Monemvasia

Monemvasia sits on the south-east coast of the Peloponnese, in the region of Laconia, on a tied island joined to the mainland by a causeway roughly 400 metres long. The name means "single entrance", and that is exactly what it is: the town is built on the seaward flank of a great limestone rock, entirely concealed from the land side until you cross the bridge, follow the road round the base of the rock and pass through one medieval gate in the western wall.

Beyond that gate lies the Lower Town, a dense weave of stone lanes, vaulted passages, small squares and Byzantine churches, all still inhabited and much of it sympathetically restored as houses and small hotels. The main street leads to a central square and the domed church of Elkomenos Christos, with the old cannon and sea wall close by. Cars cannot enter, so everything moves on foot or by handcart, which is part of the town's particular calm.

Above, reached by a steep zig-zag path, is the Upper Town on the plateau of the rock, some 100 metres up. This is a largely ruined and unexcavated Byzantine city, and at its high point stands the church of Agia Sofia, perched on the cliff edge with long views over the Myrtoan Sea. Founded in the sixth century, Monemvasia was held in turn by Byzantines, Venetians and Ottomans, and each left its mark on the walls and buildings.

People come for the atmosphere as much as any single sight: to wander the lanes, to eat well on terraces overlooking the water, and to watch the light change on the stone. It rewards an unhurried overnight stay rather than a rushed day trip, when the coach crowds thin and the town returns to its residents. The modern settlement of Gefyra, on the mainland at the foot of the causeway, provides additional rooms, tavernas and the car park.