Almost wholly surrounded by ocean, Monemvasia's fortified medieval village is divided into the lower town , bisected by a main cobbled street lined with souvenir shops and tavernas that leads to the main square, and the upper town , with its ruins and fortress . The greatest pleasure of visiting the kastro comes from wandering the labyrinth: exploring the tiny alleyways and winding stairways that weave between a complex network of stone houses, and ducking into atmospheric nooks and crannies.
In the lower town, the central square is dominated by the Cathedral of Christos Elkomenos , dating from the 13th century. Head up through the stone archway opposite the bell tower and you come across the handsome 17th-century Church of Myrtidiotissa . Down near the waterfront fortifications is the whitewashed 16th-century Church of Panagia Chrysafitissa .
The path to the fortress and the upper town is signposted off the main street in several locations. A walking path skirts the edge of the upper-town ruins all the way to just above the main gate, affording great views of Monemvasia's cluster of rooftops against a cliff backdrop. The upper town's extensive ruins were undergoing intensive restoration at the time of writing but its paths should re-open in 2016. Don't miss the Church of Agia Sofia , which perches on the edge of a sheer cliff, and mind you don't fall down the overgrown cisterns.
