Tan and Bourtzi Castle Methoni was another of the seven cities offered to Achilles by Agamemnon. Homer described it as 'rich in vines'. Today, it's a pretty seaside town, with a sandy beach that's crowded in summer, and a magnificent 15th-century Venetian fortress.

This vast fortification is built on a promontory south of the modern town, surrounded on three sides by the sea and separated from the mainland by a moat. The medieval port town, which stood within the fortress walls, was the Venetians' first and longest-held possession in the Peleponese, and a stopover point for pilgrims en route to the Holy Land. In medieval times, the twin fortresses of Methoni and Koroni were known as 'the Eyes of the Serene Republic'.

The splendid fortress, a great example military architecture, is vast and romantic. It's easy to spend half a day wandering around. Within the walls are a Turkish bath, cathedral, house, cistern, parapets and underground passages. A short causeway leads from the fortress to the diminutive octagonal Bourtzi castle on an adjacent islet.