Castle of Methoni

This vast, crumbling fortress, an exceptional example of 15th-century Venetian military architecture, is built on a cape south of Methoni. Surrounded on three sides by the sea and separated from the mainland by a dry moat, visitors can enter the inner bastion through the powerful gate to discover a hammam, a cathedral, a house, a cistern, and underground passages. A short path leads from the fortress to the tiny octagonal fort of Bourtzi on a nearby islet. The medieval port, located within the walls of the fortress, was the first and longest-lasting Venetian possession in the Peloponnese. It also served as a stopping point for pilgrims on their way to the Holy Lands.