The castle of Saint George is located on a hill, near a town called Travliata, 7 km away from Argostoli and it dominates the southern part of the island. It was named after the old chapel of Saint George which is at the top of the same hill, a bit before the castle.

It’s spread over an area of 16,000 m2 and it’s 320 m above sea level.

It used to represent a prestigious place of residence of nobles and officials and it was the capital of Kefalonia for centuries.

The construction of the castle was started by the Byzantines, and it was completed by the Venetians. It was the administrative center of the island up until the 18th century. By the end of 1500, the castle was freed from the Turks, and after that the Venetians rebuilt it and strengthened its walls. The construction was finally finished in 1545, and soon after the castle of Saint George became an economical, cultural and administrative center.

After Argostoli was declared the capital of the island, life in the castle began to fade away and slowly, every interest to live in it started to disappear.

The castle was a victim of two devastating earthquakes, once in the 17th century and then again in 1953, due to which it suffered from a great damage.

Today, the castle is open for visitors from Tuesday to Sunday, 8.30 AM - 4.00 PM. The outside walls (built in 1504), a church, a few buildings from that period and everything that’s left of the French bridge which connected ramparts inside is available for sightseeing. Entrance is free.

According to historical sources, the castle includes an underground tunnel which connects the whole construction with Argostoli, but archeological research still hasn’t confirmed the existence of it.

You can reach the castle very easily because there’s a solid road, which is very narrow and has a great slope, but it’s not unmanageable for an average driver. In the foothill of the castle, there are a few cafes and restaurants with a great selection of food, so we recommend that, if you’re able, you stop here and refresh with some drinks or food from a menu rich with traditional Greek specialties.

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