The Venetian Castle is one of the very best things to perform in Zakynthos thanks to its close proximity to the funding of the island, Zante Town. After many earthquakes have damaged similar sights around the island of Zakynthos, the Venetian Castle still stands as a great example of Venetian design in the Ionians as well as is an fascinating sight to inspect out.
In this post, I’ll shed a bit bit of light on this lesser-visited sight in Zakynthos including exactly how to get there, exactly how long to stay as well as exactly how much it will expense (spoiler alert, it’s free).
See Also: The ultimate guide to Greece Travel
Where is Zakynthos?
Zakynthos is a little island about 20 kilometres off the westernmost point of the Greek Peloponnese mainland as well as just under 250 kilometres west of the funding of Athens. This island is one of the very best locations to see in Greece thanks to its busy tourism scene, excellent restaurants as well as nightlife as well as spectacular Ionian beaches.
The island can be reached by a ferry from Kyllini (7 sailings per day), or by direct flight from Athens. There are likewise a few direct flights from major European cities like Amsterdam, Rome as well as London however these only run in the summertime (high season) months.
The island of Zakynthos is perhaps most famous for the nightlife of Laganas as well as the stunning Navagio beach (aka Shipwreck Cove), which is one of the most lovely beaches in Greece.
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About The Venetian Castle in Zakynthos
Openingstijden:
November 1st – June 30th: everyday from 08.30-15.00 except Mondays
July 1st to October 31st: everyday from 08.00-19.00 except Mondays
If you’re staying in Zante town (the funding city of Zakynthos), then it would be a pity not to head up the hill as well as inspect out this 15th-century castle.
The castle itself is located in a lovely pine forest on a high hill above the city as well as the harbour below as well as it not only offers spectacular views of Zakynthos as well as the Ionian Sea, however it’s likewise a excellent example of Venetian design in the Ionian.
The place is rather tranquil as well as is extremely peaceful compared to the busy port town below.
History of The Venetian Castle
The castle was almost totally destroyed by the Turks in 1460 however was repaired as well as ultimately completed by the Venetians in 1646 AD. As you walk in the primary entrance, notice the Winged Lion Of Saint mark on the arch above the former gate.a h This is a sign of the Venetian empire as well as their rule in the Ionians.
The castle was when the central funding of the island, however today you’ll see rather a bit of damage from earthquakes as well as a history of war attacks as well as pirate raids on the fortress.
In 1812, when the British empire took over the Ionian Islands, they utilized this castle as well as its fortified setting to develop barracks as well as powder stores as well as it was when the home of the British Parliament in the Ionians.
Inside the castle walls were the stays of many Byzantine churches such as the Church of the Savior (San Salvatore) which dates back to the 12th century AD. There’s likewise the 14th century Church of Saint Francis as well as the Church of Santa Barbara.
How To get To The Castle
The Venetian Castle of Zakynthos is found at the top of Bohali about 2 kilometres from Zante Town. The simplest method to get right here is by car. If you’ve rented a cars and truck for your stay in Zakynthos, then you can drive from Zante town to the castle in about 5 minutes, walk around it for an hour or two as well as then continue checking out the island.
If you don’t have a car, it’s only about a 20-minute walk from the town, however you’ll be climbing up about 125 meters (410 feet) so be sure to bring some water. If you’re visiting Zakynthos in the summer, I’d suggest going in the early morning or late afternoon as it’s extremely hot in Zakynthos in the middle of the day in the summertime.
Cost To go into The Venetian Castle Zakynthos
The Venetian Castle in Zakynthos is free to enter. There is nobody there to guard the entrance as well as it is open up until 3:00 pm or 7:00 pm (depending on the season). It’s not a major site in Zakynthos as well as since it’s so simple to walk right here from the city, you won’t likely discover the Venetian Castle on many tour itineraries.
Instead, just come right here on your own time early in the morning or in the late afternoon.
How long should You see The Castle For?
The castle itself only covers an area of a few hundred meters so you don’t requirement that much time to see it. While there are some lovely carvings on the walls as well as the stays of a few crumbled churches, there has been a significant amount of damage to much of the primary structure.
An hour or two will be more than sufficient to see the Venetian Castle in Zakynthos. The view from the top of Bohali hill is spectacular though, so you may want to bring a picnic as well as have a snack while looking out over the Ionian Sea as well as Zante town from the castle viewing platform.
There are a few English indications explaining the primary parts of the castle, however there is bit else there to bring the location to life.
Main areas To See in The Venetian Castle
The Venetian Castle sight isn’t a significant location to visit, so there aren’t as well many primary points of rate of interest to stop as well as look at. mainly it’s about just walking around as well as enjoying the peace as well as nature on Bohali hill as well as of course, the view. right here are a few things to inspect out while in the castle:
The Venetian Entrance: At the entrance to the castle you will see the 17th-century Winged Lion of Saint Mark, which is a sign of Venice as well as their rule on the Ionian Islands at that time.
The viewing Platform: There is a big open area that hangs out over the cliff overlooking Zante town as well as the lovely Ionian Sea below. This is a excellent area for pictures as well as just chilling out as well as enjoying the view. This castle has historically secured the island from many pirate attacks as well as raids, so this platform would’ve been a excellent vantage point for the Venetian army to watch for invaders.
The prison Cells: Inside the castle, there are still the stays of some (albeit damaged) structures. a few of the more confined areas you see are old prison cells, while other spaces were utilized as munitions storage areas.
Hotels Near The Venetian Castle Zakynthos
If you want to stay close to the castle, then you’ll want to stay in Zante Town. When browsing where to stay in Zakynthos, you’ll most likely discover that Zante town is one of the very best areas to stay, together with the Laganas beach area, as well as Tsilivi. right here are a few of the top-rated hotels in Zante Town.
Happy Owl Apartment: This bit apartment is about 1.3 kilometres from Zante town beach as well as offers air-conditioned double spaces with kitchens, personal bathrooms, flat-screen TVs as well as a nice terrace. It has 9.8 stars from evaluations on Booking.com as well as is one of the top reviewed locations in Zante town. See costs on Booking.com.
Pheonix Hotel: One of the largest hotels in Zante Town, the Pheonix hotels has nice double spaces with personal bathrooms starting at around $50 / night (depending on the season). They get 8.7 out of 10 stars from evaluations on Booking.com as well as the hotel is extremely close to the center, as well as all the primary sights in Zante Town. See costs on Booking.com.
Yria Hotel: This quaint bit hotel is found in the center of Zante town about 70 meters from the beach. The spaces are all air-conditioned with personal bathrooms as well as a balcony. The expense starts at around $33 / night (depending on the season) as well as they get 8.2 out of 10 on Booking.com reviews. See costs on Booking.com.
In Closing
While it would be nice if Zante town put a bit bit more effort into restoring as well as bringing to life this lovely example of a castle from the time of Venetian rule in the Ionian Islands, it’s still worth a visit.
Due to the lack of audio guides as well as detailed information, you’ll have to utilize your creativity a bit bit, however the view from the hill as well as the relaxed nature around the castle make it one of the very best things to perform in Zakynthos.
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