Monemvasia

Our rental house is the apartment seen on the left, right on the ramparts.

This improbable rock was somehow home to an amazing medieval walled town.  You can't even tell from the mainland that this rock could be home to houses, much less the most powerful town in the declining days of the Byzantine Empire (mid 1400s).  The town is a work of art. Roof tiles drain rain into underground cisterns (so the town could withstand siege), architecture displayed signs of Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman civilization, and upgrades recently (by mostly wealthy Athenians) show the tremendous pride that Greeks have in their fascinating history.  The quiet town is a gem, truly.

Monemvasia means "single entry" and we were a bit taken aback about walking through the entry way into cobble-stone streets and leaving our car behind.  We were soon to discover how good it felt, though, as inside the walls lived 80 or 90 free-range cats, a plethora of shopkeepers who were overjoyed to share their town and country with us, a whole pile of ambiance, little scampering lizards, and a mansion rental with a balcony directly on the ramparts.  We could have stayed for a week.

Entrance to the walled town

Underneath our rental was access to the sea!

The gorgeous Stelaki Mansion

A shopkeeper shared with us that 80 or 90 cats are kept on the island to help with the mice problem.  They are (lightly) fed and taken care of by a vising vet.  And they especially liked this cafe!  We counted 18 or 20 curled up beneath the tables and on chairs.