In all honesty, I ha

In all honesty, I had avoided visiting Monemvasia, the medieval castle town on the southeastern coast of the Peloponnese, for many years, fearing the place had become an overly sentimental, somewhat superficial and clichéd destination, suitable only for lovebirds. I eventually decided to go. It was winter and I went alone. And I ended up turning into a cliche – I felt overwhelmed by this magical place’s rawness, wildness, history and profound romanticism. I have since returned in spring, summer and autumn, both with company and alone, as Monemvasia is an all-year destination, ideal for all emotional states. Its uniqueness and its fairytale atmosphere (the cliches I mentioned before) remain as true as ever. Even if you haven’t studied its history, you see it written on the walls around you. The sense of isolation felt on this legendary rock, cut off from the coast of the Peloponnese by an earthquake in 375 AD, adds to the wonder. As a natural fortress, it was inhabited and soon became a strategic fortress claimed the Byzantines, Franks, Venetians and Ottomans. Neither museum-like nor artificially fabricated, Monemvasia is Europe’s only castle that has never ceased being inhabited. #mynovgetaway #mynovgetaway