Visited by thousands of tourists every year, numerous guides have been written about this Mediterranean island whose culture still contains many Venetian elements.
Corfu island has a cosmopolitan feeling combined with a special traditional character. Paleokastritsa, Sidari, Kassiopi and Acharavi are nice tourist places on the northern side of the island, while the inland is dotted with lovely villages and many sightseeings.
How to get in Corfu
Corfu is very well connected with the mainland, as well as with numerous countries, by air and by sea.
Kerkyra is connected by boat from:
Igoumenitsa
Patra
Kefalonia
Paxoi Islands
Bari, Venice, Ancona and Brindisi in Italy and Agioi Saranta in Albania
By air
During the summer months there are frequent commercial and charter flights that connect the island with almost every European capital.
By car
If you are travelling by car, there are many alternatives to access Corfu.
If you are driving from Athens, you need to follow the Athens-Patra national highway towards Patra. Once you reach Patra (216 km) you have two choices; either go by boat or drive up to Igoumenitsa (another 349 km), passing the Rio-Antirio bridge. Once you reach Igoumenitsa, you can take the ferry to Corfu. The trip with the ferry lasts for about an hour and a half.
If you are travelling from Thessaloniki, you need to follow the Egnatia Odos towards Igoumenitsa (500 km) and then take the ferry to Corfu.
Sightseeing
Achillion Palace
The Palace, located in the village of Gastouri, was erected in 1890 for Elizabeth (Sissy), the Empress of Austria as the solace of her soul. It was used as her summer retreat. Later the Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany bought the Palace.
The architecturally impressive colonial style with neoclassical and Greek elements is surrounded by lush gardens with more than 2.000 species of plants, mostly gifts from royal families.
Visitors will be enchanted by the two famous statues of Achilles, located in the gardens, just outside the palace; the “Dying Achilles” by Ernst Herter and a huge statue of Achilles the Triumphant. Scenes from the James Bond movie “For Your Eyes Only” were also shot there.
Museum of Asian Art
The Museum of Asian Art of Corfu is the only Asian museum of Greece and is housed in the Palace of Saint Michael and Saint Georges. It was founded in 1927 after that Gregory Manos, an ambassador, donated to the prefecture its private collection of 10, 500 objects of Sino Japanese origin. The museum was first a Chinese and Japanese Art Museum (until 1974) and became an Asian Art Museum later, when its collection was enriched with other private collection objects and items from Asia.
Paleokastritsa
It is famous for being the islands most treasured beauty spot, and becomes busy with day trippers throughout the season. Luxury yachts sail in to admire the back drop of the beautiful green hills, while coaches clog up the narrow roads leading into town!
Ponticonisi
Having adopted its name from its peculiar shape resembling a mouse, the small islet is Corfu’s landmark. The vegetated rock in the middle of the sea has been declared as an open natural museum and can be visited by a small boat from Kanoni, just outside the famous church of Virgin Mary Vlaherna. If you happen to be in Kerkyra during the Metamorphosis of Jesus Christ (August 6th) you are in luck as it is the only day visitors are able to visit the islet and the Byzantine monastery of Pantokratoras, which is the only building standing there.
The Archaeological Museum of Corfu
The Archaeological Museum of Corfu exhibits findings from several excavated sites in the wider region of the island, like Paleopolis, Kanoni, Garitsa, Kassiopi. The museum is housed in a modern building donated by the municipality of Corfu, in Vraila Armeni Street, close to the bay of Garitsa.
Beaches
With clean water and surrounded by lush greenery, beaches in Corfu attract many visitors every summer. Paleokastritsa is the most famous beach resort, while other nice Corfu beaches include Agios Gordis, Pelekas and Glyfada. Many Corfu beaches are organized and lined up with hotels , seaside restaurants, water sports centers and beach bars.
Accommotation
Corfu gives countless options for accommodation. Corfu Town has a wide variety of luxury hotels, boutique apartments, and suites, often in restored old mansions. Many accommodations are also found in the coastal areas of the island.
Villages close to the Town, like Gouvia, Dassia, Benitses, Perama and Ipsos, have many hotels and studios on the beach. On the northern side of Corfu island, Acharavi, Roda, Sidari, Paleokastritsa, Agios Stefanos West and Agios Stefanos in Kassiopi have most hotels and studios.
The southern side remains less developed. Very busy is the region of Kavos, which is particularly popular with younger visitors. Agios Gordis, Ermones, Glyfada and Agios Georgios South also have nice studios on the beach. Generally accommodation ranges from luxurious villas and spa resorts to traditional studios and guesthouses.
Local products
Because of its mild climate and the frequent rainfalls, Corfu has a fertile land which produces a variety of excellent agricultural products. The island is particularly famous for its olive oil, wine, cereals and the golden honey. The products of Corfu are used extensively in the local recipes o. There are many mouth-watering specialties of Corfu which have been influenced, over the centuries, by the Sicilians, the Venetians and the French that once occupied the island.
Activities
As the island has largely developed in tourism, activities in Corfu are many. Diving is an organized activity on the island, as the seabed of Corfu has many impressive reefs, underwater caves and old shipwrecks. Particularly the northern side of the island is very popular for diving.
Few beaches on the southern side of Corfu island are great for windsurfing and kite surfing, however these sports are not organized. This means that surfers have to bring their own equipment.
The countryside of the island is also very popular for hiking. There are many old footpaths that cross Corfu and lead to Venetian castles, mountainous villages, olive groves and secluded beaches.
Saint Spiridon
Saint Spiridon is the patron saint of Corfu island. The legend says that it has saved the island many times from plague, famine and invasions from Sarakins and Turks in the Medieval times. Although he never lived in Corfu, his relics came to the island after his death. Saint Spyridon is very beloved in the residents of Corfu and celebrates four times a year: on December 12th, on Sunday before Easter, on the first Sunday of November and on August 11th.
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