Kassiopi is the center of northeastern Corfu, opposite (and very close to) the Albanian coast. It is a large, picturesque village, which, despite the rapid growth of the local tourist industry, maintains the appearance of the fishing village it has been for centuries and still is today. The village has become a popular tourist resort. During the Roman Antiquity, Kassiopi was a major port. The settlement was fortified since the Byzantine years. The castle of Kassiopi was one of the Three Castles of the Byzantine era that ensured the defense of the island before the Venetian period (1386-1797). Its position on the northeast coast, overlooking the Strait of Corfu, which divides the island from the mainland, gave the castle advantageous position and high strategic importance. The perimeter of the castle is 1,073 meters long and is of a quadrilateral shape with 19 strong towers of alternating circular and rectangular cross sections guarding the walls and runs in the southwest to northeast direction. Another very important monument of the region featuring remarkable religious paintings is the church of Panagia Kassopitra.