Fodor's Expert Review Palio Pyli

The spectacular ruins of a Byzantine-era castle and the settlement that once surrounded it crown the wooded hilltop of the impossibly steep road climbing south of modern-day Pyli. It was once the capital of the island yet barely a fraction of its visitors make the effort to see it. They're missing out. The 10-minute hike from the parking lot through the thickly wooded hillside isn't too arduous, though little explains what you're seeing, or where you're going. A junction divides the route to the old village and that of the castle, where its archways and walls still stand. The former route leads past a scattering of stones to the marvellous Taverna Oria, which has good food and incredible views over the area and ruins.