Venetian Castle

Overlooking the whitewashed town of Chora, the Venetian Castle on Astypalea — also known as the Querini Castle — was built by the Venetian nobleman Giovanni Querini shortly before 1334, after he purchased the island and declared himself its lord. The Querini family, who later added the island's name to their own and became known as the Querini Stampalia, held Astypalea and its castle for nearly two centuries, until the Ottomans took control in 1522.

The castle occupies the same hilltop that once served as the political and religious center of the ancient city-state of Astypalaia, and stone blocks salvaged from earlier classical buildings can still be seen built into its walls and into the older houses clustered around it. Within the fortifications, the remains of the medieval settlement that once filled the castle's interior are still visible, and the site's commanding position gives sweeping views over Chora's cubist white houses and the sea beyond.

Astypalea's Venetian past is one of the reasons the island rewards a slower visit, and its hilltop castle remains a highlight for anyone exploring Greece's coast by boat and looking to pair a swim with a bit of medieval history.