Perched on a rocky headland is Methoni Castle, a symbol of medieval might on the shores of the Ionian Sea. The fortress, on the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece, was built by the Venetians in the early 13th century as a trading post and defensive bastion, protecting the coastline from invaders. Its Bourtzi tower, an extension of the fortress standing on a small islet, was once connected to the main castle by a stone bridge.

Many conquerors, from the Ottomans in 1500 to the French in 1828, aimed to win Methoni's strategic position. Some original structures, like the castle itself, still stand, allowing visitors to walk through the same gates where soldiers once marched. The village's blend of architecture, with Byzantine, Venetian, and Ottoman influences, narrates a storied past where European powers battled for dominance.