Venetian Castle of Bochali — The Island’s History and Its Best Free Sunset
Zakynthos Town was rebuilt after the catastrophic 1953 earthquake that levelled nearly every structure on the island. The Venetian castle above the town was not rebuilt — it had already been a ruin for two centuries, and after the earthquake, its stones remained where they fell, slowly being absorbed by the pine forest that has colonised the hilltop since.
What remains is better than a restored castle. The ruined walls, the roofless church, the Venetian inscriptions still legible on half-collapsed archways — all of it sits in a forest clearing with views across the town, the Ionian, and on clear days, the Peloponnese. Entry is free. The car park is manageable. The sunset from the northwest battlements is, depending on who you ask, either the best on the island or second only to Keri lighthouse.
History
The castle was originally constructed by Venetian rulers in the late 15th century, occupying a strategic hill (Bochali) directly above Zakynthos Town. It served as the island’s administrative and military centre during the 350-year Venetian occupation and was progressively expanded through the 17th century.
Venetian rule on Zakynthos (1484–1797) was a period of significant cultural development — the island became a refuge for Greek scholars and artists fleeing Ottoman rule of the mainland and Crete, creating the ‘Zakynthian School’ of post-Byzantine painting that later influenced the Ionian School of art. The castle was the seat of this cultural moment, though you’d have to imagine the missing buildings to fully picture it.
The 1953 earthquake was not the castle’s end — it had already been largely decommissioned and ruinous by the 19th century. What the earthquake did was remove any remaining roofed structures and scatter the already-weakened walls.
The Site Today
The castle grounds cover roughly two hectares of forest and ruined walls. Entrance is through the original Venetian gate — the arch is still intact, still impressive. From here, paths wind through the ruins to:
The Church of Agios Georgios Filakas — partially roofed, with frescoes on the interior walls that have survived in fragmentary form. Entry is possible when the church is unlocked (Sundays, and some evenings). The combination of frescoes, earthquake damage, and forest growing through the gaps in the roof is genuinely moving.
The Main Battlements — the outer western walls, partially reconstructed after the 1953 earthquake, giving the best panoramic views of Zakynthos Town below and the Ionian beyond.
The Northwest Corner — the insider’s sunset position. Past the church, the northwest wall has crumbled to a low parapet that makes an ideal seat facing directly into the Ionian sunset. No café, no other facilities — bring what you want to drink and watch the light.
Practical Details
Location: Bochali hill, 2 km above Zakynthos Town
Access: By car (5 minutes from town centre, signposted as ‘Kastro’) or on foot (uphill walk ~25 minutes from town)
Parking: Free car park at the gate
Hours: Open year-round during daylight hours; no formal closing time
Entry fee: Free
Best time: 90 minutes before sunset for the full golden hour experience
The road up to Bochali also passes through the village of Bochali itself — one of the more pleasant and least-touristy villages within easy reach of Zakynthos Town, with a good traditional taverna on the main square.
