Methoni Castle
Methoni Castle
4.5
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4.5
862 reviews
Excellent
538
Very good
266
Average
37
Poor
7
Terrible
14
Fergs85
Thornton-Le-Dale, UK1,080 contributions
July 2022
The castle dominates the small town of Methoni, but not in an overbearing way. It’s built on the headland, with extensive curtain walls, and is protected by the sea on three sides. You won’t be surprised to know that the Venetians were responsible for the construction of this castle, and it acted as part of a pair with the castle at Koroni to allow control of the seas around the base of Messenia. Not surprisingly, the castle eventually fell into the hands of the Ottoman Turks after a lengthy and brutal siege in 1500.
There’s not a great deal to see inside, but there are some fascinating remains of a Turkish bath house.
The highlight of the castle is undoubtedly the Bourtzi, an octagonal tower that you will arrive at having walked right through the castle interior. From the upper floor you get some great photo opportunities.
Two other features to lookout for: a number of carved winged lions, the symbol of St Mark, which the Venetians always adorned important buildings with as a statement of their power; and the stone bridge over the dry moat, with 14 arches, which was the work of French engineers in the mid-19th century.
It’s also worth knowing that the castle is open 6 days a week, from 8am in the morning till the early evening. There’s not much shade inside – we visited first thing in the morning, and it was already too hot for comfort by the time we had finished.
There’s not a great deal to see inside, but there are some fascinating remains of a Turkish bath house.
The highlight of the castle is undoubtedly the Bourtzi, an octagonal tower that you will arrive at having walked right through the castle interior. From the upper floor you get some great photo opportunities.
Two other features to lookout for: a number of carved winged lions, the symbol of St Mark, which the Venetians always adorned important buildings with as a statement of their power; and the stone bridge over the dry moat, with 14 arches, which was the work of French engineers in the mid-19th century.
It’s also worth knowing that the castle is open 6 days a week, from 8am in the morning till the early evening. There’s not much shade inside – we visited first thing in the morning, and it was already too hot for comfort by the time we had finished.
Written 17 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
suitcaseattheready
Montreal, Canada340 contributions
Sept 2021 • Couples
Great visit! Only 3 euros admission. Allow a couple hours. Spectacular views. Wear running shoes. Sandals are not recommended even if you have good soles like on a Teva, the hard dry grass can be very sharp and will poke through and stab your feet and ankles.
If you have kids hang onto them and keep them close by. There are not guardrails everywhere, it’s sporadic, and there are 25 meter sheer drops off cliffs edges. You must be in decent shape to attempt this place, it is not for the very elderly or the disabled. The Seafort to the left of where you enter is the most stunning bit, when you walk through the stone gates what an impressive view! There are no washrooms on the site. There is a small parking lot in front of the castle that holds only 28 cars. But there is parking in other areas around the town not too far away. Bring your own water into the Fort as there’s nothing for sale inside and very little shade available.
If you have kids hang onto them and keep them close by. There are not guardrails everywhere, it’s sporadic, and there are 25 meter sheer drops off cliffs edges. You must be in decent shape to attempt this place, it is not for the very elderly or the disabled. The Seafort to the left of where you enter is the most stunning bit, when you walk through the stone gates what an impressive view! There are no washrooms on the site. There is a small parking lot in front of the castle that holds only 28 cars. But there is parking in other areas around the town not too far away. Bring your own water into the Fort as there’s nothing for sale inside and very little shade available.
Written 2 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eleni Viglaki
Piraeus, Greece453 contributions
Mar 2023 • Family
Had the most beautiful time at Methoni castle, probably the biggest castle in Greece I have ever visited. Combining the breathtaking sea view and the picturesque greenery, no words can actually describe it, no pictures even. You need to see it to feel it and believe it. I could spend days looking at the sea, thinking about how people that actually lived in the castle spent their every day lives, what would be situated where etc. it’s sad there seems to be little to no interest for this castle, the cost of the ticket was 4 euros for a 5 member family with kids, which I think it not reasonable, then again I am no expert. The castle is a hidden gem that needs special care :-)
Written 12 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Martyn C
Stourport, UK59 contributions
May 2022
The huge castle grounds were exciting to explore, which revealed great views of the sea or harbour or other buildings. The castle at the end was a joy to photograph and explore. It was well worth the visit especially as the 3 Euro fee includes entrance to other locations in the area. We planned the visit after researching on Google Earth and saving free car park location with What3Words at until.monk.scaled
The little church is cute to visit. We didn't find any toilets in the huge castle grounds but we didn't ask. If photographing, go early, the end of May was a good time to visit as quieter. The largest castle in Greece we were told, so go explore.
The little church is cute to visit. We didn't find any toilets in the huge castle grounds but we didn't ask. If photographing, go early, the end of May was a good time to visit as quieter. The largest castle in Greece we were told, so go explore.
Written 11 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Selebian
Selby, UK2,371 contributions
Sept 2022
This must be the best, most spectacular castle I have ever visited. It really is extensive with some stunning views and the bourtzi part is great too.
It's only €3 entry but I do think it would benefit from more information boards about the site.
It's only €3 entry but I do think it would benefit from more information boards about the site.
Written 30 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Spiderdog
Cheshire, UK8,032 contributions
Sept 2020
Methoni Castle is one of the most important fortresses in the Mediterranean and you should definitely visit it if you are in the area.
The grounds are far more extensive than you would expect and the leaflet that you receive on entry gives you enough information to pick out the main points of interest.
The views from the castle are outstanding and you can easily spend a couple of hours here.
The grounds are far more extensive than you would expect and the leaflet that you receive on entry gives you enough information to pick out the main points of interest.
The views from the castle are outstanding and you can easily spend a couple of hours here.
Written 14 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Antonio A
4 contributions
Aug 2022
This is a great castle with loads of history!Make sure you have at least 1 hr to spend wear closed shoes light colored clothes and a hat for the summer months. Make sure you have a camera and some water with you and be in a good shape.
Mpourtzi tower is unique and marvelous esp at evening.
Some places in the castle could be maintained better but overall experience was nice.
Mpourtzi tower is unique and marvelous esp at evening.
Some places in the castle could be maintained better but overall experience was nice.
Written 12 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mfilcol2014
Lisbon, Portugal1,760 contributions
June 2021
One of the main Venetian fortresses in the Peloponnese. It covers a huge area, unfortunately in ruins, which culminates in a Venetian tower separated from the earth by a moat. This tower is better preserved. This gigantic fortress is worth a visit but beware of the heat
Written 12 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gpants1
Sydney, Australia410 contributions
Oct 2023 • Friends
What an extraordinary place. The seaside fortifications and the bridge to the castle are quite well preserved. The area is large with lots of structures to explore. The Castle on the water is superb. This is a must see destination if you are in the area.
Written 19 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andy O
Newport, UK8 contributions
Aug 2016
Methoni Castle is a wonderful place to visit, but as has been mentioned elsewhere, it has limitations.
The level of access to this fantastic piece of history is unprecedented in any other historic monument I have visited, but in part this is one of its major limitations; there is next to no supervision.
There is an entrance kiosk, charging just €2 per adult, and this is the only member of staff we saw at all.
The castle grounds are massive, and mostly open. We spend just over an hour and a half and still missed a large part of it. As it is open, there is very little shelt from the sun as you travel round, so hats and sun protection are advisable during summer. The ground is uneven as well, and if you move away from the main paths there is also dried scrub vegetation. Decent footwear is a bonus; would certainly recommend against flip flops, open sandals, or high heels; my wife regretted this.
Also think of water, and possibly snacks, as there are no retail facilities at the site at all, and as you are in the open, it gets hot,
Completely uncommercialised, which is a large part of its charm, but I do hope that there is some future investment into its development and protection before parts are irretrievably lost.
Aside from one or two areas which were clearly unsafe,mas the structures themselves looked unstable and in the process of gradually collapsing, everything is open to access; if you can get to it you can go look at it.
Worth pointing out here that if you have young kids, keep them close! One of ours tried crawling through a rather large opening in the battlements, we are guessing intended for a cannon or something similar, the other side of which was a good 10-15 meter drop into the sea and rocks below. There are lots of similar areas where there are exposed drops like this, so worth being aware of your surroundings, children and belongings.
There is very little by way of information around explaining the structure or function of the site itself, so unless you bring information with you, you are totally on your own.
The other limitation, that has been mentioned before numerous times, it is only open from 8:00-15:00 Tuesday's to Sunday. We saw a few people being turned away as we were leaving, so be prepared and plan your visit.
The last thing to think about is what you will do afterwards. Right next to the castle is Methoni beach that has a restaurant, beach cafe with sun loungers, and a very shallow sandy beach that is great for kids. Believe me, after a couple of hours wondering around the castle in the heat, the water is amazing,
Next to this is the plaza with a number of restaurants. You can basically plan your entire day and evening around a visit to the castle.
Well worth a visit.
The level of access to this fantastic piece of history is unprecedented in any other historic monument I have visited, but in part this is one of its major limitations; there is next to no supervision.
There is an entrance kiosk, charging just €2 per adult, and this is the only member of staff we saw at all.
The castle grounds are massive, and mostly open. We spend just over an hour and a half and still missed a large part of it. As it is open, there is very little shelt from the sun as you travel round, so hats and sun protection are advisable during summer. The ground is uneven as well, and if you move away from the main paths there is also dried scrub vegetation. Decent footwear is a bonus; would certainly recommend against flip flops, open sandals, or high heels; my wife regretted this.
Also think of water, and possibly snacks, as there are no retail facilities at the site at all, and as you are in the open, it gets hot,
Completely uncommercialised, which is a large part of its charm, but I do hope that there is some future investment into its development and protection before parts are irretrievably lost.
Aside from one or two areas which were clearly unsafe,mas the structures themselves looked unstable and in the process of gradually collapsing, everything is open to access; if you can get to it you can go look at it.
Worth pointing out here that if you have young kids, keep them close! One of ours tried crawling through a rather large opening in the battlements, we are guessing intended for a cannon or something similar, the other side of which was a good 10-15 meter drop into the sea and rocks below. There are lots of similar areas where there are exposed drops like this, so worth being aware of your surroundings, children and belongings.
There is very little by way of information around explaining the structure or function of the site itself, so unless you bring information with you, you are totally on your own.
The other limitation, that has been mentioned before numerous times, it is only open from 8:00-15:00 Tuesday's to Sunday. We saw a few people being turned away as we were leaving, so be prepared and plan your visit.
The last thing to think about is what you will do afterwards. Right next to the castle is Methoni beach that has a restaurant, beach cafe with sun loungers, and a very shallow sandy beach that is great for kids. Believe me, after a couple of hours wondering around the castle in the heat, the water is amazing,
Next to this is the plaza with a number of restaurants. You can basically plan your entire day and evening around a visit to the castle.
Well worth a visit.
Written 29 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Summertime hours were 10:00am - 8:00pm
Written 7 September 2017
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