This morning we sailed to the Aegean Sea from the Ionian where we had been yesterday. From the distance we could see this magnificent rock that was soon going to reveal to us an extraordinary medieval city that was hidden on the other side, protected from the eyes of those sailing by!
We enjoyed an adventurous ride with the Zodiacs ashore from where we were going to approach the city of Monemvasia. Its name means single entrance, as there was only one entrance, to this once-upon-a-time island. This city had been founded by the Spartans back in the 7th century A.D. after their city had been invaded by a number of enemies. This new location proved to be much safer and of strategic importance.
Monemvasia became in the next centuries the eye that looked down and through the Aegean Sea controlling any ship traveling from the Greece to Italy, Africa, and Asia. It was the Gibraltar of Greece! Tremendous power and wealth was accumulated over the years by the Greeks living in this area. It later passed to the hands of the Venetians that made the wine produced here the most famous one in Europe.
Once upon a time the city had a population of about 30,000 people but at the turn of the century only a few people lived here. The houses were abandoned up until the 60s when the first ones were restored becoming today one of the most beautiful medieval cities of Greece, protected by the ministry of culture in order to maintain its unique character and hidden from the eyes of mass tourism!
We enjoyed strolling around the narrow streets, taking photographs of the houses with the endless blue in the background; the artisan stores and a nice refreshing swim at its beautiful beach.
We had a pleasant lunch later while sailing by Monemvasia and gazing at it one last time from the sea!
