OLD CITY
This fascinating old town looks like Mont-Saint-Michel, and the small cobbled streets that meander through the freshness of bricks and shops will convince you. You enter it through a sort of arched passage that rushes into a paved alleyway, in the middle of this fantastic rock rising from the waves, Monemvassia shelters a small intact medieval city, one of the most beautiful in Europe. It feels like being at the end of the world, especially when the sea is beaten by the omnipresent wind. Small tourist shops appear from all sides. The many narrow houses among which one sails date from the Turkish domination, as well as the rampart built in the 15th century. Continuing straight ahead, you reach the central square where the beautiful Helkomenos church stands. It was built on a Byzantine church of which some remains can be seen. To admire the Aghia Sofia church, emblematic of the citadel, a small ascent from the central square is necessary. There is no path leading to it, but if you turn off into the lanes opposite the sea, you just have to climb randomly through the maze of narrow streets. This part of the ascent is a highlight of the walk. The church, which can be visited, stands above a cliff. Founded in the 12th century and endowed with a large round dome, it preserves some frescoes damaged since the Ottoman occupation. When leaving the church, do not miss the extraordinary view of the sea and the old town.
Book the Best Activities with Get Your Guide
Members' reviews on OLD CITY
