A massive castle and one of the twin eyes of the Aegean. Do give yourself at least a couple of hours to walk round it and don't forget your CAMERA as the photo opportunities are endless.
Huge castle right on the beach front of Methoni town. It needs urgent preservation, yet you can go anywhere as there are no guards!! Very little literature about the castle so you have to make do with the few paragraphs from the only tourist guide about Methoni or do some research online. Better to visit in the late afternoon as the place is huge and the summer sun can be really tiring. Bring your own bottle of water and sensible shoes as the place is big and some areas should be approached with caution. Enjoy!
The castle was open the whole time we were in Methoni and we were free to walk around to our hearts content. While little is left of the settlement buildings the walls are still strong and we were able to get an appreciation of how the Venetians lived.
This castle is big and you can walk around a great deal of it. There are a few buildings still standing and some of them one can enter. We spent almost four hours there mainly because there isn't very much more to do in Methoni in October.
Loved this Castle. Byzantheum Castle that is at least a km across. Not fully excavated but massive moat fortress with a bridge across the water to the tower. Spent a good 2 hours there. Would highly recommend this as even better than Ancient Messini. However we got locked in as we were there after 3pm as the times were not clear and in Greek on the front gate! The caretaker had to come back to unlock the gate and was extremely rude and grumpy....apparently we were the 11th set of tourists who had been locked in for the week! I think that says a clearer sign would be of use or you face the roth of a very grumpy Greek guy who missed his dinner. Could be very dangerous if you fell off a wall or into a well, or slipped off the bridge near the tower at the end. Be very careful if you are with young children but this site is amazing!
Our mistake in not correctly reading the closing times, but the exterior is imposing and the story evocative of the stupidity and bastardry meeted out in war.
...to a ghost town still protected by gates, towers and the waves of the Ionian Sea. Swimming by the ancient-roman-medieval-who knows walls.
This castle and adjoining fortress is amazing! The castle is right on the shoreline, and the fortress is actually out in the sea. I visited on a day trip from Pylos with the bus - an easy trip (it's about 11 km). With no entrance free, it's a great value and a great experience. The castle is in pretty good shape, and restorations are currently underway. It's also a great place to just hangout and take in the views.
Well worth a visit as it is full of history and fascination. Beware the castle closing time is something like 3pm. Entrance and parking is free. Worth visiting the outside area after sunset in the evening during summer as there is some illumination of the outer walls. There are a couple of nearby tavernas that look towards the castle that are good for food and coffee/drinks.Not recommended for pushchairs or wheelchairs, or people with walking difficulties.
Huge fortified complex with a bloodthirsty history. Half was the fort, the other half the town. Built and rebuilt by Ventians, Turks and French.