Castle Town of Monemvasia in Laconia, Greece - The Gibraltar of the East

During winter the waves that hit the walls of Monemvasia create a magnificent scenery. Monemvasia (Laconia/Greece) Located on a small island off the southeastern coast of Peloponnese peninsula, the medieval fortress of Monemvasia offers to any of its visitors a time travel to the Byzantine era, and the periods of the Venetian and Ottoman rule. It was firstly inhabited in 583 and most of its sites remain untouched for centuries. Monemvasia (the name derives from the greek words Moni and Emvasi, meaning single entrance) during the last decades has become a very popular all season attraction for tourists (mostly couples) and has a number of traditional guesthouses that operate inside historical buildings. Among other sights, the visitors can walk through the old town and the town walls, enter many Byzantine churches, stone households and ruins, visit the house that the great Greek poet and activist Yiannis Ritsos (he called Monemvasia his Stone Ship) lived, and of course have a taste of the local cuisine and wines. On December 8th 2017 in Monemvasia, Greece. (Photo by Maria Chourdari/NurPhoto via Getty Images)