Monemvasia peninsular town, Peloponnese, Greece

Peninsular paradise

The first thing to know about Monemvasia is right there in its name, which means 'one way in.' Like the Greek city's medieval walls, the description still holds up 15 centuries later: The western gate (at left—look for the cars!) still guards the only road to town, which approaches from a narrow causeway. If you're on foot, though, you can make a sneaky sidestep via a cliffside staircase (at center in our photo). It'll bring you to the upper city, uninhabited since the late 17th century but offering expansive views of the Aegean Sea and mainland Peloponnese.