Getting from Santorini to Monemvasia

If you are heading to Monemvasia from Santorini you are making one of the great contrasts in Greek travel. Monemvasia is a medieval fortress town built entirely on a massive rock connected to the Laconian coast of the Peloponnese by a single causeway, and it is one of the most extraordinary places in Greece. The lower town inside the walls is car-free, filled with Byzantine churches, stone mansions and narrow lanes that have changed little in centuries. The upper town is largely ruined but the views from up there across the Laconian Sea are breathtaking. It is deeply atmospheric, almost unknown by comparison with the islands and rewards those who make the effort to reach it completely.

Take the ferry

There is no ferry to Monemvasia. It sits on the southeastern coast of the Peloponnese and is accessible only by road. Getting there from Santorini means taking the ferry to Piraeus and then making the long drive south through the Peloponnese, which takes around 4 hours from Athens via Corinth, Tripoli and Sparta. KTEL buses also run from Athens to Monemvasia from the Kifissos terminal, with the journey taking around 4.5 hours.

What about flying?

Monemvasia has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens, around 300 kilometres to the north. Flying from Santorini to Athens and then travelling by road is the fastest overall approach, with total journey time around 6 to 7 hours door to door.

Your best option

Fly to Athens and take the bus or drive south to Monemvasia. If you want flexibility for the Peloponnese more broadly, rent a car in Athens. Monemvasia rewards at least two nights. The town reveals itself slowly once the day visitors leave in the evening and the streets inside the walls become entirely your own.