Palamidi

What makes it special

Walk from bastion to bastion and each one turns out to hold its own storerooms for food and ammunition, gunports and moats, with murder holes and barracks where the ground needed them. Look for the cisterns between them, which collected the water needed for life inside the fortress.

Once Greece became free, the fortress was turned into a prison, and its walls held prisoners rather than a garrison. The cells where they lived still stand. Theodoros Kolokotronis, a hero of the independence war, was held here for eleven months.

On a clear day you can pick out Bourtzi, the small castle on its own island in the harbour below the hill.

Visiting

There are two ways up, on foot or by road. The stair begins at the foot of the hill, beside the old town streets.

On foot, a small shrine about 200 steps up makes the first rest stop. Higher up, just short of the top, the first bastion comes into view.

In the heat of summer, the gate attendant may suggest heading right first, to the prison cells, where you can look inside. From there, walk on through the bastions.

Tips

Carry plenty of water. Summer days here run well over 30°C, and on days near 38°C the road up to the gate is the better choice than the stair.

Wear comfortable closed shoes with a good grip for the climb.