DESTINATIONS

MONEMBASIA

Monemvasia the official name, Monemvasia in its poetic version, Monemvasia or Monovasia for the locals, Malvois for the Franks and Malmzy for the English,
 the name of the area comes from the compounds "moni" and "entrance", the one and only entrance Kastropolitia.

The old town of Monemvasia is a lively medieval settlement, impeccably preserved. It is a world-class monument and a key stop for every traveler of the Peloponnese. 
The atmosphere is magical, full of romance and history. Monuments and churches are scattered around the Castle while an important archaeological collection is housed in
 the Old Mosque in Elkomenos Christos Square.

Just before the bridge stretches the new town of Monemvasia, while heading south we come across the coastal settlements of Nomia. Neighboring Agios Ioannis is recommended for 
those who want to try authentic local flavors

In and around Monemvasia there are many remarkable beaches, but the visitor should not ignore the surprises hidden inland, such as the Watermill of Talents and the Folklore
Museum in Velies.

The religious monuments of the area are also outside the walls of the Castle, with the most important being the Twin Temples in Teria and the church of Agios Nikolaos in 
the settlement of the same name.

Gerakas(Port)

The unsuspecting visitor will be speechless approaching the Port of Gerakas. A rare fjord of unique beauty unfolds in front of him. "Blessed village" was named by Pausanias, in his work "Lakonika", the Zaraka Acropolis which is located above the settlement, to the NE. end of the mouth of the bay.

The serenity of the landscape and the picturesqueness of the settlement make up a unique setting. Popular mooring for sailboats and other boats, since it is protected from all winds.

It has rooms for rent and restaurants - fish taverns. The fact that the owners are fishermen themselves is a guarantee of fresh fish and seafood, all year round

At the end of the bay there is a very important wetland.
A visit to the Evangelistria Monastery on the road to Reichia is also a unique experience.

Access instructions:

The port of Gerakas is 33 km from Kyparissi and 22 km from Monemvasia. There are parking spaces at the end of the road to the port. Large vehicles and buses should approach with caution.

Plitra

The ancient city of Asopos is identified with the remains on the small peninsula to the SE of modern Plytra. The city is attested by inscriptions and excavations from the late Hellenistic era and during Pausanias it was initially a member of the Common of the Lacedaemonians and later of the common of the Eleftherolakons. We also know from epigraphic evidence that Gaios Julius Eurycles, the most important political figure of Laconia during the Augustan era, had lands in its area.

During Roman times, it was one of the most important cities of the Malea peninsula and an important station on the Roman imperial road network. The prosperity of the city seems to have continued during the early, at least, Byzantine years as shown by its mention in written texts of the time and the surviving architectural remains.

Today ancient remains are visible on the coast, but also in the sea

Petrified Forest of Aghios Nikolaos

The petrified forest on the coast not far from the village of Aghios Nikolaos is included in the Aegean Geological Monument Atlas and justly claims its place in Europe’s Geopark Network.

At the coastal settlements of Aghia Marina, Korakas and Spitha, these fossils bear silent witness to their long-lost time.

According to a study by Professor Evangelos Velitzelos, the findings in the Aghios Nikolaos are are unique in Europe and of major scientific interest as the result of an original limestone petrification.

The professor’s research program and restoration work at the site have revealed palm trees, fruit and roots of palm trees and fauna typical of shallow waters such as mollusks, shellfish and sea urchins.

This work of nature is the result of the interaction of many geological phenomena over millions of years and is now a Geopark, having been cleaned, desalinated and stabilized, individual items having been restored or reconnected.

However protecting them from damage, particularly from human activities, remains a challenge.

Access

The Petrified Forest is located at the coastal sites Agia Marina, Korakas and Spitha, just a few kilometres away from the village of Agios Nikolaos. Access is through a dirt road (2 km).

Parking space can be found at the entrance of the Petrified Forest.

Kastania Cave

One of the most impressive caves of Greece can be found near the village of Kastania on the southern tip of the Peloponnese, just minutes away from Neapoli. The route follows the winding mountain road leading to the forest-covered eastern slopes of Mt. Parnon.

Rich in density and variety of shapes, colors and figures, Kastania Cave is classified as second of its kind in Europe. Nature needed three million years to create this fantasyscape with its unparalleled décor and numerous impressive formations such as enormous red and white “waterfalls”, the gigantic columns, the “curtains” and the “sheets” that overflow like waxwork from the roof, “octopuses” and “corals” nest, “elephants” and “mushrooms”, “birds” and caricatures, “exotic plants” and monumental creatures…

Standing out among the numerous attractions of the cave are geological rarities such as discs, flat stalagmites, eccentrites and elictites. With a little luck, visitors may meet the cave’s noble resident insect, the deaf and blind dolichopoda.

The cave’s surface covers 1,500 square meters separated into two levels and the visitor is guided along a 500-meter route. The cave was formed from limestones of Jurassic age (195-145 million years old) as a result of geological turmoil and chemical reaction. The stone décor owes its seven-color palette to crystalline carbonate lime enriched with several metal oxides.

Pavlos Petri" Elafonissos

The sunken state, the ancient settlement of "Pavlos Petri", is located in Elafonissos, in the underwater area between the beach of Pountas and the intervening islet of Pavlopetri, 600 m NW from the port of Elafonisos

From the investigations of EL.KE.TH.E. in 2009 it emerged that the city sank due to a series of earthquakes and tectonic events in the wider area combined with sea level rise.

Initially, archaeologists believed that the settlement was inhabited for the first time around 2800 BC, from the archaeological investigations in 2009 it was found that With the new evidence, however, it is confirmed that Pavlopetri is one of the oldest sunken states in the world, while there are the oldest indications of organized habitation as early as the 4th millennium BC.

It is worth noting that the mapping of the underwater antiquities and the production of 3D photo-realistic models of the submerged architectural elements from Pavlopetri have been achieved using innovative methods and combinations of modern techniques, such as Nautilus Ltd.'s sonar. and photo-stereogram recording (University of Sydney Robotics Centre), which were applied for the first time in archaeological investigations in Pavlopetri.