This lovely coastal town is a real gem not only because its ancient history and fine golden sandy beaches but also because it houses an impressive medieval castle.
Volos - Known for ancient settlement, archaeological site, beach, coastal town, marina, museum, nature, seaport.
Western Thrace - Known for beach, forest, lake, landmark, nature, park, river.
Last updated on: 30 March 2020
Methoni description
During the Byzantine years Methoni retained its remarkable harbor and remained one of the most important cities of the Peloponnese, seat of a bishopric.
The Republic of Venice had its eye on Methoni since the 12th century, due to its location on the route from Venice to the Eastern markets. In 1125, they launched an attack against pirates based at Methoni, who had captured some Venetian traders on their way home from the east.
Under Venetian rule, the town experienced its zenith, becoming an important center for trade with the Levant and enjoying great prosperity. Methoni became an important staging point on the route between Venice and the Holy Lands, and many descriptions of it survive in pilgrims' accounts.
With the Ottoman conquest of the Despotate of the Morea, the town came under threat; Christian and Jewish refugees from the rest of the Peloponnese flocked to its walls, while the Turks raided its environs. In 1499–1500, Ottoman ships raided the town from the sea, while Sultan Bayezid II in person arrived to supervise its siege. After 28 days, on 9 August 1500, Methoni fell. The populace was either massacred or sold off as slaves.
The Castle of Methoni is a medieval fortification in the port town of Methoni, Messenia, in southwestern Greece. The castle of Methoni occupies the whole area of the cape and the southwestern coast to the small islet that has also been fortified with an octagonal tower and is protected by the sea on its three sides. Its north part, the one that looks to land, is covered by a heavily fortified acropolis. A deep moat separates the castle from the land and communication was achieved by a wooden bridge. The Venetians built on the ancient battlements and added on and repaired it during both periods that they occupied the castle.
After the Battle of Lepanto (7 October 1571), Miguel de Cervantes was taken to Methoni as a prisoner and spent some time in the Turkish tower. He might have conceived a few pages of the Don Quixote while there.
On various parts of the fortification of the Methoni castle there are Venetian emblems with the winged lion of St. Mark and inscriptions. This is the case on the north part of the Loredan battlement, where there is an inscribed plaque from the time when general Loredan was in command in the Peloponnese. On the north wall, on the right of the main entrance, there is also a plaque with the coat of arms of the families of the Foscarini, Foscolo and Bembo, to which the inscription denotes the construction of the Bembo battlement, just before 1500.
Methoni related tours
We at Monterrasol Travel welcome you to see Methoni during multiday private car tour. Contact us if you would like to customize your tour to Methoni.
We have developed several tours that visiting this beautiful place. But, if you have a special conditions or any from these tours fit you, please do not hesitate to contact us, we can organize a tour exactly as you would like. And remember, we have no problems to take you from almost any place where you stay, hotel or private accommodation.
This off-season balanced tour is aimed for people who interesting in the history of Greece, to walk that ancient historical places where are roots of culture of our civilization. During this tour we will visit 6 places that are on the list of UNESCO. Many other we going to visit places now expecting to be on UNESCO list; such places are prepared, available for public for fraction of cost, and are on so called UNESCO tentative list.
This off-season tour is for people who would like to get to know deeply the history of Greece and walk that ancient historical places where are roots of culture of our civilization. Around the world such places are on the list of UNESCO. And many other places now expecting to be on UNESCO list; such places are prepared, available for public for fraction of cost, and are on so called UNESCO tentative list.
During this tour we going to visit main UNESCO places and UNESCO tentative list places, located in Greece mainland. Greece is so rich with history that visit all UNESCO places in one tour will take very long time. Because of that we, Monterrasol Travel, created this tour to be able to visit the main UNESCO places in one tour.
tour destinations: Corinth, Diros, Epidaurus, Kalamata, Methoni, Monemvasia, Mycenae, Mystras, Nafplio, Porto Kagio, Sparta
Greek Peloponnese round tour in 15 days. Visit all main attraction of Peloponnese peninsula and see castles, ancient places, beaches. Travel Peloponnese with Monterrasol and visit Sparta, Corinth, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Monemvasia, Methoni and other places.
This off-season tour is focused on people who would like to get to know deeply the history of Greece and walk that ancient historical places where are roots of culture of our civilization. Around the world such places are on the list of UNESCO. And many other places now expecting to be on UNESCO list; such places are prepared, available for public for fraction of cost, and are on so called UNESCO tentative list.
During this tour we going to visit most of UNESCO places and UNESCO tentative list places, located in Greece mainland. Greece is so rich with history that visit all UNESCO places in one tour will take very long time. Because of that we, Monterrasol Travel, created this tour to be able to visit the most of UNESCO places in one tour.
This Peloponnese and Greece mainland off-season discovery 19 days (18 nights) round tour from Igoumenitsa will pass through places that on UNESCO World Heritage list and on the UNESCO Tentative List. We will visit ancient towns and monasteries, castles and fortresses, beaches and mountain towns.
The tour will visit Parga castle, we will walk in Arta museum, see Mesolongi sea lake, climb on steps of Nafpaktos castle and touch statue of Cervantes, take an images of longest bridge of the fully suspended type, walk in Patras fortress and pray in St Andrew cathedral, walk in site of Olympic Games Ancient Olympia, walk the steps of old fortresses in Pylos and Methoni, explore archaeological site Messene, visit famous Sparta and medieval fortified town Mystras, touch stones of ancient civilization in Mycenae, wonder on Corinth canal, visit old Hosios Loukas UNESCO monastery, ask Delphi oracle and see the place of the feat of Leonidas, visit unique UNESCO complex of monasteries in Meteora, walk over Aegae archaeological place, and on the way back see mountain town Metsovo with famous winery, ancient Ioannina castle and Dodoni archaeological site included in UNESCO Tentative List.
This off-season tour will allow you to visit not only some of Greece's eighteen UNESCO World Heritage sites but also some of the country's fourteen sites in the UNESCO tentative list, together with other top destinations across this beautiful Mediterranean land. Come and visit this stunning country in the off-peak months! You will quickly understand why Greece is much more than just a perfect summer destination. Greece is a truly year-round destination!
It boasts plenty of things to do: from fascinating museums to imposing archaeological sites, and from mouthwatering gastronomy to perfect- picture villages and towns. Greece is the ideal destination if you enjoy nature and dramatic landscapes, regardless the time of the year you plan to visit it.
This off-season tour is focused on people who would like to get to know deeply the history of Greece and walk that ancient historical places where are roots of culture of our civilization. Around the world such places are on the list of UNESCO. And many other places now expecting to be on UNESCO list; such places are prepared, available for public for fraction of cost, and are on so called UNESCO tentative list.
During this tour we going to visit most of UNESCO places and UNESCO tentative list places, located in Greece mainland. Greece is so rich with history that visit all UNESCO places in one tour will take very long time. Because of that we, Monterrasol Travel, created this tour to be able to visit the most of UNESCO places in one tour.
This off-season tour is focused on people who would like to get to know deeply the history of Greece and walk that ancient historical places where are roots of culture of our civilization. Around the world such places are on the list of UNESCO. And many other places now expecting to be on UNESCO list; such places are prepared, available for public for fraction of cost, and are on so called UNESCO tentative list.
During this tour we going to visit most of UNESCO places and UNESCO tentative list places, located in Greece mainland. Greece is so rich with history that visit all UNESCO places in one tour will take very long time. Because of that we, Monterrasol Travel, created this tour to be able to visit the most of UNESCO places in one tour.
This off-season tour is focused on people who would like to get to know deeply the history of Greece and walk that ancient historical places where are roots of culture of our civilization. Around the world such places are on the list of UNESCO. And many other places now expecting to be on UNESCO list; such places are prepared, available for public for fraction of cost, and are on so called UNESCO tentative list.
During this tour we going to visit most of UNESCO places and UNESCO tentative list places, located in Greece mainland. Greece is so rich with history that visit all UNESCO places in one tour will take very long time. Because of that we, Monterrasol Travel, created this tour to be able to visit the most of UNESCO places in one tour.
Off-season discovery 26 days (25 nights) round tour from Igoumenitsa around Peloponnese and Greece mainland. The tour is focused on UNESCO World Heritage list sites and on the UNESCO Tentative List sites. We will visit castles and fortresses, ancient towns and monasteries, beaches and mountain towns.
The tour will visit Parga castle, we will walk in ancient city Nicopolis (UNESCO Tentative List), we will enjoy Arta museum, see Mesolongi sea lake, climb on steps of Nafpaktos castle and touch the statue of Cervantes, take an images of longest bridge of the fully suspended type between towns Rio and Antirrio, walk in Patras fortress and pray in St Andrew cathedral, walk in site of Olympic Games Ancient Olympia (UNESCO World Heritage), walk the steps of old fortresses in Pylos and Methoni, explore archaeological site Messene (UNESCO Tentative List), visit famous Sparta and medieval fortified town Mystras (UNESCO World Heritage), touch stones of ancient civilization in Mycenae, wonder on Corinth canal, visit old Hosios Loukas UNESCO monastery, ask Delphi oracle (UNESCO World Heritage) and see the place of the feat of Leonidas, visit unique UNESCO complex of monasteries in Meteora, walk over Aegae archaeological place (UNESCO World Heritage), and on the way back see mountain town Metsovo with famous winery, ancient Ioannina castle and Dodoni archaeological site included in UNESCO Tentative List.
This off-season tour is focused on people who would like to get to know deeply the history of Greece and walk that ancient historical places where are roots of culture of our civilization. Around the world such places are on the list of UNESCO. And many other places now expecting to be on UNESCO list; such places are prepared, available for public for fraction of cost, and are on so called UNESCO tentative list.
During this tour we going to visit most of UNESCO places and UNESCO tentative list places, located in Greece mainland. Greece is so rich with history that visit all UNESCO places in one tour will take very long time. Because of that we, Monterrasol Travel, created this tour to be able to visit the most of UNESCO places in one tour.
This off-season tour is focused on people who would like to get to know deeply the history of Greece and walk that ancient historical places where are roots of culture of our civilization. Around the world such places are on the list of UNESCO. And many other places now expecting to be on UNESCO list; such places are prepared, available for public for fraction of cost, and are on so called UNESCO tentative list.
During this tour we going to visit most of UNESCO places and UNESCO tentative list places, located in Greece mainland. Greece is so rich with history that visit all UNESCO places in one tour will take very long time. Because of that we, Monterrasol Travel, created this tour to be able to visit the most of UNESCO places in one tour.
July 6, 2020 Vranduk, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Vranduk fortress was built in late 14th century, and it is located approximately 14 kilometers from the town of Zenica. It was built on a rock above the river Bosnia, and represents one of many medieval towns with rich history. In the Middle Ages Vranduk was one of the several royal cities, and was a capital to many Bosnian kings at the time. For six centuries Vranduk fortress was known as the gate of Bosnia.
June 24, 2020 Radimlja, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Radimlja is a main UNESCO World Heritage Site where is possible to see so called Stecci, a monumental medieval tombstones. Radimlja necropolis located near town Stolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is one of the most valuable monuments of the medieval period in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
June 22, 2020 Apollonia, Albania. Apollonia was an ancient Greek city located in the Fier County, in modern-day Albania. The Museum of Apollonia (also called Fier Archaeological Museum) contains artifacts unearthed from the ancient Apollonia. Apollonia flourished in the Roman period and was home to a renowned school of philosophy, but began to decline in the 3rd century AD when its harbor started silting up as a result of an earthquake. It was abandoned by the end of Late Antiquity. Apollonia is UNESCO tentative list site.
June 5, 2020 Reszel, Poland. Reszel is a small medieval town situated in the historical Warmia region, in northeastern Poland. The town Reszel is known for the gothic castle dating back to the 14th century, the main square and the historical center surrounded by brick defense walls.
May 21, 2020 Banská Štiavnica (Banska Stiavnica), Slovakia. Banská Štiavnica is a town in central Slovakia, in the middle of an immense caldera created by the collapse of an ancient volcano. For its size, the caldera is known as the Štiavnica Mountains. Banská Štiavnica is a completely preserved medieval town. Because of their historical value, the town and its surroundings were proclaimed by the UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site on December 11, 1993.
