Corfu

There are thousands of Greek islands, but only roughly 100 of them are permanently inhabited. The Ionian islands are a group of islands to the west of mainland Greece, each with its own unique character and showing the influences of to the various colonisations and historical imprints of its numerous rulers.

Corfu is the northernmost island of this group, and with approximately 100 000 residents, also the most populous. The local government of Corfu includes the smaller islands of Ereikoussa, Mathraki and Othonoi.

A holiday destination since ancient times

The Ionian islands have been a holiday destination since Roman times, Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany and Empress Elisabeth of Austria vacationed in Corfu, and today Corfu continues to attract scores of visitors, especially to the string of resorts along its northeast coast, which includes the seaside towns of Kalámi, Kassiópi and Sidári. Corfu is lush and green, combining a rugged, mountainous interior and hill villages with unspoilt beaches and coastal villages. The island has had vineyards and olive groves since antiquity and continues to produce wine and olive oil, in addition to modern crops such as kumquat and bergamot oranges.

St Spyridon guards over Corfu

The capital of Corfu is Corfu Town, which exhibits Italian, French and British influences in its architecture, and was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2007. It is also home to the Ionian University.

Corfu Town’s narrow streets and alleyways lead to churches, chapels and souvenir shops, all of them dominated by the Agios Spyridon with its distinctive red-domed tower. This church is the holiest place on the island, and houses the silver casket with the mummy of Saint Spyridon, the Keeper of the City, who lived in the fourth century AD and is said to have performed many miracles, including driving away the Turks from the island after a six-week siege in 1716.

Four times a year the saint’s remains are carried aloft through the streets of Corfu and the church houses a vast amount of silver brought by the constant stream of pilgrims.

Other places of interest

The Palace of St Michael and St George was built by the British between 1819 and 1824 as residence for Sir Thomas Maitland, the High Commissioner.

When the British left in 1864, the palace was occupied by the Greek royal family for a while but later abandoned.

In the 1950s it was renovated and now houses different government offices, a library and the Museum of Asiatic Art.

The Liston is an elegant parade of cafés that was designed by the Frenchman Mathieu de Lesseps in 1807 as a copy of the Rue de Rivoli in Paris. It is a place to relax and drink coffee while overlooking the cricket pitch and esplanade – a mixture of park and town square.

The seaside resorts of Corfu

The coastal village of Kalámi was made famous by the writer Lawrence Durrell, who went to live there in 1939. Despite its huge popularity with visitors, the village essentially retains its charming and peaceful character.

Kassiópi is a busy holiday resort with plenty of nightlife and many watersport schools. It is centred around a harbour overlooking fishing boats. Sidári boasts unusual rock formations as well as beautiful sandy beaches. It is a very old settlement, and Neolithic remains have been found there dating back to about 7000 BC. The resort Benítses, to the south of Corfu Town, is extremely popular with young people, has a lively nightlife and offers every conceivable type of watersport.

Accommodation

The Pink Palace is for budget travellers and the young, while the 5-star Corfu Palace is the grande dame of Corfu hotels, and the 5-star Divani Palace is the most luxurious accommodation on the island. Other good hotels include the Grecotel Corfu Imperial, the Bella Venezia and Cavalieri in the centre of Corfu Town, and the family-run Belle Helene in the bay of Agios Giorgios.