The famous rock fortress of Monemvasia is a forty-minute drive from Neapolis. Impregnable from the sea, the fortress occupied a key position: the political power that controlled the fortress could control shipping between Attica and the rest of the Mediterranean.
Lovingly restored, the old fortress is closed to motor traffic. Heavy loads are carried into the old city on donkeys’ backs. A day trip to Monemvasia is a trip back through time. One can hike up trails to the church at the top of the hill, sun and swim at the base of the fortress wall, visit the small museum, browse through shops and eat at a local taverna.