Byzantine Settlement - Castle of Rentina — Attraction in Volvi Municipality

Very cool, although rather overgrown and has a locked gate. At one point, it was very nicely developed for tourism. Now, all that is gone and it's in a relatively sad state. It is however a beautiful Byzantine castle that is in very good shape, with some reconstruction done. Broadly speaking, skip this place if you're not in relatively decent shape. You'll be crouched down going through paths overgrown with brush if you go to this site. Although it was once very nicely fixed up, it is very overgrown and rough.

Google maps will give you bad directions. Instead, look at the point on the map and take the highway as close as you can get, that is around where the entrance is. The entrance itself is a little hidden, right off the highway. You go in, there'll be a T intersection with a creepy abandoned visitor center. Park somewhere or drive on, although the road gets a little rougher soon. Either way, go left at the T. After a short time you'll come to an open field Follow the road to the right and you'll come to the stream. This is as far as you can go with a car so park, if you haven't already. Follow the path parallel with the stream to the left, you'll reach an informational sign with a map. To the right there'll be a little foot bridge across the stream cross the bridge and pick up the path again at the start of a steep hill, just beyond a partially collapsed storage shed. Go right and start heading up to the castle. You'll pass a Byzantine building on your left and shortly after there'll be some overgrown steps leading up into more of the site. Take the steps up and it'll lead you past the baths up to the fortress proper. There's a gate here that's locked. At this point, you can go no further. If you had gone a different way, to the back side, opposite this entrance, you would have come to a hidden stairwell that leads to the dungeon and accidentally wound up inside the gated area. If you had gone inside you would encounter almost completely overgrown paths through the ruins.

You can see some cool stuff from the gate and there's some cool stuff outside the gated area. It's a real shame this is closed off although I understand why. You wouldn't want people in there messing it up or getting hurt and there's no money to maintain it.

I won't tell you to go in. You probably shouldn't. If you accidentally went in somehow just be careful not to disturb anything or leave trash. It's very overgrown but someday hopefully it'll be fixed back up. Perhaps for the moment content yourself with these pictures I found and looking from the gate, if you're into a...

Hope you read this before following Google Maps navigation because it will send you off-road with no chance of reaching the settlement. You need to watch for a country road from the highway around the area where the settlement is and park there then go by foot to the river, follow it until you reach the bridge, cross it and go up towards the hill, you will first see a wooden cover then farther up the road keep a close eye on the left there is a small brick road leading from the main path, it is covered by weeds. Once you get to that it's all the way up to the ruins. It's nice to get up to the top where there is a wooden construction housing the ancient water well. From there you have a nice view of the valley and the sea and mountains. It is not maintained so better have long pants to watch your feet from getting scrapes from the sharp weeds that grew everywhere even on the paths. It can be said that nature has reclaimed it, but still a nice...

Τα αστερακια πανε για αυτα που ειδα μεσα στο καστρο τα οποια ηταν απιστευτα και μου θυμησαν την καστροπολιτεια του Μυστρα στη Πελοποννησο , βεβαια σε πιο μικρο μεγεθος. Παρκαραμε το αμαξι στη Ρεντινα και αφου αριστερα απο τη διασταυρωση μετα τη Ρεντινα προς Σταυρό, μπηκαμε σε ενα χωματοδρομο. Περπατησαμε για λιγο ομως συντομα ειχε κοπαδι με προβατα και πολλα σκυλια που θελει προσοχη και μετα απο δυσκολη συννενοηση με το τσομπανη περασαμε με ασφαλεια. Μετα περασαμε απο μια σιδερενια γεφυρα το Ρηχιο ποταμο και αρχισαμε την αναβαση προς το καστρο με κατευθυνση ανατολικη. Σε ενα σημειο εχει σκαλοπατια με κατευθυνση βορεια εως οτου φτασεις στην εισοδο. Μετα μεσα στο καστρο εχει μονοπατακια ομως με πολλη βλαστηση και αγκαθια που κανει το περπατημα λιγο δυσκολο ομως βατο αρκει να τα ακολουθησεις. Πρωτα σε βγαζει στη δεξαμενη αλλα μετα πηγαινοντας προς ανατολικα αξιζει να δειτε τη πανεμορφη μισογκρεμισμενη εκκλησια και πιο κατω φτανεις εως το τελος οπου εκει εχει μια συρραγγα η οποια ηταν πολυ επικινδυνη και δεν μπηκαμε αλλα λογικα θα κατεβαινει απο την αλλη μερια. Θελει προσοχη μεγαλη. Θα επρεπε ο χωρος να ειναι ανοικτος καθαρισμενος και να αναδειχθει. Ειναι μεγαλο κριμα ενα τετοιο ιστορικο μερος να ειναι σε αυτη την...