Kyllini

The Chlemoutsi Castle is the best-preserved Frankish fortress in Greece, built between 1219 and 1223 by Geoffrey I of Villehardouin. Set on a low hill near the coast, it lacks strong natural defences but impresses with its massive hexagonal keep and extensive walls. Its remarkably intact halls and sweeping views over the plains and Ionian Sea make it one of the Peloponnese’s most rewarding castle visits.

Just northeast of Kyllini, the Monastery of Vlacherna is a striking and unusual church that blends Byzantine and Western architectural styles. Likely begun in the 12th century and later completed under Frankish influence, it combines a traditional Byzantine basilica with distinctly Western features such as its tall entrance porch. Rich in detail—from cloisonné masonry to reused marble fragments—it stands as one of the most intriguing medieval buildings in the western Peloponnese.