Gardiki Castle is a 13th-century Byzantine fort close to the middle of
Corfu just north of
lake Korission. On a good day it should take just under an hour to make the 25km journey from the capital by car.
Gardiki castle is an unusual octagonal shape with towers at the corners and although partially demolished it’s still an impressive site. The entrance is well preserved and the towers retain their full height so you do get some sense of how imposing the castle would have been when in use but sadly the interior is little more than ruins. As a bonus, you get to enjoy some lovely views around the castle.
There’s currently no charge to enter the castle but there’s also no information around the site and no guides or museums to inform you about the castle. Some of the Corfu island tours stop here and that’s probably the best way to visit if you actually want more information on the site as the tour guide will offer some great insights and inform you on what would likely have been where within the castles walls.
Getting to the castle is easy as it’s right on the road, there’s no parking area but there’s room at the roadside and as it’s not a particularly popular tourist destination there’s usually no problem finding space. Also in the area are a couple of nice tavernas which are ideal for lunch before or after your walk round Gardiki castle.