Corfu

Corfu, known also as Kerkyra, is the northernmost of the Ionian Islands in Greece. Located off of the far northwest coast of the country, Corfu lies in the Adriatic sea, east of Italy and southwest of Albania. Historically Corfu has been controlled by many foreign powers, notably the Venetians, and British. The climate of the archipelago of Corfu is warm mediterranean. The summer here is warm and relatively dry with a blue sky, often cooled by seasonal breezes, offering the ideal conditions for surfing, while rarely is it interrupted by rains. The mountainous areas are cooler. The winter here is mild. Rainfall occurs mainly from November till March. On average, there are 3000 hours of sun per year with an average daily sunshine duration of 8.5 hours.

Understand

The satisfactory infrastructure and the multiple possibilities for various activities are ideal for group holidays on Corfu and the nearby islands. Motivation trips, congress tourism, school trips, Ferrari or antique cars clubs and Harley Davidson groups meet here every year.

Corfu's nature, sea and history have made sure so that you today, no matter when you come, or how long you will stay, or your style, you will certainly find original and interesting situations to exercise and to have fun. In a place with a tradition in tourism of at least 130 years, with Greek education and the influence of “nobility” from England, France and, surely, Venice, in a place which is used to welcoming the international jet-set for several decades now, the possibilities for sports and amusement are certainly impressive.

Corfu is also a very good destination for family holidays.

Corfu may not have a Disneyland, children's museums, zoos or other things closely connected with children, but the whole island is ideal for children. It's one of few places in the world, where children are bound to find what they really need: a warm welcome. In Corfu there are no tropical diseases, criminality, violence, dangerous sea and any other kind of "danger". Children here, as you will see for yourselves, play safely in the streets, in the parks, at the playgrounds, on the beach. The way of life of the Corfiot people is almost in family. Check this out, and you will see that it is worth bringing here your children some time.

Climate

Spring here is impressive and offers visitors the privilege to enjoy the wealth of vegetation and colors, combined with high-taste tourism .

Easter celebration here becomes the experience of a lifetime .

Summer is the most popular season for Corfu, with beautiful beaches and crystal water for unconcerned hours on the beach.

Autumn is the season of vintage, the period during which the whole island smells of grapes; it may be the best time to get to know the routine of the island.

Christmas and New Year's Day in Corfu is music, hymns, carols, in a quiet, decorated place with a mild climate and a noble finesse.

Climate

Spring here is impressive and offers visitors the privilege to enjoy the wealth of vegetation and colors, combined with high-taste tourism .

Easter celebration here becomes the experience of a lifetime .

Summer is the most popular season for Corfu, with beautiful beaches and crystal water for unconcerned hours on the beach.

Autumn is the season of vintage, the period during which the whole island smells of grapes; it may be the best time to get to know the routine of the island.

Christmas and New Year's Day in Corfu is music, hymns, carols, in a quiet, decorated place with a mild climate and a noble finesse.

Getting there

By plane

Corfu "Ioannis Kapodistrias" airport (IATA) is served by several airlines. Year-round both Aegean and Olympic airlines have flights to Athens. In the high season (roughly easter through October), other airlines including German Wings, Easyjet, Air Belin, TuiFly, LTU, Transavia and Wizzair serve the island.

By seaplane

Airsea Lines, Marina, Gouvia, about 4km (2.4 miles) from Corfu town, tel 801-11-800-600 (calling from Greece), +30-210-9402012 (calling from abroad) offers seaplane service to and from Greek destinations incluging Ioannina, Patra, Paxi, and other Western Greek Islands, As well as Brindisi in Italy .

By Boat

Direct Ferry links exist to/from Venice, Ancona, Bari, Brindisi (Italy) and Igoumenitsa, Patra (Greece) . As of March 2008, a bunk in a four- person cabin from Venice to Corfu was €107.

By road transport

• By the buses of Corfu KTEL, which connect Corfu on a daily basis to Athens, Patra, Thessaloniki and other places in Greece.

In your own yacht

If you come in your own yacht the Marina, Gouvia offers you a comfortable stay, very close to Corfu town, while in the town you can moor off at the NAOK harbour, as well as at the Old Port.

You can also moor off at Benitses Marina , which is situated not far from Corfu town.

Traveling around

By bus

The main bus terminal in Corfu Town is the San Rocco Square. Useful lines include the number 7 which goes to and from Dasia every 20 minutes (30 minutes on Sundays), the 10 which goes to snd from Achilion every two hours, the 6 to and from Benitses (not quite hourly) and the 11 to and from Pelekas every 2-3 hours.

By taxi

There's a taxi line in Corfu Town between the Spaniada and the cricket ground.

By car

You can rent a car at the airport or through one of many local companies. In general, it is cheaper to pre-book a hire car via the Internet before arriving. Many of the roads are very narrow so it can be better to choose a small car. While there is a good road running North-South along the East coast from Sidari to Lefkimmi and from Corfu town across the island to Paleokastritsa, many roads have poor surfacing. Often the insurance provided for hire cars does not cover damage to the underside of the car so watch out for large holes in the road. Hire car companies often provide a free map but you may find it worth buying one in advance as the maps are not especially good, especially for the North-West interior.

See

Roda

Visit the village resort of Roda on Corfu's northern coast. Traditionally a fishing village, the area has retained its chararcter while developing in to a popular destination for holidays. Unique in the sense that the old village still exists at the heart of the resort, locals mix with the different nationalities who visit time and time again. Roda is a contained resort, without the typical sprawl. There is plenty of accommodation, bars, restaurants which offer a wide range of menus, typical Greek and Corfiot dishes, Italian, Chinese and others. Roda is a relaxed resort but has a good nightlife, with nice bands, singers and comedy shows as well as the ever popular kareoke. If you want a laid back holiday, then Roda is the place, with quiet corners and a beautiful sandy beach, Roda offers something for everyone.

Achilleion

Achilleion (Greek: Αχίλλειον) is a palace built in Corfu by Empress of Austria Elisabeth of Bavaria, also known as Sissi after a suggestion by Austrian Consul Alexander von Watzberg. Sissi was a woman obsessed with beauty and very powerful but tragically vulnerable since the loss of her only son, Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria in the Mayerling affair in 1889. A year later in 1890 she built a summer palace in the region of Gastouri (Γαστούρι), now the municipality of Achilleion, about ten kilometres to the south of the city of Corfu. The palace was designed with the mythical hero Achilles as its central theme.

Things to do

Aqualand, Agios Ioannis. It's quite a small water park with only a few main "rides". It is best to travel to and from the park under your own steam as a whole day there with an organised trip might be too long.

Eat some pitas filled with loads of nice stuff... just go to a backstreet kebab shop and get them... its good!

Beaches

There is a good variety of beaches on Corfu. On the West side of the island, the beaches are sandier while the East tends to have calmer waters.

• Sidari. A fair sized resort dominated by British tourists. At one end of the beach is the "Kanal de l'Amour": sand stone cliffs with narrow inlets, a natural archway and small paths to explore.

• Dasia and Ipsos. A narrow stony beach with relatively calm waters. The resort runs along the road so there's a good variety of shops and tavernas.

• Kassiopi. One of the more relaxed and atmospheric resorts with a pretty bay and beach that is mostly stony. The waters are crystal clear and calm. Somewhat spoilt by the prevalence of tacky tourist bars/cafes catering to the many English tourists that crowd the town.

• Glifada. A long wide sandy beach with fairly rough waters. The resort is somewhat isolated.

• Pelekas beach. Even more isolated than Glifada. Also a nice sandy beach.

• Lefkimmi beach. A wide long sandy beach that is quiet due to being in the less busy South. There's a practical taverna with a children's playground. The waters are extremely calm and very shallow, even out for quite some distance.

• Barbati beach. Crystal clear!

• Chalikounas beach. A very long, virgin stretch of land, caught between Chalikiopoulos' Lake and the Adriatic sea. The natural landscape here is unique, it is a great place to get away from the world and just enjoy both sea and sun.

• Issos beach. Next to Chalikounas, again on the southwest of Corfu, this beach has a desert motive, because of the high sand hills right next to the seashore. Bring your bike and enjoy the terrain, or just enjoy the panoramic view from high above.

• Prasoudi beach High cliffs hang over your head, clean waters and a mix of sand and pebbles. A remote beach that will not leave you unsatisfied.

Walking

Corfu is an ideal location for a keen walker. The North is fairly rugged with Mt. Pantokrator, the highest mountain. At the other extreme is Korission Lake in the South; an inland lake, separated by a thin sand bar from the sea.

The Corfu Trail is a 222km long distance footpath covering the full length of the islands. The route is well signed.

Eat

Eat at Agni Bay either in the evenings or during the day, arrive on foot or by boat, there are 3 places to eat on the beach all excellent, some of the best food ever. Water Taxis run some evenings from some of the surrounding villages. Very Romantic, but prices are high here. A very special place to be. As featured in Gerald Durrells ' My Family and Other Animals'

• Captains (Captain George's), 12:00-24:00, Nafiskas 35, Kanoni, opposite Corfu Holiday Palace, A traditional, family run taverna. The food is hearty and home-cooked. Vast menu includes traditional Greek favorites like spanakopita, tzadziki, and hummus but also spaghetti and burgers!

• Klimataria or Grapevine , 00302661071201, 7pm-11pm, benitses, opposite blue bus stop in benitses, If you aren't a seafood fan then this restaurant might not appeal to you as there are limited alternatives, although there is a good selection for vegetarians. Its a family run business and the setting, a very old building, must be the most photographed building in Benitses. Eat early to get a table as the locals rarely eat before 22.00.

• To Fagopotion, Agios Stefanos, Worth visiting but praise in the Guardian newspaper on 13 09 08 (ostentatiously displayed at the entrance )may have gone to chef Christos Vlachos' head. Don't let him bully you. Some of the cooking is good, some is ordinary, and some has the feel of leftovers from the night before.

Drink

Gingerbeer. Corfu was a British protectorate and gingerbeer is one of the British style drinks that the locals adopted with enthusiasm. The Greek version is simply excellent. Ask for it at Liston or better restaurants and coffee houses. Locally it is called "Tsitsibeera"

Sleep

Corfu has countless options for accommodation - from 5 star hotels in Corfu town to spare rooms you will only find by asking around as well as many private villa and vacation rentals that are typically booked in advance or online. With so many people staying in Croatia and other hot spots, accommodations in Corfu are plentiful.

• Sunrock, Sunrock, also on the West Coast, down the cliff from Pelekas. This is a much more low key, relaxed place, just up from Pelekas beach; one of the best sandy beaches on the island. Many people find themselves here in order to escape from the incessant partying down the coast, yet Sunrock has a bar and is often full of young people with a less commercially oriented party in mind.

• Agios Gordios, the Pink Palace, a behemoth of the European backpacking scene. The hostel owns a large pink bus that accosts backpackers arriving by ferry. New arrivals are given a shot of pink liquor. Most activities on offer (of which there are plenty) revolve around drinking - the booze cruise for example (jump off the big rock naked and get free beer) and the hostel's own club - packed out during the summer months

• Belmare Corfu hotel (Corfu luxury hotel) , Kassiopi village, A friendly family run hotel close to Avlaki beach of Corfu island.

• Pantokrator Hotel , Barbati village, Northeast of Corfu town, next to Barbati, one of the island's most picturesque villages. Panoramic views over the southern part of the island.

• Family Studios , Marathias Beach, Budget studios and apartments which was recently renovated, it is run by very friendly family and staff, situated right on the sea front of Marathias beach.

• Corfu Villa Lefki , Chalikouna beach, Newly built villa on a unique virgin beach, next to St. Matthew village in the southwest of the island

• Marlina Corfu Villas , Kommeno, at Kommeno bay, 8 kilometers from the airport.

• Palms and Spas Boutique Apartments, Messonghi Village, 18km from Corfu Town, Self-Catering apartments within olive groves, overlooking the Ionian Sea. Borth up-scale rooms with their private outdoors jacuzzi/hot-tub or smaller knit studios, all apartments have sea views and Messonghi beach just 100 meters away.

• Govino Bay Hotel , +3026610 90600 , Gouvia 491 00, In front of Gouvia Bay, Most of the resort is covered by green gardens, olive and palm trees. The complex is build amphitheatrically, with buildings of four to five apartments each one, all scattered around

• Delfino Blu Hotel , Agios Stefanos Corfu, A boutique hotel comprised of 15 studios, apartments, and suites, located at Agios Stefanos Beach.

• Atlantis Hotel Corfu , Corfu Town, Single, double, triple rooms and apartments for rent located near the port.

Buy

As elsewhere in Greece, olive wood, ceramic and leather goods are common. In addition to many tourist shops in places such as Corfu town, you will find small shops along some of the more major roads, often combined with the factory/workshop. In some remoter areas, you may find locals selling locally produced wine, honey and olive oil from small street-side stalls.

Regions and Towns

*Corfu Town*, known in modern Greek as Kerkira or Kerkyra, is the largest and most important town on the island. This is where the airport is located and where most cruise ships and long distance ferries dock. It is a small, pleasant city catering well to tourists.

The North of the island is wider and more mountainous. The coastal areas are well developed with good pebbly beaches.

The South of the island is less wide (only a few miles across from west to east) and tends to have sandier beaches.

Benitses is a very old, traditional fishing village. Benitses lies 12 km south of Corfu Town, and leads to the emerald valley. The water of the springs which flow from the mountains of Aghii Deka and Stavros, join together in two small rivers, giving the area the name Pinisse (derived from the ancient Greek word 'Pinio') = Pinitse = Benitses. The mild climate and the natural beauty of Benitses village has attracted a lot of tourists from the beginning of the century. It is only during the last 30 years that tourism has replaced all other sources of income and now is the sole occupation of the inhabitants during the summer season.

Corfu makes a good start for a tour of the Western_Greek_Islands. It's also a good jumping-off place to get to Italy or Albania.

Day trips to Paxi are widely available.

Day trips to Sarande in Albania are also very popular. This is usually combined with an excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Butrint which is to be highly recommended!