Santorini Venetian Castle

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General infoTours & ActivitiesMapGreeka Photos (5)Reviews (3)

Location: Akrotiri

The Venetian Castle lies in Akrotiri village, on the southern side of Santorini.
In addition to its historical importance that makes it one of the most visited landmarks in Santorini, it is a wonderful viewpoint, from where you can admire the sea.

The 13th-century castle was constructed during the Venetian occupation of the island as a defensive fortress in place of an old Byzantine watchtower.
It was called La Ponta ("The Peak") and was a property of the Gozzadini family from Bologna for a few centuries.

Around its central defensive tower, Goulas, and behind its walls, approximately 200 houses were constructed.
The castle is considered the island's most successful fortification system since it offered protection during many years of war.
It managed to remain independent for several years during the Ottoman occupation period, although, in 1617, it was eventually conquered by the Turks.
Nonetheless, it remained in excellent condition until it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1956.

These days, the castle is mostly in ruins, although some remnants of its old buildings are in relatively good condition.
Some parts of it have been restored, including the Goulas tower.

Top Tours and activities

  • ATV Quad Experience

    Category: Day Trips, Island

    Discover the beautiful and versatile landscape with a guided ATV-Quad tour. Listen to locals share their love for the amazing Cycladic islands as they you the most beautiful locations and views on this spectacular island.

    3.5 hours Map
    from € 180.00
    Book now

How to get there

The Venetian Castle is built on the highest spot of Akrotiri and is located in the center of the village.

Private transfers: We recommend using an online pre-booked transfer service, which provides transfer by taxi, minibus, or private VIP car and arranging a pickup directly from your hotel. Alternatively, there’s the option of scheduling a direct pickup by a local driver at the following numbers: 0030 690 679 4316, 0030 22860 22555.

Car rental: There’s the option of renting a car and picking it up directly from your hotel. You can then visit the Venetian castle but also many other places of interest.

Public transfers: In Akrotiri village lies the ‘Akrotiri Santorini Central Square’ stop of the bus route Fira > Akrotiri. From there, it is about a 220-meter walk to reach the Venetian Castle. Fira is where the central bus station of the island is located. Bus connections between this bus station and most areas of the island are available. There are buses to Akrotiri approximately every 1.5 hours. Note that time schedules might change according to the season. Check the official timetables here.
Tip: Since buses don’t always stop at every scheduled stop of their itinerary, our advice to visitors is to inform the driver about their final destination in advance.

Map

Reviews

2.7/5.0
3 Reviews
  • Mgrazia 18 Apr 2024
    Castel of Akrotiri

    I visited the place today, it is easily accessible through narrow alleys, very little remains of the castle, but a part with a nice terrace and a small bar place has been restored, run by really nice and knowledgeable guys about the history of the castle. It is worth it just for the beautiful view.


  • DR 10 Oct 2022
    Completely neglected
    A real pity but thee site is completely run down, not even one explanation of what you see and no one bothered to fence the dangerous areas. This is not a mist-see. Sorry
  • katharina schaller 16 Aug 2021
    Not really worth it
    Dirty and only with good shoes! Not really worth it if they would prepare the phates and take away the rsbish but that could be work????

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