For whatever reason you choose to visit Monemvasia this Easter, there is no doubt that in its cobbled streets and cobbled alleys you will feel what it means to be devout and you will “travel” to another era, a distant and fairy-tale era.

Resurrection in the Church of the Christ of Hope
In the Church of Christ the Saviour in Kato Polis, in the central square of Monemvasia, the Holy Week services are also held, while the Holy Light is given and the first “Christ is Risen” is heard at midnight on Holy Saturday.

Eating in the castle town the Bridge and around
The Resurrection of the Lord is followed by a walk in the well-preserved castle town for traditional cooking and other Easter dishes. In the picturesque cobbled streets of Monemvasia, in the bridge and the nearby villages, the visitor will find restaurants and cafes that will satisfy his culinary tastes.

The Burning of Judas
A custom that is also found during the Easter period in Monemvasia is the burning of Judas. It takes place at noon on Sunday around the square of Elkonenos Christos and attracts many tourists and locals every year, who gather outside the oldest church of the castle to watch one of the most widespread Lambria customs. Judas is engulfed in flames and “punished” for his betrayal and the believers burst into applause. The burning of Judas takes place in the large square of Chrysafitissa.

Visit to the churches of the castle
Visit to the remaining churches of the castle: Panagia Myrtidiotissa houses the carved wooden gilded iconostasis that once adorned the church of Elkonenos Christos, while at the edge of Kato Polis, there is the small church of Panagia Chrysafitissa. As for the church of Agia Sophia with its amazing frescoes, it dominates the Upper Town and specifically the top of the rock of Monemvasia.

Monemvasia is the ideal destination for anyone who wants to get a true taste of the devotion of Easter in an environment of other times. Like a fairy tale…

It is not only the imposing and evocative atmosphere of Kastropolitia during Holy Week that creates a dreamlike setting.
It is the Byzantine splendour that emerges from every corner of the castle.

There is no doubt that Easter in Monemvasia is an experience you will remember forever.