7 castles & monuments in Europe, hand-picked and rated, with maps and when they are open.
Angelokastro ★★★★★ A 13th-century Byzantine castle on a 305 m crag above the west coast, which held out against the Ottoman sieges: a short, steep climb from the car park, past a chapel in a cave, for the wildest view…
Corfu Old Town ★★★★★ Corfu's UNESCO-listed old town, best on foot: Venetian lanes, the red-topped bell tower of Saint Spyridon and the Liston's arcades, between the two fortresses. Free and open all year; busiest at…
Liston and Spianada ★★★★★ The French-built arcades of the Liston, modelled on Paris's Rue de Rivoli, facing the Spianada, Greece's largest square, where cricket has been played since the British era. Coffee under the arches…
Old Fortress ★★★★★ The Venetian fortress on the twin-peaked headland that gave Corfu its name: cross the moat to the church of Saint George, built like a Greek temple, then climb to the top for the widest view over the…
British aqueduct of Benitses ★★★★☆ The old British aqueduct of Benitses on the east coast, reached on foot with some effort.
New Fortress ★★★★☆ The Venetians' second fortress, begun in 1576 on the hill above the old port: tunnels, ramparts and the winged lion of Saint Mark over the gate, with the old town's rooftops at your feet. Quieter…