Greece 2021

Monday15November

It is on this little piece of rock, Monemvasia, that we will hike all day, through the fortified city it shelters and its few paths that cross it.

1500 meters long, 550 meters wide and 300 meters high.

Monemvasia extends to the mainland where Géfyra has become the modern city of Monemvasia. Unless it is the opposite... A bridge connects them making Monemvasia a peninsula.

Here we are on the island. No parking, except along the road which ends at the first wall protecting the entrance to the city.

The ramparts at the top of the mountain which hid the upper part of the city now in ruins.

Here we are in the lower town where the vast majority of houses have gone through the eras at the mercy of restorations.

Monemvasia was founded in the 6th century.

The square of the Panagia Chrysafitissa church from the Ottoman era.

The Panagia Chrysafitissa church.

A Persian lilac (Melia azedarach) and its drupes.

The eastern fortification wall with its steps going up to the door... double locked...  

Our turn to climb the steps to verify that the door is closed...  

Well. The door is indeed closed. All that remains is to go back down the same way...  

A small passage allows passing under the wall where a path joins the lighthouse of the island.

The lighthouse is not exactly at the end of the island, you have to look for the path among the rocks to access it.

We pass the end of the island and pass on the north side under the Hagia Sophia church that we will go see later. For now, geocaching calls us.

More doors. More accessible this one...

Lunchtime at the Marianthi restaurant on the main street.

We now take a little height to pass to the ancient city perched high 300 meters above the sea.

Agia Sophia founded in the 12th century and fully restored.

The island bathes in the Myrtoan Sea, which itself bathes in the Aegean Sea...

Over there, the mainland faces us with modern Géfyra.

The cloud cover lowers while the peaks cover up with wind turbines...  

Back to the lower town.

A small path runs along the cliff to a mysterious opening...

Small portraits of prickly pears (Opuntia ficus indica).

Last meters before passing through the opening...

The opening is equipped with a semblance of a door adorned with a cross. Yes, here we are in a cave dug into the cliff and serving as a chapel...

Small coffee to enjoy Mondenvasia before hitting the road again.

There, last walk in the small streets of Mondenvasia before joining the car and returning to Sparta.

We did not plan to stay two days in Sparta, and finally it was easier to return to the city. We will therefore find another apartment, the one from the day before being already booked... Tomorrow, we continue the ascent to the north to leave the Peloponnese. Yes, Athens is getting closer! But before, we still have many things to see! Tomorrow, we will visit Mycenae and pass through Nafplio!