Twenty years ago, we stayed on Monemvasia in one of the lovely stone guesthouses, and fell under its spell, lingering in our own sanctuary. Revisiting the rock, we nostalgically wandered the maze of cobbled alleys, stone houses and the ruins of forty Byzantine churches which cling to the hillside above the sea. In its heyday thousands lived on Monemvasia, but only a dozen inhabitants live on the rock today. All the shopkeepers and restaurateurs commute from the modern town across the bay.

Retracing our footsteps, we climb to the very top of the rock to see the church of Agia Sofia built 800 years ago by Emperor Andronicus—a terracotta basilica used as both church and mosque by the invading Venetians and Ottomans. Steep, uneven steps climb to a plateau of ruined chapels and fortress walls in a field of bright wild flowers. The views of the blue sea are magnificent. I even did a tasting at a local wine bar of native wines such as Malmsey, a legendary dessert wine named after Malvasia, the old Venetian name for Monemvasia. Wine is living history in these ancient isles.

TRAVEL TIPS
Getting there: Olympic Air flies directly from Athens to Santorini, or catch a 12-hour ferry from Piraeus, port of Athens, to Paros (the main ferry hub) and on to Santorini. It is easy to get around the 73sq km island by local bus and taxi, or rent a car. Or try a cruise with Contact Cruises International, agents for Oceania Cruises in South Africa visit www.cruises.co.za.

Staying there: Accommodation ranges from youth hostels, guesthouses and private rooms to hotels and resorts. To avoid the tourist crowds and high prices at Fira, stay in one of the other villages like Oia. Catch the local boats between the beaches of Kamari, Perissa and Perivolos—and out to the uninhabited island of Nea Kameni. See www.visitgreece.gr and www.visit-santorini.com

Eating there: Try bakeries, cafés and takeaways like gyros and souvlaki for good, cheap eats. Good traditional restaurants are Arcobaleno, Archipelagos and Parea.

Graham Howe is a freelance travel writer based in Cape Town who specializes in gourmet tourism. He is wine and food editor of Habitat—and a contributor to Business Day's Homefront, Eat Out, www.iol.co.za and www.wine.co.za.
      
• Photography Graham Howe