Perched on a rock with stunning views over the sea, the palace was built as a holiday home for Empress Elisabeth of Austria in the 19th-century, after the death of her only son. Its architecture was inspired by the ancient palace of Phaeacia in Greek mythology, reflecting Elizabeth’s admiration and love for Classical Greece.
The magnificent neo-classical exterior of the place, the beautiful surrounding gardens and the spell-binding views contrast starkly with an unexciting and somewhat tasteless interior. At the time of writing the Palace is closed for restoration, so perhaps there will be an improvement. The palace and gardens are open to the public. Both outside and inside you can see statues of ancient Greek philosophers, heroes, and mythical ancient gods. There is almost no furniture or paintings inside.