a gorgeous view to the Laconian Gulf.
In the area there is the agricultural settlement of Agios Mamas and the seaside settlement of Marathias with its famous Panariti, Limnes and Platanistos beaches which steal the heart of every visitor with their crystal clear, blue waters.
Read more → 7 magical day trips from Marathias
3-5 days trip