MONEMVASIA
I think I left my heart in Monemvasia! This has to be one of the most beautiful places I have seen - perhaps partially because it was all a surprise to me. Prior to the tour, I had never heard of Monemvasia. I have a Greek friend who was so excited to hear that we were going there, as she was sure we would love it, and boy was she ever right! This is a photographer's paradise! On our way, we visited tiny Kastania to have a look at their Byzantine churches, and had a group lunch on a restaurant on the water. Just another perfect day here in Greece!
Day 7: Kastania
We got a special little bonus stop on our way from Kardamyli to Monemvasia. The Byzantine site of Mystras would be closed on our day to see it because of a holiday, so David W. arranged for us to see similar churches in a teeny, tiny town called Kastania. And when I say teeny, it was teeny. But it has a number of beautifully preserved Byzantine churches with frescos inside, and we walked up and down the steep paths to see several of them.
After we got our fill of eclesiastical art, we were guided back down to the teeny tiny town square where tables were set out and we were served Greek coffee and cakes. I think a tour guide's secret to a happy group is keeping them well fed, so we never went long in between treats! We sat in this square and watched a local girl play ball with a dog while two gentleman watched her, enjoying their coffees and casting curious looks at our large and boisterous group. It is apparent that this town does not see many tourists, which made it all the more charming. It felt like we had stumbled on a fantastic national secret!
After our morning explorations, we were back on the road and enjoying the vistas of the Mani peninsula. We enjoyed lunch together at this restaurant situated on the sea that literally gets the fish right out of the water each day and cooks it up on the grill there. It was delicious, and once again the view was one of the biggest attractions!
We arrived to our hotel in mainland Monemvasia and David and I went for a walk down by the water to check out the view of the island. We found a gyros place that we ate on the sea wall in the rain, and though we garnered a few odd glances from passersby, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We scouted some ice cream for dessert before heading in for the night.
Day 8: Monemvasia
As a group we took a shuttle over the bridge to Monemvasia and got a little orientation walk before being set loose to explore the town. After a walk through the lower town, David and I decided we were intrepid enough to begin the climb to the upper town. It was a bit of a heart-pounding ascent, but we sure were glad we had made the decision to go. What stunning views we got from the top! The fields were coated in wildflowers, including the vibrant poppies, and we enjoyed climbing through the ruins and checking out the Byzantine church at the top.
After the group returned to the hotel, we had a cooking lesson that we participated in to make moussaka, baklava and fried chickpea pancakes. We then had a glorious buffet including the items our group had made as well as many more, and it was one of the best meals of the trip! We were so glad we had learned how to make this baklava - the best of our lives - so we were able to replicate it at home!
These were the views that made the hike to the Upper Town worth it! I definitely hope to return to this beautiful island one day! But for now, on to our next stop!
