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The beautiful seaside Greek town named 'Gibraltar of the East' is a hidden gem far from the crowds. Monemvasia, founded by the Byzantines in the sixth century, is a town on the
south-eastern coast of the Peloponnese with a population of just over 20,000 people. It is one of the oldest continually-inhabited fortified towns in Europe and the site of a once-powerful
medieval fortress. It was, at one point, one of the most important commercial centres in the Eastern Mediterranean. The town was known by the Venetians as the 'Gibraltar of the
East', having been occupied by the Byzantines, the Crusaders, the Venetians, and the Turks in the past. Monemvasia means “only [mone] entrance [emvasis]” refering to the only access
point to the island, which is over a bridge. The town’s walls and many Byzantine churches remain as testaments to the town's history. In the lower part of the town, there are ruins of
the historic buildings situated there - among which the Muslim Mosque, a preserved 16th century building housing the Archaeological Museum, as well as the magnificent Byzantine churches. In
the (uninhabited) upper part of the town, there are the remains of old Byzantine buildings. A rocky path leads visitors to the Fortress of Youlás offering an outstanding view of the city.
Many old mansions in Monemvasia Old Town have been turned into boutique hotels, restaurants and shops which visitors can explore and enjoy. Due to the absence of natural water sources,
Monemvasia has public cisterns. Three reservoirs are in the western part of the upper town, where it was more sparsely populated and more protected than the lower town in case of siege.
There are also a number of beautiful sandy beaches in the nearby area, including Pori Monemvasias, Xifias, Mandraki, and Pera Kakavos. During the summer, Monemvasia reaches highs of 32C and
lows of 25C. During the winter, the town sees highs of 15C and lows of 10C.