Crowning a hill to the southeast of Argostoli are the romantic ruins of a Venetian stronghold.

At 300 metres above sea level, Agios Georgios was founded by the Byzantines in the 12th century, while nearly all the remaining architecture is from the start of the 16th century when the Ottoman Empire’s brief dominion was ended by the Venetians.

They built an outer wall 620 metres in length, a citadel (kastro) and a road leading from Argostoli that twisted around the hill out of sight of approaching pirate vessels.