Hotels near Achilleion Palace (Empress Sissi)

Achilleion Palace was built between 1889 and 1891 as the summer retreat of Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary, known as Sissi, after the death of her son Crown Prince Rudolf. Designed by Italian architect Raffaele Caritto in a neoclassical Pompeian style, the villa overlooks the Ionian Sea from the village of Gastouri. After Sissi's assassination in 1898 the palace passed to Kaiser Wilhelm II, then served as a hospital and a casino. Today the ground floor is a museum filled with Sissi's personal effects, statuary including the famous Dying Achilles by Ernst Herter, and Pompeian frescoes. Entry costs 10 EUR in 2026, opening 09:00-19:00 in summer.

Pro Tip: Skip the basement cafe, head to the Achilleion gardens at the rear and walk down to the seafront viewpoint - it is the best free panorama on the south coast.