Achilleion, Sisi's palace

What it is

The Achilleion is the palace that Elisabeth of Bavaria, Empress Sisi, had built at Gastouri, in the hills south of Corfu town. She came to the island fleeing the Viennese court and her misfortunes, above all after the death of her son Rudolf, and found refuge here. The palace was finished in 1891 and she filled it herself with art inspired by Greek mythology and history. She dedicated it to Achilles, the hero of the Iliad she admired most; hence the name.

After Sisi's assassination in Switzerland in 1898, the palace stood empty for nine years. In 1907 it was bought by Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, who remade the gardens with rare trees and plants that are still there. In both world wars it was a barracks and hospital, and it was looted. Since 1919 it has been owned by the Greek state and today is run by the Public Property Company (ETAD).

What you see now

The palace is undergoing restoration works and only the outdoor spaces and the imperial gardens can be visited. You cannot enter the rooms: neither Sisi's chapel nor her rooms nor the Kaiser's.

What you do see is the most photographed part of the complex:

• The gardens, in terraces above the coast, with statues of Zeus, Hera and other mythological figures.
• The Peristyle of the Muses, a courtyard of Ionic columns with statues of the nine muses, Hermes and Apollo, and thirteen busts of ancient philosophers and poets, plus one of Shakespeare.
• The Dying Achilles, the palace's most valuable sculpture: the hero tries to pull the arrow from his heel.
• Achilles Triumphant, the enormous statue the Kaiser had placed, at the moment of victory.

The marbles in the gardens have been restored in recent years, and the museum has announced that the restoration and enhancement of the palace is already out to tender. With only the exteriors open, the visit takes an unhurried hour.

Opening hours and tickets

Open every day:

• 1 April to 31 October: 8:00 to 20:00.
• 1 November to 31 March: 8:00 to 16:00.

General admission costs €7. Reduced, €5, is for children aged 6 to 18, students, members of large families, the unemployed and over-67s, with documents, and is bought only at the museum box office. Children up to 5 and people with disabilities with a companion enter free. General admission can also be bought online through the museum's e-ticket system.

Getting there and parking

Gastouri is about 10 km south of the town. By car you climb a winding road. By bus, blue line 10 leaves the town from the stop on Mitropolitou Methodiou Street and reaches the Achilleion; timetables and tickets are on the blue city buses page. Buy your ticket before boarding: on board it costs more.

In summer it is a regular stop on organised tours: first thing, when it opens, there are fewer people.

With children and accessibility

The gardens are stepped in terraces linked by stairs: with a pushchair, count on stretches carried. Children enjoy the story of Achilles and his heel in front of the statue. There is not much shade on the upper terraces: bring water and a hat in summer.

Combine it

The Achilleion fits into half a day through the south of the town: the palace in the morning and then the Kanoni peninsula to see Pontikonisi, or the drive down to the Benitses coast, where Klimataria is. If you have not yet seen the town, continue with the old town and the Liston.

In August and early September the museum organises concerts in the gardens; in 2026 they were from 17 to 23 August and from 31 August to 6 September. Check the museum's website for next summer.