Fodor's Expert Review Agios Georgios Castle

Fortifications have stood atop this hill since the Byzantine era, though the ruins of this castle date from the early 16th century. When the Venetians finally prized it from Turkish control in 1500, after a wearying three-month siege, they levelled the building in the process. Reconstruction took some 40 years, whereupon it became the administrative center for the island until the mid-1800s. By then, the rise of Argostolion had made the port town a better option. Shortly after, the castle was abandoned entirely when earthquakes tore the region apart. Little was done to rebuild it and subsequent historic tremors have all contributed to its current state. While the sprawling grounds offer incredible views over the island, there is little to explain what you're seeing, leaving visitors to pick over its bones largely unguided. A tiny village filled with a cluster of good tavernas lies at the foot of the hill.